The Fortin 33 is a clean boost pedal from Fortin Amps, designed with and for Fredrik Thordendal, guitarist of Meshuggah. It provides up to +22dB of boost, pushing the guitar's signal to hit the front end of an amp harder rather than adding distortion of its own1. Gearnews described it when it launched in August 2017 as "a clean boost pedal" with "+22dB of clean gain on tap"2.
What sets it apart from a plain volume boost is what it does to the tone on the way through. Fortin says that rather than adding its own clipping, the 33 reshapes the frequency curve, firming up low frequencies and focusing the midrange so complex rhythms stay articulate under heavy gain1. Gearnews found the pedal's sound "ultra-clean," noting it pushes an amp into high-gain territory while maintaining the guitar's core tonality2. That focus on tight, articulate low end under gain is exactly what a player like Thordendal, whose rhythmic playing sits at the center of Meshuggah's sound, needs from a front-end boost.
Where it came from
The 33's origin shows in its design. It is a single-knob pedal, listing at USD 249.95 RRP, and Fortin's own product page presents that one control as the whole point of the pedal32. The build is finished in a matte black enclosure, with top mounted jacks for input and output keeping the footprint tight on a pedalboard2. Fortin also points players to Ola Englund's official video demo as a way to hear the pedal at work2.
The control and connections
The 33 keeps its front panel to a single control, with one switch and a side jack doing the rest of the work23.
| Control or jack | What it does |
|---|---|
| The mental control (single knob) | Increase it to drive the front end of your amp harder; the more you increase it, the more your tone starts to jump out of your amp3 |
| Side switch | Changes the polarity, so you can decide which amp channel the 33 lands on when switched3 |
| Side jack | Plug a cable from here to your amp's channel changer, and the amp channel changes when the pedal is turned on or off3 |
| Input and output | Top mounted jacks2 |
The channel-switching jack is the unusual part. Instead of only boosting your signal, the 33 can simultaneously flip your amp to the matching channel when you stomp it, which saves a separate footswitch on a board built around a multi-channel amp3.
Power comes from either a battery or an external 9V DC power supply2. On the Mini 33, Fortin lists the battery as supported but not included6.
As of October 2026, Fortin's webstore lists both the 33 and the Mini 33 as sold out5. Both are built in the U.S.A. and include Fortin's limited 1-year warranty63, but a new unit may be hard to find.
The Mini 33 and the 3.33
The 33 comes in two sizes. Fortin is direct about the difference between them: "The regular 33 and the Mini are the same, the only difference is the physical size!"6. The Mini 33 carries the same mental control, the same design credit to Thordendal, and the same additional jack for simultaneous channel switching on your amp, in a smaller enclosure6.
Alongside the original matte black 33, Fortin's product line shows the same signature concept carried across the range42. The 33 itself stays deliberately minimal: a single knob, top mounted jacks for input and output, and a matte black enclosure, at USD 249.95 RRP32. Fortin highlights Ola Englund's official video demo as a good way to see the pedal in use2.
What reviewers said
Published coverage of the 33 kept coming back to its simplicity. The pedal was described as "listing just shy of USD 250. For a single-knob pedal," a price that reviewers weighed against how little there is to adjust32. The same coverage pointed to Ola Englund's official video demo, calling it "a great overview and a great example of it at work"2.
Videos
FortinAmps
Ola Englund
killertonetexas
Questions
Can the Fortin 33 run on a battery?
Yes. The pedal runs from either a battery or an external 9V DC power supply. On the Mini 33, Fortin lists battery power as supported but the battery itself is not included with the pedal, so you supply your own.
How many knobs does the Fortin 33 have?
One. Fortin says Mike Fortin and Fredrik Thordendal spent a long time tweaking the internal settings so a single control, called the mental control, is all that is needed. Turning it up drives the front end of your amp harder.
Who was the Fortin 33 designed for?
It was designed with, and for, Fredrik Thordendal, guitarist of Meshuggah, and it carries his signature. Fortin and Thordendal reportedly spent two years developing the pedal before its 2017 release.
Is the Fortin 33 still in production?
As of October 2026, Fortin's own webstore lists both the 33 and the Mini 33 as sold out. The pedal is built in the U.S.A. and carries Fortin's limited 1-year warranty, but current availability is not guaranteed.
What is the Fortin 3.33?
The 3.33 is a dual-channel boost/overdrive that expands the 33 concept, reported in September 2026. It has seven knobs, two footswitches, a Zuul noise gate and amp channel controls, and was listed at a discounted $333.33, down from $349.
Sources (6)
- Artist Spotlight, Fortin Amps
- Fortin Amps and Fredrik Thordendal issue the '33' clean boost pedal, gearnews.com, 2017-08-02
- 33® - Fredrik Thordendal Signature Boost - Fortin Amps, Fortin Amps
- Fredrik Thordendal's signature 33 boost pedal “transforms any amp into a metal wrecking ball machine”, MusicRadar, 2017-08-01
- 33 - Fredrik Thordendal signature boost - Fortin Amps, Fortin Amps (fortinamps.com), 2026-10
- Mini 33®, Fortin Amps
