Minifoogers are Moog's latest(greatest?) line of guitar pedals

When you hear the name "Moog" it probably brings to mind high quality (and high priced) analog synthesizers, maybe eerie theremin sounds, or warped ring modulation effects,  but practical guitars effects? Hardly. Those Moogerfoogers always look tempting when i'm browsing pedals but the price and limited application for my sound always send me elsewhere

Minifoogers changed that. I recently purchased the MF Drive pedal and I've been very impressed. At $169, it's MUCH cheaper than anything on the Moogerfooger line and it delivers myriad tone options in a compact footprint. Here are the controls on the pedal: 

GAIN- Sets the input level sent through the OTA before passing through the 4-pole Moog Ladder filter. At lower settings, the MF Drive is cleaner with a smooth breakup. As Gain increases, OTA and filter distortion increase causing the MF Drive to become more aggressive and reactive to picking dynamics

DRIVE - In the down position the Gain knob range is from +6.8dB to +48dB. In the up position the gain range is from +16dB to +57dB. This allows for extended control over gain-staging the input of the MF Drive.

FILTER- Interacts heavily with the Tone knob and filter Peak switch. With Peak off, the filter can be used to reduce top end and add heft to an amplifier. With Peak engaged, the filter can be used to add low, mid, or high frequency boost to your instrument. The MF-Drive by nature has a large bottom end, so this position is extremely useful for dialing in a more focused guitar tone.

PEAK- When engaged, Peak creates a +15dB boost at the Filter cutoff. It is extremely useful for accentuating mid-range or high frequencies. When paired with an expression pedal, Peak unlocks a whole new range of performance sounds.

TONE- A variable Lowpass/Mid-Scoop/Highpass voicing section sent through a boutique FET for color. At minimum, the sound is dark and full. Approaching the Mid position the sound varies from a slightly scooped American tube amp to a more British, mid-forward tone. At maximum position, the sound is present and articulate with a smooth, rolled of low-end.

OUTPUT- The output level of the MF-DRIVE is extremely hot to offer a wide range of tones from clean to dirty. With proper gain-staging, the MF Drive can also be used as a boost or wah pedal.

EXPRESSION PEDAL INPUT- This input is assigned to Filter cutoff. Use it for massive swells or engage filter Peak to create a tunable dirty wah. This setting sounds amazing on bass guitar.

The expression pedal input was what caught my eye at first. It seemed like an overdrive with an optional built-in wah circuit but it's actually much more interesting. Without the peak switch engaged the effect of sweeping that filter is almost like hearing the amp in the other room being brought through the door and set next to your ears. Turn the peak switch on and you get a dirty wah sound that is surprisingly transparent and rich sounding. I have never used a wah pedal because i never could find one that didn't add some color to the sound in a way i didn't like. This pedal changed that. I've been using it live and it's great but it's really come alive in the studio. The interaction between the tone knob and the filter lets you dial in the tone you need to cut through any mix. 

If you need something different in a drive/fuzz/distortion pedal, try this out. You won't be disappointed.