Tube o/d pedals

[Caca de Kick]

I'm after a warmer actual tube o/d in pedal form. I still like and will keep my Bass Big Muff, it sounds great with an all-tube head. But with my hybrid head I'm left wanting something a little whoolier.

So far I've run across:
Mesa V1, English M'ffin, and I see the EBS has one.
I have not gotten to try any of them, so I'm hoping folks here have.

[fivestringgecko]

I've tried quite a few overdrive pedals on my search for "The Perfect Overdrive," but haven't had the fortune to try any of those... Yet.

My highest suggestion would be to see if you can get your hands on a Tubeworks Blue Tube. The brand was bought and discontinued by Genz Benz back in the mid to late 90's, so you'll have to hit up the used market, but it's so worth it. Fantastic warm overdrive that has a 12AX7 tube in it stock, but a popular mod was to swap it with a 12AU7, which I did and couldn't be happier! The stock tube sounded really good, the swap smoothed out the overdrive sound and made the pedal even warmer. The 3-band EQ Is nice to have on there too... You can dial in a lot of low end beef or some good top end crunch.

I think I ran across a link for a builder (one of the original designers?) who's making a version of the Blue Tubes again in limited quantities... I could see if I could find it if you're interested.

Another one to at least think about is a Catalinbread SFT. No tube, but I'd put it almost up there with the Blue Tube in terms of warmth. Like the Tubeworks, the on-board EQ makes it a quite versatile overdrive. The Motown demo on Catalinbread's site was an instant seller for me. It's capable of a good deal more than "just a little wool and warmth" though... I've used it for the Crunchy bass sound on Sly's Dance To The Music.

Just a couple ideas.

5sg.

[cheapbasslovin]

I've run a Muff'n for a long time, and the thing I loved most about it was what it did to other distortion/ fuzz pedals. It just seemed to make everything smoother, for lack of a better term.

I have no experience with the other two, or the blue tube.

[Waterpilot]

I don't have any OD's with a tube in them but if you're ever up North I have a bunch of different ones you can try...

[bongomania]

OP, you do realize there are like seven million threads about tube OD's here, right?

Right?


Anyway, look into DHA pedals for warmth.

[aledeville]

The EHX Black Finger can do a nice overdrive...

[Caca de Kick]

Originally Posted by bongomania

OP, you do realize there are like seven million threads about tube OD's here, right?

Right?


Anyway, look into DHA pedals for warmth.

You're right...I've looked alot, but haven't found any direct comparisons to the menioned pedals above.

I'm trying to make a deal on a V1, even though I've never seen one in person. But I also found a Muff'n for 1/2 the price.

[DosiYanarchy]

Have a look at the ehx lpb-2ube. Its a full-range tube pre and i FAR prefer it to the muff'n because its just your tone with a little or alot of valve warmth/drive/distortion. I always found the muffn pretty unusable in a band context as it was never deep enough on bass for me.

[Caca de Kick]

Well I found the thread on the .022uf cap mod on the Muff'n for keeping the lowend. But only two or three people reported doing it.
Just so little info out there on exactly how these pedals sound.

[cheapbasslovin]

Here is a clip I did with the mod.

SoundClick artist: cheapbasslovin - My gear is the best that no money can buy.

It was mainly to show off its touch sensitivity and low end retention, but it is something.

SX fretless jazz fiver straight into Muff'n into Behringer UCG102 interface.

[ricknote]

Swell Pedals B-TOD or B-PRO.
Super high quality and phat tube tone.

[smo]

Blue tube?
Mine always sounded nice....but didn't have a great low end.

Look at DHA. Best tube pedal I've ever had.
I've been through a truckload of OD pedals, and the best for me were the DHA VT1-EQ-bassdrive and the VT bass.
Good Luck.

[jgroh]

I had a DHA VT1-MK3 and it was very nice. However, it was not small and ran on its own power supply (not a battery....wasnt a big deal for me but it is for some) I now have a Pork Loin and it is very tube sounding so thats another idea.

[Caca de Kick]

Sure are some nice tube pedals out there. The EBS clips sound great and is the way I am leaning. And that DHA looks like it a great product even though I've never heard of them before, they seem to have great reports from users. Both are easy to buy new all day long.

I kinda wanted to stick with the Mesa pedal since I'm a Mesa fanboi, but the ads I found can't seem to get those sellers to respond to. Oh well...

[bongomania]

FWIW, I've been watching Mesa V1's on Ebay for the last few months, and they pop up pretty often actually. Seems like there's not even a full week that passes before another one shows up. They tend to sell for between $175 and $210.

[cultrvultr]

I had the Mesa for a few weeks. I thought it cut bass and generally didnt sound very good, but It was a gnarly old beat up pedal, so that could have been part of the problem.

[Charley Umbria]

Check out the Effectrode Tube Drive. I've got their PC-2A compressor and if the Tube Drive's tone is anywhere near as good as the PC-2A's, it'll be a winner.

[Caca de Kick]

I just nabbed the DHA VT1-EQ-Bassdrive from the classifieds. I definitely wanted the preamp aspect of this for when I'm going into supplied backlines.

[Joacocool]

I own an EBS valvedrive and I am very happy with the results through my GK700rbii! I mainly use two settings, cranked volume with a tad of gain as a preamp with little or no saturation that nicely warms up the sound, or with the volume low and gain above 10 clock for a thick overdrive! Great unit!

[wolffman]

nice score- i have the same preamp and think it's fantastic