The sushiboxfx Elementary is an analog preamp and overdrive pedal for bass or guitar, built around a 12AX7 tube and based on the early 70s Hiwatt Dr103 amplifier. It can run clean, or you can roll the gain up for what the maker calls "a delicious tube overdrive"12. It sits in the preamp and overdrive territory, and players looking at the wider range can also see the sushiboxfx Dreamcatcher and the sushiboxfx Slampegg Bee Pre.
What it is and where it came from
The Elementary is a compact single unit suitable for bass or guitar, and RockBoard's PedalPedia lists playing direct to front of house among its uses1. The design intent, according to RockBoard's PedalPedia, "was to simplify the preamp and make it cleaner, more flexible, and more friendly for bass"1.
The circuit is based on the early 70s Hiwatt Dr103, a point the maker's product page and Bass Musician Magazine's review both make12. Reviewing the pedal in November 2023, Jake Wolf of Bass Musician Magazine described it as "the clean version of their super popular big brother, the 'Dr. Wattson'"2, placing it as a cleaner sibling to another pedal in the sushiboxfx line.
Design and build
The pedal is built with top-mounted jacks for cables and power supply connectors, and a vented chassis that shows the glowing 12AX7 tube inside2. That tube is the heart of the circuit: it is an analog design rather than a digital model1.
The Elementary draws 400mA at 9V DC1. That is well beyond what a daisy chain or a low-current output on many pedalboard supplies provides, so it needs a supply output rated for the full draw.
Power
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Voltage | 9V DC, center negative1 |
| Current draw | 400mA1 |
Videos
BASSED.
Sources (2)
- Elementary by sushiboxfx, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Review: Sushi Box Elementary and More Pedals, Bass Musician Magazine, 2023-11-13
