The BBE Boosta Grande MBG-20 is a mini-format clean boost pedal for guitar or bass, announced by BBE on 7 February 2017 as a scaled-down edition of the original Boosta Grande1. It offers up to +20dB of clean gain from a single knob, and BBE describes the effect simply: "It's your guitar or bass, but louder"21. The pedal is all-analog, and the aim is transparency: BBE claims it will not alter your guitar's core tone, and that the point is to let you kick the front end of a valve amp harder1.
What it does to your sound
A clean boost raises your signal's level without adding distortion of its own, so the gain character comes from whatever it is pushing: an amp's input stage, or the pedals ahead of it. The Boosta Grande line has always been built around that idea. When BBE updated the full-size Boosta Grande BG-20 in 2013, Delicious Audio's Gus Green explained the design: "To achieve a transparent boost, this pedal mildly rolls off some top end starting at about 1kHz, so when the tubes are driven the upper harmonics don't get shrill"3. He added that the BG-20 "doesn't change the tonal balance of an amp, even with its max gain of +20dB slamming those tubes"3.
For the MBG-20, gearnews' Jef reported BBE's claim that the sound is transparent and the pedal won't alter your guitar's core tone1.
Controls and power
The MBG-20 keeps things minimal. As Jef put it, "The MBG 20 has a grand total of one knob that lets you add up to +20dB of clean boost"1. There is no battery compartment: the pedal is designed to run straight off your power supply, so you don't have to worry about batteries running out1. That is worth knowing if you plan to run it on a daisy chain with battery-only pedals elsewhere on the board.
In an effects loop
Beyond pushing an amp's front end, the MBG-20 found a second use in reviewers' hands. Jef's follow-up verdict, published 13 February 20171:
"Placed in the FX loop, the BBE BG does this beautifully and also adds just a touch of extra mids to make the lead tone just that little bit fuller sounding but without colouring the underlying tone."
He recommended a serial loop for this role, using the pedal as a clean solo volume boost without adding gain1.
The Boosta Grande family
| Pedal | Format | Max gain | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boosta Grande | Full size | +20dB | The original clean boost12 |
| Boosta Grande BG-20 | Compact chassis, 2013 update | +20dB | Mild top-end roll-off from about 1kHz for transparency3 |
| Boosta Grande Mini (MBG-20) | Mini | +20dB | Single knob, no battery, announced February 201714 |
RockBoard's PedalPedia describes the mini as a scaled down edition of the original Boosta Grande1. Jef called the small format "ideal for most player's pedalboards"1. For where a boost sits among the wider options, see Boost Pedals.
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Questions
Does the BBE Boosta Grande MBG-20 take a battery?
No. The MBG-20 has no battery compartment and is designed to run straight off a power supply. That keeps the mini chassis small, and it means you do not have to worry about a battery running out mid-set, but you will need a 9V pedal power supply or a powered pedalboard to use it.
Is the MBG-20 analog or digital?
The MBG-20 is all-analogue. It is a straightforward clean boost circuit offering up to +20dB of gain, with no digital processing involved, which suits players who want the pedal to sit invisibly in a signal chain.
How is the MBG-20 different from the BBE Boosta Grande BG-20?
The MBG-20 is a scaled-down mini edition of the original Boosta Grande. Both are clean boosts with a maximum of +20dB of gain and the same transparent approach to tone. The MBG-20 trades the full-size chassis for a small format that suits crowded pedalboards, and it drops the battery option.
Can the Boosta Grande MBG-20 go in an effects loop?
Yes. Gearnews' reviewer found it works beautifully in an FX loop, preferably a serial one, as a clean solo volume boost without adding gain. He noted it adds just a touch of extra mids to lift a lead tone without colouring the underlying sound.
How much does the MBG-20 cost?
When BBE announced the MBG-20 in February 2017, the RRP was $119 plus shipping and taxes. MusicRadar listed it as available for $115 at launch the following day.
Sources (4)
- BBE Boosta Grande MBG-20: Mini version of the popular clean boost, gearnews.com, 2017-02-07
- Boosta Grande by BBE, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Guitar Pedal News: BBE Boosta Grande BG-20, Delicious Audio, 2013-02-14
- BBE launches Boosta Grande Mini clean boost pedal, MusicRadar, 2017-02-08
