Okay so this is a quick review. So, I recently acquired a 1st Gen Lime Green DOD-FX25 and wanted to see how it measured up to my Sparkle Green DOD-FX25 after so much hype around the original. I got very lucky in finding one with the original box and documentation. (Including the Schematic!)
For the record I used my US Fender Jazz Deluxe 4-string into the pedals then into a Crate Keyboard amp at 150 watts and a 15 speaker and dual tweeters. Nothing special, just a solid uncolored amp.
It has been mentioned before that the original is better. Well…. IMHO it depends on your definition of “better” is. In truth, there is not a huge difference between the two but the difference is there. Here are my observations:
1.The Sparkle Green one seems to have a sharper sounding envelope, while the Lime Green one seems to be warmer, for lack of a better term. Although I was able to come up with very close approximations to most of the sounds of the coveted original with the Sparkle Green one.
2.The Range and Sensitivity between the two is really where the main difference lyes IMO. The Sparkle Green has a wider range and sensitivity. While this may seem to translate into greater versatility, it also makes it more prone to getting a bad sound. Also, have you ever had a setting on your amp that sounds great one day and sounds not quite as good like you remembered it the next? Even with the settings the same? You kinda get the same phenomenon with the Sparkle Green one. The Lime Green one OTOH has a much more limited range and sensitivity, however, it is with in that “Sweet Spot” and that is it's major strength. It is much easer to get a usable, richer and musical sound out of the Lime Green one. Almost any setting is usable. Again not that you can't archive the similar tone with the Sparkle Green one, it's just that you have to work a little harder to get it.
Right now those are the only difference that I can come up with. There both very similar and either one would make a good choice for some old school Bootsy FUNK . I've had the Green Sparkle one for almost over 10 years when Ed Friedland recommended it to me when I was taking lessons form him. Honestly, I had to take it out of the closet and dust it off. I'm glad I never got rid of it. All in all, having an original FX-25 made me appreciate the newer Sparkle Green one. IMHO there's just enough difference to make the Lime Green one just a little better than the Sparkle. But the difference is not all that great to the point where I'm still trying to figure out which one to keep.
DOD-FX25 (1st Gen Lime Green) vs DOD-FX25 (Sparkle Green) 
but they are pretty common so we'll see.
