LPD Pedals’ new Fifty5 presents all kinds of ‘50s Tweed tone mojo from one compact stompbox

LPD Pedals has unveiled a new overdrive pedal that’s voiced for the Fender guitar amp superfans of this world. The Fifty5 arrives a compact enclosure with a simple three-knob layout, but it offers players a wide range of tones inspired by ’50s US Tweed amps.

There are controls for Level, Drive and Tone. All easily enough to get to grips with. But with a pair of toggle switches for Voice and HDRM (headroom), you can access four core sounds, before even touching those dials.

The Voice control works in tandem with the Tone control, offering a mode with enhanced lower mids and bass, one with less, while the HDRM control affects the response of the Drive control.

LPD Pedals’ serving suggestions indicate the sort of sounds that are possible. Select low headroom and place the Voice toggle in the down position to reduce its low-end frequency footprint and you’ve got the pint-sized powerhouse sounds of a Fender Champ – one of the most-loved small guitar amps of all time, and one of the most recorded.

With the Voice toggle in the up position, with bass and lower mids given a bit more oomph, the Fifty5 will behave like a Tweed Deluxe. Switch the HDRM to high and it’s like it’s a Bassman, and so on. And all the while you have this simple Level, Drive and Tone trifecta to dial in the sound you are looking for. 

The amp-in-a-box overdrive is something of an LPD Pedals specialty. Recent releases from the Arizona-based guitar effects pedal company include the Eighty7, a Marshall-inspired pedal with modded ‘80s JCM800 and Plexi voices. The Fifty5 arrives in a ’55 Chevy Blue finish, and is available now, priced $199.

See LPD Pedals for more details.