More and more guitar players start to become quite worried about the crowded pedalboards, which makes it difficult to relocate or just add in more of them.
Because of this, mini guitar pedals are winning the debate lately.
Here’s a short insight into what they are, what they do, and what options you currently have.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Mini Guitar Pedals
Table of Contents
What is a Mini Guitar Pedal and What is it Used For?
A while ago, building your own pedalboard was quite a burden. Not only a massive mess of cords and pedals, but also easily crowding out your pedalboard with only three or four effects, and even covering the entire stage in equipment. Today one should not worry about it due to the mini guitar pedals, that are more compact than ever.
The mini guitar pedal can be a loyal copy of a full-sized pedal. They have extremely similar functionalities and the same purposes – to enhance your tone shape by adding different effects to it.
What Makes a Great Mini Guitar Pedal?
We choose our mini guitar pedals according to our needs. Essentially, they all add some kind of effects to the tonal shape, which is what we use them for. Here’s how to recognize a great mini guitar pedal:
The Price Point
A great mini guitar pedal should not break the bank. Although there are some quite pricey options out there, a good quality one does not necessarily mean that it is less affordable than it should be.
Longevity
If you want a great mini pedal, you need to keep in mind that some of the best ones are quite long-lasting. While they do come in such tiny, minimalistic designs, some of them even fitting in your pocket, this does not mean that they are ‘one-time’ mini pedals. On average, a great pedal should last you a few years.
Purpose
A great mini pedal is the one that helps you achieve your purpose. There are different types of pedals, so make sure you know what you need before purchasing one. There’s also a short section at the end, which will give you more info on the main types of mini pedals.
Comparison of the Best Mini Guitar Pedals
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Review of the Best Mini Guitar Pedals
Now that you know what makes an excellent mini guitar pedal, let’s take a look at a few of the options available on the market.
Best Overall:
TC Electronic HOF Mini Reverb Pedal
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This product is a great deal for its price point. It sounds incredible, and it has millions of different sounds. It is a true bypass, and it has a simple, highly customizable concept. The sounds are clear, and the tones are all-natural, not giving you a ‘digital’ feeling.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This mini pedal packs in all the great features you will ever need. It is compact, which will fit in any already-crammed pedalboard. It has a high-quality design, reverb effects available via TonePrints, ease of use with only one knob, and, of course, zero high-end loss when it is not on.
Who Will Use This Most
If you think clean sounds are boring without some reverb, this is the best mini pedal you can actually hope for. It is extremely easy to switch between endless tone prints available on your computer or smartphone, which allows you a vast range of options, and it is highly versatile.
Bottom Line
Overall, this mini pedal is infinitely versatile due to the toneprint feature. This accessory will definitely add a kick to your performance, but what is best is that it is especially recommended for live performing acoustic guitars. The results will surprise not only your audience, but you will enjoy your playing even more!
Runner-up:
Xotic EP Booster Mini EQ Effect Pedal
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Whether you use it in the studio, in rehearsals, or you just want to enhance your guitar in a solo, this product makes a significant difference. It is a good match for any guitar player and any style due to its high versatility. It brings sparkle and presence, all packed into a tiny and straightforward to use design.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This mini pedal helps you warm up the scenery – with just a bit of bass, treble, and volume, you can do wonders. If you don’t want the options with just gain or too many knobs, this is the perfect balance between simple and sophisticated.
Who Will Use This Most
This pedal is great for anyone looking to shape their tones better. It can be used either in a studio or in other settings, allowing you to warm and thicken the sounds. It is perfect to be used both before and after the drive, and it can be used with any genre, including pop, blues, rock, metal, even jazz.
Bottom Line
Overall, if you look for a tiny, but highly versatile mini pedal, this is the one for you. You will get a great device without breaking the bank – the company also offers exceptional customer service and quick shipment. It comes with a reliable and long-lasting design.
Best for the Money:
Dunlop CBM95 Cry Baby Mini Wah
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This mini pedal is a great choice for any traveling musician and definitely recommended to any musician. It does not compromise on sound quality despite its compact size, and it allows you more flexibility in sound equalization. On the other side, the instructions it comes with are incredibly unclear.
Why it Stands Out to Us
If you are looking for a mini-size and lightweight option, this product is a must-have. It comes with adjustable three sound waves, and it offers all these options in a compact size perfect for a mini pedalboard or a crowded one. Small footprint, great tone-shaping ability, and solid wah are only a few of this product’s benefits.
Who Will Use This Most
If you have a mini pedalboard or a crowded one, this product will be a great addition for you. Alternatively, it suits well traveling or gigging musicians because it is exceptionally lightweight, and it does not take up much space.
Bottom Line
Overall, this Dunlop Mini-sized pedal offers you an alternative if you are tired of carrying around heavy hardware. Even if this might be your very first wah pedal or you are more experienced, this product will have something to offer you.
4. Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This product offers great versatility, going beyond just blues. The best aspect, however, is the nice, low-gain tones which provide a nice shaping to the tones, along with the harmonious and nice response. What’s even better, it is so tiny you can even fit it in your own pocket!
Why it Stands Out to Us
The Tube Screamer can be considered an all-time favorite classic. Whether you are a pedal-lover or you want to try for the first time, you should give this mini Tube Screamer some serious consideration. It closely emulates the full-size pedal in terms of tonal ranges and features.
Who Will Use This Most
Whether you play blues, rock or metal, or any other genre in between, this pedal can offer you all the benefits in one of the smallest sizes possible. You can achieve anything from light fuzz to heaviest crunches – your imagination is the limit. This mini pedal can add to your setup precisely what’s been missing.
Bottom Line
If you want a sturdy, yet pocket-sized pedal, this should be one of your top choices. It has all you need – great distortion, amazing crunch, or only a ‘light fuzz’ to complete your performance. On top of everything, it has a great price point, and it is incredibly versatile.
5. TC Electronics Ditto
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
If you are looking for a looper pedal, this one is a great option for you. It is a true bypass, and it has 24-bit uncompressed audio, which boosts the overall sound quality. When the looper is engaged, the integrity of the analog dry signal path remains due to the analog-dry-through.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The Ditto Looper is a great looper which comes with enhanced simplicity of use. There is one knob which allows you to get all the features, such as record, undo/redo, stop and erase, all in a minimalist design. Additionally, it stays true to the best tones possible due to the optimized headroom and the true bypass.
Who Will Use This Most
Whether you are a live performer, or you want to add layers to a song or just build a loop, this product works great. The 24-bit uncompressed audio ensures the best performance ever and makes sure you sound as great as you want. It fully maintains tone integrity, and it is effortless to use.
Bottom Line
Overall, if you are looking for another great pedal to use daily or just want to tap into the endless possibilities of a mini pedal, the looper is a real keeper. It is extremely simple to use and comes with a compact, minimalistic design – exactly what you need!
Types of Mini Guitar Pedals
Here is more information on the types of pedals above:
Reverb
A reverb pedal is quite a classic – initially, this effect was found in the amp itself. The reverb effect happens when any sounds hit a hard surface and go back to the listener as an echo. These pedals can simulate/exaggerate these natural reverberations.
EQ
An EQ mini pedal is similar to a full-size one, only in a minimalistic design. It helps you to cut or boost any frequencies – it’s also known as a utility pedal, due to its high usability.
Wah
A wah pedal is quite a popular effect among guitarists. The wah is the active tone control that allows lower frequencies to penetrate higher ones using the pedal. In other words, the wah can electronically boost the frequencies from your instrument.
Overdrive
Overdrive mini pedals refer to the moment when the tube amp is past the range, which gives a clean tone. Overdrive means that you are capable of producing warm, and most of them are quite subtle. This would be quite the opposite of distortion, for instance, which is more saturated.
Looper
Quite intuitively, a looper pedal allows you to record a music passage and then repeat it in a loop.
What Do I Need to Know Before Buying a Mini Guitar Pedal?
Here’s a short reminder of some aspects which need to be considered before deciding on buying a mini guitar pedal:
Be Aware of Different Types
The previous section introduced you to some of the most common pedal types. Also, keep in mind that there are numerous effects out there. If you are not sure which one to go for, better ask a friend or a professional before spending your money on it. However, if you are still looking for your own playing style, you can definitely invest in some mini pedals – you might be surprised!
Be Aware of its Size
A mini pedal is a small one – which means that they do not have full functions of a full-size pedal, but they come close to them. Therefore, make sure your expectations are realistic before buying one. They make for great options if you have a crowded pedalboard.
Versatility
Lastly, a mini guitar pedal might not embed as many features as a full-size. Make sure you consider their features carefully before buying a product and make sure it matches your needs.
Conclusion
Overall, mini pedals are a significant breakthrough for guitarists. Not only helps with small or crowded pedalboards, but they also help you clear up the stage or travel with lighter luggage. In addition, some models are great with features, and they closely match their full-size partners.
