LSL Devices is greatest identified for high-end Leo-style guitar builds, however they’ve additionally began delving into overdrive pedals. The Lucid OD is their model of a Klon Centaur – one of many priciest stompboxes in human historical past ($5,000-plus for the first-gen gold field with the horse brand).

The field provides Quantity, Acquire, and Tone knobs – the latter functioning backward, which means it will get darker as you flip it clockwise and extra trebly because it’s backed off. Plugged right into a Vox clone, it produced all the things from “unity acquire” clear to chunky filth tones, akin to a non-Grasp-Quantity Marshall. The Tone knob might need you considering otherwise about EQ – certainly, how a lot treble do you actually need? Typically, much less is extra, particularly when you think about the stroke-inducing worth of a classic Klon. For a mere fraction, the Lucid provides a extremely clear overdrive that pairs properly with any guitar and amp, particularly tube amplifiers that get pleasure from somewhat front-end smack.

If the Lucid OD is LSL’s tackle a Centaur, the OG OD is their authentic gangster spin on the Maxon/Ibanez Tube Screamer. Once more, the emphasis is on natural tone, utilizing an RC4558P IC chip to ship heat tones throughout the board. You get the usual Quantity, Tone, and Acquire dials, but in addition an added Bass swap providing three distinctive voices. This can be a helpful characteristic, as you may dial-in the very best overdrive taste for whichever amp you’re utilizing in the mean time.
Tonally, you will get all the things from a just-off-clean to half-stack chew with out treading into any distorted steel flavors. The aim is to dial within the good quantity of crunch, particularly with the Bass swap, and give you one thing that sounds pretty much as good as rockin’ guitars did 50 years in the past.

Cranked up, the OG OD proved so versatile and energetic that it was laborious to withstand leaving it on on a regular basis. – Pete Prown

This text initially appeared in VG’s April 2025 concern. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited