WamplerPlexi Drive Mini Overdrive Pedal (PLEXIDRIVEMINI), Cream

The original white-and-black Wampler Plexi Drive was one of those boutique pedals that I tried out and loved many times, but for one reason or another, I never bought one. Part of that was the $200 price tag, but there are also a lot of other pedals out there that offer low-to-mid gain Marshall "crunch", and I owned/own a ZVex Box of Rock and Ramble FX Marvel Drive at one point or another (both quality alternatives, by the way).But seeing a mini-pedal version of the Plexi Drive (price $50.00 cheaper) was enough to entice me to pull the trigger. My first impression was being suprised at how physically small the pedal actually is. I've owned dozens of mini-pedals in this Hammond mini case format, but something about seeing it with the Wampler name on it was still shocking. Especially considering that Gain, Volume, and Tone knobs are quite robust, and the two additional mod switches are jammed quite close to the tone knob.In fact, if I have one gripe with the Plexi-Drive Mini, it would probably be that the pedal just feels small for the sake of being small - at times to its detriment. Whenever the Bass or Mids switch is in the position closer to the TONE knob, I almost have to use my fingernail to move it over to the other position. Also, Wampler includes little rubber mini feet, but mini pedals usually have the more stable solid rubber back. For all the rage about cramming additional pedals onto precious pedalboard real estate, that doesn't actually happen with mini pedals unless find the right patch cables and plan very carefully.All of that aside, the pedal sounds great, and nails the classic Plexi Drive tone I remember. My favorite thing about this boutique drive is the sense that it's very hard to make it sound bad. It will sound different into different things, but it can cover a lot of musical territory, and adapts well.I really like what Brian did with the the MIDS switch here. No, it's not exactly a Klon/Tumnus circuit built into this tiny chassis, but a mids/treble focused boost meant to emulate the sound of a Klon-style pedal driving a Marshall amp. In addition to shifting the whole gain structure, I found the pedal a lot more expressive with the MIDS switch on, and its a neat addition that arguably gives this "mini" pedal added versatility over the original Plexi Drive that became so popular in the early 2010's.The BASS switch is a little more divisive - some reviewers felt that it was unnecessary and too muddled. But I tried it on a smaller combo amp and actually appreciated that it was there. Think of it as a different cabinet simulation to give you a "bigger" perceived sounds with lower volumes or smaller speakers.The Plexi-Drive Mini adapts - and arguably expands upon - a classic Wampler drive pedal. It nails one of THE classic amp sounds for blues, rock, and other genres, and is built to last.

I've always been a digital multi-effects kind of guy but as of late I've been getting into pedals. In looking for a distortion pedal to add to my collection I was at quite a loss since there are so many on the market these days. My goal was to get as close to Alex Lifeson's tone back in the early days (mid to late 70's) when he used a Gibson 335 and 50 watt Marshalls. I don't have that kind of equipment but what I do have these days is a Harley Benton HB 35+ and a cheap but awesome sounding Stage Right tube amp and this Wampler Plexi Drive. And believe it or not, while I can't actually hear the "Plexi" tone on my setup I sure can get close enough to Lifeson's early tone to be satisfied. The pedal takes up hardly any room and its settings are easy to get the tone you want fairly quickly. I like the drive at 9:00 (noon for a bit more bite), volume and tone at 3:00, bass toggle switch to the left and mid boost switch to the right, and I run it straight into the amp rather than through the effects loop. The build quality is solid, and its nice to look at too. Buy one and I don't think you'll regret it.

It's the second best I've tried. I bugs me, too. I keep trying all these $100+ plexi pedal derivatives (fulltone, mxr, boss, jhs, wampler) based on vid reviews, and when I get them, the one that continues to beat them all out is a $25 Azor AP-319 classic red distortion.

Such beautiful tone from a teeny tiny box. It's my favorite pedal right now.

Is everything and more than is advertised. I think it was made for a telecaster. Love it!!!!

The pedal is as advertised- very nice wide range of tones.

If you really want that pushed beefy Marshall sound, this pedal is awesome. I use it with small Fender tube amps and it totally delivers. This is not a light overdrive, but truly delivers that Marshall sound.

I prefer this over the deluxe version. Less space with almost same features.