The Mad Professor Super Black Mini is a compact overdrive pedal that packs the character of a 1960s Black Panel Fender amplifier into a pedalboard-friendly enclosure1. Its fully analog circuit maps out the entire signal path of a classic tube amplifier, and it is designed to deliver everything from pristine glass-like chime at lower gain settings to the organic breakup of a cranked tube amp1. Premier Guitar describes it as an all-analog circuit that replicates the whole signal path of the legendary 60's Black Panel amplifier2.
It is a smaller version of the Mad Professor Super Black, an amp-in-a-box pedal that recreates the valve circuitry of the Black Face Fender amps from the '60s and their classic mid-scooped tone3. Where the original carried a second overdrive inherited from the Sweet Honey Overdrive, the Mini drops that section to fit a much smaller box1.
A Black Panel amp in an overdrive pedal
The original Super Black Overdrive was launched as an amp-in-a-box pedal by Mad Professor that recreates the valve circuitry of the Black Face Fender amps from the '60s, delivering the punchy, mid-scooped and sparkling chimey clean tone those amplifiers are famous for3. Guitar World reported that the pedal replicates the entire signal path of the much sought-after Sixties-era Fender amp5.
The Mini carries that same idea into a smaller format. Delicious Audio describes it as packing that legendary 1960s Black Panel amp character into a streamlined, pedalboard-friendly footprint1. The fully analog circuit faithfully maps out the entire signal path of a classic tube amplifier1.
What sets the Super Black line apart from a generic overdrive is the way it can be deployed. The original could function either as a standard drive pedal or as a preamp running straight into the return of an amplifier's effects loop6. The Mini keeps that flexibility: Delicious Audio says you can run it directly in front of your amplifier as a powerful tone shaper, or drop it straight into an FX loop return or a cabinet1. Guitar World's reviewer, Alex Lynham, summed up the pedal's dual role in three words:
"Excellent drive and preamp."
The controls
The Mini carries a full amplifier-style control set, more like the front panel of a Blackface amp than a typical three-knob overdrive4.
| Control | What it is |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of drive, from clean chime to breakup |
| Volume | Sets the output level |
| Treble | High-frequency EQ |
| Middle | Midrange EQ |
| Bass | Low-frequency EQ |
| Presence | Upper-mid and high-end shaping |
| Cut/Comp | Compression and cut shaping |
The original Super Black also carried two mini switches, one for bass and one for compression, designed to account for the variation in low end between differently sized original Blackface amps5. The Mini consolidates this shaping into the Cut/Comp control4.
The enclosure is a black hammered metal casing with an off-white typeface color scheme, which Guitar World's reviewer called simple and classic4.
Power: 9V to 18V, 27mA
The Mini runs on a 9V battery or a 9V DC center-negative supply, drawing 27mA4. Premier Guitar adds that it can be powered from 9V to 18V, with increased headroom at higher voltages2. Running it at 18V is worth trying if you want more clean headroom before the circuit breaks up.
The power requirement is given two ways: Guitar World lists it as 9V battery or 9V DC center-negative at 27mA4, while Premier Guitar gives a 9V to 18V range with more headroom at higher voltages2. Both agree on a 9V minimum, so any standard center-negative pedalboard supply will run it.
Mini versus the original Super Black Overdrive
The Mini is a stripped-down version of the original mid-sized Super Black Overdrive14. The key difference is the second overdrive: the original carried Mad Professor's Sweet Honey Overdrive circuit as a front-end boost, with its own on/off footswitch and independent volume and drive controls56. The secondary Sweet Honey section found on the original has been removed from the Mini, resulting in a much smaller enclosure1. Delicious Audio notes the Mini is built with a few vital updates compared to the original mid-sized unit1.
Availability and price
Premier Guitar reported that preorders opened at mpamp.com with pedals shipping on July 1st, at a suggested retail price of €219 and a US street price of $2192. Guitar World's review lists the launch price as $219, £174 and €2194. The pedal is part of Mad Professor's factory series manufactured in Taiwan2, distinguishing it from the company's handwired Finnish-built pedals.
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Questions
Can the Mad Professor Super Black Mini be used as a preamp?
Yes. It can run directly in front of an amplifier as a tone shaper, or straight into an FX loop return or a cabinet1. Guitar World's reviewer called it an excellent drive and preamp4.
Is the Super Black Mini true bypass?
Yes. Guitar World's review lists its bypass as true4.
What is the difference between the Super Black Mini and the original Super Black Overdrive?
The Mini removes the secondary Sweet Honey Overdrive section found on the original, resulting in a much smaller enclosure, along with a few other updates1.
Where is the Mad Professor Super Black Mini made?
It is part of Mad Professor's factory series, manufactured in Taiwan2.
Sources (6)
- New Pedal: Mad Professor Super Black Overdrive Mini, Delicious Audio, 2026-09-03
- Mad Professor Launches New Super Black Mini Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2026-06-13
- Mad Professor Super Black Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2020-10-05
- Mad Professor Super Black Mini review, Guitar World, 2026-10-15
- Mad Professor's Super Black pedal puts classic Blackface tone in a box, Guitar World, 2019-12-03
- Mad Professor Amplification announces the Super Black, Guitar.com, 2019-12-03
