The Way Huge Smalls Overrated Special Overdrive Parts entry is Dunlop's parts listing for the Way Huge Smalls Overrated Special, a compact overdrive pedal from Way Huge. The pedal itself is a downsized Smalls version of Joe Bonamassa's Overrated Special, built to deliver the same range of bold, punchy grit in the smaller Way Huge Smalls housing so a player can save space on a pedalboard1. The parts listing carries a $0.00 price and the WM28-PARTS designation, marking it as a reference entry for a pedal that is no longer made rather than something for sale1.
The pedal was announced at Summer NAMM 2018, where Dunlop's lineup also included a fully featured Dyna Comp Deluxe alongside the downsized Smalls version of Bonamassa's Overrated Special2.
Dunlop lists the Smalls Overrated Special as a legacy product that is no longer in production, so the parts page is a reference entry rather than a live product listing1.
Where the circuit came from
The Smalls Overrated Special is built on familiar Way Huge ground. Jeorge Tripps took an old school Green Rhino OD, hot-rodded it for a more pronounced midrange, and added a Freq control2. Guitar World described the pedal as essentially a hot-rodded Green Rhino OD with more midrange4, and gearnews.com reported that Dunlop says the circuitry is a "hot-rodded" version of that found in the older Green Rhino pedal3.
The design credit is shared: Dunlop describes the pedal as designed in conjunction with bluesman Joe Bonamassa1, and gearnews.com characterized it as designed by Jeorge Tripps with some input from Joe Bonamassa3.
The Freq control
The Freq control is the addition that separates this pedal from the Green Rhino circuit it came from. Dunlop's description is direct: the company "added a Freq control so that you can punch up the low mids"1. Guitar.com likewise noted the pedal "has a more pronounced midrange and a new 'Freq' knob to boost the low mids"5.
For a player, that means the low-mid region, the area where a guitar can either cut through a mix or get lost in it, gets its own knob instead of being folded into a single Tone control. gearnews.com described it as an added Freq control for tweaking the low-mids3.
The rest of the interface is deliberately simple. Volume, Tone, and Drive controls round out what Dunlop calls a straightforward user interface1, the same three controls gearnews.com listed alongside the Freq knob3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the output level |
| Tone | Shapes the overall tonal balance |
| Drive | Sets the amount of overdrive |
| Freq | Punches up the low mids1 |
The Smalls version and the full-size pedal
Dunlop and Way Huge say the Smalls WM28 gives the same tones as its big brother, just in a more compact format3. MusicRadar called it a downsized Smalls version of Joe Bonamassa's Overrated Special2, and gearnews.com described it as the latest incarnation of the Overrated Special Overdrive in a smaller, pedalboard-friendly enclosure3.
At launch, the run was small: the Smalls WM28 was limited to 2000 units worldwide3. Guitar World reported at the time of the announcement that the price and release date had yet to be determined4.
What the press said
Early coverage was positive about the concept. gearnews.com's writer found the compact format practical and the pricing fair3:
"I think the price is reasonable"
Guitar.com called the Smalls Overrated Special Overdrive "a sleek, slim new pedal from Way Huge" with its more pronounced midrange and new Freq knob5.
Videos
JoeBonamassaTV
Max Guitar Store
Anton Johnsson
Questions
Who designed the Way Huge Overrated Special?
The Smalls Overrated Special was designed by Jeorge Tripps with input from Joe Bonamassa. Dunlop describes the pedal as designed in conjunction with the bluesman, and Tripps took an old school Green Rhino OD circuit, hot-rodded it for a more pronounced midrange, and added the Freq control.
Is the Way Huge Smalls Overrated Special still in production?
No. Dunlop lists the Way Huge Smalls Overrated Special Overdrive as a legacy product that is no longer in production. The parts listing on Dunlop's site carries a $0.00 price, which reflects its status as a reference entry rather than a product for sale.
What does the Freq knob do on the Overrated Special?
The Freq control punches up the low mids. It was added to the hot-rodded Green Rhino circuit to give the pedal a more pronounced midrange, letting a player tweak the low-mid region rather than relying only on the Tone control.
Is the Smalls Overrated Special the same as the full-size pedal?
Dunlop and Way Huge say the Smalls version gives the same tones as the full-size Overrated Special in a more compact, pedalboard-friendly housing. The press described it as the latest incarnation of the Overrated Special, with the same circuit plus the added Freq control.
How many Smalls Overrated Special pedals were made?
The Smalls WM28 Overrated Special Overdrive was limited to 2000 units worldwide, according to gearnews.com's coverage of its release in July 2018.
Sources (5)
- WAY HUGE® SMALLS™ OVERRATED SPECIAL™ OVERDRIVE, Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- Summer NAMM 2018: MXR's EVH 5150 Chorus headlines Dunlop's pedal line-up, MusicRadar, 2018-07-02
- Summer NAMM 2018: Way Huge Smalls WM28 Overrated Special Overdrive, gearnews.com, 2018-07-01
- Way Huge Unveils New Smalls Overrated Special Overdrive Pedal, Guitar World, 2018-07-16
- Way Huge announces Smalls Overrated Special Overdrive pedal, Guitar.com, 2018-07-17
