The Fortin Mini 33 is a clean boost pedal from Fortin Amps, designed with and for Fredrik Thordendal of Meshuggah1. It is the compact version of the Fortin 33, and Fortin states plainly that the two are the same circuit: the only difference is the physical size1. The Mini is sized for tight pedalboards, measuring 4.4 by 2.38 by 1.06 inches (112mm by 60mm by 27mm) excluding knobs and switches1.
What it does is simple and specific. The 33 circuit delivers a 22dB boost that shifts the guitar's signal to hit the front end of an amp harder2, and Fortin describes it as designed to sit at the very front of a signal chain to "tighten" the response of a high-gain amplifier3. Fortin's own artist page calls the 33 "perhaps the most famous clean boost in modern metal"2.
As of October 2026, Fortin's webstore lists both the Mini 33 and the full-size 33 as sold out5. The Mini 33's product page also shows a $149.49 USD sale price alongside the $199.33 list price1.
What it does to your sound
A clean boost like this does not add distortion of its own. Instead, it pushes the preamp of an already high-gain amplifier harder, which tightens the low end and makes the amp respond faster. Gearnews described the original 33 as a clean boost pedal4, and MusicRadar's 2017 coverage of the 33 noted top-mounted jacks and true bypass switching as standard6.
Fortin's product page for the 33 family puts it in blunter terms, calling the pedal "a sonic detonation tool that will transform any gain fueled amplifier"1. That is the maker's voice, not a reviewer's, but it captures the intent: this is a pedal for players who want their amp to hit harder, not a pedal that makes its own overdrive tone.
The control and the amp-switching jack
The Mini 33 has a single knob, which Fortin calls the mental control. The maker's description of what it does1:
"Increase this to drive the front end of your amp harder. The more you increase it, the more your tone will start to jump out of your amp."
| Control or jack | What it does |
|---|---|
| The mental control (single knob) | Increases the boost to drive the front end of the amp harder; more boost makes the tone jump out of the amp7 |
| Additional side jack | Allows simultaneous channel switching on your amp when the pedal is engaged1 |
The extra jack is the feature that sets the 33 family apart from a plain volume-boost box. On the full-size 33, Fortin explains that you plug a cable from the side jack to the channel changer on your amp, and when you turn the 33 on or off, the amp's channel changes with it7. A mini slide switch on the 33 changes the polarity, so you can decide which channel you want active with the 33 on; MusicRadar's reviewer described this as a switch that "makes it either open or closed by default"6. The Mini 33 carries the same additional jack for simultaneous channel switching1.
Designed with Fredrik Thordendal, sized down from the 33
The Mini 33 arrived later as the same circuit in a smaller box, aimed at players whose boards had no room for the original. Guitar Pedal X noted that the original 33 Boost "was just a simple single knob boost"8, which is exactly what the Mini preserves.
How it relates to other Fortin pedals
Fortin makes several pedals in this territory, and the differences matter if you are comparing them:
Power, warranty, and buying
The Mini 33 runs on a 9V DC center-pin-negative fully regulated external power supply or a battery, with the battery not included1. At 27mA it is a light draw, well within what a standard pedalboard power supply provides. It includes Fortin's limited 1-year warranty and is built in the U.S.A.1. Both the Mini and the full-size 33 were listed as sold out at the Fortin webstore as of October 20265.
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Questions
Is the Fortin Mini 33 true bypass?
Yes. Fortin specs the Mini 33 with what it calls industry standard 3DPT mechanical true bypass switching, so the pedal passes your signal untouched when it is off. The same switching is used on the full-size Fortin 33.
Does the Fortin Mini 33 run on a battery?
Yes. Fortin lists the Mini 33 as running on a 9V DC center-pin-negative fully regulated external power supply or a battery, with the battery not included. The pedal draws 27mA at 9V, so a standard supply handles it easily.
Is the Mini 33 the same circuit as the regular Fortin 33?
Yes. Fortin states that the regular 33 and the Mini are the same, and the only difference is the physical size. The Mini is sized for tight pedalboards, measuring 4.4 by 2.38 by 1.06 inches excluding knobs and switches.
How much current does the Mini 33 draw?
The Mini 33 draws 27mA at 9V, per Fortin's product page. That is a light draw, so it can share a modest power supply with other pedals without issue.
Where is the Fortin Mini 33 made?
Fortin lists the Mini 33 as built in the U.S.A. It carries Fortin's limited 1-year warranty.
Sources (8)
- Mini 33®, Fortin Amps
- Artist Spotlight, Fortin Amplification (fortinamps.com)
- 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 (fortinamps.com), 2026-10
- 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
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-09-29
