The LERXST By-Tor is an overdrive and boost pedal carrying the name of Alex Lifeson, the Rush guitarist, and it was Lerxst's first pedal. It was designed to Lifeson's specifications with Mojotone as a compact, pedalboard-friendly version of his signature Omega amplifier, and it puts two independently switchable channels, drive and boost, in one enclosure12.
Where it came from
Lifeson debuted his LERXST signature amp range, designed and produced in collaboration with Mojotone, whose founder is Michael McWhorter5. The By-Tor followed as the first pedal under that name, launched in December 2023 as a Reverb-exclusive5. MusicRadar's Rob Laing suggested at launch that it could be a go-to boost and overdrive pedal combo with wide appeal beyond Lifeson fans3.
The pedal is effectively an attempt to capture Lerxst's flagship 50-watt Omega amp in pedal form1. McWhorter pitched it as "a British-voiced amp in a box"5. On the boost side there is a JFET-based gain stage offering up to 6dB of gain2.
The controls and footswitches
The By-Tor carries five control knobs and two footswitches1. The drive side has a simple three-knob level, gain and tone arrangement, and the drive and boost channels are independently switchable from the two footswitches1. A visual touch: the LEDs are situated in the wolf graphic's eyes1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level, Gain, Tone | Three-knob arrangement for the drive side1 |
| Boost gain stage | JFET-based, up to 6dB of gain2 |
| Boost First / Drive First toggle | Dictates the order of the two sections in the signal chain5 |
| Two footswitches | Switch the drive and boost sides independently1 |
Boost First or Drive First
The order of the two sections can be changed via the toggle switch, and the choice changes what the pedal does. Guitar World explains the two positions: "Boost First creates more saturation, while Drive First enables you to use the Boost side in a more traditional manner"5. In practice, Boost First stacks the boost into the drive for a thicker sound, while Drive First leaves the boost clean so it can kick in to gain up solos5.
From limited edition to full production
The By-Tor launched in December 2023 limited to 500 units13. Demand was strong: in April 2024 guitar.com reported it had been granted a full production run after its limited launch4, and by June 2024 the pedal was described as non-limited, with such was the hype and demand that the run was expanded1. At launch it was available from Reverb3; once in full production from February 2024 it was available from Mojotone at $29521, and the June 2024 review lists the price as $295 through lerxstamps.com1.
Early units come from the 500-piece limited run; pedals made after April 2024 are from the full production run. The pedal itself is unchanged in design, but used listings may refer to either version.
What reviewers said
Guitar.com's Eric Dahl reviewed the By-Tor in June 2024 and found it sounds just like a warmed-up and cranked tube amplifier, summing up his verdict as "Great gain tones that really feel like a cranked valve amp"1. MusicRadar described its range as capable of jumping from light and crunchy drive sounds to tube-like overdriven chaos with the touch of a footswitch3. Pedal of the Day, quoting Lifeson, called it "an incredible amp-driving powerhouse"6.
The By-Tor has since been joined in the Lerxst range by other pedals: the Snow Dog octave fuzz, which guitar.com reviewed as the follow-up where the By-Tor handled distortion duties in the range74.
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Questions
Who designed the LERXST By-Tor?
It was designed to Alex Lifeson's specifications as part of his LERXST signature range, produced in collaboration with Mojotone, the company founded by Michael McWhorter23. The By-Tor was the brand's first pedal, launched in December 20237.
Is the LERXST By-Tor still a limited edition?
No. It launched in December 2023 limited to 500 units, but demand led to a full production run being granted by April 2024, and by June 2024 it was a non-limited pedal134.
Where can you buy the LERXST By-Tor?
It launched as a Reverb-exclusive in December 20235. From February 2024 it entered full production and was available from Mojotone for $29521, with the June 2024 review listing lerxstamps.com at that price1.
Can the boost and drive be used separately on the By-Tor?
Yes. Two footswitches switch the drive and boost sides independently, and a Boost First / Drive First toggle sets the order of the two sections in the signal chain56.
Is the LERXST By-Tor made in the USA?
Yes. Like all Mojotone products, the By-Tor is handcrafted in the USA2.
Which amp is the By-Tor based on?
It is a compact, pedalboard-friendly version of Lifeson's signature Omega amplifier, Lerxst's flagship 50-watt amp12. Mojotone's Michael McWhorter described it as "a British-voiced amp in a box"5.
Sources (7)
- Lerxst By-Tor review, guitar.com, 2024-06-24
- The Lerxst By-Tor overdrive was so popular Alex Lifeson has announced a full production run, guitar.com, 2024-02-20
- An Alex Lifeson signature pedal has arrived much sooner than we expected: you can get the Lerxst By-Tor Drive pedal right now, MusicRadar, 2023-12-06
- Lerxst’s new Snow Dog pedal “revisits the early part of Alex’s tone journey”, Guitar.com, 2024-04-04
- Alex Lifeson launches his first pedal, Guitar World, 2023-12-07
- Lerxst Amps Snow Dog Octave Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2024-06-02
- Lerxst Snow Dog review, Guitar.com, 2024-08-12
