NOTHING WRONG WITH STARVED PLATE PEDALS............................................ ..

[Jeffblue]

NOTHING WRONG WITH STARVED PLATE PEDALS............................................ ..

I have two Blue Tube pedals (BK Butler modified to use a 6SL7 and Tubeworks with a 5814A) a BK Butler Real Tube (installed a 12BH7) a Guyatone FLIP metal Monster (installed a 12BH7) and two Rocktron Silver Dragons (with 5814A). NOS tubes and different types make a difference in the quality of the tones. I use the Blue Tubes and the Real Tube adjusted to as transparent as I can possibly get them (tone as close to identical as circuit in or out or bypassed) and I use the Guyatone and the Silver Dragon pedals to inject overdrive/distortion into the transparently adjusted tube pedals for the best useable tube tones into my different effects/rigs. 5814A (military grade 12AU7 tube) and the 12BH7 (taller tube similar to 12AU7) takes a lot of the edge of too much distortion and fizziness. All in all, I love tweaking my tones.

 

[LLL]

Re: NOTHING WRONG WITH STARVED PLATE PEDALS..........................................

I'd think for most cases (non-guitar amplifier of course) the starved plate design works just fine.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: NOTHING WRONG WITH STARVED PLATE PEDALS..........................................

I'd think for most cases (non-guitar amplifier of course) the starved plate design works just fine.

Yeah, I disagree...I am under the impression that "for the most part" the starved plate tube design, done for the simple gimmick of having a tube in the circuit are a design disaster. Pedals like the BK Butler work very well cause they are well designed and the tube just did what the engineer wanted it to do w/o really sounding particularly tube like at all.
If you want a great tube pedal look at the out of production stupid great deal Duncan pedals which operate at high plate voltages, and even to a degree the older OOP Vox tube pedals..i think possibly even the Mike matthews tube designed pedals, but not sure on those.
Lets get an E.E. in here to set us all straight on this.

 

[jimijames]

Re: NOTHING WRONG WITH STARVED PLATE PEDALS..........................................

Fwiw there's a diy tube pedal thats a clone of a jcm 800 or a jtm 45 depending on what parts you use that runs high plate voltage and sounds epic:

https://youtu.be/AGtLE9Zmn0s

Grind customs stm 800... Makes me want to build one but I just don't have as much time these days

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: NOTHING WRONG WITH STARVED PLATE PEDALS..........................................

A lot of the "tube driven" pedals will work & sound just fine without the tube in them! I know for sure this applies to the VOX muscle car pedals they put out a few years back? The tube is just there cuz it looks cool, not because it's needed or changes the tone much? Obviously this does not apply to all of them, but if you put a 12AX7 valve into a $70 pedal it automatically becomes a $170 pedal just like that!!!

 

[Jeffblue]

Re: NOTHING WRONG WITH STARVED PLATE PEDALS..........................................

Wow.............someone needs to tell David Gilmour and Billy Gibbons that they are being fooled about starved plate tube pedals. The BK Butler Blue Tube, Real Tube and the Tube Driver are all outstanding pedals that bring some coolness to your tone. My tube pedals absolutely will not work without a tube. I love the tones that I get with my tube pedals and my guitar rigs all sound better with them. I own 3 Peavey Rockmaster preamps and I like preamp tubes that run at high plate voltage.........but don't underestimate the benefits of starved plate.

 

[Jeffblue]

Re: NOTHING WRONG WITH STARVED PLATE PEDALS..........................................

I forgot to mention that I own and use a Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Blue pedal that also sounds excellent.

 

[LLL]

Re: NOTHING WRONG WITH STARVED PLATE PEDALS..........................................

Wow.............someone needs to tell David Gilmour and Billy Gibbons that they are being fooled about starved plate tube pedals. The BK Butler Blue Tube, Real Tube and the Tube Driver are all outstanding pedals that bring some coolness to your tone. My tube pedals absolutely will not work without a tube. I love the tones that I get with my tube pedals and my guitar rigs all sound better with them. I own 3 Peavey Rockmaster preamps and I like preamp tubes that run at high plate voltage.........but don't underestimate the benefits of starved plate.

I've got a few items with the ubiquitous 9-pin preamp tube(s) (starved plate design) and they work fine.

 

[MrTondo]

Re: NOTHING WRONG WITH STARVED PLATE PEDALS..........................................

They do nothing in terms of producing the nice drive characteristics we are used to from tubes. However, a well designed solid state circuit will get you close to those tones, the tube will make sure everybody notices...
If you want some opinions about it from Brian Wampler and Frank Falbo, just check out one of the latest podcasts/youtube movies they put out.