One Control Purple Humper review

Mini mid boost pedal

  • £109
  • $124
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There's up to 15dB of midrange boost, delivered via a single Blend knob

MusicRadar Verdict

A fat boost in a slim box: a 'secret weapon' to fill out single coils for a more humbucker-like tonality.

Pros

  • +

    Great in front of a dirty amp. Marshall-vibe. Simple operation.

Cons

  • -

    Expensive for a simple mini pedal.

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While we've all seen plenty of treble boost pedals from manufacturers at pretty much every price point, midrange boost pedals are a bit thinner on the ground.

"This is a pedal that is at its best in front of an already dirty amp"

The Purple Humper is one such beast and is based on the now out-of production and rare BJFE midrange booster, originally developed by BJF for someone who wanted his Stratocaster to compete with an ES-335.

That extra output combined with a tonal shift is what the pedal offers: up to 15dB of midrange boost, delivered via a single Blend knob.

While it can be used to get a more strident sound out of a clean amp, this is a pedal that is at its best in front of an already dirty amp or in conjunction with an overdrive or distortion pedal, where it will not only kick things up a level but will also introduce a bit of a Marshall-y vibe to proceedings.

Trevor Curwen

Trevor Curwen has played guitar for several decades – he's also mimed it on the UK's Top of the Pops. Much of his working life, though, has been spent behind the mixing desk, during which time he has built up a solid collection of the guitars, amps and pedals needed to cover just about any studio session. He writes pedal reviews for Guitarist and has contributed to Total Guitar, MusicRadar and Future Music among others.