Preamp pedals with tubes in them
- Thread starter BaritoneVitoND
- Start date
Re: Preamp pedals with tubes in them
I have the Womanizer one, and where I found out about the interesting parts of parametric EQ.
So parametric work as pre shaping before first tube stage, then also bass+treble as post eq after that.
Decent compressor circuit with a knob, and drive and overall level.
You have 2 levels to engage regarding gain, you cannot set how much more in second though, just a fixed boost through yet another tube stage.
With this pedal I also discovered how a good wah works with tubes, giving nice harmonics. The wah itself is like a parametric eq pretty much, that you vary frequency with pedal.
After getting Womanizer 15 years ago I totally went for tube amps as well, and a bunch of parametric eq pedals in front. Many nice things appear in finding the sweet spot of a parametric eq with a tube amp.
So learned many things from having a tube preamp available.
I have the Womanizer one, and where I found out about the interesting parts of parametric EQ.
So parametric work as pre shaping before first tube stage, then also bass+treble as post eq after that.
Decent compressor circuit with a knob, and drive and overall level.
You have 2 levels to engage regarding gain, you cannot set how much more in second though, just a fixed boost through yet another tube stage.
With this pedal I also discovered how a good wah works with tubes, giving nice harmonics. The wah itself is like a parametric eq pretty much, that you vary frequency with pedal.
After getting Womanizer 15 years ago I totally went for tube amps as well, and a bunch of parametric eq pedals in front. Many nice things appear in finding the sweet spot of a parametric eq with a tube amp.
So learned many things from having a tube preamp available.
Erlend_G
New member
Re: Preamp pedals with tubes in them
I had a "Behringer Tube Monster", that was dirt cheap. That ran a 12ax7 inside.
I put into it, a NOS Phillips 5751- that was twice the price of the pedal... and it sounded AWESOME
.
....
Also, I've heard of a preamp pedal called a "Blackbird", that is- "if im right"- a copy of a Fender preamp, in a stompbox size enclosure-. With three ECC83 tubes...
It's about 400 dollars, but sounds amazing! On the sound clips I've heard.
If I were not a poor man, I'd get one today; and put it in front of my already tube-driven amp
.
I had a "Behringer Tube Monster", that was dirt cheap. That ran a 12ax7 inside.
I put into it, a NOS Phillips 5751- that was twice the price of the pedal... and it sounded AWESOME
.....
Also, I've heard of a preamp pedal called a "Blackbird", that is- "if im right"- a copy of a Fender preamp, in a stompbox size enclosure-. With three ECC83 tubes...
It's about 400 dollars, but sounds amazing! On the sound clips I've heard.
If I were not a poor man, I'd get one today; and put it in front of my already tube-driven amp
.I looked at those...Vox made a few over 10 years ago..For that tube to work at all you would need a power supply cord all the time. more cables more clutter. Batteries will need replacing more often than you think as once it goes ffpm 9 V to 6 or 5 Volt then it loses all value. If you plug a tube pedal into a SS amp it wont change anything...
Re: Preamp pedals with tubes in them
I had a "Behringer Tube Monster", that was dirt cheap. That ran a 12ax7 inside.
I put into it, a NOS Phillips 5751- that was twice the price of the pedal... and it sounded AWESOME
....
Also, I've heard of a preamp pedal called a "Blackbird", that is- "if im right"- a copy of a Fender preamp, in a stompbox size enclosure-. With three ECC83 tubes...
It's about 400 dollars, but sounds amazing! On the sound clips I've heard.
If I were not a poor man, I'd get one today; and put it in front of my already tube-driven amp
The 5751 is lower gain..sure it sounded awesome IN SPITE of the different tube ?
any tube pedal that runs at real voltages needs to be on a power supply. anything thats running on a battery is running in starved plate mode
Artie
Peaveyologist
There's some truth to that if operated as Jeremy says below.
I had to peek inside my Twin Tube Classic when I got it. Duncan did something cool. They used a European 240VAC-to-16VAC mini-transformer, but wired it backwards so that it takes the 16VAC wall wart and boosts it back up to 240VAC. Very cool. True high-voltage operation. Having said that, I like my Duncan Palladium as well, if not better, than the good ole TTC. :dunno:
Lewguitar
New member
The one I'd like to have is the original Butler Tube Driver like Eric Johnson uses. But he combines it with an original Fuzz Face to get his violin tone.
I stopped lusting for that combo once I got my Dover Drive pedal, which gets pretty close to that tone in a single pedal.
Eric even uses one when he does clinics and doesn't bring his full rig. Just a smallish pedalboard and a couple of Deluxe Reverbs.
I stopped lusting for that combo once I got my Dover Drive pedal, which gets pretty close to that tone in a single pedal.
Eric even uses one when he does clinics and doesn't bring his full rig. Just a smallish pedalboard and a couple of Deluxe Reverbs.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
I have the Chandler version of it and will never let it go. When I switched to the Roland JC120 in the 90's the Chandler was in the same music store and the combo of the two is amazing. The first night I played it they guys in the jam room next to us knocked on the door to ask if I bought a new Marshall stack.
IMENATOR
Well-known member
I have an AMT SS-20, internally it uses higher voltage for proper tube sound. I am very happy with it. If you tweak the EQ properly and using the proper guitar and cab you can play from clean almost anything imho. I pair it with an ISP Stealth power amp in the same pedalboard. Portable lightweight rig.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
That was my rig for years in my thrash band and it sounded glorious. I still have a similar set up.
Erlend_G
New member
well, it sounded... poor;
before I put in the 5751. Then it completely changed character.
The sound reminded me of the "sound" of Metallica's "Ride the Ligthning"
Before the tube swap, it was just a ... well, bland, fizzy distoriton unit.
-Erl
Erlend_G
New member
My Electro Harmonix "Black Finger" 2 x 12ax7 compressor pedal had a "lamp" that doubled;
as a light source for the compression circuit, and also as a "fake" for the tube filaments, that wouldn't glow
.I think it was rather "cheap" to not have the tubes glow.
But I loved the pedal. Owned two!! But had them both sent back, because they suddently stopped working :/.
very, very nice pedals to give your amp a warmer, more blooming sound...
-E
