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Author Topic:  Tube overdrive pedals???
Larry Behm


From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 3:59 am    
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Are there any that use real tubes?

Larry Behm
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Ken Metcalf


From:
San Antonio Texas USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 4:48 am    
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Larry I have a RealTube (Brand) drive it is ok, I don't think there is a big advantage to tube drives for PSG.
I like and use a Sparkle Drive now.
Ken
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Randy Beavers


From:
Lebanon,TN 37090
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 5:56 am    
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Hey Larry,

I have a Zen Drive 2 that uses a tube. I also have the regular Zen Drive without a tube. There is a nice difference. The tube version is fatter and has that "tube sparkle" as well.
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Ben Jones


From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 6:10 am    
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Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Classic. Dan Tyack turned me onto this unit and I think its great. amazing pedal. There area couple other enthusiastic users here on the forum including David Doggett. Really nice natural 'tubey' distortion, 2 channels so you can either use one as a boost or as a clean channel, full power is passed thru the tubes unlike most other tube pedals. on the downside its large and has a funky power supply. responds REALLY well to pick dynamics, dig in for more grit, back off for cleans.
I love it.
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Larry Behm


From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 7:25 am    
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This is a great start. (Ken I have that Carson Wells playing better every day.)

Larry Behm
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David Doggett


From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 8:52 am    
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Yes, the Seymour Duncan Twin Tube is the best box I've found for steel. I prefer to put it before the volume pedal, so I have pick sensitivity. If I pick easy, it's clean, and I use the volume pedal to get the volume I need. If I dig in more with the picks it gets grittier. But some like to control that with their foot and place it after the volume pedal.

I tried the Zen Drive 2. It has a nice Dumble-like tube tone, but it works more like a fuzz box and is either on or off. I can't get it to be pick sensitive.
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chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 9:41 am    
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I have a Radial ToneBone Classic, that I like the best.

http://www.tonebone.com/
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 10:19 am    
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I'm having better luck with a Line6 Pod XT than with any overdrive pedals I've found.

I have a Tube Works Real Tube, but it falls short of the sound I like from from my Mesa/Boogie amp. The Pod XT comes much closer.

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Dan Tyack

 

From:
Olympia, WA USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 11:00 am    
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There are a bunch of overdrive preamps out there, most of which I really don't like. THey have that buzzy preamp overdrive sound. The Seymore Duncan is the best I've heard.

However, I prefer to take the opposite take. Find a small tube amp to get your sound, and then use a transistor amp to make it as loud as it needs to be (I don't think you had any problem hearing me at the Portland Steel jam, did you Larry Smile )
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Larry Behm


From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 1:25 pm    
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Fat, big, loud, rich, full, none of these words are good enough to describe your sound my friend.

Larry Behm
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Eric Jaeger

 

From:
Oakland, California, USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 1:51 pm    
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Mesa Boogie has a "V-Twin" pedal that works like a Boogie pre-amp in a pedal (in fact, that's what it is). I kinda like mine. b0b may have some input on this one.

-eric
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Dan Tyack

 

From:
Olympia, WA USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 1:56 pm    
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Larry Behm wrote:
Fat, big, loud
Larry Behm


I thought for a minute there you were describing my appearence. Smile
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 2:27 pm    
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Eric Jaeger wrote:
Mesa Boogie has a "V-Twin" pedal that works like a Boogie pre-amp in a pedal (in fact, that's what it is). I kinda like mine. b0b may have some input on this one.

-eric

I have the V-Twin rack mount preamp. It's pretty good. Never tried the pedal.
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Eric Jaeger

 

From:
Oakland, California, USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 3:04 pm    
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b0b wrote:
Eric Jaeger wrote:
Mesa Boogie has a "V-Twin" pedal that works like a Boogie pre-amp in a pedal (in fact, that's what it is). I kinda like mine. b0b may have some input on this one.

-eric

I have the V-Twin rack mount preamp. It's pretty good. Never tried the pedal.


It's the same circuit.

-e
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Jim Strawser


From:
Montana, USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 3:59 pm     Tube Overdrives
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Very Happy Hey Larry, I have a Blue Tube, by Tube Works,(concept & design B.K. Butler) somewhat like Bob has a picture of. It comes with a 12ax7 tube, but u can experiment by replacing that tube with a 12AT7 or even better a 12AU7 for a warmer sound! Hope this helps some!!
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Brick Spieth

 

From:
San Jose, California, USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 4:07 pm    
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The Real Tube can be tamed a bit by a lower gain 12at7 or 12 au7 tube. The 12ax7 produces a huge amount of over the top distortion.
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Darvin Willhoite


From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 5:14 pm    
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I used a Real Tube unit for a few years, but I my ProCo Rat much better.
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MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro.
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Paul Arntson


From:
Washington, USA
Post  Posted 14 Apr 2009 5:18 pm    
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Another possibility is the Real Tube 902 rack mount. It has a couple more controls than the pedal version.
I put in a 12AU7 and changed the gain resistor. This puts the gain down where my older ears like it. If you want I can send the mod I used.
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Chris Walke

 

From:
St Charles, IL
Post  Posted 17 Apr 2009 9:50 am    
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I use this one:

http://www.hughes-and-kettner.com/products.php?mode=prod&id=12


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Brint Hannay

 

From:
Maryland, USA
Post  Posted 17 Apr 2009 10:45 am    
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Eric Jaeger wrote:
b0b wrote:
Eric Jaeger wrote:
Mesa Boogie has a "V-Twin" pedal that works like a Boogie pre-amp in a pedal (in fact, that's what it is). I kinda like mine. b0b may have some input on this one.

-eric

I have the V-Twin rack mount preamp. It's pretty good. Never tried the pedal.


It's the same circuit.

-e

Not exactly. I have one of each. The rack mount has two channels with fully separate controls, each with three modes, and the capacity to combine them with a variable mix control.

Both the pedal and the rack mount are out of production.
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Michael Holland


From:
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 17 Apr 2009 11:34 am    
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Tried all the others, this is the one. I have a vintage Telefunken 12AU7 in it, and it's perfect in the front end of just about any circuit. Add a Drive 1 or Drive 2 running off the same triode and there you have it! Winking

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Mark van Allen


From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
Post  Posted 17 Apr 2009 3:33 pm    
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So far it's the Duncan Twin Tube for me. Just wish it had a smaller footprint.
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Gerry Simon


From:
Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 17 Apr 2009 4:34 pm     Re: Tube overdrive pedals???
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Larry Behm wrote:
Are there any that use real tubes?

Larry Behm


I'm happy with this one:
http://damagecontrolusa.com/products/womanizer/
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Jerry Tillman

 

From:
Florida
Post  Posted 18 Apr 2009 4:54 am     distortion od
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I have a lot of different pedals Ive used over the years and I think Michael has a good point on using a lower value preamp tube.Also if you use a tube amp for your steel you can replace the first 12ax7 in the preamp and it will handle the stronger output of steel guitar pickups.Some of the amp gurus can explain it better.
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Jan Jonsson


From:
Gothenburg, Sweden
Post  Posted 30 Apr 2009 2:14 pm    
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Inspired by what Dan T, David D and others have written about the Twin Tube Classic, I took the plunge and bought one this week. After a couple of rehearsals with it and some different amps (Fender Princeton Reverb, Fender Steel King, Fender Super Twin Reverb) I can just say one thing: Amazing! It is just as pick sensitive as David described and it fits my playing style just perfect. Also, when I combined it with my Dynacord CLS222 Leslie simulator it gives the best organ-style growl I've had with a pedal steel.

-- Jan
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