The Lenny Color Boost is a boost pedal from J Rockett Audio Designs, announced in September 2016 as the sixth release in the company's Tour Series line1. It takes its name and its inspiration from Stevie Ray Vaughan: rather than a transparent volume lift, it is built to imitate a pushed Dumble Steel String Singer, once SRV's amp of choice2.
What it does to your tone
This is a color boost, not a clean one. Premier Guitar's announcement quoted J Rockett's own description: "Simply put, this is a very musical boost that colors your tone considerably, in an inspiring way…kind of like a Neve console. There is a definite mid character, but boy does it cut through a mix!"1 MusicRadar's Michael Astley-Brown reported the same claim from the maker: the Lenny will "colour your tone considerably, in an inspiring way" with a distinct mid character2.
For a player, that means the Lenny sits in the family of boosts that shape the signal as they lift it, closer in spirit to a colored preamp than to a buffer or a straight volume pedal. If you want your core tone unchanged, other boosts do that job; the Lenny is for when you want the pedal to add something12.
Controls and power
The Lenny keeps things simple with two controls1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Boost | Tons of push, which creates an interplay with the front end of any amp1 |
| Tone | Dials in your highs, simply put1 |
The input and output jacks sit at the head of the pedal1. Power is 9V DC operation with standard minus tip and plus sleeve polarity1; MusicRadar likewise reported the pedal operates from a 9V power supply2.
Where it came from: a pushed Steel String Singer
J Rockett set out to design a recreation of the legendary Dumble Steel String Singer, pushed to create color, texture and feel rather than loud and clean1. MusicRadar framed it the same way: the pedal intends to imitate a pushed Dumble Steel String Singer2. The Steel String Singer has a documented place in electric blues and beyond: MusicRadar later noted tracks said to have used a Dumble Steel String Singer, including John Mayer on "Slow Dancing In A Burning Room"3.
The Lenny is part of the wider J Rockett range, which includes other boost-adjacent designs like the Hightop Boost/EQ and the Allan Holdsworth Overdrive/Boost12.
Price and availability
The Lenny carried a $179.00 street price at launch, according to Premier Guitar1. MusicRadar reported it available now for $179/£159, the pound figure applying to the UK2.
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Questions
What is the J Rockett Lenny Color Boost based on?
J Rockett designed the Lenny as a recreation of the Dumble Steel String Singer, pushed hard. The aim was not a loud and clean volume lift but the color, texture and feel of that amp driven into its sweet spot. MusicRadar described the pedal as imitating a pushed Steel String Singer, once Stevie Ray Vaughan's amp of choice.
What voltage does the Lenny Color Boost run on?
The Lenny operates from a 9V DC power supply with standard center-negative (minus tip, plus sleeve) polarity, according to Premier Guitar's announcement. MusicRadar likewise reported that the pedal operates from a 9V power supply.
How much did the Lenny Color Boost cost at launch?
The Lenny carried a $179.00 street price at launch, according to Premier Guitar. MusicRadar reported it available for $179 in the US and £159 in the UK when it was announced in September 2016.
Is the Lenny Color Boost a clean boost?
No. J Rockett described it as a very musical boost that colors your tone considerably, in an inspiring way, kind of like a Neve console, with a definite mid character that cuts through a mix. It is a color boost, not a transparent volume pedal.
What does the Boost knob do on the Lenny Color Boost?
According to Premier Guitar's announcement, the Boost control delivers tons of push, which creates an interplay with the front end of any amp. In practice it drives your amp's input harder, shaping feel and saturation rather than just raising volume.
Sources (3)
- J. Rockett Audio Designs Unveils the Lenny Color Boost, Premier Guitar, 2016-09-13
- J Rockett Audio Designs channels SRV's Dumble tone for Lenny Color Boost pedal, MusicRadar, 2016-09-20
- Can a $249 preamp/drive pedal and a few commonly found stompboxes nail the Dumble amp tones of classic SRV, Eric Johnson and John Mayer tracks?, MusicRadar, 2024-02-16
