Electro-Harmonix LPB-1

Reissue Nano EH Linear Power Booster pedal. It does everything one would want in a power booster or microamp. The all-metal LPB-1 has one boost knob, one LED light, and one metal switch. That???s it.

I bought the LPB-1 to replace the Digitech Bad Monkey overdrive pedal I was using to boost my tube amp to extra distortion during leads. The good news is that the EH LPB-1 is much more tonally transparent than the BM. The bad news is that the LPB-1 is much noisier. Actually, the LPB-1 added noticeable hum to my sound ??? regardless of whether the unit was switched on or off. The weird thing is that the hum would go away whenever I touched the pedal. Thus, I assume that it???s some sort of ground issue. The unit hummed with both the included battery and a Visual Sound power adapter.

The LPB-1 also sounded a bit harsh on treble notes. I ended up re-selling the LPB-1 on eBay and kept the BM. Even though the BM is midrangy, it doesn???t add hum or harshness like the LPB-1.

I didn???t like the way the unit was constructed, which is surprising considering it???s a made in the USA. My LPB-1 didn???t sit flat on the floor. The unit is light enough to be moved easily when switched on. Speaking of the switch, it didn???t seem as solid as the metal switches on some of the other Chinese pedals I own.

The LPB-1 is a disappointment. I was considering buying the EH Nano Small Stone phaser. After this pedal, I decided to pass on the other EH Nano Series pedals. While the Chinese made BM is the same price as the LPB-1, it???s smoother sounding, less noisy, and more versatile.

This review is for the reissue line booster (NANO). One knob that increases the amount of gain - on/off switch. Super easy

I'm going to compare this to an MXR Micro-Amp and a ZVEX Super Hard On, as i'd guess you'd be reading this thinking of it as either a clean boost or an overdrive. (1) This pedal is definately NOT a clean boost. If you're looking for that, you will want a Micro-Amp. However, the microamp will not drive an amp like this pedal (or the Super Hard On) will. For a clean boost, look elsewhere. (2) This pedal is a straight up overdrive, very similar to the Super Hard On. When used before a loud quality tube amp either clean or overdriven, this pedal is great. Sounds virtually identical to a Super Hard On. Through a quiet tube amp or any solid state amp, this pedal add much more treble compared to the Super Hard On. It's not terrible, but it does sound more brittle than a Super Hard On. So, if that is worth the insane price difference to you, and you're obviously rich, go for the Super Hard On. But here is the SURPRISE, (3) if you use this to goose another distortion/overdrive/fuzz pedal (before that pedal in the chain), this pedal destroys both the Super Hard On and the Micro Amp. Absolutely no tone change whatsoever from your main pedal, the Line Booster just sends that thing into hyperdrive.

Super Reliable

No Clue

For the price, this is a GREAT pedal. It's not a clean boost, so i cant compare it to a clean boost. Compared to a ZVEX Super Hard On, it sounds identical through a cranked tube amp. Using it to goose another OD/DIST/Fuzz pedal it is AWESOME. Destroys the Super Hard On for that. No question, the Super Hard On sounds warmer on low volume tube amps and any solid state amp.....so my advice is decide what you'd want to use this pedal for and if the price difference is worth it for you.

This review is of the recently released Nano model of the LPB-1. Very easy to use. One knob controls boost level. There are no other controls. The LPB-1 is true-bypass and includes a handy AC input. There is a one page "manual" included in the box, but it doesn't say much.

Adds heft and grit to whatever you put into it. Excellent in front of your favorite overdrive or fuzz, almost as if you now have two "dirty" channels on your amp. I'm not going to go into my gear as you can use the LPB-1 with pretty much any setup. Not noisy, maybe a little hiss when you dime it, but nothing surprising or unreasonable. This essentially just boosts the signal coming out of your guitar. Sounds like it probably adds some mids along the way, too. You can set it to be subtle or substantial -- sounds great either way! I let the lead guitar player in my band borrow the LPB-1 and he offered to buy it from me less than 30 seconds later. Now we both have one.

I haven't had it long, but the LPB-1 is a *very* simple circuit housed in a sturdy box. I suppose the footswitch could fail at some point, but it feels pretty solid at the moment, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. I am currently using it without a backup, although I have a handful of other overdrived, distortions and fuzzes, so I could get through if it went out on me.

Electro-Harmonix recently fixed a fried Nano Muff Fuzz for me, free of charge under warranty, even though I couldn't find the receipt. The email exchange was polite and helpful, repair and return time was quick and I was not charged for return shipping. A lot of other companies could learn a thing or two from E-H about keeping customers (I'm looking at you, SoundTech)!

I play punk-inspired rock music. This is a good match. I have been playing for about 13 years now. If it were stolen or lost, I'd probably get another one, especially at the reissue price! I've played a million (maybe less) distortion and overdrive pedals. The LPB-1 is just different enough to justify keeping around -- plus, it makes your other pedals (and your amp) a lot more versatile once you learn to set them anticipating the boost for "bigger" or "heavier" passages. If you've been looking at Micro-Amps or more expensive clean boosts, but you like a little extra grit, you may want to give this inexpensive little box a try.

One button, one knob. It doesn't get any simpler than this

This pedal is 100% better than the first LPB-1 I bought in 1974. It is quieter and can sit on the floor rather than plugging in to the guitar or amp input. It says made in NYC. (So was the first one) The LPB-1 is a clean boost. No distortion. It will fatten up the guitar for lead without fuzzing it out. I am currently using a 1980's Jap copy strat into a Tokai overdrive pedal into the LPB-1 into a 1973 Marshall JMP 50w with an 8x10 Marshall cab. I can dial up the distortion on the Tokai and boost the same distortion for lead. This pedal makes life simpler when you have a non channel switching amp like mine.

The first one I bought never broke. This reissue is built like a tank. I see no reason for it to fail.

Never dealt with them. They have been in business for a long long long time.

I have been playing since 1973. I have played all styles of music. Jazz,rock,country,gospel,even a little classical. I have owned piles and piles of equipment. I buy stuff to do a specific job. When the band breaks up I sell the stuff. There are only 2 guitars I will not sell. Guild Starfire V and my Dan Armstrong Bass. Only because I have had them sooooo long. I aquired my recent Marshall to replace the one I bought and sold in 1979. I will hold on to this one. What I like about the LPB-1 is it is a simple clean boost. No frills easy to use. If it were lost or stolen I would go buy another one.

This is a review for the new Nano re-release of this pedal. Very easy to use, you plug your guitar in on one side, the amp in the other and twist the single knob up and down till it sounds like you want.

I'm using this to allow my ancient single channel AC30 more easily achieve valve(tube) overdrive at a range of volumes and this does this admirably. There is no real colouration of my guitars tone and it has inmproved the amp's response to single coil pick-ups considerably. My Pro 56 Danelectro re-issue absolutley loves it!

The real trick is to use it to help manage the relationship between the guitar signal and you amp so that you can better control the point when your amp begins to "clip" and then rolls into full distortion and this may take a bit of playing with (which is half the joy of stomp boxes). Essentailly you get out what you put in, only more of it.

Made with good solid metal, the switch makes a very satisfying click. My only gripe would be the Boost knob is made of a cheap looking plastic. I'm sure it's reliable but kinda spoils it's rugged good looks.

Not dealt with them but the Warranty needs posting to the US as would the actual pedal if it broke, which is a pain in the arse for us UK users and renders the warranty a bit pointless.

I've been using treble boosters for a while which work very well but aren't very suited to getting a good quality "everyday" tone. I have also found that Distortion pedals give you lot's of control but you sound like that pedal, not YOUR kit. This pedal offers a very decent clean boost at a reasonable price (I paid ??34 for it) and seems ideal for the intermediate Valve amp player.

I first bought an LPB-1 out of a Rolling Stone Magazine in 1972.
Ever since I had used them. On Fenders, and Vox amps mostly.
One the AC30 TB I use it for solos, and it just adds to what is already there...in the AC30 case it gives the amp that extra power for the Brian May sounds...I just turn the amp up to say 1/2 way and use the LPB-1...For younger folks out there, there was an LPB-2.
All the solos on our album "Feet Of Clay", that was distributed through Sony in 1995 had this little wounder on it...I highly recomend it...I was not aware that it is still for sale...We tore one apart and "cloned" them around 1980, for session work...I did some sessions with a drummer named "Sticks" that did some gigs with Hendrix, and he said that Hendrix had one of these on his Marshalls.
They are amazing....Ralph Bruner

Try with older amps like AC30's or older Marshalls that have no master volume, or seperate gain controll...It just adds what is already there,,not really a fuzz effect, but just power...you can keep the amp volume down and bring the LPB-1 up to about 3/4..
This thing will give you a great Brian May sound when used with an AC30...mine is a 1965 year...Marshalls give you a Jimy Page sort of lead sound if used in Marshalls...If you turn the guitar volume down it gets clean just like the amps of the old days if you have an amp from the old days,,,sown for clean...up full for leads...it makes it simple....echo and all FX's sound the same really..
I have 2 from 1972 and they still work....But get extra 9 volt clips and be ready to install them since {one mine anyway} the wires are really weak...I also thing this unit was one if not the earliest products they made aside from the Big Muff...

I never ever had a problem with it ..and we are talking almost steady gigs or sessions for 34 years now....OK I'm old but the original units still work...except once the battery clip was wacky so I used aligator clips to get through the show till I found an iron...

Never had to deal with these people

I play all styles now, since I only do radio/TV spots both regionaluy and national...Hey I even used it on a Freddy Fender album back in 1976....This is a simple unit, that just gives you that extra "thing"..and you will probably did the "thing""""

Very easy

I get an `73 fender stratocaster through the cry-baby gcb-95 wah, eh lpb-1, coloursound overdriver, an homebrew fuzztone,univibe and a dod analog delay, all connected to an fender twin reverb. I play mostly late '60s hard rock (mounatin, blue cheer) and psychedelic stuff (early pink floyd, iron butterfly, etc). I use the lpb-1 as a line driver for my effects chain or as a clean or lead boost. The lpb-1 sounds very fat and bright without much noise. Cool!

As an electronics tecnician and a player for 20 years, this is the type of thing who anyone can fix without any problem. I don't get any problem with this pedal.

on/off and a knob took me a while to figure it out but i got it after a few days :^ )

its only noisy when you turn it on but hey it adds character
i am using a ceramic pickup on a cello through a 1971 100 watt fender super bassman into a electro voice PA cab with a 12 and a horn this thing gives a good boost and it is extremely helpful because i have it attached to the cello wich makes it so i can change volume without getting up to the amp.

its a metal brick and its electro harmonix i mean C'mon

overall this thing is awesome!!!

Very cool little unit... It only has one know and an on and off swith. You have to take it apart to put the battery in it and it has no input for an AC adapter. Considering that it only does one thing, the old Electro Harmonix company did not even make any efforts (so it seems) to make the crude on/off switch more quiet. As fas as its use of use, it is very easy to dial in the amount of boost you want. It is a very cool no BS unit. I give it an 8 just because the on/off switch is a little noisy and because you have to practically disassemble it to put the battery in. If it did not sound good, It would not have an 8 but it kicks the butt off even a MXR Micro Amp!

The sound is a very good strong boost and an even representation of you existing signal. This little unit is like a fine BBQ sauce. You dont add anything or take anything away. ;)

Since there is not a lot that can go wrong with it at all.. I give it a ten. In the 20-25+ years it has been around, it has not needed to be fixed. Although I am not the original owner, I can tell that no soldering or adjustment have been made. The cover has only been removed to replace the battery (which lasts a pretty long time unlike new pedals I might add)

The Old Electro Harmonix company is no more.... :( If you had to fix it, it would be because you ran it over with a steam roller or let some drunk at a gig spill beer on it. Since they are not around anymore I will leave no number rating. You should not have problems...

I play Jazz, Funk, Blues, Latin, R&B, you name it.. This little unit (I cannot call it a pedal because it is just a little bitty thing that plugs into the top of your amp or into another pedal on the floor) is ont neat little piece of equipment. My setup (those of you who have read my LPB-2 review may have seen a different one) as of now is:

Vantage ES335 hollowbody--> Alesis Midiverb 2--> Left stereo field: 1966 Vox Pacemaker... Right Stereo Field: Fender Deville (4x10). The effects before the Midiverb are: Ernie Ball Mono Volume, Boss DD3, Boss Chorus, EH LPB-2, T.C. Line Booster/Distortion, EH Dr. Q, then the LPB-1 driving the single stereo input of the midiverb... If my little unit were stolen I would probably buy another LPB-2 (because I like being able to change it with my foot) I like the sound of two of these units. Although I say that I would buy a LPB-2, note that the LPB-1 has a slighty different sounds than the LPB-2. In my opinion, it is a little more subtle and quiter than the LPB-2. The LPB-2 is good for sustain/compression-like boosts, and the LPB-1 is good for chunky solos that sound nice and fat. Overall, both units give you a nice fat sustain (especially if you are primarily a Strat player like me)

One knob...Was given it by a famous Guitar player in Key West!...

Have 3 of them...

Also have another Power Booster called a Univox something or other...

Been in my garage for almost 25 years,,,never use them! The last time I hooked them up was in 1979 in Key West Florida running through a Marshall 68 or 69 Plexi Head and Bottom..(Traded them for a new Peavy Classic 2x12 combo at Carrol Music in Miami..DUMB!!!) Sound was really something!!!

I have seen these devices for a lot of money...I dont know why!..They use a simple circuit available to everyone..just use the RIGHT parts!!!I had 3 of these, gave one to my nephew, one to a famous guitar player, and have one left..I also have the Univox (?) similar dseign and have it here at my house...