Wampler Moxie Overdrive

The Moxie is Brian Wampler’s twisted take on a vintage analog ‘screamer style’ circuit in a compact, pedalboard friendly enclosure. This is one of the most emulated pedal designs of all time and has been punching the front end of amplifiers since it was first released in the late 1970s. Capable of anything from light boost to a gritty drive that can push an amplifier into heavily overdriven tones, the Moxie is an ultra-flexible, wonderfully warm and rich pedal. In addition to the standard controls, Brian has added two unique switches. The Voice switch adds clarity by changing the entire EQ associated with this design giving it a more transparent tone. The Fat switch incorporates a custom MOSFET clipping stage, reminiscent of a classic high-end boutique amp.

Staying true to the vintage sound this circuit is based on, the Moxie is powered by the classic 4558 chip, enabling it to scream with authentic woody tones. Use it to pour out a cold shot of Texas Blues, add a little edge to rhythm chops, or tighten up and push your lead channel into brutal high gain. Whatever the genre, this little pedal has got it covered. The Moxie is sensitive to nuanced picking with layers of complex harmonics allowing it to play nicely with a broad section of amplifiers and pedals. Stack this with another distortion or overdrive pedal like the Wampler Ratsbane, Tumnus, or Belle for a huge variety of inspiring tones.

The circuit that inspired this pedal has a well documented tendency to drop the bass and treble frequencies, giving it a prominent midrange bump. Brian wanted to solve this issue – so he added a custom Voice switch to boost the bass and treble up while decreasing the midrange, giving the player a much more natural sounding overdrive tone when set to the right.

Not content with just the one modification, Brian also added a Fat switch which introduces MOSFET clipping and more gain to alter the tonal characteristics. This switch, when engaged to the right, adds a significant amount of drive while retaining a clear, organic, zen-like tone.

Brian Wampler’s attention to detail and commitment to designing the best and most player-friendly products out there are second to none. Those qualities are on full display within the Moxie. From its convenient form factor to its true-bypass switching, the Moxie is all Wampler.