The Fortin HexDrive is a boost and overdrive pedal from Fortin Amps, built in the USA. Fortin describes it as transitioning from clean boost into overdrive, delivering the best of both worlds: a higher output than a typical overdrive pedal, with additional headroom and an irregular style of clipping that the maker says gives an outstanding blend of both boost and overdrive1.
The circuit began life in software. Mike Fortin originally developed it for use within Neural DSP's Fortin plugins, and the digital version appears in the Nameless Suite. The physical pedal was made from Mike's design due to public demand, according to Fortin's product page1. Premier Guitar, covering the later Fourteen pedal, notes that the HexDrive became a staple in the Fortin product line2.
Controls
The HexDrive keeps things simple with three knobs, but Fortin's own descriptions of what each does are unusually detailed1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Adjusts the output of the pedal. The higher it is set, the louder the signal and the harder it pushes the input of the amp. |
| Gain | The amount of gain, or overdrive, applied to the signal. The first part of the sweep is pretty clean, with gain coming in past about 11 o'clock. |
| Tone | Not a regular tone control, but more like a mid range punch control. All the way off it is flatter and more natural, at half way a regular mid-boosted overdrive, and at higher levels the mids are pushed forward while some low bass is taken out. |
That Tone control is the pedal's distinguishing feature in practice: where most overdrives sweep a treble cut or boost, the HexDrive's control shapes where the mids sit and how much low end survives, which matters when pushing a high-gain amp1.
Power and connections
The HexDrive runs on a 9V DC, center-pin-negative, fully regulated external adapter or power supply, drawing 25mA, and it can also run on a battery, though Fortin does not include one1. Both jacks are mounted on top of the enclosure, which Fortin points to for tidy pedalboards1.
The pedal supports battery power, but no battery is included. For a pedalboard supply, use a 9V DC center-negative output rated above the 25mA draw.
Where it sits in the Fortin line
The HexDrive sits in the Fortin range as a compact boost/overdrive pedal, described by Fortin as one that "transitions from clean boost into overdrive delivering the best of both worlds"1. Its pedalboard-friendly touches include top jacks for tidy pedal boards, and it measures 4.4" x 2.38" x 1.06" (112mm x 60mm x 27mm) excluding knobs and switches, with a shipping weight of 360g1. It carries Fortin's limited 1-year warranty1.
Neural DSP, the company that first made the circuit digital, is known for software and hardware emulations of guitar-related hardware, including amps, speakers and effects; its debut hardware product, the Quad Cortex, arrived in 2021, as Sound On Sound's Bob Thomas noted in a 2025 review3.
Players
Fortin's product page carries a user comment from Viktor S., who says he is using the HexDrive with his Mesa DualRec and with Peavey 65051. The page also shows a rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 based on 73 reviews1.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Fortin HexDrive based on a Tube Screamer?
Fortin says the HexDrive shares similar heritage with the Tube Screamer, but describes it as far apart from the regular little green box. It has a higher output than a typical overdrive pedal, with additional headroom and an irregular style of clipping, so it works as both a boost and an overdrive rather than a straight Tube Screamer copy.
Can the Fortin HexDrive run on a battery?
Yes. Fortin lists the HexDrive as running on a 9V DC center-pin-negative, fully regulated external adapter or power supply, or on a battery, though a battery is not included with the pedal.
Is the Fortin HexDrive true bypass?
Yes. Fortin describes the switching as an industry standard 3PDT true bypass mechanical stomp, so the pedal passes your guitar's signal untouched when it is switched off.
Is the HexDrive the same as the one in Neural DSP Nameless Suite?
Not exactly. Mike Fortin designed his variation of the circuit, and Neural DSP made a digital version of it for the Nameless Suite. The physical HexDrive pedal was built from Mike's design after public demand for a hardware version.
Where is the Fortin HexDrive made?
Fortin builds the HexDrive in the USA, and the company describes it as proudly built in the U.S.A. on its product page.
Who designed the Fortin HexDrive?
Mike Fortin originally developed the circuit for use within Neural DSP's Fortin plugins, according to Premier Guitar, and the physical pedal was later made from that design.
Sources (3)
- HEXDRIVE®, Fortin Amps
- Fortin Unveils Fourteen Dual/Boost Drive, Premier Guitar, 2025-07-25
- Neural DSP Nano Cortex, Sound On Sound, 2025-02
