The Way Huge Smalls Pork & Pickle Bass Overdrive & Fuzz is a bass dirt pedal that packs two Way Huge circuits into one compact box: the warm, soft-clipping Pork Loin Overdrive and the rich, fatty Russian-Pickle Fuzz. A single OD/Fuzz switch selects which side of the pedal you are playing through, and a clean blend channel, taken from the Pork Loin, lets you keep your low end under the dirt12.
It is the Smalls-housing version of the earlier Way Huge Pork & Pickle, which Way Huge introduced as its first official bass effect pedal at NAMM in January 201834. The Smalls edition squeezes the same pairing into a smaller, pedalboard-friendly enclosure3.
Two dirt circuits in one bass pedal
The Pork & Pickle's whole idea is putting two of Way Huge's guitar pedals into one bass pedal. Gearnews described the original as essentially the Pork Loin Overdrive and Russian-Pickle Fuzz from the guitar range squeezed into a new pedal5. Dunlop's own description of the pairing:
"This delectable dish combines the warm, soft-clipping tones of the Pork Loin Overdrive and the rich, fatty tones of the Russian-Pickle Fuzz"1
For a bass player, that means one pedal covers two dirt flavors: a softer, warm overdrive on one side and a thicker fuzz on the other, with a single toggle choosing between them. Guitar.com's reviewer noted that a central switch toggles between the overdrive or fuzz function, and that the pedal combines the circuitry of the Pork Loin and Russian-Pickle Fuzz just like its full-size predecessor4.
The clean channel is the piece that makes it a bass tool. Premier Guitar describes it as the Pork Loin Overdrive's distinct "sauced up" clean channel, a modified classic British-style preamp, and Guitar.com notes this aspect of the pedal can be used with both the overdrive and the fuzz functions24. That means your fundamental stays present no matter which dirt side you have selected.
The controls, including the internal trimmers
On the outside, the pedal is simple. The Volume, Tone, and Drive controls perform their standard functions and apply to whichever dirt circuit is selected2. The manual confirms the Drive knob sets overdrive or fuzz intensity6.
| Control | Location | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Volume, Tone, Drive | External | Standard functions, applying to whichever dirt circuit is selected2 |
| OD/Fuzz switch | External | Selects the Pork Loin Overdrive or Russian-Pickle Fuzz side3 |
| Clean Blend | External | Blends in as much of the clean signal as needed2 |
| Clean Tone | External | Shapes the clean signal to taste2 |
| Overdrive level, fuzz level | Internal | Set how much overdrive or fuzz the external Volume control unleashes27 |
| Curve, Presence | Internal | Further refine the tone of the Pork Loin signal2 |
The internal trimmers are where the pedal's real depth lives. The Pork Loin and Russian-Pickle circuits each have their own level control inside, so you can set how much overdrive or fuzz is unleashed by the external Volume control before you ever touch a knob on stage2. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley also points to internal curve and presence trimmers for further tweaking the Pork Loin side3.
The clean blend section works alongside all of this. Premier Guitar's phrasing:
"there are internal controls for the levels of either overdrive or fuzz effect"3
The Pork Loin and Russian-Pickle circuits
Both sides of the pedal have their own lineage. The overdrive side is the Pork Loin, known for its soft clipping and its clean blend preamp. The fuzz side is the Russian-Pickle, which MusicRadar's Horsley characterizes as thick-set fuzz3. Dunlop's product page describes the combination as serving up "a perfectly balanced diet of gnarly tones for bass players"1.
Because the external Volume, Tone, and Drive controls adjust either side, the two circuits share one control set rather than duplicating knobs, which is what keeps the pedal in the compact Smalls enclosure3.
Videos
Premier Guitar
Sweetwater
The Bass Channel
Questions
Is the Way Huge Smalls Pork & Pickle only for bass?
It is built and marketed as a bass overdrive and fuzz pedal, with a clean blend channel designed to keep low end intact. The circuits come from Way Huge's guitar range, the Pork Loin Overdrive and the Russian-Pickle Fuzz, combined into one pedal aimed at bass players.
What is the model number of the Way Huge Smalls Pork & Pickle?
The model number is WM91, as listed by Jim Dunlop on the Way Huge product page and in the pedal's manual. A parts version is also offered under the WM91-PARTS designation.
What do the Clean Blend and Clean Tone controls do?
Clean Blend sets how much of the pedal's clean signal is mixed in with the dirt, and Clean Tone shapes that clean signal. The clean channel is the Pork Loin Overdrive's modified British-style preamp, and it can be used with either the overdrive or the fuzz mode.
Can I use the clean channel with both the overdrive and the fuzz?
Yes. The clean channel, a modified British-style preamp taken from the Pork Loin Overdrive, works with whichever dirt circuit is selected. Flip the OD/Fuzz switch to choose the overdrive or fuzz side, then blend in as much clean signal as you need.
What are the internal controls on the Pork & Pickle?
Inside the pedal are level controls for the overdrive and fuzz circuits, which set how much of each effect the external Volume control unleashes, plus Curve and Presence trimmers that further refine the tone of the Pork Loin signal.
Sources (7)
- WAY HUGE® SMALLS™ PORK & PICKLE™ OVERDRIVE & FUZZ, Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
- Way Huge Smalls Pork & Pickle Bass Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2019-12-04
- All killer, no sandwich filler! Way Huge cooks up the Pork & Pickle bass overdrive/fuzz in a smaller enclosure, MusicRadar, 2019-12-05
- Jim Dunlop unveils the new Way Huge Smalls Pork & Pickle, Guitar.com, 2019-11-28
- NAMM 2018: Way Huge debuts its first bass effect pedal, the Pork and Pickle, gearnews.com, 2018-01-19
- WM91.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2020
- WAY HUGE® RUSSIAN PICKLE™ FUZZ, Jim Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
