The Friedman Small Box is an analog overdrive pedal from Friedman that puts the company's 50-watt Small Box tube amplifier into a stompbox. The amp it emulates is Friedman's take on a modified plexi, and the pedal is, in Premier Guitar's words, "simply a great Marshall-in-a-box-style overdrive"1. Friedman announced it at NAMM in January 2020 and released it on November 20, 2020 at a launch price of $199.992, which remains the list price on the maker's product page3.
The circuit is based on channel 1 of the Small Box amplifier, a compact Plexi-style all-tube head and combo designed by Dave Friedman4. Friedman says the pedal responds to guitar controls and picking nuance exactly like the amp, and that it works as a companion to both overdriven and clean amps2.
The Friedman Small Box amp in a pedal
Friedman Amplification built its reputation on guitar amps first, then on pedals emulating those same amps4. The Small Box amp, a 50-watt all-tube head and combo, is the maker's interpretation of a modified plexi, and Premier Guitar notes that "of all the amp builders that make plexi-style heads, Friedman's are among the most highly acclaimed"1. The pedal is the stompbox rendition of channel 1 of that amplifier4.
Where the amp uses tubes, the pedal uses a transistorized analog circuit1. Friedman describes the range as covering "your perfect shade of rock, from vintage Plexi goodness to high gain madness"3.
The controls
The pedal carries six knobs, matching a single channel of the Small Box amp: gain, volume, and a four-band EQ section of bass, mid, treble and presence4. Friedman says the controls are intuitive for a quick dial-in3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of drive; a sweep of the gain control covers the Plexi-style range4 |
| Volume (Level) | Sets the output level4 |
| Bass | Low-end EQ4 |
| Mid | Midrange EQ4 |
| Treble | High-end EQ4 |
| Presence | Upper treble bite, as on the amp4 |
The Gain Structure switch: Plexi channel or high gain
A two-position Gain Structure switch mounted on the side of the pedal lets you choose between what Friedman calls "low-focused gain or high gain madness"3. In the lower gain mode it simulates the Plexi-Channel of the Small Box amplifier; flipping it delivers extra push for a more high-gain tone4. Premier Guitar describes the toggle as replicating the amp's two channels1.
This is the main structural difference from Friedman's other amp-in-a-box pedals such as the BE-OD and BE-OD Deluxe, which are based on the company's BE amp rather than the Small Box.
Power: 9V to 18V DC
The pedal runs on an external center-negative power supply accepting anything from 9V to 18V DC1. There is no battery option3.
No battery means the Small Box needs a pedalboard power supply or adapter from day one. The 9 to 18V range gives you headroom options: higher voltages are a common way to tighten the feel of an overdrive, though Friedman does not publish a current draw figure.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar reviewed the Small Box and found it delivers the tones its amp pedigree suggests1:
"It excels at chunky, beefy crunch. The mid-gain blues drive is rich. Saturated soloing tones are available in abundance1."
Premier Guitar reviewer, on the Small Box pedal1
The same review describes the pedal as capturing a juicy, dynamic, plexi-inspired lead or rhythm tone, and notes its compact metal enclosure1. Delicious Audio's coverage framed it as Friedman Small Box amp tone in a compact pedal format4.
Videos
Pete Thorn
Premier Guitar
Rabea Massaad
Questions
Does the Friedman Small Box pedal take a battery?
No. Friedman's product page states the pedal is powered between 9 and 18V DC with no battery option, and Premier Guitar's review confirms there is no 9V battery. You will need an external center-negative power supply to run it.
Is the Friedman Small Box pedal true bypass?
Yes. Friedman lists true bypass switching for the Small Box, and Premier Guitar's review confirms the switching is true bypass, so your clean signal passes through untouched when the pedal is off.
Is the Friedman Small Box pedal tube or transistor?
It is transistorized, meaning an analog solid-state circuit. Premier Guitar describes it as a transistorized spin on Friedman's own all-tube 50-watt Small Box amp head and combo, which is a modified plexi design. The pedal has no tubes.
How big is the Friedman Small Box pedal?
Friedman lists the enclosure at 2.5 inches wide by 4.75 inches long by 2.5 inches high, weighing 1 lb. Premier Guitar describes it as a compact metal box measuring 4.5 by 2.5 by 1.5 inches, so the two sources disagree on the exact figures.
Where is the Friedman Small Box pedal made?
Friedman's product page states the Small Box is assembled in the USA. The company is best known for its guitar amps, built by designer Dave Friedman, and later for pedals that emulate those same amplifiers.
How does the Small Box pedal differ from the Friedman BE-OD?
The Small Box is based on the company's Small Box amp, a modified plexi design, and its side-mounted Gain Structure switch offers a lower-gain Plexi channel mode alongside a high-gain mode. The BE-OD is a separate Friedman pedal based on the company's BE amp. Both are analog overdrives in the same family.
Sources (4)
- Friedman Small Box Overdrive Review, Premier Guitar, 2021-09-05
- Friedman Unveils New Smallbox Pedal, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2020-11-18
- SMALLBOX OVERDRIVE PEDAL, Friedman Amplification, 2026-06-01
- Friedman Smallbox Plexi Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2021-05-30
