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Just wanted to know what's out there as far as pedals with tubes built into the circuit. Really love my Fryette SAS & my Myco Milosc. Used to own a few old BK Butler pedals and those were killer too.

anyone played one of the new TOOBSCREEEMERS with that microtube tech inside?

I looked hard at the SAS for awhile but thought it had a bit of a hair metal vibe to it, coulda been the videos of it I was watching.

I've personally tried the Blackstar DistX, Ibanez Tube King (the red one), and a Vox V8. Currently own the Blackstar and Vox, with the Blackstar living on my board (I play through a Roland JC-120 and use it to cop tube distortion). The Ibanez was very, very similar to the DistX in tone. I really liked it but the size and weird orientation made me stick with the DistX. The Vox is brighter than the DistX but still pretty close.

Effectrode pedals look interesting but too pricey for me.

There's an Ibanez tubescreamer variant with a tube in it - Nu Tube Screamer

Most tube-based pedals are based on the Butler designs - The original (grey) Ibanez Tube king, the couple of Behringer ones, Vox cooltrons, etc. Usually if they run on 9v or on batteries then they're based on the "starved plate" design for the tube.

Some like the SAS, Blackstar, Ibanez Tube King (red) and the more recent Vox ones state that the tube is run at a higher voltage to get the same performance as in an amp.

There are some new ones using the smaller tubes, like that Nu tube Screamer - Seymour Duncan Twin Tube series is one set. I think one of the SSBS pedals does? There's some Maxon ones too, i think.

I forgot about the EHX ones - English Muff'n, Zipper, Wiggler some others. Been wanting to try a Muff'n and a Zipper

I've always wanted an Effectrode vibe and their discontinued phaser. A list of pedals where the tube actually does something and isn't just for show would also be helpful.

echorec wrote:I've always wanted an Effectrode vibe and their discontinued phaser. A list of pedals where the tube actually does something and isn't just for show would also be helpful.

For distortions this usually is means that only in the high voltage models is the tube actually providing any significant contribution to the tone in the circuit. I'm not an engineer but this seems like the conventional wisdom.

For other types of effects I don't know.

fldrvr wrote:I think one of the SSBS pedals does?

I'm pretty sure the pretty years has some kinda tubes in it.

The original Ibanez Tube King was an absolute monster. I landed one after playing a Real Tube pedal for years. Unfortunately the switch on my Tube King didn't last too long, but I was already switching band sounds so I downsized to a Boss HyperMetal.

I got a Damage Control Demonizer.

I had one of these, I thought it sounded rad. It seems to get a lot of shit in reviews, I need to buy another one, they are usually kind of cheap.

The Black Finger compressor is usually highly rated.

The Shift Line Mustang seems interesting. Especially if you like tubes, muscle cars and Soldanos.



http://shift-line.com/card.php?device=70

echorec wrote: A list of pedals where the tube actually does something and isn't just for show would also be helpful.

This meets my interest big time.

fldrvr wrote:I looked hard at the SAS for awhile but thought it had a bit of a hair metal vibe to it, coulda been the videos of it I was watching.

Honestly, I would not be surprised if it were the videos you were watching. It's probably my favorite pedal I own. It can be a beautiful gritty boost/with the gain up, it goes into super scuzzy territory. Also, it's easily the loudest pedal I have.

Also thanks guys, digging all the tubes!

Yeah, SAS is definitely not very hair metal. It's pretty nasty, more like a raw tube fuzz on the higher gain settings.

I have:

Fryette SAS
Fryette Boostassio
H&K Rotosphere
Guyatone Flip Trem
EHX Hot Tubes x2
EHX Black Finger
EHX Tube Zipper
EHX Wiggler
EHX Tube EQ

They all sound fantastic, but the Hot Tubes in particular is completely ridiculous. Maybe the highest gain pedal I've ever played, and I've owned the Zoom Hyper Lead and Tri Metal! All I need is an English Muff'n and the much, much harder to acquire LPB-2ube to complete the set. I've been trying to do the logistics on a board setup with all of them, but it's a pain in the ass. Gonna have to buy one of those giant power supplies, like the Overkill or something. I think Cioks actually has cables with the right plugs.

I've also owned the older Tube King overdrive and the less common TK compressor. Both sounded nice enough, but didn't bring the tubey vibes like the EHX and Fryette stuff (or the Roto with the drive cranked, for that matter).

Aww yeah I'm dying to have a go with a rotosphere. Lovely big valvey bastards