Wampler Mofetta Overdrive/Distortion Pedal

The Wampler Mofetta Overdrive/Distortion is my tribute to the MOSFET-driven magic of a 1990s classic — the MT10 MOSTORTION. A mainstay of countless top session players, the Mofetta honors the soul of that elusive yet classic circuit while revealing its untapped potential.

Think of the Mofetta as a supercharged MOSTORTION, reborn and amplified. I made sure that it delivered the classic, amp-like overdrive, massive headroom, and versatile 3-band EQ that made the original so famous. But I also wanted more and added a Texture Switch that introduces actual MOSFETs into the pedal's overdrive section for a bolder, more articulate tone. The Mofetta preserves everything you love about the early '90s legend with a powerful new dimension.

The original MT10 MOSTORTION was released in 1990 as part of a budget pedal series to meet the demand of a growing market. Despite the pedal's "cheaper" qualities, guitarists began to take note of its amp-like low-gain tones, attributing them—arguably incorrectly—to the onboard MOSFET Op-amps. Though the pedals were discontinued a couple of years later, used ones command insane prices today and are extremely hard to find. The Mofetta is my way of bringing it all back and re-creating those singing tones while diving even further into the amp-like world of MOSFETs.

Musical, Responsive Overdrive

Paying tribute to a pedal called the MOSTORTIONtm, it’s easy to assume the Mofetta would be a high-gain beast. But like its predecessor, it’s the circuit’s low-to-mid-gain voice that the original circuit is most known for. From edge-of-breakup to fat, vintage amp-style crunch, the Mofetta blooms with tube-like compression, always retaining its musical warmth. And with its high-headroom output, it easily pushes your amp or modeler into harmonically-rich breakup.

3-band EQ

Part of what makes the Mofetta so versatile is its unique 3-band EQ. While many overdrives before 1990 relied on a simple tone knob, the idea of a dirt pedal like the MOSTORTIONtm with bass, middle, and treble controls was darn near revolutionary. It lets you dial in the Mofetta for a full-range drive or achieve transparent grit that complements your clean tone. If you dial up the mids and treble a bit, you can even use it as a focused boost to push your amp’s breakup, or stacking with another gain pedal, tightening its response and enhancing its character.

True MOSFET Clipping

One of the original MOSTORTION’stm little known “secrets” is that it doesn’t actually use MOSFETs for its overdrive. It uses a “MOSFET based op-amp”, but it uses clipping diodes to produce distortion. This left me thinking, “What if I built one that could actually use MOSFETs for the clipping, using multiple gain staging like a tube amp?” That’s what the Mofetta’s Texture feature is all about – it takes the pedal from smooth overdrive to fiery distortion with the flick of a Texture switch.

Articulate Voicing

MOSFET clipping delivers a bolder, more articulate voice – louder, tighter, and slightly more aggressive than the original’s diode-driven dirt. While still not “Brutal High Gain,” the Texture switch gives you a wider range of overdrive and even distortion that’s even more responsive to your playing dynamics. Is it better than the OG? That’s up to you, but I think it’s what the MOSTORTIONtm was always meant to be.

Technical Details

• Built in the U.S.A.
• High-grade components selected for superior sound and response
• Independent three band EQ (Bass, Mids, Treble), Level and Gain controls
• Texture switch activates cascaded MOSFET gain stages
• Battery connection and 9V power jack
• Top-mounted input and output jacks
• True bypass switching
• Includes limited 5-year warranty
• Dimensions: 2.5” x 4.8” x 2.3” (64mm x 125mm x 60mm)
• Power draw: 10mA, 9V DC Do not exceed 9V DC