Tube boost + overdrive running off a 9 volt battery

[azrael]

As in a standard Valvy, I guess it depends on the tube used - some glow more, some are barely lit...

Hm, interesting. Which one would you recommend for max glow?
I would feel like a cheater to have it glow using an LED. :p:

[Renegadrian]

@Dongle
Glad if I can help you somehow! go on debugging that $hit and report back! I's gonna work!!!

@azrael
Actually I sperimented several tubes, most NOS. I don't remember which kind or brand were the brightest, sorry...

[zambo]

Dude Renegadrian you are like the patron saint of valvecaster building...lol. Your help is definatley cool bro! Thanks .

[Renegadrian]

 

[karter2000]

I went to the reharsal yesterday, First time with this band, playing QUEENSRYCHE songs - me on the bass - I took my Valvy with me...Man, it's so good on bass...It just rounds up the sound to achieve the Eddie Jackson (bass god for me...) sound...
Just wanted to share this experience...

Hey there,

I'm going to attempt a Valvecaster, and I've been reading over the megathread.  Sorry if I missed this somewhere, but are there any mods needed to the basic Valvecaster layout to make it suitable for bass guitar?  I'm pretty excited about you getting the Eddie J sound, as he's a god to me as well!  My plan is to use a 12au7 (I think I have one around somewhere), and try it at both 9v and 12v.  Later I'd like to build a 9au7 version and a subcaster.

Also, to use the 7812 regulator at 12v, is 18v too much?  The reason I ask is that I have an 18v charge pump adapter for my Power All.

[jrmcgrath13]

IT IS FINISHED!  I've finished the triple valvecaster I've been working on.  It's just three valvecasters housed in a single enclosure with a master bypass switch so I can go from clean to any of the three stages of overdrive that the pedal houses.  I have it running at 9V... I tried it at 12V, but for some reason with the power supply I have, it gives it some mad hum when you actually turn on a tube.  I couldn't really tell a difference between it running at 9 or 12V anyway, so there ya go.

I have each tube set up to have the input cap at either .001uf or .022uf with a toggle, but I've been leaving at the .001 position for most things.  The .022 adds a lot of bass, which can be fun sometimes, but not necessary for the way I play.

Here's a video of it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOLSZuZ0OS8.  I'm really happy with the way it came out sounding... I hope you like it too. 

Lastly... I just wanted to give special thanks to Renegadrian and Zambo.  You both have provided priceless guidance and encouragement through this board and your messages.  Thanks so much!

Here's the final product lit up all fancy-like.  The green is the lowest gain setting tube, blue is mid, and white is the highest gain setting.  Also, here's a link to the layout I made to make the whole thing: http://jrmcgrath.com/images/triple%20valvecaster.jpg.  It's kinda wonky and confusing, but it got the job done for me. I'd post the image here, but it's huge and I don't want to resize it.

[zambo]

Sounds Sweet! Have you tried a 12at7 in the middle yet? Adds a lot more gain. run both blue tubes on .001 middle tube tone set 3/4 to the dark side. last tugbe on .022 cap. No rat needed. Awesome looking pedal!

[jrmcgrath13]

I don't have an at7... if I get my hands on one, I'll schlap it in there and give it a whirl.  Have you tried an ax7?

[Renegadrian]

I went to the reharsal yesterday, First time with this band, playing QUEENSRYCHE songs - me on the bass - I took my Valvy with me...Man, it's so good on bass...It just rounds up the sound to achieve the Eddie Jackson (bass god for me...) sound...
Just wanted to share this experience...

Hey there,

I'm going to attempt a Valvecaster, and I've been reading over the megathread.  Sorry if I missed this somewhere, but are there any mods needed to the basic Valvecaster layout to make it suitable for bass guitar?  I'm pretty excited about you getting the Eddie J sound, as he's a god to me as well!  My plan is to use a 12au7 (I think I have one around somewhere), and try it at both 9v and 12v.  Later I'd like to build a 9au7 version and a subcaster.

Also, to use the 7812 regulator at 12v, is 18v too much?  The reason I ask is that I have an 18v charge pump adapter for my Power All.

If I remember well (I always post at 4am, sleeeepy...) you can sub the input and putput caps with some electros, the higher the value the more bass gees thru. I used the very first one I build which is a standard values, no tone.
I made one with a 9AU7, but that didn't impress me much, as Shania would say! 
18v should be quite good for the reg. - hook it and see if it gets too hot after a while, in that case you can screw it (in a good way!) (sorry, I'm with stupid!) to the enclosure or consider a small heatsink. Usually the screw it method works fine, but it's not always needed.
Please take a look at my band's site if you have some spare time...http://nuke.mindcrimeitaly.com/ and you'll find some vids too...Hope you'll enjoy the link!!!

[karter2000]

Great videos!  Are you using the Valvecaster in those?

Thanks for the help!

[zambo]

Yeah, I tried the ax7 but it was a little barky and harsh. Like some notes would just jump out louder and knife you in the face kind of loud and harsh. Not the cool kind you would think of. I tried about every ax au at ay config you could think of. au at au in that order seems to be the best. Older rca and conn tubes seem to be the smoothest and best sounding. If you drop your treble and bass and boost your mids it counter acts the space charge tendencies that are inherent with this design. Yuo will get a lot less fizzle. With one valvie it sounds grate, three starts to get fizzy. Rolling of one of the tones most of the way helps too. I have found that running it while my amp is on the drive channel but set really clean helps. Clean channels seem to have a built in mid scoop wich works against you sometimes....man i type to much.... Nice pedal bro!!!

[Renegadrian]

Great videos!  Are you using the Valvecaster in those?

Thanks for the help!

Thank you! Actually there's no Valvy in those videos, as it was lended to a friend at the time of the shooting - I used an Orange Squeezer instead.

[karter2000]

Thank you! Actually there's no Valvy in those videos, as it was lended to a friend at the time of the shooting - I used an Orange Squeezer instead.

Great bass tone!  You know, I built one of those but I never boxed it.  It works great....maybe it's time to break it out again.

[diemilchmann]

what about adding a cathode follower? negative feedback to increase gain?

[zambo]

uping the voltage seems to increase the gain a lot. especialy on twincasters etc. its easy as well. 36 volts gets pretty nasty. 12at7 at 63v gets real nasty.

[Renegadrian]

12AT7...yum...See my TUBE STAR, it can be used with an AU, but the results I liked the best were with an AT, running at 50V.
Great sound!

[zambo]

yeah now we are talkin! Valvecaster is a super awesome first build, but its not the gain monster alot of people seem to want. At7 sounds toothy!!!

[Renegadrian]

zambo, if you're after gain monsters you definitely have to check out my TUBE STAR, it really roars with the AT!!! Easy to build (not so different from a Valvy) but real fun for you, not so much for the neighbors!!! 

[Ripthorn]

Nice to see the old tube thread still a-goin'.  Haven't been around much, but Adriano, you are still the man.  I need to dig my doubly valvy up and finish it off now that we are done moving around and settled.  Yes, the valvecaster isn't a gain monster, but you can always feed it more volts!

[zambo]

I been building these    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtFdINnPEeo     and      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw5zT8GpDpk     tiny amps are way fun.. I am going to have to venture into the 15 watt zone though.......