MXR M135 Smart Gate

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$124.78 to $159.99 Price Tier: Standard

4.5 (73)

13 Reviews

Find out who is using MXR M135 Smart Gate

13 community setups

Featured in

Noise Gates: The Best Effect You’ve Never Heard

64 wishlisted

208 saved

Page last updated Jul 06, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 8 stores. Prices updated July 5, 2026.

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Reviews

Price

4.0 (46)

$159.99

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4.5 (23)

$159.99

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5.0 (1)

Used

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5.0 (31)

$124.78 99 available New

$41.80 61 available Used

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4.0 (86)

$159.99

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5.0 (2)

$159.99

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4.5 (130)

$145.00 $144.00 $1.00 · All time low

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£155.00

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Average Price: $139

Standard/Professional

$75

$151+

Price Tier

In the Noise Gate Effects Pedals category, MXR M135 Smart Gate is priced in the upper end of the Standard/Professional range. This is quality gear at a fair price point, suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and pros alike.

Budget

Standard

High-end

Price History

Based on price data from 5 merchants for "MXR M135 Smart Gate". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.

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Description

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Introducing the MXR M135 Smart Gate, an essential addition to your music gear that promises to eliminate noise without sacrificing your tone or sustain. This intelligent pedal features three selectable types of noise reduction: Hiss, Mid, and Full, allowing you to customize your sound to perfection.

The M135 Smart Gate is not just any noise gate pedal. Its design is built upon the principle of intelligent gating. When you're holding a chord, the M135 Smart Gate reacts slowly to maintain your sustain. As your playing speeds up, the M135 Smart Gate snaps into action, adding an incredible definition to your playing.

This pedal is also built to last with its slim, tough stompbox housing. With its variable threshold, you can control how much gating is taking place. Whether you're working with high distorsions or high gain pre-amplifiers, the MXR M135 Smart Gate is your ticket to a clean, noise-free performance.

Key Features:

Noise gate pedal for electric guitar or bass
Intelligent gating for slow reaction on sustained notes and fast action on speedier ones
Three operation modes: Hiss for high-frequency noise, Mid for noisy guitar amps, and Full for wide-range signals and bass rigs
Variable threshold for personalized control over gating
Slim, tough stompbox housing for durability
Equipped with hardwire bypass, precise threshold trigger, and clean circuitry
Controller for Trigger Level, Hiss, Mid, and Full modes
One input and one output
Gate LED and Status LED

Owner's manual

MXR M135 Smart Gate User Manual

Product specs

Pedal Type	Noise Gate
Inputs	1 x Instrument
Outputs	1 x 1/4"
Power Source	9V DC power supply (sold separately)
Batteries	1 x 9V
Height	2.5"
Width	4.5"
Depth	5.5"
Weight	0.84 lbs.

FAQs

What noise reduction options does the MXR M135 Smart Gate offer?: The MXR M135 Smart Gate provides three selectable noise reduction modes: Hiss, Mid, and Full. These modes allow you to tailor the pedal's response to effectively reduce unwanted noise while preserving the dynamics of your playing.
How should I position the MXR Smart Gate in my effects chain?: For optimal noise reduction, place the MXR Smart Gate at the end of your effects chain, right before your amplifier. This placement ensures it effectively reduces noise from all preceding pedals.
Does the MXR M135 Smart Gate require a specific power supply?: The MXR M135 Smart Gate operates on a 9V DC power supply, which is sold separately. Alternatively, it can be powered by a single 9V battery.
Can the MXR M135 Smart Gate be used with bass guitars?: Yes, the MXR M135 Smart Gate is suitable for both electric guitars and bass guitars, providing effective noise reduction while maintaining the instrument's tonal integrity.
How does the MXR M135 Smart Gate differ from other noise gate pedals?: The MXR M135 Smart Gate stands out with its three selectable noise reduction modes, allowing for tailored noise suppression. It effectively reduces unwanted noise without compromising the nuances of your playing.

Videos

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jimdunlopusa

MXR Noise Clamp: James

jimdunlopusa

MXR Smart Gate Noise Reduction Pedal Video Demo

tunnelvisionmusic

MXR M135 Smart Gate Pedal Demo

Isurus

Guitar World Recommends - MXR Smart Gate

Guitar World

Gear Review - MXR "SmartGate"

Steve Ricardo

Reviews

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PROS

Smoothly gates sound without cutting off sustained notes
Effective across a range of settings, from high gain to general hiss reduction
Versatile with three settings and an adjustable knob for precise control
Maintains tone quality better than some competing noise gates
Compact and durable, fitting easily on a pedalboard
Works well both in front of the amp and in the effects loop
Can be used as an "always on" pedal without noticeable tone interference
Offers more options than some other noise gate models
Successfully eliminates background noise and feedback without affecting sustain or attack
Highly recommended for metal and high-distortion playing styles

CONS

May require adjustment when switching between different types of guitars or effects
Some users find the various switches and settings less useful than expected
At extreme settings, can affect tone quality and natural decay of notes
Not as universally impactful on all guitar types, less effective with single coils
Higher trigger settings can slightly delay gate closure
Can compromise clean tones and dynamic volume swells if not minimally used

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about MXR M135 Smart Gate.

Use cases and applications

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Stacking the MXR Smart Gate with another gate like ToneX can help maintain picking dynamics and sustain without overly clamping down on tone.
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For achieving an AiC-like tone with high gain and mids, the MXR Smart Gate may require careful threshold adjustments to avoid tone degradation.
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Features and functionality

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The MXR Smart Gate can effectively reduce amp noise and general line hum without affecting delay trails when positioned after gain pedals and before delay effects.
Source
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The MXR Smart Gate can cause a "blanket over speakers" effect, impacting tone clarity when not precisely adjusted in high gain scenarios.
Source

Comparisons

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Some users suggest considering noise gates with a key input, like the Decimator, for better dynamics with low to medium gain applications.
Source
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Key-and-gate noise gates like the Fortin Zuul are favored for high gain setups, as they better preserve tone compared to the MXR Smart Gate.
Source

User experience

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Owners report that setting the Smart Gate too high can significantly affect dynamics, especially with high gain setups.
Source

Mods and upgrades

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Switching to a 4-wire key-and-gate noise gate is recommended for those struggling with tone loss on high gain setups using 2-wire gates like the MXR Smart Gate.
Source

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4.5 out of 5

Based on 13 Reviews and 73 Ratings

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

will_symes

378

about 5 years ago

Useful Pedal

This pedal makes transitions at certain gain stages quite smooth and avoids insane noise when not playing. However the caveat is that it lacks importance on my pedal board, and of course everyones board is different however i hear such little differences when its on and off. Hum-bucker guitars like my Ibanez benefit from this pedal more but I switch it straight off when i go to use a Stratocaster because it sucks out the clarity to be honest. This pedal shines more when i use a whole lot of fuzz but i'm afraid it isn't versatile enough to achieve the multiple sounds i'm hearing. It's cool to use with a whammy set to a lower octave, it kind of stabilises the current as the whammy (or certainly mine) can conjure up some un-wanted wobble. This pedal despite not being too versatile still does its job and does it well at higher volumes and gain stages so this is a damn useful pedal!

Roles:

Singer Guitarist

Genres:

Rock Pop Blues

something_bad

305

4 years ago over 4 years ago

And I was considering one to try to reduce the hum on my strats... Now, reading what you said, I'm thinking again.

machinedaddy

112

almost 5 years ago

Love it

It does exactly what it’s supposed to do. One thing that drives me nuts worse than a humming amp is when every little accidental pick scratch or slight slide of the hand on the fretboard is amplified nearly as loud as your intentional picking strokes. This really helps out in that department.

Preferred Settings + Usage:

I run it set to FULL with the dial at about 11 o’clock

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

old school thrash slam death metal american grindcore

leonrasol

165

almost 4 years ago

i dont even know what i can say about it

does its job brilliantly, prob the best one you can buy for some reasonable money

Roles:

Guitarist

Genres:

Post-hardcore Post-punk Noise rock

metal_messiah

656

about 7 years ago

This thing keeps my pedals & rig silent

I had to go with the MXR Noise Gate, I am a utilitarian so this thing is great with me. I always buy superior products and never buy inferior products. This is the gate I go with.

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Composer

Genres:

Metal old school thrash slayer

sean_nance

164

over 9 years ago

Love the small footprint

I bought this because I've got a Fender Jazz Bass that hums like a madman. I've not got the chance to use it live yet, but will definitely post my opinions later on after I've worked it in. Super glad this is small enough to fit on my mini board without any real spacing issues.

polymonic

143

over 9 years ago

Great but died pretty fast

I really liked this pedal - it didn't exactly what I needed to. Unfortunately one day it just up and died and would cost be $75 to get repaired my MXR. I'll likely just replace it with a $50 EH Silencer.

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

Electronic Rock Film score