Cathode Follower Valvecaster?

[Astronaurt]

Hey, so I've been tweaking around with a bunch of ideas to HEAVILY modify the Valvecaster Schematic that's gotten such a great deal of attention here. I wasn't too satisfied with my original build, and since then I've been messing around with putting a solid state boost in front of it in order to get more tube-y overdrive out of the pedal itself. What I'm planning on now is putting an AMZ Mosfet Booster in front of the Valvecaster, and (Here's where the predicament comes in) changing the second tube stage in it to be a DC coupled Cathode follower so that I can get that sweet sweet grid current limiting, compression, and smooth creamy overdrive. Unfortunately, I don't know too much about the specifics of how I should induce Current to flow in the grid, especially when the 9-12 volts I'd like to power it with is pretty far out of the published characteristics on most datasheets I've seen, at least for any of the common tubes I'd like to use (12AX7, 12AU7, 6H2N-EB, etc.) and putting in a charge pump or power transformer would be a lot more involved than I'd like this to end up being. Anyone know much about Cathode follower operation as it applies to this sort of stuff?

[Brossman]

Have you tried googling 'Cathode Follower'?

Check this out...

http://www.glass-ware.com/tubecircuits/Easy_Cathode_Followers.html

[frequencycentral]

This might interest you, 12 volts, cathode follower as the last stage: http://www.tube-town.net/diy/lov/lov02-peppershredder-eng.html

[merlinb]

Anyone know much about Cathode follower operation as it applies to this sort of stuff?

At such low voltages the problem is with current flowing out of the grid, cathode follower or not! I have an article on it that I can email you if you like.