Mad Professor Super Black Mini

The 'Black Panel' Grain: The Golden Age of American Clean Revisited in Mini

The Super Black Mini follows the grand tradition of 60s "Black Panel" amps, renowned for their crystalline clarity, punch, and that immediate sense of depth under the fingers. The goal is not just to EQ your sound "in the style of," but to fully recreate an amp-like response: clear attack, headroom reserve, and a gradual transition to crunch when pushing the gain (especially when playing louder).
This approach makes it a particularly credible pedal to achieve an American-style clean base on any backline or to unify your sound on tour and in the studio. It targets the "blackface" character: airy highs, tight lows, and a balance that leaves room for effects (delay, reverb, modulation) without ever sounding flat.

Who It's For, What It's For: From Minimalist Pedalboard to Direct Rig

The Super Black Mini is aimed equally at club guitarists and studio musicians seeking a compact preamp with a strong personality. In front of an amp, it serves as a "foundation": you can sculpt an ultra-clear clean for funk, country, surf, indie, pop, or get an organic crunch for blues and vintage rock, with dynamics that respond to your picking hand and guitar volume.
It is also very relevant in modern setups: placed in the effects loop return, it bypasses the host amp's preamp and becomes your sonic center of gravity. Paired with an IR speaker solution, it transforms into a backup (or main) preamp for silent live playing, headphone rehearsals, or clean, controlled direct recording.

Amp-Style Controls: Full EQ, Presence, and Two Feel Switches

The Super Black Mini offers ergonomics designed like an amp channel: you first adjust the GAIN to set the amount of drive (from tight clean to break-up), then the VOLUME to set the output level. The BASS, MIDDLE, and TREBLE EQ allows you to shape the overall curve, from the typical "mid-scoop" to a more present and focused sound depending on your guitar and speaker cabinet.
Two details make a real difference in use: the PRESENCE control, which refines the high-frequency openness at the output stage, and two mini-switches dedicated to playing feel. The CUT switch helps tighten the low end (useful with humbuckers or to clarify a busy mix). The COMP switch lets you choose between a rawer, more dynamic response or a more compressed feel, ideal for regaining the "creamy" feel of a pushed amp and more even sustain.

Sound

To the ear, the Super Black Mini immediately highlights a bright and snappy clean with a nice width and an attack that remains precise even when stacking modulations and delays. The low register can stay round and full or tighten up via the CUT switch for more definition: perfect for tight rhythms, arpeggios, and parts where you want to "hear the string."
When you increase the gain, the saturation doesn't come as an artificial distortion: it settles in progressively, with that amp-typical break-up, sensitive to picking dynamics and guitar volume knob. In a more pronounced COMP mode, the pedal provides easier sustain and a slight density reminiscent of a full-powered amp, while maintaining clarity in chord voicings and double-stops.
Within the Super Black family, users focused on textures and precision in pro contexts can be found, especially in rigs designed to stay consistent from gig to gig. This confirms the pedal's purpose: a reliable, musical, and highly usable base tone, from simple pedalboards to more complex rigs.

Technical specifications

Category	electric preamp	EQ	3 channels
Format	Pedal	Headphone output	No
Effects loop	Yes	Color	Black

Circuit	fully analog	Bypass	true bypass
PRESENCE	adjusts the amount of treble at the output stage	Input impedance	400k ohms
VOLUME	output level	Output impedance	1.5k ohms
GAIN	amount of saturation	Voltage range	8V to 18V DC (9V recommended)
BASS	bass control	Power supply	9V battery or DC power adapter
MIDDLE and TREBLE	midrange and treble controls (preamp section)	Power connector	2.1mm, center-negative
CUT switch	from full bass to a slight low-end cut	Reverse polarity protection	yes
COMP switch	from maximum dynamics to more compression	Included accessories	documentation