Wampler Unveils the Plexi-Drive Mini

October 17, 2020 · 7 sources

Wampler announced the Plexi-Drive Mini, a downsized version of its popular Plexi-Drive overdrive, cramming a new and improved version of the classic British-styled gain circuit into a smaller enclosure¹²³. The pedal is a British-style amp-in-a-box overdrive, and Wampler describes it as "the ultimate mini pedal for classic rock and metal fans"³. The company said its gain structure "covers everything from Vintage '68 style Plexi tones to the all-out massive rock tones of a JTM-45 cranked to ten, or even eleven"³.

The Mini follows the original Plexi-Drive and the Plexi-Drive Deluxe, which was released on February 27, 2014⁴. Like its predecessors it is built in the USA at Wampler's own facility⁵⁶.

The pedal carries three knobs, Gain, Volume and Tone, plus two toggle switches⁵⁷:

• Bass switch: changes an input capacitor controlling bass; one position lets more bass in, the other cuts some bass for a tighter distortion⁷
• Mid Boost switch: new for Wampler's Plexi range, it tweaks several gain stages of the circuit at once rather than raising the overall output, adding mid presence and gain; Brian Wampler designed it to mimic the sound of a Tumnus going into the Plexi-Drive⁵⁷

Power comes from a 9 to 18 volt DC supply, with no battery connection; higher voltage gives more headroom, and current draw is 1.4mA at 9v and 2.3mA at 18v⁵⁷. The enclosure measures 1.5" x 3.5" x 1.5" (38.1mm x 88.9mm x 38.1mm), with height excluding knobs and switches⁵.

The Plexi-Drive Mini was priced at $149.97 MAP/suggested retail⁵ and was set to be available on November 20, 2020⁵¹². It shipped with Wampler's limited 5-year warranty⁵.