There are probably a few of you out there unfamiliar with the Mad Professor brand and that’s completely understandable. Founded back in 2002 in Finland by Harri Koski and Jukka Mönkkönen, they are still relative newcomers to the effects pedal industry, especially when you consider guys like Dunlop and Boss have been at it for decades. In fact, they are probably better known for their popular amplifier line more than their pedals, but that hasn’t stopped a few of their effects from receiving a lot of mainstream popularity as of late. Today, we're taking a look at five of their most sought after effects.  

Mighty Red Distortion

mighty-red-distortion_1The main draw of the Mighty Red Distortion is definitely the signature sound it was made to deliver; vintage '80s metal, both hard and heavy, but better. A high gain compressed distortion without the white noise of the older technology – a remastered tone, in essence. Still, hard rock fans in general should definitely give this pedal a closer look as it sounds great with a number of other rock genres and can be sculpted for a more versatile sound. You can quickly dial in the perfect tones, from fat warm singing distortion to screaming cutting leads. It's also easy to use, built like a tank and offered at a great price thanks to its PCB build, giving it the same killer tone as its hand-wired counterpart without the huge investment.  

Sweet Honey Overdrive

sweet-honey-od_2__4Designed to offer tube amp-style overdrive that reacts to the dynamics of your playing, the Sweet Honey OD sounds great in almost any of its settings with minimal to no background noise and an overall tight sound. And like most of today’s overdrives, your signature tone is never compromised – only refined. While the Sweet Honey is best suited for classic blues and rock, it can also get a bit heavier when combined with an overdriven amp channel. From the way it seamlessly reacts to the little touches in your playing dynamics to its straight-forward, no-nonsense ease of use, the Sweet Honey OD is definitely deserves a spot on pedal boards everywhere.  

Deep Blue Delay

deep-blue-delay_8Mad Professor designed the Deep Blue to replicate the warm sounds of classic tape-based echo units of the '60s. As soon as you plug the Deep Blue in, you can already sense that old school, vintage feel from the get go. You'll quickly get lost in all of the different sounds, from cool mellow ambient tones to high gain rhythm and lead parts that really stick out, and then some! And unlike a lot of other delays, the Deep Blue was specifically designed to work well before or after distortion in a signal chain. Whether you’re looking for that “just the right amount” rockabilly twang or even the delay-drenched sounds of psychedelic rock, the Deep Blue can deliver.  

Electric Blue Chorus

electric-blue-chorus_1Mad Professor designed the Electric Blue to appeal to both chorus veterans and players who typically dislike the traditional sound of the effect by crafting a versatile yet easy to use pedal that removes the typical "metallic" tone (especially when used with distortion) and instead doubles down on a more pleasing and gentle “liquid wave” sound. The result is a pedal with a much warmer "musical" feel that doesn't suffer from the treble loss or noise that traditionally affects chorus pedals. And with the “Depth” and “Blend” knobs, you can quickly adjust from a very mild, barely audible chorus that adds dimension and depth to your tone to a wild, more intense effect. If you're looking for something different from a chorus pedal, the Electric Blue is one that definitely deserves a closer look.  

Simble Overdrive

sodThere are players out there that want an OD that can provide a touch of color to their tone. Then there are players who want an OD that delivers the most natural, organic tone possible. The Simble Overdrive is tailor-made for the second crowd, delivering a completely transparent, organic overdrive with impressive dynamic range and plenty of subtle nuances reminiscent of vintage boutique ODs that go for thousands. With great touch sensitivity, amazingly warm tube-like compression and the most organic boost possible, its a great pedal. The Simble OD provides a deep richness that most ODs just don’t deliver, able to give your guitar's natural tone anything from a slight clean boost, a touch of grit or a bright and dirty attack, all of which sound great. And with the Simble's extended headroom, you'll rarely have to crank it to full blast before getting more than enough boost. Works great with both guitar and bass.    

Your Turn to Sound Off!

Own or ever used a Mad Professor pedal before? What was your experience?

Sound off in the comment section below!

  [caption id="attachment_4116" align="alignleft" width="191"]little-green-wonder_1 Check out our entire selection of Mad Professor effects right here![/caption]