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JSA Pedals LNS Screamer (Japanese Spec) Pedal Review – The Original Tube Screamer, Reimagined!
Introduction
If you like Vintage Tube Screamers, then this is the review for you! This could be the best Vintage Tube Screamer style pedal I have ever tried! In this article, we will be looking at the JSA LNS Screamer pedal. However, there is a slight difference in that we will be looking at the LNS Screamer (Japanese Spec). This is a very special pedal that JSA Pedals has released, and for many good reasons!
I have tried to use Vintage Tube Screamers in the past, but I always fell into the camp of “I could never get them to work with my sound.” However, the LNS Screamer has completely changed that! I plugged it in as soon as I received it, played through it, and instantly put it on my board! I thought it would be worth doing a review, even if it were just for the tones alone. So, as always, let’s go through the pedal, the specs, and the features, before diving into the sounds and finally what we think about it. So, what is a “Japanese Spec” LNS Screamer anyway? Let’s find out!
JSA LNS Screamer Pedal
So, we all know the Ibanez Tube Screamer! Some love it, some hate it, but we can all agree that it is iconic! However, there is a cult following for the original pedals – the Japanese-made Vintage Tube Screamers. These can fetch a lot of money online, if one even comes up for sale! So, what are your options? Buy a reissue, or check out the JSA LNS Screamer (Japanese Spec). This is JSA’s take on the classic Tube Screamer circuit, but with vintage-style design and original-spec parts.
The original LNS Screamer was designed to capture everything we all love about the Tube Screamer, while ironing out some of the things we don’t. The circuit was refined to sound less “nasally,” while still retaining that signature Tube Screamer tone. Then, JSA decided to create a version based on the legendary Japanese Vintage Tube Screamers that shaped the sound of countless guitar heroes. Thus, the LNS Screamer (Japanese Spec) was born!
Control wise, it is what you would expect from any Tube Screamer!
- Volume: This controls the overall output of the LNS Screamer pedal.
- Tone: Controls the tone and EQ of the pedal. Left being darker and right being brighter.
- Gain: Controls the saturation and clipping amount of the LNS Screamer.
So, what makes this pedal “Japanese Spec”? That comes down to the circuit inside and the components that make it up! For example, in the clipping section of the circuit, it uses 1S1588 diodes, which became famous for being in the TS-10 and some of the earliest Vintage Tube Screamers. It also features vintage Nichicon capacitors throughout the pedal. Finally, it uses a Quad op-amp instead of the standard Dual op-amp. Together, this creates a circuit that is as close as you are going to get to an original Japanese Vintage Tube Screamer!
More on the JSA Pedals LNS Screamer
JSA Pedals has housed this vintage-inspired recreation in a modern enclosure with a classic green finish, paying homage to the original pedal it is based on. The LNS Screamer (Japanese Spec) is top-loaded and runs on 9V power or battery!
The Sounds
For the demo songs we used the RD Amp with the LNS Screamer running into the JSA Auld Spark Delay (Review Here). For each demo song we just used different settings on the pedal, mainly cranking the gain up! The first demo track had a huge tone push!
For the sound sample section of the video, we plugged the JSA LNS Screamer directly into the front of my RD Custom amplifier and went through a range of sounds. First, we set the amp to a clean tone to hear how the pedal responded. Then, we switched the amp to a more crunchy, pushed-clean setting and hit it with the LNS Screamer to see how it would react.
Do you like the sounds? Do you think it delivers a usable, versatile tone? Let us know in the YouTube video comments! So, what do we think of the JSA LNS Screamer pedal overall? Well, let’s go through it!
What are my thoughts?
The Design
How good does the pedal look! What a nice design and a great way to let people know what pedal it is based on, while still giving it a style of its own! Really nice! Love it! I also love the “No label” approach that JSA Pedals took with this pedal! Just three knobs, and once you play around with them, it’s very clear what they do. At the same time, it gives the pedal a clean and tidy look.
Of course, every JSA Pedal is handmade by Simon! It’s basically one man, one pedal. This gives the LNS Screamer that true boutique, hand-built feel. You can tell that every part of this pedal was crafted with care, making each one slightly unique!
"Using it with the gain down and level up gives you that bluesy, Stevie tone!"
The Sounds
It sounds amazing! Using it with any amp really brings it to life! Plus, the range of gain and boost it has on tap is so usable. It reminds me a lot of a Noble ODR-1 or the Wampler Belle we reviewed. Using it with the gain down and level up gives you that bluesy, Stevie tone! However, crank the gain up, and you have a high-gain overdrive pedal that would fit perfectly in any hard rock or metal guitarist’s rig. You can use it to push your amp, shape your amp, or even as a “second channel” pedal for your amp!
Being a Tube Screamer-style pedal, it still delivers that classic mid push. However, thanks to Simon’s circuit changes, it isn’t as nasally and produces a much more natural mid hump. Using the tone knob allows you to fine-tune the pedal and craft your sound exactly how you like it – perfect for cutting through a mix without making your tone harsh or overpowering.
More on the Sounds
As we mentioned above, the LNS Screamer has a generous amount of gain on tap! It can easily take any clean platform amp and turn it into a gain monster. By experimenting with the volume and gain controls, you can achieve everything from John Mayer, Gary Moore, and Stevie Ray Vaughan tones all the way to Metallica, Slayer, and more. So many sounds are possible – use it however you feel fits!
The Drawbacks
Due to the nature of the pedal and how it is made, as well as the components it uses, sourcing the parts can be a huge challenge! Using vintage-style components comes with issues of availability and cost. This means that although Simon could easily build this pedal, it depends on whether he can source the parts and how much they cost. Honestly? It is 100% worth it – an absolutely incredible pedal!
However, if you are after a budget Tube Screamer, this most likely isn’t the one for you. But don’t worry! JSA Pedals can make a more affordable version of this pedal. On the other hand, if you already have a few Tube Screamers and want a hand-built, UK-made, fully Japanese-spec pedal, then the LNS Screamer is exactly what you’re looking for!
"I loved that pedal! That is no longer the case. It got swapped out for the JSA LNS Screamer!"
Final Thoughts
If you keep trying out Tube Screamers and aren’t really bonding with them, but then hear other people try them and love it, this could be the perfect pedal for you! It has that classic Ibanez Tube Screamer sound while taming all the things that can put people off the pedal. Pair that with the fact that it’s a special pedal, made with vintage-style parts and a story, and you have a fun, interesting, and unreal-sounding pedal!
How would I quickly sum up this pedal? Well, since I have owned the JSA Hot Toddy (Review here), it hasn’t come off my pedalboard – I loved that pedal! That is no longer the case. It got swapped out for the JSA LNS Screamer, and that has remained on my board ever since. Take from that what you will!
Conclusion
Thanks to JSA Pedals for sending this pedal over! I’m a huge fan of his pedals and will always support him. If you want any kind of pedal or pedal work done, give him a shout! His Instagram is below, and he is incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to circuits and pedals.
I’m sure we will have more JSA pedals in the future – Simon is always coming up with amazing pedals and interesting designs! So keep an eye out for future JSA articles. Is there a pedal you can think of that hasn’t been built yet? Let us know on our Instagram or via our Contact page! Maybe we will team up with JSA Pedals and bring some of those ideas to life!
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