The Wampler Clarksdale is an overdrive pedal from Wampler, built on the Tube Screamer type circuit. Wampler calls it "our take on that world famous lime green overdrive many of us have come to love", meaning the Ibanez Tube Screamer, with Wampler's own additions on top1. Premier Guitar described it at launch as Brian Wampler's take on the world famous Tube Screamer circuit2.
The pedal is discontinued. Wampler's own product page lists it as discontinued, with a list price of $199.971. It was announced on August 25, 20142, and takes its name from Clarksdale, Mississippi, which Guitar Interactive called the official birthplace of delta blues3.
The Clarksdale is discontinued at Wampler, so it is no longer available new from the maker. It carries Wampler's limited 5-year warranty1.
Controls and voicing
The control set is Volume, Gain, Bass, Mids, Treble, and a Smooth/Big switch1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the output level |
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive |
| Bass | Active bass EQ1 |
| Mids | Active midrange EQ1 |
| Treble | Works like the classic TS tone pot1 |
| Smooth/Big | Voicing switch: changes the tonality and gain structure, adding more dynamics1 |
The three-band EQ is the main departure from the original circuit. Wampler describes the Bass and Mids as active, with the Treble behaving similarly to the classic TS tone pot, which gives a player more shaping than the single tone control on a stock Tube Screamer1. Guitar Interactive also described a Lift/Smooth switch on the pedal, with the Smooth setting for sitting in the mix and the Lift option for letting leads stand out3.
On how it behaves against the original, Wampler says the Clarksdale "will not 'fizz out' as much at low or high gain settings" as what the maker calls the original "green giant"1.
Power and bypass
The Clarksdale runs from a 9V power jack or a battery connection, and can also run at 18V. Current draw is between 17mA at 9V and 28mA at 18V, and the LED flashes three times when battery power is getting low1. Bypass is relay true bypass with a soft switch, and both jacks are top mounted1.
Where it came from
Wampler announced the Clarksdale on August 25, 2014, from Martinsville, Indiana2. Guitar Interactive covered it that November as the Clarksdale Delta Overdrive, writing that it "offers guitarists the sound and feel of the original but with wider range of" tonal control3. The name comes from Clarksdale, Mississippi, the official birthplace of delta blues3.
In the press
The Clarksdale appeared in Thomann's Tube Screamer shootout video, published by Guitar.com in August 2018, which compared Tube Screamer-style pedals against each other4.
Videos
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Wampler Pedals
Questions
Is the Wampler Clarksdale discontinued?
Yes. Wampler lists the Clarksdale as discontinued on its own product page, so it is no longer available new from the maker. It was announced in August 2014 and carried a list price of $199.97 at the time the page was last live.
Is the Wampler Clarksdale true bypass?
Yes. Wampler specifies relay true bypass with a soft switch, so the pedal uses a relay to take the effect out of the signal path rather than a mechanical bypass, and the footswitch itself is the soft-touch type rather than a loud click switch.
Can the Wampler Clarksdale run on a battery?
Yes. The pedal includes a battery connection alongside its 9V power jack, and the LED flashes three times when battery power is running low. It draws between 17mA at 9V and 28mA at 18V, so a battery will not last as long as in a very low current pedal.
What does the Smooth/Big switch do on the Clarksdale?
Wampler describes the Smooth/Big voicing switch as changing the tonality and gain structure of the pedal, adding more dynamics to the tone. Guitar Interactive also described a Lift/Smooth switch on the pedal, with Smooth for sitting in the mix and Lift for making leads stand out.
How is the Clarksdale different from an Ibanez Tube Screamer?
It is built on the Tube Screamer type circuit, but Wampler added a three-band EQ with active Bass and Mids and a Treble control similar to the classic TS tone pot, plus the Smooth/Big voicing switch. Wampler also says it will not fizz out as much at low or high gain settings as the original.
Sources (4)
- Clarksdale Overdrive, Wampler Pedals, 2025-11-28
- Wampler Pedals Introduces the Clarksdale Overdrive, Premier Guitar, 2014-08-25
- Wampler Announce Clarksdale Delta Overdrive Pedal, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-11-14
- Watch Thomann’s massive Tube Screamer shootout, Guitar.com, 2018-08-20
