Guitar Pedals · owner-verdict comparison

Morning Glory V4 vs MXR Carbon Copy: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the MXR Carbon Copy: 71% of 31 owners recommend it, vs 45% of 53 for the Morning Glory V4.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Morning Glory V4

45%of 53 owners recommend
45% recommend · 34% neutral · 21% don't
Owners praise
  • Holds up as an always-on low-gain drive that owners leave on the board for years
  • Adds clarity and edge-of-breakup without covering up the amp's character
  • Stacks well in front of or behind other overdrives, fuzz and boosts
Owners complain about
  • Bright and treble-forward, and the higher gain side can turn shrill
  • Thins out the low end, which shows up most on bass and on already-lean rigs
  • Not the Marshall Bluesbreaker voice some buyers expect from the circuit
Full owner report →

MXR Carbon Copy

71%of 31 owners recommend
71% recommend · 13% neutral · 16% don't
Owners praise
  • Warm, natural-sounding analog delay tone that owners rank among the best analog delays available
  • Long-term reliability and loyalty, owners keep it for a decade or more, tour heavily with it, and keep returning to it after trying other delays
  • Underwhelming compared to alternatives for a minority of owners, some felt it didn't outperform other delays (like the analog settings on an FB/FB4) and ended up returning or replacing it
Owners complain about
  • Underwhelming compared to alternatives for a minority of owners, some felt it didn't outperform other delays (like the analog settings on an FB/FB4) and ended up returning or replacing it
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Morning Glory V4 if
  • ✓Players who want one always-on low-gain drive that lives on the board
  • ✓Single coils into Fender-style clean amps, Strat into a Deluxe Reverb territory
  • ✓Boards where the overdrive has to stack with other dirt pedals or feed a fuzz
  • ✓Clean-to-breakup jangle and power pop, where a bit of extra sparkle helps
Skip it if
  • Anyone chasing a warm, dark, mid-heavy overdrive
  • Already-bright rigs, or humbuckers into a scooped amp where owners lose it in the mix
Get the MXR Carbon Copy if
  • ✓Players wanting warm, natural analog delay
  • ✓Guitarists after slapback and short echo settings
  • ✓Ambient players needing swells that preserve the dry signal
  • ✓Beginners who want simple, hands-on controls
Skip it if
  • Players needing versatility beyond one analog sound
  • Those wanting very long delay times

What Morning Glory V4 owners say

“Morning Glory is great as a low gain always on. I forced myself to take it off my board because it was keeping me from learning how to use my other boost/tone-shaping pedals lol.”
— Professional-Net6454 on Reddit
“I've got both and right now the MG is on the board. I love them both dearly, but the MG sounds a bit gnarlier to my ear, just a touch more breakup, which is what I want right now.”
— cromulentwrd on Reddit
“I find the MG too bright, so I end up using only a small fraction of the tone control’s range.”
— LaOnionLaUnion on Reddit

What MXR Carbon Copy owners say

“Easily my favourite delay pedal!”
— @thejosebatista on YouTube
“Love the CarbonCopy.”
— @northof50now on YouTube
“j'ai acheté cet effet c'est loin d'être ça !”
— @francoisb4830 on YouTube

Morning Glory V4 vs MXR Carbon Copy: frequently asked questions

Is the Morning Glory V4 or the MXR Carbon Copy better?

Real owners lean toward the MXR Carbon Copy: 71% of 31 owners recommend it, vs 45% of 53 for the Morning Glory V4.

Who should get the Morning Glory V4?

Owners point the Morning Glory V4 at players who want one always-on low-gain drive that lives on the board, and single coils into Fender-style clean amps, Strat into a Deluxe Reverb territory.

Who should get the MXR Carbon Copy?

Owners point the MXR Carbon Copy at players wanting warm, natural analog delay, and guitarists after slapback and short echo settings.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Morning Glory V4 is bright and treble-forward, and the higher gain side can turn shrill. For the MXR Carbon Copy, it's underwhelming compared to alternatives for a minority of owners, some felt it didn't outperform other delays (like the analog settings on an FB/FB4) and ended up returning or replacing it.