MI Audio Tube Zone Overdrive

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Has anyone heard of this pedal? I have a guy wanting me to make him a pedal and has said that he wants something like the MI Audio Tube Zone Overdrive. Any ideas if there is something similar? Naturally, the easier the better.

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

I found this... http://www.miaudio.com/TZ1.htm...if someone could read it and get a bit of an idea from it that would be great. I'm still not up to speed with identifying pedals from their descriptions

[Bucksears]

I played an 'original' Tube Zone about four years ago, so I'll do my best.

Build the BSIAB II from the GGG site, but leave off the two .0022uF caps in the LPF. It's less compressed at high-gain than the TZ, from what I remember.

- Buck

[Harry Palms]

The cork sniffing know-nothings in the booteek buying world have missed the boat on this one. They let a good pedal slip away because of their almost complete ignorance concerning some simple realities in effects pedal electronics. MI would have done well to add a tone kit and some instructions to his TZ to give the end user a few more options for frequency filtering in several key points in the circuit. It's specifically tuned by MI to what he wanted to hear which unfortunately hasn't set well with some of the buying public. If they knew at least a little of what it was they were buying they could go in, fine tune it and walk away satisfied, I'm sure. I did. I like the sound of the pedal a lot. It's nothing earth shatteringly innovative, but what is anymore? It's a sort of amalgam of many different circuit snippets reminding one of nothing in particular. It is one of the the most beautiful pedals I have owned in it's looks. The pedal sells originally for $179 which isn't much by todays booteek prices. I've seen them 2nd hand for as low as $100. No offense to you but I would certainly recommend to any of my friends to go ahead and buy the pedal. Then it would be up to you to learn the circuit for yourself and tweak it. Everybody wins. MI sells a pedal, your friend gets a good piece of gear and you get to learn something.

[oldrocker]

I agree with Harry P.  Not to hijack a thread but I think the Scrambler had the same problem with it's demise.  If Ampeg would've been more forth coming with how to setup, tweak and use a Scrambler a lot more people would've bought and used it more.  There are some useful tones to be had with this pedal.

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Keep 'em coming guys! I love the feed back you can get on this forum!!! 

[michael_ibrahim]

Tube Zone sales are going very well, but thanks for the suggestion nonetheless.

Which TZ did you play Harry?

[powerplayj]

I have to agree with Harry on this one as well.  I have several builds under my belt and have always thought that whatever sound I want, I'd build a pedal to achieve it.  However, MI Audio has come along with a few offerings that have filled a niche not occupied by any well-documented DIY builds and they have managed to keep the prices competitive as well.  I went for the Crunch Box and BBD but, the Tube Zone seems to fall in this category as well for a pedal that has its own sound.  I'm sure many will say these pedals are variations on a theme but I think the variations are unique and substantial enough to separate themselves from the heard.  For instance, the implementation of "character control" in my Blue Boy Deluxe is practical feature in an OD not many builders (if any) can boast. 

From the clips I've heard of the Tube Zone, it seems to excel from low to high gain.  I think the best you can do short of buying the pedal is decide which end of the gain spectrum your friend is most interested in and then go from there.  One of the Boogie emulators might be a good start.

[rhys]

there's lots of sounds available in the TZ but lots of people seem to lean towards it's higher gain offerings.  if you're looking for an accessible build that will get you in the TZ ballpark, i'd go with a rat. 

[ethanw]

I have a 3 knob version that I've been checking out. It's a good circuit that's very amp sounding. Mine has kind of a paramentric single tone knob that I find very hard to dial in (for me as a rhythmn player anyway). One way=way too bassy, other way=way too trebly. I think I'd prefer a standard tone control or bass + treble. Maybe this is addressed on the 6 knobber.  The MI audio pedals are buily well and priced right.