Tubeworks Bluetube II

Brad Issendorf · From: Lake City, Minnesota

Just a question for those who might still use one of these, can you diagram how you wire in your effects and maybe what type of effects and maybe your settings on the preamp itself. I have one but it seems to me that using the effects loop is counter-productive because the effects return really isn't a blend. It seems to only control how much total effects you are returning, only to send that very signal to your power amp.

Thanks
Brad Issendorf

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

When I had one, as I recall, I ran my TC Electronic G-Major effects processor through the effects loop in the preamp. I controlled what the G-Major did as far as amount of effect, effects level, etc at the G-Major, not the preamp.

Brad Issendorf · From: Lake City, Minnesota

Thanks Jack. Did you use yours for steel very long and what did you trade it for or did you go back to a combo amp?

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Mine was the original model, and did not have the Steel Guitar mod. It had AC hum when the bass control was turned up to where it needed to be. Genz Benz (who bought Blue Tube) acknowledged the AC hum problem, due to the where the power supply components are located in reference to the tone controls on the second channel.

I didn't use it very long because of the hum problems. I sold all my rack equipment (one piece at a time) and went back to a combo amp.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I use a Blue Tube II in my rack. I haven't found anything that compares to it. Mine doesn't have the steel mod either. I have tried many different pre-amps but keep coming back to the Blue Tube II. I am a big Tubeworks fan. Besides the Blue Tube II, I also run a Tube works spring reverb and a Model 982 Tube Works amp.
I run the spring reverb and a Lexicon effects unit through the effects loop with excellent results.

Brad Issendorf · From: Lake City, Minnesota

Thanks guys. Erv, you don't mention a hum noticable with yours. That's one of the reasons I'm trying to find out more about these. One of the things I have noticed is that if I run straight from the effects to the power amp, I lessen some of the noise, but not all. Since the effects controls on the back of the unit are not blend controls, running straight from the effects to the poweramp makes one wonder what they actually had in mind with them anyway? It seems that in order to have enough gain to run the effects and so on to run the poweramp at a usable output level, you gain a lot of hum.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Brad,
As Jack mentioned above, I adjust the level of the effects with the control on the effects unit.
I don't notice any excess hum. I always run single coil pickups on my steel so am accustomed to a certain amount of hum.

Dennis Wallis · From: Arkansas

I use a regular Blue Tube (single channel) . It has bias adjustment . I run directly from the volume pedal to the Blue Tube then INST out to whatever effects I'm using (currently a Lexicon MPX 100) (sometimes a BOSS DD6 Delay and RV 5 Pedals) then to the amp . This combo seems to work the best for me no matter what amp I use . Hard to play without it after getting used to it . I use a REAL TUBE II (same thing) for lead guitar .No hum . I have a BLUE TUBE II that I'm keeping for backup . They are all good preamps .

Brad Issendorf · From: Lake City, Minnesota

I guess that maybe I need to send mine out for repair again. I have sent it out in the past and it comes back the same way. The noise is my single largest complaint. The hum at times is approaching 40% of the guitar signal and it doesn't matter which guitar or what pickups I put in my new MSA, it stays the same. I finally went back to the ProfexII with no problems. Dennis, the way that you describe your layout is the way I was having the best results. I was using channel B inst out to my effects to my poweramp for the least amount of noise. The fact that Mr. Herby Wallace was looking for another and that you guys still use them tells me that something must still be up with this one. Thanks again everyone.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Brad, I'm curious how you're using yours. Into a combo amp or power amp? What else is in your chain?

I've been using this TubeWorks rig since the early 90's. The Boss multi-fx unit is wired into the BT fx loop. The reverb unit is not.

There is a small amount of hum but nothing like the 40% you cite, not even 5.

The control pots are crappy though and can get noisy. Sometimes cut out sound altogether.

I don't like hum and I'm quite sure Herby doesn't, so we wouldn't use them if they had any unacceptable noise.

What noise I get is generated by the 921 Reverb unit. If I hit the bypass switch on the reverb the noise all disappears except for the amp fans.

I'm not sure what's different about them, but mine does have the steel mod. I don't know if the mod included a change in tubes. I experimented with some Groove Tube 12ax7a's at one time, but they brought the noise level up to an unacceptable level....the originals are not noisy. That might be something to look into.

Brad Issendorf · From: Lake City, Minnesota

I questioned the place that I sent it to last about the steel mod and they claimed that they couldn't get info on what it was. I used it in a rack system with different cable, different guitars, both Hilton an Goodrich 120 vps, different effects, no effects, Mosvalve 500 or Classic 50/50 power amps etc. and the only thing that seemed to matter was not returning the effect loop back to the preamp. Some days are worse than others. On any day, I can hold my hand an inch or so ahead of the face of it and I gain rf type hum, over and above what it always has. Guess I should try again.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

The reason I asked about your gear is, as you probably know when you have several pieces connected together, some power supplies can really interfere and cause insufferable hum in a system or particular piece of gear.

I should have mentioned this in the other reply, but I've since gotten used to dealing with proximity. Because the reverb unit and all the Boss units have external power supplies, I don't keep any power strips or power supplies inside the case. They are all on a power strip which I pull out of the box when I set up. Then I power it up, push the vol. pedal wide open, and move the strip around to find the position with the least amount of hum. This may sound tedious, but it really only takes a couple minutes.

Depending on the venue, sometimes there's a little bit, most times I can find a position where there's no noise.

Dennis Wallis · From: Arkansas

Here's a couple of other things I should have mentioned ; I am using a HUM X filter,although the hum from the Blue Tube isn't substantial enough to really need it I don't think . I was using it with a Profex II,which did have some hum so I just left it in line . ALSO the Lexicon MPX 100 produces quite a bit of hum when the AC adapter is plugged into the same source as the Blue Tube so it has to be placed outside the rack . This way everything is almost studio quiet . In fact you could record with it . No noise is noticeable at all when playing . Those wall wart transformers are noted for producing hum especially when placed near other equipment . This may sound like alot of trouble but it's really not and the tone is worth it !

Brad Issendorf · From: Lake City, Minnesota

I have gone out of my way to keep power supplies and transformers as far away from signal lines and etc as possible. We aren' playing this weekend so I might give these ideas a try; go dig it out of storage again to see what I can make of it.
Thanks again. Brad

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

There is a power supply mounted on the cord for one of the units in my rack. I think it might be for the Tube Works reverb.
I always position this outside the rack case as it will cause some hum when close to the other pieces in the case.

Leon Roberts · From: Tallahassee,FL USA

I have a rack with a Blue-Tube II with the steel mod. I go from the volume pedal to the B-T II and then go out of the B-T II line level into a Boss SE-50 line level. There is a switch on the SE-50 that allows you to go in either line level or instrument level. I come out of the SE-50 stereo into a digital power amp. I have no hum at all. However, if I haven't use the rack for an extended period of time, the pots get scratchy. Turning them through the full range a number of times eliminates this problem. I have the wall wart for the SE-50 in the bottom of the rack. Still no hum. The power amp is a "SoundTech PS802".
Leon

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