The Mad Professor Loud'n Proud is an amp-in-a-box style overdrive pedal from Mad Professor, based on the classic 4-input Marshall amp. It is a mid-gain pedal: like a vintage Marshall, it carries a moderate amount of gain rather than modern high-gain levels1. The pedal is now discontinued, with Guitar World's reviewer referring to it in 2026 as one of the maker's now-discontinued models2.
What sets it apart from most overdrives is that a second footswitch can alternatively engage a boost or a fuzz circuit, selected by a toggle switch on the pedal13.
A classic 4-input Marshall in a pedal
The circuit is modeled on the classic 4-input Marshall amp, the design Delicious Audio notes helped define the hard rock tones of AC/DC, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Free and Yngwie Malmsteen1. Mad Professor's own framing, in the launch press release, is that the pedal has a moderate amount of gain, in the manner of a vintage Marshall5.
Inside, it is a compact pedal with a complete amp signal path replicated: not only the preamp but also the power amp, containing a phase inverter, a push-pull stage and an output transformer simulation. As Delicious Audio puts it1:
"This internal structure makes the pedal not only sound but also behave like a real amp1."
That is the pitch of the whole design: the pedal responds to picking dynamics and guitar volume changes the way an amplifier does, rather than acting as a pure gain stage in front of one1.
Controls
The front panel carries five knobs and two toggle switches:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive |
| Volume | Sets the pedal's output level |
| Presence | Shapes the high end |
| Tone | Overall tonal shaping |
| Fuzz volume | Sets the level of the fuzz preset |
| Boost/Fuzz toggle | Selects which preset the second footswitch engages |
| Character toggle | LEFT position: tighter bass and slightly compressed tone |
The knob set is described by Guitar.com as gain, volume, presence, fuzz volume and tone, for sculpting vintage rock sounds3, and the character switch positions by Delicious Audio1.
Boost and fuzz
The second footswitch engages either the boost or the fuzz, never both at once: a dedicated toggle switch chooses between the two presets, then the footswitch brings the selected one in13.
The boost is a pre boost with the capability of pushing 13dB. Mad Professor says it adds a nice amount of gain to the pedal and also thickens the midrange a bit5. Guitar.com describes it as injecting a 13dB pre-boost into the mix for more bite3.
The fuzz is designed to work like a vintage germanium fuzz5. Gearnews describes it as a Germanium Fuzz "with all the peculiarities you'd expect"4. With the fuzz engaged, Mad Professor says you can find a great variety of tones, from a clean tone to thick and warm fuzzy tones, just by rolling your guitar's volume knob5.
Because the boost and fuzz share one footswitch and one toggle, you cannot stack them. Choose the boost for a louder, thicker lead voice or the fuzz for a germanium-style texture, and switch between them with the toggle.
Where it came from
The Loud'n Proud was announced in late 2018, with Gearnews reporting a recommended retail price of EUR 279 and a release set for the end of that year4. Guitar.com reported pre-orders at EUR 2793. No US dollar price was published at launch.
The designer is Jyrki Rahkola, named in Mad Professor's launch press release, which was issued through Premier Guitar with Harri Koski also quoted5.
Mad Professor has since moved on to other gain pedals in the same family, including the Sweet Honey Overdrive, the Simble Predriver and the more recent Super Black Mini.
Videos
Mad Professor Amplification
Mad Professor Amplification
Mad Professor Amplification
Questions
Is the Mad Professor Loud'n Proud discontinued?
Yes. Guitar World's reviewer described it in 2026 as one of Mad Professor's now-discontinued models. It was launched at the end of 2018, so it is no longer in the maker's current lineup and is only available second-hand.
Who designed the Loud'n Proud?
Jyrki Rahkola, named as the designer in Mad Professor's launch press release. Mad Professor Amplification is a Finnish company, and Rahkola is quoted in the release explaining the pedal's aims alongside Harri Koski.
How much boost does the Loud'n Proud pre boost add?
The pre boost can push up to 13dB. According to Mad Professor, that adds a nice amount of gain to the pedal and also thickens the midrange a bit, giving a fuller lead voice on top of the base overdrive tone.
Can you use the boost and fuzz at the same time on the Loud'n Proud?
No. The second footswitch engages either the boost or the fuzz, not both together. A toggle switch on the pedal selects which of the two presets the footswitch will bring in, so you choose one at a time.
What did the Loud'n Proud cost at launch?
The launch price was EUR 279, quoted both as the recommended retail price and as the pre-order price in late 2018, when the pedal was set for release at the end of that year. No US dollar price was published.
Sources (5)
- Mad Professor Loud'n Proud Overdrive + Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2018-12-23
- Mad Professor Royal Blue Overdrive review, Guitar World, 2024-01-25
- Mad Professor debuts the Loud’n Proud, Guitar.com, 2018-12-11
- Mad Professor Loud‘n Proud: Four-input Marshall tones in a pedal?, gearnews.com, 2018-10-31
- Mad Professor Releases the Loud 'N Proud, Premier Guitar, 2018-12-06
