The Zorg Effects Small Basstar is a bass overdrive pedal, originally envisioned as a smaller version of the company's Glorious Basstar bass overdrive1. Premier Guitar's reviewer described its tones as able to move from lighter grit to aggressive filth, with smooth and strong distortion that keeps a defined attack1. It sits among bass pedals as a dedicated overdrive design, and it was also designed to play nice with guitarists, making it that much more versatile1.
Controls
The pedal houses a fairly typical quartet of controls for gain, mix, volume, and tone, and each knob is a different color, which the reviewer counted as a plus1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive |
| Mix | Blends the overdriven signal with the dry bass |
| Volume | Sets the output level |
| Tone | Shapes the treble character |
| Crossover switch (3-way) | Selects the crossover frequency for the saturated treble signal: 200 Hz (L), 400 Hz (M), or 800 Hz (H)1 |
The crossover switch is the feature that sets the Small Basstar apart from a straightforward distortion or fuzz pedal: it splits the signal so only the treble portion is saturated, which is a common approach for keeping bass low end intact under drive1.
Internal clipping options
A small access hole underneath reveals a pair of DIP switches that alter the overdrive flavor with different clipping options: MOSFET or Diode + LED1. That means two distinct distortion characters are available without opening the enclosure.
The clipping selection is made with internal DIP switches behind an access hole on the underside, not with a top-panel control, so you will need to flip the pedal over to change the clipping character.
Small Basstar and Glorious Basstar
The Small Basstar is a variant of the Glorious Basstar, a 3-band overdrive from Zorg Effects2. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes the Glorious Basstar as addressing common bass overdrive problems: no more bass, too compressed, loss of precision, not violent enough, too muddy2. The Small Basstar carries the same overdrive concept into a smaller enclosure, with the crossover switch and selectable clipping in place of the larger pedal's fuller control set.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar's August 2021 review listed the pros as multi-dimensional OD flavors, versatility, and the color-coded dials1.
"The Small Basstar's tones can move from lighter grit to aggressive filth."
Videos
Zorg Effects
TheSuperFunAwesomeHappyTimePedalShow
Vitaliy Voron
Questions
What does the crossover switch do on the Zorg Small Basstar?
A 3-way switch centered between the four knobs selects the crossover frequency for the saturated treble signal: 200 Hz (L), 400 Hz (M), or 800 Hz (H). In practice it sets where the overdrive sits in your tone, letting the low end stay clean while the upper range takes the distortion.
What clipping options does the Small Basstar have?
A pair of internal DIP switches, reached through a small access hole underneath the pedal, alter the overdrive flavor with different clipping options: MOSFET or Diode + LED. That gives you two distinct distortion characters without opening the pedal up or soldering.
How do I reach the DIP switches on the Small Basstar?
You do not need to open the pedal. A small access hole underneath reveals the pair of DIP switches, so you can flip between the MOSFET and Diode + LED clipping options from outside the enclosure.
Can guitarists use the Zorg Small Basstar?
Yes. Premier Guitar's reviewer noted that the Small Basstar was designed to play nice with guitarists, too, making it that much more versatile. It is built as a bass overdrive, but guitar players can run it as well.
What is the difference between the Small Basstar and the Glorious Basstar?
The Small Basstar was originally envisioned as a smaller version of Zorg Effects' Glorious Basstar bass overdrive. The Glorious Basstar is a 3-band overdrive that Zorg describes as fixing common bass overdrive problems such as loss of bass, too much compression, loss of precision, not enough violence, or muddiness.
Sources (2)
- Quick Hit: Zorg Effects Small Basstar Review, Premier Guitar, 2018-12-31
- Glorious Basstar by Zorg Effects, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
