REAL tube distortions

[jimmy]

hi guys

ive decided that for my major project for my school certificate i am going to build an entire pedal board, complete with all tube preamp and distortion...

so...

chandler tube driver, or arons high quality Shaka Tube?

thanks guys
cheers
Jim

[Phorhas]

I my self have a tube driver and I HATE it... it sucks totaly... (tube works made - BTW)

[Thomas P.]

Good idea!

But you should notice that the ShakaTube and the Chandler Tubedriver are no Real tube distortions.

For an all tube distortion you should look at the RealMcTube.

[jimmy]

shock! youre right too. completely slipped my mind.

righto ill have a look at the real mctube.

btw has anyone had a look at the inside of a H&K warp? on information from the guy at the store, its an all tube distortion, but that guys a tool so  im not completely sure.

cheers
Jim

[Thomas P.]

Do you mean the pedal or the amp?

If you mean the pedal I'm quite sure it isn't a tube pedal because if it were it might be printed on it with big letters (and of course would have been mentioned in the commertials) :wink:

[MartyB]

I made two Real Mctubes and I like them both more than my Blue Tube II (also RK Butler).  One with a 12at7, one with 12ax7.  Fred Nachbauer was extremely helpful in helping me iron out the bugs.  No perfboard or pcb required, altho there is a layout at Tonepad.

[Paul Marossy]

Matchless Hot Box? I have heard good things about them. I'm thinking of building one myself.

[jimbob]

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2004 5:57 pm    Post subject:    

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I my self have a tube driver and I HATE it... it sucks totaly... (tube works made - BTW)

i have the same one...i dont use it either--in fact i think my fav tube distortion is the stock distortion from my Peavey XXX!!
id go w arons high quality Shaka Tube!![/quote]

[YouAre]

is there anyone who can tell me if its possible to put real tubes into my tubescreamer/rat?

[Phorhas]

Ofcourse you can - there are instruntion on R.G's site - here's the link:
http://www.geofex.com/FX_images/realtube.jpg

But seriously now - aside from from the physical size restrictions you can't just put tubes into a TS. it'as desinged specifiecly for what it does, and so is every other FX (or everything for that matter) out there.

There is a site with a kind of a tubescreamer with tubes thing, but I haven't tried it... maybe someone here knows it - I don't have the link though...

[Dirk_Hendrik]

Good idea!

But you should notice that the ShakaTube and the Chandler Tubedriver are no Real tube distortions.

For an all tube distortion you should look at the RealMcTube.

Explain yourself. In the tubedrivers I know there is a tube which acts as a (low voltage but nevertheless) tube amplifier stage. Due to the low voltage the amplification is very low and distortion very high. This is just what was wanted. A tubedriver may suck in ones opinion but it is a REAL tube distortion.

[george]

hi guys

ive decided that for my major project for my school certificate i am going to build an entire pedal board, complete with all tube preamp and distortion...

so...

chandler tube driver, or arons high quality Shaka Tube?

thanks guys
cheers
Jim

Shaka Tube, it's not as complicated as the Tube Driver - I built mine on perfboard, though General Guitar Gadgets does sell RTS PCBs for the Chandler Tube Driver I believe.

Remember there's 2 versions of the Tube Driver, there's the 12V AC one (which delivers about 30V DC to the tube plates) and the 9V DC one which runs the valve at a much lower voltage.

I had a 9V tube driver, it sounded pretty good.  The Shaka Tube seems to have a bit more headroom and 'blues' potential.

As for the McTube, the sound samples I've heard were pretty ordinary, not worth the danger of fooling with 200V B+ voltage for - anyway, is it worth risking your life for your school certificate? :-)

As for not being "all tube", how many *great* guitar sounds have been made with a solid-state device in the signal chain? to name but 3 - Joe Satriani (BOss DS-1) SRV (tube screamer) hendrix (fuzz face)?

The point I'm making is, it doesn't have to be all tube to sound great (to pass your school certificate I bet it doesn't even have to have *any* tubes ... ;-) ... what subject is this for anyway?)

BTW, what else are you going to have on this pedalboard?

[Thomas P.]

is there anyone who can tell me if its possible to put real tubes into my tubescreamer/rat?

:?:  :?:  :?:
Why would you do that? Only a tube doesn't make a good overdrive - ask the guys which own a Chandler pedal!

[Thomas P.]

Good idea!

But you should notice that the ShakaTube and the Chandler Tubedriver are no Real tube distortions.

For an all tube distortion you should look at the RealMcTube.

Explain yourself. In the tubedrivers I know there is a tube which acts as a (low voltage but nevertheless) tube amplifier stage. Due to the low voltage the amplification is very low and distortion very high. This is just what was wanted. A tubedriver may suck in ones opinion but it is a REAL tube distortion.

Well, what I meant was that the distortion doesn't belongs to the tube-stage only. I belive that most of the distorting is done in the IC-stage.
But that wasn't really the point. I thought what jimmy meant was an real tube distortion in the way of an only tube distortion. And both pedals are hybrids :wink:

[george]

Only a tube doesn't make a good overdrive - ask the guys which own a Chandler pedal!

yeah try some 2N5089s (Doug Hammonds Highway 89) or J201s (RunoffGroove Thunderchief)

besides I think youare was joking .... I hope ...  :shock:

[jimmy]

sorry for the belated reply guys. THANKS for all the suggestions! ive finally decided on what i will do. ive decided (after much research on other guitarists rigs) that i will take the YJM308 and mod it a bit, and have it drive a tube booster similar to the LPB2ube.

as for what else is goin on the board, its pretty much gonna be my rig forever. im thinking a compressor, boost (mosfet probably), wah, chorus, delay, and a preamp for tone shaping stuff. then maybe if i have the time, a talk box and octavia, and that should have me set for the rest of my natural life. i might also consider swapping the chorus for a flange or a modded phaser.

the subject, of course is Technics - Electronics!! i definately want a career in electronics, so i thought if i get super mega great marks for this, i might be in the market for a scholarship later on,and i wont have to pay for uni, just more guitars  

BTW, can anyone point me to a soundclip of the real mctube?

thanks
Jim

[MartyB]

http://www.dogstar.dantimax.dk/tubestuf/sounds.htm#mctube

As Fred suggests, try different tubes - any 12A_7.  You'll get different sounds with each.

MartyB