The Wampler Plexi-Drive Mini is a compact overdrive pedal that puts a British-style "amp in a box" gain structure into a miniature enclosure. Wampler says its gain structure covers everything from Vintage '68 style Plexi tones to the massive rock tones of a JTM-45 cranked to ten, "or even eleven"12. It is a downsized version of the company's popular Plexi-Drive, built around an improved version of that circuit, and it arrived on 20 November 2020 at $149.9734.
A British-style amp-in-a-box overdrive
The amp-in-a-box genre is something Wampler has specialized in, and the Plexi-Drive line is the company's take on a Marshall in a box. Reviewing the original for MusicRadar, Trevor Curwen wrote that "The Plexi-Drive is designed to be a Marshall in a box"2. Vintage Guitar reported that the original Plexi-Drive British Overdrive "was designed to replicate the sound of a vintage Marshall JTM45"8, and Pedal of the Day's Mike B called it "a pretty spot-on rendition of that coveted amplifier, at a small fraction of the price"9.
The Mini carries that idea into a micro-sized enclosure. On Sweetwater's demo video, Nick described it as taking "Wampler's classic British-style stack in a box and crams it into a convenient micro-sized enclosure"5. For a player, that means a single small box aimed at cranked-Plexi rock tones rather than a clean boost or a transparent drive.
"The ultimate mini pedal for classic rock and metal fans."
The controls: Volume, Gain, Tone, Bass and Mids switches
Three knobs and two toggles handle everything. The knobs are the same trio the original Plexi-Drive used: Gain, Volume and Tone62.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of drive5 |
| Volume | Sets the output level5 |
| Tone | Shapes the high end6 |
| Bass toggle | Changes an input capacitor controlling bass: one position lets more bass in, the other cuts some bass off for a tighter distortion5 |
| Mids toggle | Changes the gain stage structure and the EQ around it, giving more mid presence and more gain when engaged5 |
The two toggles are where the Mini goes beyond the original's three-knob format. On the Sweetwater demo, Brian Wampler explained the Bass switch: "the bass switch here is actually changing an input capacitor that's going to control some bass," with one position allowing more bass in and the other cutting some bass off for a tighter distortion5.
The Mids toggle is the all-new Mid Boost circuit switch, which Wampler says had never featured on any previous Wampler Plexi-style pedal. Premier Guitar's announcement described it as creating "a powerful throaty tube-like boost by tweaking several gain stages of the circuit at once"6. Guitar.com reported that the mid-boost affects the gain stages rather than the overall output, and that it was inspired by pairing the Plexi-Drive with other overdrives: Wampler designed it around the sound of a Tumnus going into the Plexi-Drive53.
Power: 9 to 18 volts
The Mini runs on any voltage between 9 and 18 volts, and Brian Wampler notes on the Sweetwater demo that "the higher the voltage is the more headroom the pedal has"5. Current draw is very low: 1.4mA at 9 volts and 2.3mA at 18 volts6, so it places almost no demand on a pedalboard power supply.
There is no battery connection inside the Plexi-Drive Mini6, so it needs an external power supply. This differs from the original Plexi-Drive, which had a battery connection alongside its 9v power jack9.
From the Plexi-Drive to the Plexi-Drive Mini
The Mini is the third pedal in the Plexi-Drive series. As Premier Guitar put it: "First there was the Plexi-Drive. Then there was the Plexi-Drive Deluxe." The Plexi-Drive Deluxe, announced in 2015, was a direct descendant of the Plexi-Drive Standard with upgraded features, including a one-knob pre-gain boost switch voiced like a famous overdrive with pronounced mids69.
How the Mini compares with the original
| Plexi-Drive | Plexi-Drive Mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Controls | Tone, volume, gain knobs92 | Volume, Gain, Tone plus Bass and Mids toggles65 |
| Power | 9v power jack, barrel plug like Boss9 | 9 to 18 volts5 |
| Current draw | 4mA9 | 1.4mA at 9v, 2.3mA at 18v6 |
| Battery | Battery connection9 | No battery connection6 |
| Built | Hand-built in the USA9 | Built in the USA67 |
Videos
Pete Thorn
Sweetwater
Premier Guitar
News
Questions
Does the Wampler Plexi-Drive Mini take a battery?
No. The Plexi-Drive Mini has no battery connection inside, so it needs an external power supply. It runs on any voltage between 9 and 18 volts DC, drawing 1.4mA at 9 volts and 2.3mA at 18 volts, so it is easy on a pedalboard power brick.
What does the mid boost switch on the Plexi-Drive Mini do?
The Mids toggle changes the gain stage structure and the EQ around it, giving more mid presence and more gain when engaged. Wampler describes it as a powerful, throaty, tube-like boost, and says it was designed around the sound of a Tumnus feeding into the Plexi-Drive.
Is the Plexi-Drive Mini made in the USA?
Yes. Wampler builds the Plexi-Drive Mini in its USA facility, and it ships with Wampler's limited 5-year warranty. The original Plexi-Drive was also hand-built in the USA.
What is the difference between the Plexi-Drive and the Plexi-Drive Mini?
The Mini is a downsized version of the Plexi-Drive, cramming an improved version of the original circuit into a smaller enclosure. It adds a Bass toggle and an all-new Mid Boost switch that no previous Wampler Plexi-style pedal had. Unlike the original, it has no battery connection.
Sources (9)
- Plexi Drive Mini, Wampler Pedals, 2026-10-13
- Wampler Plexi-Drive review, MusicRadar, 2014-02-11
- Wampler Pedals launches the Plexi-Drive Mini, bringing massive gain to a tiny enclosure, Guitar.com, 2020-10-16
- Wampler Unveils Two New Mini Overdrive Pedals, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2020-10-19
- Wampler Plexi-Drive Mini Overdrive Pedal Demo, Sweetwater, 2021-01-06
- Wampler Introduces the Plexi-Drive Mini, Premier Guitar, 2020-11-23
- Wampler Plexi-Drive Mini and Belle Overdrive Mini Pedals: based on classic drive tones, gearnews.com, 2020-10-18
- Wampler Effects Pedals, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2016-08-10
- Wampler Plexi-Drive British Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2015-04-16
