Description
The Electro-Harmonix Lester G is a pedal that emulates the classic sound of a rotary speaker in a compact stompbox enclosure. It features true stereo 1/4" output jacks, an independent compressor, a tube-emulated overdrive section, and three different modes: Slow, Fast, and Break.
Fast mode gives you that twirling tremolo sound, while Slow mode provides a chorale effect. Quickly tap on the Speed/Break footswitch to alternate between the two, with the rate of change determined by the pedal's acceleration knob. However, hold down the Speed/Break footswitch, and you'll halt either setting, thereby setting off Break mode—that welcome relief-from-tension trick often used by Hammond organ players when they're holding down sustained chords. In any mode, a balance knob allows you to blend the lows of the emulated rotor with the highs of the simulated horn, effectively offering you the choice between darker and brighter timbres.
The Lester G features a built-in compressor replete with attack and sustain controls. Also, there are two modes of compression: Squash and Normal, which determine how high the compressor's ratio will be, and thus, how dramatically the compression will clamp down.
Push Lester hard enough and you'll drive him right to the edge with this tube-emulated overdrive feature. Set the knob fully counterclockwise to bypass the effect altogether, or crank it all the way to really overdrive the emulated speaker.
With an expression pedal plugged into the jack, you can control the rotation speed, effectively bypassing the acceleration knob and allowing you to move from the slowest chorale to the fastest tremolo with the rock of your foot.
