Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 5 stores. Prices updated .

Sweetwater
4.5 (36)
$119.00
Guitar Center
4.5 (5)
$219.00
Amazon
3.7 (7)
Used
Reverb
5.0 (39)
$352.86 New
$125.00 Used

Average Price: $273

High-end/Boutique

$80

$181+

Price Tier

Budget

Standard

High-end

Price History

Based on price data from 3 merchants for "Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.

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Description

Unleash your rock spirit with the Mesa/Boogie THROTTLE BOX Overdrive Pedal. This pedal is a beast in the world of rock, providing a cutting, aggressive tone while maintaining an organic, warm sound quality. With its roots in high-gain sounds, this pedal delivers the raw energy needed for an all-out rock performance. But don't be fooled by its high-gain prowess, the THROTTLE BOX is versatile and can deliver lower-gain tones perfect for classic rock or blues. The real magic lies in its unique Mid Cut feature, which carves out the mid-range to produce the signature Boogie "V" EQ-curve. This distinctive feature has been the secret weapon behind the world's heaviest guitar tones. With the Mesa/Boogie THROTTLE BOX, your rock performance will never be the same again.

Key Features:

  • A versatile overdrive pedal perfect for all genres of rock
  • Provides high-gain sounds with cut and aggression while retaining warmth
  • Features a unique mid cut feature that scoops out midrange for the Boogie "V" EQ-curve
  • Suited for both high-gain sounds and lower-gain tones for classic rock or blues

Owner's manual

Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box User Manual

Product specs

Brand Mesa Boogie
Model Throttle Box Overdrive Pedal
Finish Black
Year 2010s
Made In United States
Categories Overdrive and Boost Pedals

FAQs

What type of music is the Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box best suited for?

The Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box is ideal for high-gain music genres such as metal and hard rock, but it also offers lower-gain settings suitable for blues and classic rock.

Does the Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box have a mid-cut feature?

Yes, the Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box includes a Mid-cut control that scoops out the midrange frequencies, allowing you to achieve the signature Boogie V amp sound with massively heavy guitar tones.

Can the Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box be used for both rhythm and lead guitar parts?

Absolutely, the Throttle Box's versatile gain range and tonal controls make it suitable for both rhythm and lead parts, providing clarity and sustain across different playing styles.

Is the Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box compatible with both tube and solid-state amplifiers?

Yes, the Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box is designed to work well with both tube and solid-state amplifiers, enhancing your tone regardless of the amp type.

What power supply does the Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box require?

The Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box requires a standard 9V DC power supply, which is commonly used for guitar pedals.

Bax-shop | Bax Music Goes

Bax-shop | Bax Music Goes

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Video thumbnail for Mesa Boogie Throttle Box Distortionpedaal Review | Bax Music by Bax-shop | Bax Music Goes

Mesa Boogie Throttle Box Distortionpedaal Review | Bax Music

Bax-shop | Bax Music Goes

Bax-shop | Bax Music Goes

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Mesa Boogie Pedal Shoot Out - Flux Drive Vs Tone Burst Vs Grid Slammer Vs Throttle Box

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Rob Chapman

Video thumbnail for Mesa Boogie Throttle Box - Distortion Pedal by N Stuff Music

Mesa Boogie Throttle Box - Distortion Pedal

N Stuff Music

N Stuff Music

Video thumbnail for Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box Distortion Pedal Review by Sweetwater Sound by Sweetwater

Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box Distortion Pedal Review by Sweetwater Sound

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Sweetwater

Video thumbnail for MESA/Boogie Throttle Box – Metal by MESA/Boogie

MESA/Boogie Throttle Box – Metal

MESA/Boogie

MESA/Boogie

Video thumbnail for Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box - Hi-Gain Distortion by Jake Cloudchair

Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box - Hi-Gain Distortion

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Jake Cloudchair

Video thumbnail for Mesa Boogie Throttle Box & Throttle Box EQ - IN DEPTH Review by EytschPi42

Mesa Boogie Throttle Box & Throttle Box EQ - IN DEPTH Review

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EytschPi42

Video thumbnail for MESA/Boogie Throttle Box – Alternative Rock by MESA/Boogie

MESA/Boogie Throttle Box – Alternative Rock

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MESA/Boogie

Video thumbnail for Mesa Boogie Throttle Box Distortion Pedal | Playthrough by ChoptonesOfficial

Mesa Boogie Throttle Box Distortion Pedal | Playthrough

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ChoptonesOfficial

Reviews

PROS

  • Offers a wide range of tones, from thick and muscular to sweet

  • Superior tone quality compared to other distortion/OD pedals

  • Can emulate Mesa Rectifier distortion closely

  • Equipped with MID CUT CONTROL for precise tone shaping

  • Compatible with various amps for enhanced versatility

  • Provides massive backing tone, enhancing overall sound quality

CONS

  • May be pricey for some budgets

  • Tone might not suit all settings, like church praise teams

  • Requires adjustment period for users of other distortion pedals (e.g., Ibanez Tube Screamer)

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box.

Comparisons

  • The AMT R2 and Mooer micro preamp pedals are recommended for a better Recto-like sound compared to the Throttle Box.

    Source
  • The MXR Fullbore Metal excels in achieving the Metallica "wall of sound" tone, outperforming the Mesa Throttle Box in rhythm applications.

    Source
  • The Flux Drive is recommended for those seeking a Mesa Mark IIC+ sound over the Throttle Box, which is more aligned with the Dual Rectifier.

    Source

User experience

  • Owners report the Throttle Box as sounding "scooped" in undesirable tonal areas, lacking the full tonal spectrum.

    Source
  • The Throttle Box can sound fizzy and harsh in the high end, with a flubby low end, missing the balanced characteristics of a true Rectifier.

    Source
  • Owners report that the REVV G3 can approximate the Metallica sound with EQ adjustments and offers versatility for other tones.

    Source
  • There is a noticeable pop when switching between channels if the EQ is engaged on one but not the other.

    Source
  • Despite the high gain output, the pedal is notably quiet, with minimal noise interference.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • The graphic EQ sliders on the Throttle Box are highly responsive, allowing significant tonal adjustments with minimal changes.

    Source
  • The mid-cut knob effectively creates a scooped Pantera-like sound, providing analog warmth over digital emulation.

    Source
  • The Throttle Box offers two distinct channels: a punchier, biting low gain channel and a smoother, saturated high gain channel.

    Source
  • The boost button enhances both channels but lacks footswitch control and is universally applied.

    Source

Critic Reviews

Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box review | MusicRadar

musicradar.com

Mesa/Boogie's Throttle Box is a high-gain pedal delivering metal and hard rock tones that surprise with their versatility. While it excels at delivering the aggressive sound you'd expect from a Mesa product, it also offers satisfying classic and blues-rock tones, making it more than just a metalhead's tool. The build quality is exceptional, though accessing the battery can be cumbersome. Overall, the Throttle Box is a grin-inducing pedal that will delight anyone looking for robust distortion in a compact form.

positive

Mesa/Boogie Pedal Reviews: Tone-Burst & More - Premier Guitar

premierguitar.com

The Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box delivers the signature Mesa grind in a compact form, excelling in both low- and high-gain modes with a useful mid-cut control for scooped tones. Built to withstand abuse, its durable design and versatile tonal range make it a reliable choice for heavy tones from '70s high-gain to modern metal. However, the boost switch's inconvenient placement inside the battery compartment and potential stridency through amps with strong high ends are drawbacks. Overall, it's a formidable pedal for players who crave Mesa's iconic sound.

positive
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4.5 out of 5

Based on 3 Reviews and 20 Ratings

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princeofbrains

The pop-punk dream of the 90s

The majority of the reviews you'll read for this bad boy are gonna be from metalheads. And that's cool! Metal rules (for the most part) and this thing would be PERFECT for it.

But if you're like me, gentle reader, and you spent your youth getting all of your ideas of "good guitar tone" from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1-3, then you're in the right place. This thing does a better job imitating a Dual Rec than any other "rectified" distortion pedal I've ever tried. It nails the spongy response, the two gain settings are equally distinct and usable, and the mid-cut knob does WAY more for the overall EQ than you might expect. (I personally tend to keep it somewhere between "off" and about 9 o'clock, since the band I'm in has a keyboard player for some MCS nonsense and it helps me sit in the mix where I should be.)

NUFAN/Lagwagon? Nailed it within seconds. Greg Hetson's parts from 90s Bad Religion? It's the generator. Coheed and Cambria's tone on "Second Stage Turbine Blade" specifically? Everything evil in your licks comes out. Heck, if you squint, you can even approximate some Mesa sounds that AREN'T Dual Recs; the Box can do a good impersonation of Noodles' live sound (he's the other guy in The Offspring), and if you ever need to play the Buddy Holly lick for memes, you won't get closer for the price.

So if you're at all like me, and your ideal guitar tone comes from the empty pool where they filmed the video for "In Too Deep", save up the money and buy this thing. It turned my Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb (favorite amp ever) into the Vans Warped Tour 2001 compilation - and if you recognized that as a compliment, you're gonna love the Throttle Box.

Preferred Settings + Usage:

TONE - noon to 2 o'clock MID CUT - off to 10 o'clock DISTORTION - noon to 2 o'clock GAIN TOGGLE - low (green channel) Output to taste Hit your favorite Weezer riff and call me in the morning

moonjinseok91

It sounds heavy. Massive backing tone.

It sounds heavy. Massive backing tone with my B.C.Rich Mockingbird Exotic.

natthan_torci

Excelent!

Its a Dual Rectifier distortion in a box! The EQ is compact as a tone control, and you can sculp you sound's profile with the MID CUT CONTROL. Perfect!

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Peter Honoré uses Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box

Peter Honoré

Guitarist

...
Verified via Photo

"The #mesaboogie throttle box is getting some action today. What a pedal."

See how Nicholas Andrew Sadler uses Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box

Nicholas Andrew Sadler

Guitarist

Daughters

...
Verified via Photo

In this photo Nick Sadler can be seen using Mesa Throttle Box

See how Riko Kohara uses Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box

Riko Kohara

Guitarist

RAISE A SUILEN

...
Verified via ??????? ?STAGE?

At the "Roselia x RAISE A SUILEN Rausch und/and Craziness" live event on December 1, 2019, Riko Kohara used the Mesa/Boogie THROTTLE BOX overdrive effects pedal, as reported by ??????? ?STAGE?.

See how Daryl Stuermer uses Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box

Daryl Stuermer

Guitarist, Bassist

Genesis

...
Verified via Darylstuermer

As mentioned on Stuermer's official website.

See how Dean Roland uses Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box

Dean Roland

Guitarist, Composer

Collective Soul

...
Verified via Premierguitar

According to Premier Guitar, Roland also has this pedal.

See how Demir Demirkan uses Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box

Demir Demirkan

Guitarist

...
Verified via Photo

Demir Demirkan posted at instagram that he uses Mesa Boogie THROTTLE box

See how Guy Chadwick uses Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box

Guy Chadwick

Guitarist

The House of Love

...
Verified via Photo

As seen in Guy's Instagram post of his effects pedals https://www.instagram.com/p/CBLMudzpVWk/

See how Anil Öztas uses Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box

Anil Öztas

Guitarist, Singer

...
Verified

Anil Öztas used the Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box from 2017 to 2019, as verified by the artist's profile on BackstagePRO.

See how Ophir- Fishman uses Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box

Ophir- Fishman

Guitarist

...
Verified via MESA/Boogie®

Uses it on his Pedalboard as the main distorted sound

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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Community setups

Show yours
jasonoldsu

jasonoldsu

Gear IQ 149

marcus_greenlee

marcus_greenlee

Gear IQ 359

marcus_greenlee

marcus_greenlee

Gear IQ 359

marcus_greenlee

marcus_greenlee

Gear IQ 359

1 alternative for Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box, curated by the Equipboard community.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier 100W 3-channel Solo Head (Multi-Watt)

$1,600.00 - $3,299.00

cheaper alternative

Sick of lugging around a half stack? Plain old don't have the money for a Dual Rec? Run this thing into any decent tube or modeling amp and you'll be pretending to be Wes Borland in seconds.

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