Grateful Dead Music Forum

I went into a music store today and tried out an old MXR "Envelope Filter". It was an original, battery-only version that someone had drilled for a A/C power adapter. I couldn't believe how responsive and smooth it was. I've tried a whole slew of filters in the past. None of them come as close to Jerry's Mutron sound as this. The old Qtron is close. But, to get the really open, vowel response, I always feel like there is too much gain. This was wonderfully smooth. I couldn't get out of there with it fast enough.
Why are these never mentioned?

Is it the yellow one? With two knobs, threshold & attack? Love to hear it if you feel like putting up any clips.

I was using one until I got the MicroTron III.

Better pick sensitivity to me with MT.

franklins_timmy wrote:Is it the yellow one? With two knobs, threshold & attack? Love to hear it if you feel like putting up any clips.

Yes. It's yellow'ish. Lighter color than the old Distortion+. If the Vintage Distortion Plus is Guldon's Mustard yellow, this box is sort of the color of light Dijon cream sauce.
The only way I could make a recording would be from an iPhone. I'll see what I can do.

Have you ever tried the DOD EF 440? Amazing! With a few mods, you are there. I believe it is a similar design to the MXR?

Shhhh! They are a secret. They are usually 300 bucks these days if you can find them. I had two, but sold them because of the profit margin. They are mellower (in a good way), but/and seem to be more forgiving than other envelope filters when using between different setups or rigs. I'm now rockin' a Malekko EF. It is the closest I have found to the mxr beige envelope filter.

Searing75 wrote:Have you ever tried the DOD EF 440? Amazing! With a few mods, you are there. I believe it is a similar design to the MXR?

A green DOD440 was my first envelope filter. I could never get it to sound right. It was too quacky. It seemed more geared toward a funk sound, not an articulate open vowel tone. I replaced it with a full size QTron. That was subsequently replaced with a MicroQtron. The Micro wasn't as versatile, but fit on my board at the time and gave me my most used sound. I bought an Emma to replace the Qtron. That didn't last long. Couldn't get that to sound right either.
This MXR, blows the MicroQ away. It does not have the volume spike of the Qtron either. I have no idea if the circuit has been modded. It's obviously been tinkered with, since it was drilled for an A/C adaptor. So, something may not be stock, but whatever it is, it sounds really close to the real deal.

Ebearius wrote:

franklins_timmy wrote:Is it the yellow one? With two knobs, threshold & attack? Love to hear it if you feel like putting up any clips.

Yes. It's yellow'ish. Lighter color than the old Distortion+. If the Vintage Distortion Plus is Guldon's Mustard yellow, this box is sort of the color of light Dijon cream sauce.
The only way I could make a recording would be from an iPhone. I'll see what I can do.

Quarterpounder said "beige", that's good. Dijon mustard is close too. Mine's an 80s I think, not sure if there were any changes from the 70s design.

tdcrjeff wrote:

Ebearius wrote:

franklins_timmy wrote:Is it the yellow one? With two knobs, threshold & attack? Love to hear it if you feel like putting up any clips.

Yes. It's yellow'ish. Lighter color than the old Distortion+. If the Vintage Distortion Plus is Guldon's Mustard yellow, this box is sort of the color of light Dijon cream sauce.
The only way I could make a recording would be from an iPhone. I'll see what I can do.

Quarterpounder said "beige", that's good. Dijon mustard is close too. Mine's an 80s I think, not sure if there were any changes from the 70s design.

Mine is a lighter color than that. Add some heavy cream to the Dijon mustard. (and maybe a nice white wine and shallot reduction).

https://flic.kr/p/21GbwDn

Good GRIEF!!! Could someone please help me post the linked photo. I'm about to smash my IPad.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21GbwDn][img]https://farm5.staticflickr

Ebearius wrote: Mine is a lighter color than that. Add some heavy cream to the Dijon mustard. (and maybe a nice white while and shallot reduction).

https://flic.kr/p/21GbwDn

Good GRIEF!!! Could someone please help me post the linked photo. I'm about to smash my IPad.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21GbwDn][img]https://farm5.staticflickr

tdcrjeff wrote:

Ebearius wrote: Mine is a lighter color than that. Add some heavy cream to the Dijon mustard. (and maybe a nice white wine and shallot reduction).

https://flic.kr/p/21GbwDn

Good GRIEF!!! Could someone please help me post the linked photo. I'm about to smash my IPad.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21GbwDn][img]https://farm5.staticflickr

That's it. Many thanks. Any idea when this pedal was made from the cosmetics?

So does anybody have any thoughts or experience with the MXR bass envelope filter? Doesn't seem to be a whole lot of these vintage ones floating around and the ones that are, are pretty pricey. Just wondering if the bass one could be a good alternative.

This is the one I'm currently using. I own a Q-Tron, a Haz MuTron, a Micro, and frankly I am getting the best response from the MXR Bass Envelope Filter. It has a little more range to it for my ears and playing.

franklins_timmy wrote:So does anybody have any thoughts or experience with the MXR bass envelope filter? Doesn't seem to be a whole lot of these vintage ones floating around and the ones that are, are pretty pricey. Just wondering if the bass one could be a good alternative.

Thanks for the info @mikelawson. I have the old, big box Qtron. I like it and think it does a real nice job but agree wit Ebearius on the volume spike, etc. May grab a bass one to give it a try. Mind sharing your settings on it?

I'll try to remember to do that when my board is out of the road case. Of course, your mileage may vary due to differences in pickups, tone settings, and playing style. I also just scored a DOD 440 for $50 on eBay, which I recall being really good. Two knobs, I like that.