The Harley Benton MiniStomp Rodent is a compact distortion pedal with a vintage voicing. Harley Benton describes it as "a vintage-voiced distortion pedal inspired by one of the most revered circuits in the history of rock" and says it is "inspired by a classic overdrive with a biting sound"1. It is part of the MiniStomp range of small, metal-housed pedals, and it sits in the overdrive and distortion territory covered on the site's Overdrive Pedals and Distortion Pedals pages.
Controls and modes
The Rodent keeps things simple: three knobs and a toggle switch1.
| Control | What it is |
|---|---|
| Distortion | Knob setting the amount of distortion |
| Filter | Knob shaping the tone |
| Volume | Knob setting output level |
| Mode switch | Three-way toggle: Solo / Turbo / Normal |
The three modes give the pedal more range than its size suggests. Harley Benton lists them as Solo, Turbo and Normal1, and George Loveridge, writing in gearnews.com's guide to budget pedals, noted that "this pedal in particular comes with three modes: solo, turbo, and normal"2. The maker does not spell out what each mode changes, so the switch positions are best judged by ear.
The Rodent has no battery option listed: Harley Benton specifies power via a 9 V center negative mains adapter, and the adapter is not included1.
Size, build and power
The pedal is genuinely small: 92 x 38 x 32 mm and 133 g, in a solid metal housing, with an on/off footswitch and a status LED1. It draws 20 mA at 9 V1, a light load that fits easily on a powered board. True bypass, according to Harley Benton, "eliminate[s] signal interference when switched off"1.
What reviewers said
In a March 2026 guide to budget effects pedals, gearnews.com's George Loveridge listed the Rodent among five pedals under 50 euros and called it "a great starting point for beginner guitarists", also finding it usable as an outright volume booster2. He gave its price as $18.70 / £16.70 / 19.90€2.
If you want to compare it with other compact Harley Benton drives, the MiniStomp Dealbreaker, MiniStomp The Heat and MiniStomp Green Tint cover nearby ground.
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Questions
Is the Harley Benton Rodent true bypass?
Yes. Harley Benton's product page lists the MiniStomp Rodent as true bypass, which the maker says eliminates signal interference when the pedal is switched off. That means your guitar's signal passes through untouched when the effect is disengaged, which matters if you run it on a board with several pedals.
What pedal is the Harley Benton Rodent based on?
Harley Benton describes the Rodent as a vintage-voiced distortion pedal inspired by one of the most revered circuits in the history of rock, and says it is inspired by a classic overdrive with a biting sound. The maker does not name the circuit outright on the product page.
Does the MiniStomp Rodent come with a power supply?
No. Harley Benton states the pedal runs on a 9 V mains adapter with a centre negative plug, and that the adapter is not included. There is no battery option listed, so you will need a supply or a powered pedalboard output to use it.
What do the Solo, Turbo and Normal modes do on the Rodent?
The Rodent has a toggle switch for three modes: Solo, Turbo and Normal. Harley Benton's product page lists the three modes without describing each one's character in detail, so the practical route is to try each position and hear how it changes the distortion.
How much power does the Harley Benton Rodent draw?
Harley Benton lists the current draw at 20 mA at 9 V. That is a light load, so most standard pedalboard power supplies can handle it alongside other pedals, but it still needs its own 9 V centre negative output rather than a battery.
Sources (2)
- MiniStomp Rodent, Harley Benton
- Best Budget Effects Pedals Under €50: Big Sounds, Small Prices, gearnews.com, 2026-03-13
