Introduction
The mini-pedal revolution is here, and it's showing no signs of dying down any time soon. Indulging our penchant for pedalboard planning and tidy cabling, we set out to shrink the pedalboards of our heroes using a Pedaltrain Nano and an arsenal of modern-day mini stompboxes – click through to see how we got on…
Jimi Hendrix
Dunlop FFM3 Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face Mini Distortion
The Fuzz Face was Jimi's go-to for live performances, thanks to the way it melds with amp gain – the FFM3 carries its ancestors' tonal torch. We've stuck it at the start of the chain, so other pedals don't interfere with its low-impedance input.
Hotone Roto
Not only are there rotating speakers on many of Hendrix's studio recordings, there's uni-vibe all over Band Of Gypsys; Hotone's Roto is a faithful reincarnation of that iconic swirl
Movall Octopuzz
Wanna nail the Purple Haze solo? Best get hold of an octave fuzz. Movall's pun-tastic Octopuzz gives you a ton of fuzz, plus switchable octave… and it's purple!
Dunlop Cry Baby Mini Wah CBM95
This one's a no-brainer, really: flick the internal switch to vintage, dial in a little amp gain and get your Voodoo Chile on.
Eddie Van Halen
Hotone Soul Press
EVH isn't the most high-profile wah user, but in recent years, he's been known to wacka wacka with the best of them. There's not a signature EVH mini wah (yet), but Hotone's Soul Press has a powerful frequency sweep not dissimilar to the great man's own pedal.
Tone City Summer Orange Phaser
While we wait for an MXR Mini Phase 90, Tone City's Summer Orange does a great impersonation, ready to accompany your speediest tapping.
TC Electronic Vortex Mini Flanger
Did someone say Unchained? Using TC's TonePrint Editor, you can get seriously close to Eddie's iconic jetplate swoosh.
Joyo JF-304 Time Magic
Eddie used a smattering of tape delay on early Van Halen recordings – the Joyo Time Magic does a fine tape emulation; set it for around 100 to 150 milliseconds and you're away.
Xotic EP Booster
A key part of the old-school 'brown sound' is Eddie's Echoplex preamp boosting a Marshall Plexi; you can recreate the effect with Xotic's much-lauded booster.
The Edge
Mooer Pitch Box
The Edge is a longtime Whammy fan, and although he uses it sparingly, it's never left his rig – Mooer's Pitch Box will get you close to the octave shifts and harmonies you need.
Joyo JF-312 Pipe Bomb Compressor
If you want to nail Edge's clean Strat tone, you'll need to invest in a compressor; Joyo's Pipe Bomb gives you plenty of options.
Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini
The Tube Screamer has been Dave's No 1 overdrive for decades; run it into an AC30 for instant U2 gratification.
TC Electronic Flashback Mini Delay
Edge won't leave home without a TC Electronic 2290 rack delay in tow, but fortunately for us, it's one of the TonePrints you can load into the FB Mini.
Red Witch Violetta Delay
The EHX Deluxe Memory Man's modulated repeats are a big part of classic riffs such as Bad and Pride (In The Name Of Love), and the Violetta gives you plenty of analogue-flavoured chorus-y shimmer.
Kurt Cobain
Mooer Ultra Drive MkII
You wouldn't catch Kurt without a Boss DS-1 or DS-2, and Mooer's Ultra Drive captures that snarl, complete with extra and ultra modes for more gain.
Eno Myomorpha
For Territorial Pissings, Kurt ran a Pro Co RAT directly into the studio's Neve control board; recreate the sound with Eno's Myomorpha and a clean amp.
Mooer Triangle Buff
To get a darker sound on Lithium's distorted parts, producer Butch Vig set Kurt up with an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff running through a Fender Bassman; the Mooer Triangle Buff nails that woolly fuzz tone.
TC Electronic Corona Mini Chorus
The Electro-Harmonix Small Clone formed the basis of the Come As You Are sound, and with TC Electronic's TonePrint Editor, you can conjure a similarly thick chorus from the Corona Mini.
