The Way Huge Smalls Supa-Lead is a compact overdrive pedal from Way Huge, designed to get amp-like crunch tones from a clean or slightly dirty amp. Way Huge describes it as a dynamic and touch-sensitive overdrive that produces "a focused midrange grind with an abundance of output volume to kick your amp over the edge"1. Guitar World's reviewer, Paul Riario, called it "a muscular, full-sounding overdrive with less crunchiness and more liquid grind"2.
Dunlop now lists the pedal as a legacy product, no longer in production1, so it is available only as remaining stock or on the used market.
A plexi-style overdrive with plenty of output
The Supa-Lead is built around the idea of amp-like grind rather than pure pedal distortion. Way Huge says that with the gain turned up, it produces "a sonically monstrous sound that's reminiscent of an exploding tube amp stack with large grain power saturation and hints of cone cry"1. Pedal of the Day described the MkIII as designed to get amp-like crunch tones with ease, whether the amp is clean or dirty3.
Riario placed the sound in specific vintage territory:
"It reminds me of the characteristic gain found in a late-Sixties, four-input Marshall2."
Guitar World, May 20192
He found the overall tone and gain character touch sensitive, and that the pedal enriches the drive tone both as an overdrive into a clean amp and when pushing an already turned-up head2. That abundance of output volume is the point of the pedal: it has enough level on tap to kick an amp that is already on the edge of breakup into full grind, which is how many players use a plexi-style box like this one.
The controls: Volume, Tone and Drive
The control set is three knobs, which Riario noted are "as clean as its name"2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets output volume, with an abundance of output level to push the amp3 |
| Tone | Large sweep for dialing in the perfect amount of warmth1 |
| Drive (Gain) | Sets the amount of overdrive; cranked, gives a sound reminiscent of an exploding tube amp stack1 |
Pedal of the Day found the Tone knob has a wide sweep, allowing you to dial in the perfect amount of warmth, and called the three controls "nothing new, but necessary and useful in a pedal of this type"3.
The pedal is also responsive to playing technique. Way Huge says it cleans up immediately as you lower the guitar's volume knob1, and Pedal of the Day noted that varying your picking dynamics produces different dirt sounds3. For a player who rides the guitar's volume control, that means one setting can cover clean-ish rhythm and lead work.
History and versions: from the limited full-size Supa-Lead to the Smalls MkIII
The Smalls Supa-Lead is the compact production version of a much rarer pedal. Riario explained that the original was a very rare, limited-edition full-sized Supa-Lead that Way Huge made for a Japanese retailer a few years before the Smalls version appeared, and that the Smalls Supa-Lead then became a full-on production model2. The effects pedals created by Jeorge Tripps and Way Huge have been around for decades, and the Supa-Lead carries that design lineage3.
The compact enclosure is a large part of the appeal. Riario noted you can practically hide it in the palm of your hand or tuck it onto a crowded pedalboard2, and Pedal of the Day called the MkIII "wicked small" with top-mounted jacks, "the perfect fit to squeeze onto any pedalboard, no matter how crowded"3. The MkIII version of the pedal carries the model code WM313, and Dunlop's product listing for the WM31 confirms it as a Way Huge Smalls Supa-Lead Overdrive guitar effects pedal4.
Within the Way Huge Smalls range, the Supa-Lead sits alongside other compact overdrives including the Red Llama, the Conspiracy Theory and the Saucy Box. Pedal of the Day noted the Supa-Lead is "one of a different flavor from the Klon-based Conspiracy Theory"3, which is a useful distinction for players comparing Way Huge drives: the Supa-Lead aims at vintage British stack grind rather than a transparent Klon-style boost.
What reviewers said
"The size, top-mounted jacks and incredible sound design make the Way Huge Smalls Supa-Lead Overdrive MkIII a dirt pedal that can compete with the best of 'em3."
Pedal of the Day, September 20203
Videos
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Questions
Is the Way Huge Smalls Supa-Lead discontinued?
Yes. Dunlop lists the Way Huge Smalls Supa-Lead Overdrive as a legacy product that is no longer in production. When Guitar World reviewed it in 2019 it was a full production model at a $129.99 street price, but the maker has since retired it from the range.
Does the Supa-Lead clean up with the guitar volume knob?
Yes. Way Huge describes it as a dynamic, touch-sensitive overdrive that cleans up immediately as you lower the guitar's volume knob, and Pedal of the Day noted that the volume knob can be used to control the gain, with picking dynamics also producing different dirt sounds.
What amp does the Supa-Lead sound like?
Guitar World's reviewer found it reminiscent of the characteristic gain of a late-Sixties four-input Marshall, with a velvety-smooth, plexi-style character. Way Huge describes the cranked sound as reminiscent of an exploding tube amp stack with large grain power saturation and hints of cone cry.
Can the Supa-Lead be used as a boost into a dirty amp?
Yes. It is designed to get amp-like crunch tones from a clean or slightly dirty amp, and Guitar World's reviewer found it enriches the overall drive tone both as an overdrive into a clean amp and when pushing an already turned-up head, thanks to its abundance of output volume.
Sources (4)
- WAY HUGE® SMALLS™ SUPA-LEAD™ OVERDRIVE, Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- Review: Way Huge Smalls Supa-Lead, Guitar World, 2019-05-13
- Way Huge Smalls Supa-Lead Overdrive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2020-09-03
- WAY HUGE® SMALLS™ RED LLAMA, Jim Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
