The Bogner Mini Ecstasy Red is a compact overdrive pedal from Bogner, the amplifier company founded by Reinhold Bogner. It is a downsized version of the full-size Ecstasy Red, which launched in 2012 and is based on the red channel of the Ecstasy amplifier series, the heavier side of the Ecstasy range. The mini was first shown at Winter NAMM 2018 and went on sale on 19 November 2018 at $19912.
The pitch is simple: the same circuit as the full-size pedal in a smaller box. When the minis were announced, they were reported to feature the same circuits as their counterparts, just reduced in size, and Bogner's own presenters said two minis fit in the space of one previous full-size Ecstasy pedal13. The trade-off is that the footswitchable Boost switch from the originals is gone3.
What it does to your sound
The Mini Ecstasy Red is aimed at modern high-gain tones, the heavier version of the Ecstasy range where the Mini Ecstasy Blue covers the other side54. Like the full-size pedals, it uses a variac to give the sag of a real valve-driven amp, with dynamic compression4. The full-size Ecstasy pedals use class A analog circuits that eschew diodes or op-amps for the overdrive clipping, and the minis reportedly carry the same circuits63.
Controls
The mini keeps most of the control set of the full-size pedal, minus the Boost switch. At the NAMM 2018 demo, Bogner's presenters walked through the panel: a three-band EQ of treble, mid and bass, plus volume and gain, a gain structure switch with two settings described as "gain and more gain," and several pre-EQ voicing switches1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume, Gain | Standard level and drive controls1 |
| Bass, Middle, Treble | Active tone controls, like the larger siblings14 |
| Gain structure switch | Two settings: gain and more gain1 |
| Mode switch (mini-toggle) | Selects between different gain settings; Plexi and Blue modes offer vintage lower-gain or modified higher-gain levels42 |
| Variac switch (mini-toggle) | Engages the variac, giving the sag of a real valve-driven amp with dynamic compression4 |
| Pre-EQ switch | Adds openness and presence in the higher-range harmonics4 |
| Structure switch | Chooses between various models of the original Ecstasy amplifier EQ/gain characteristics4 |
The footswitchable Boost found on the full-size Ecstasy pedals is missing on the minis. On the originals, that boost can raise volume and gain at once, set by two small potentiometers beneath the main volume and gain knobs, with LEDs in the mini-boost pots36. Bogner's presentation suggested everything else on the minis is the same3.
Power and connections
The Mini Ecstasy Red runs on a 9V DC power supply only, with no battery option, unlike the originals4. The full-size Ecstasy Red houses a PP3 battery behind a small aluminum flap fastened by a large-slotted machine screw, but that compartment did not survive the shrink7. The mini's jacks are input, output and remote2. It is true-bypass4.
Mini versus full-size
| Mini Ecstasy Red | Full-size Ecstasy Red | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 19 November 20182 | 20122 |
| Price | $199 at release48 | $299.99 list in 20138 |
| Boost switch | No6 | Yes, footswitchable, boosts volume and gain6 |
| Battery | No, 9V DC only4 | PP3 behind an aluminum flap7 |
| Footprint | Two minis fit in the space of one full-size pedal1 | Full-size enclosure |
For players weighing the two, the differences come down to the Boost switch, the battery compartment and the footprint. The circuit, tone controls and switching options reportedly carry over34.
Where it came from
Reinhold Bogner, the designer and namesake of Bogner amps, modeled the Ecstasy pedal circuits after his own amplifiers, boutique hybrids of classic Plexi-style circuits47. The original Ecstasy Red and Blue pedals came out in 2012, and MusicRadar covered the Red at launch, including it in their guide to distortion pedals2. The minis were announced at NAMM 2018 and released that November32.
What reviewers and presenters said
At the Winter NAMM 2018 demo, Bogner's presenter described the Mini Ecstasy Red as "just amazing," and Mitch Gallagher's takeaway was that the pedals sound great and the small board footprint is a big plus1.
"they sound great they and that's kind of the whole dog and pony show they're very simple great in terms of real estate"
Gearnews found the minis feel very natural, with touch sensitivity and playing dynamics coming through4. Not every view was positive: in 2020, Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson wrote that "the Red Mini is somehow less good sounding and you really need the original variety," preferring the full-size pedal9. For context on the full-size Red, Premier Guitar's 2026 review found that its 100 mode with a Twin Reverb at a low-gain setting generated the woody midrange and juicy low end that defined the original Ecstasy amp, with enormous note body and smooth sustain, though the same review noted it is not designed for the scooped-mid crowd and that keeping the mids at 11 o'clock or above highlights its strengths64.
Videos
Sweetwater
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Ola Englund
Questions
Does the Bogner Mini Ecstasy Red have a boost switch?
No. The Mini Ecstasy Red and Mini Ecstasy Blue are missing the footswitchable Boost switch found on the full-size Ecstasy pedals. According to Bogner's presentation at Winter NAMM 2018, everything else carries over from the originals, so you still get the three-band EQ, Variac, pre-EQ and gain structure controls.
Is the Mini Ecstasy Red the same circuit as the full-size Ecstasy Red?
Reportedly yes. When the minis were announced, the word was that they feature the same circuits as their full-size counterparts, just reduced in size. The full-size Ecstasy pedals use analog class A circuits without diodes or op-amps for the overdrive clipping, and are based on the red channel of the Ecstasy amplifier series.
How much did the Bogner Mini Ecstasy Red cost at release?
The Mini Ecstasy Red and Mini Ecstasy Blue went on sale on 19 November 2018 at $199 each. That compares with the full-size Ecstasy Red, which listed at $299.99 in 2013 and was described by Premier Guitar in 2026 as a $300 street purchase.
How much pedalboard space does the Mini Ecstasy Red save?
Two Mini pedals fit in the space of one previous full-size Ecstasy pedal, according to Bogner's own presenters at Winter NAMM 2018. That means the Mini Red and Mini Blue together occupy roughly the footprint of a single original, which was the main point of the format for crowded pedalboards.
Who designed the Bogner Ecstasy Red?
Reinhold Bogner, the designer and namesake of Bogner amplifiers, designed the Ecstasy pedals. He modeled the circuits after his own amps, and the Red pedal is based on the red channel of the Ecstasy amplifier series. He also oversaw the mini versions introduced in 2018.
Does the Bogner Ecstasy Red Mini take a battery?
No. The Mini versions are powered by a 9V DC power supply only, with no battery option, unlike the originals. The full-size Ecstasy Red houses a PP3 battery behind a small aluminium flap fastened by a large-slotted machine screw, but that compartment did not make it into the smaller enclosure.
Sources (9)
- Bogner Mini Ecstasy Red & Blue Overdrive Pedals at Winter NAMM 2018, Sweetwater, 2018-01-27
- Bogner distills the Ecstasy into Red and Blue Mini pedals, MusicRadar, 2018-11-14
- NAMM 2018: Bogner Mini Ecstasy Red & Blue Overdrive Pedals, gearnews.com, 2018-01-30
- Bogner Ecstasy Red and Blue Mini pedals: Smaller size, same boutique tone?, gearnews.com, 2018-11-15
- Bogner Unveils Ecstasy Red and Blue Mini Pedals, Guitar World, 2018-11-14
- Bogner Ecstasy Blue & Red Overdrive Pedal Reviews, Premier Guitar, 2013-03-06
- Bogner Ecstasy Red pedal review, MusicRadar, 2013-03-21
- Stomping Ground: 30 of the Coolest New Stomp Boxes and Tried-and-True Favorites, Guitar World, 2013-07-23
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2020-04-12
