EWS Little Brute Drive review

Mini distortion with massive potential

  • £128
  • €167
  • $160
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A single gain control keeps things simple, but there are internal trimmers for output and treble amount

MusicRadar Verdict

Dirty it up with a bit of brute force.

Pros

  • +

    Flexible - works as a booster and a distortion. Overdrive is up there with the best.

Cons

  • -

    Perhaps a little pricey for a mini pedal.

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Following on from EWS's larger Brute Drive, the mini pedal-sized Little Brute Drive is a single-knob overdrive and distortion pedal, but has a pair of set-and-forget internal trimmers that allow you to set its output level and amount of treble content.

"You'll start with a low-level crunch, through to a nice rich full-on overdrive/distortion that's up there with the best"

These offer quite a lot of variation and include a massive amount of raucous top end should you fancy it.

For our own preference, a couple of quick tweaks tamed that top end and set the output volume for a not-quite-clean boost at mimimum level of the gain knob.

Turn up that gain knob and you'll start with a low-level crunch, through to a nice rich full-on overdrive/distortion that's up there with the best, taking a clean amp into overdriven territory or pushing an already driven amp that extra mile.

This pedal really can be a little brute if you set the treble trimmer for some aggressive distortion tones, but find the sweet spot and it can also be a fine transparent booster/extra channel.

Trevor Curwen

Trevor Curwen has played guitar for several decades – he's also mimed it on the UK's Top of the Pops. Much of his working life, though, has been spent behind the mixing desk, during which time he has built up a solid collection of the guitars, amps and pedals needed to cover just about any studio session. He writes pedal reviews for Guitarist and has contributed to Total Guitar, MusicRadar and Future Music among others.