The Menatone MenaWatt is a preamp pedal from Menatone, listed at $219.00 USD as of 25 October 20261. Menatone describes it as based on "the other, other British amps from the 60's and 70's"1, and Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson identifies the subject as the Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100, writing that "Brian Mena revives the glory years of the legendary British Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 Amplifier - with his superb MenaWatt"2. It sits in the same family as Menatone's other amp-in-a-box preamps, such as the Menatone Wreck'T Preamp, and belongs to the wider field of preamp pedals.
Controls
The pedal's gain stage works the way a vintage amp with jumpered inputs does, with two first-stage gain controls running in parallel. Menatone describes the Normal side as thick and fat and the Brilliant side as bright with a tight bottom1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain - Brilliant | First-stage gain control; bright with a tight bottom1 |
| Gain - Normal | First-stage gain control; thick and fat1 |
The 2025 version adds two more controls to the top of the pedal: a power gain control and a presence control1.
Versions
The limited "MenaWatt in Black" edition, a custom color version in classic black and white, was listed on Menatone's site as of 25 October 20263.
Two versions appear in Menatone's range:
- MenaWatt (2025 version): the current version, which adds the power gain and presence controls to the top of the pedal1
- MenaWatt in Black: a limited custom color version in classic black and white3
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X covered the MenaWatt in a review of Menatone's Wreck'T Preamp, published 8 November 2024. The reviewer placed the MenaWatt at the top of its category, writing: "I dare say even better than the already magnificent MenaWatt that I reviewed last week!"2
Videos
Oxtone Guitarist
Oxtone Guitarist
Sources (3)
- MenaWatt, menatone.com
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-11-08
- MenaWatt in Black, menatone.com
