tube pre-amp?

Step · #1 03-24-2010, 07:38 AM

Hey

I was reading up on the thread by Mark Olson, saying everyone should own a tube amp. I already own an acoustic 370 so I've got the volume thing covered.

however, I have some volume issues like mark describes, would putting a tube pedal in front of my amp help?
I overdrive the tubes in the pre-amp and adjust my amp to volume accordingly, would I get a compressed sound?

also, if this would work, is there a specific pedal you would recommend? I was thinking of an EHX english muff'n or LPB 2ube

thanks in advance

RCCollins · #2 03-24-2010, 07:45 AM

if you want a tube amp sound, I'd say you need to move away from the Acoustic entirely. Tube pre pedals like the Muff'n are cool and all (and there was one in the cklassifieds for CHEAP recently), but a lot of the sound of a tube amp comes from the tube power section. Pedal distortion, with or without tubes, never quite gets you there

I'd even go so far as to say you may be better off with one of the current solid state "amp sim" pedals like the Tech 21 VT bass or Catalinbread SFT. IMO these do as good a job at getting you close to tube amp sound and feel as any pedal that has tubes in it.

bassman1185 · #3 03-24-2010, 08:09 AM

Yeah, the VT Bass does a great job of copping some of the "feel" of an overdriven tube amp, without the cost or the 80+ pound weight.

Tube preamps are cool to have, and they can add a certain presence that you might not get so much with your all-solid-state setup. I have an ART Tube PAC, which is a preamp and compressor in one unit. The compressor has two fixed ratios: 2:1 and 6:1, so it can do very subtle compression. They are available used for abot $60. I would HIGHLY recommend replacing the two stock 12AX7 tubes with JJ Teslas, which will run you about $15 each.

Step · #4 03-24-2010, 10:56 AM

ok thank you both very much for your replies, I've seen a VT bass in the classifieds and I guess I'll try that

if that doesn't work I'll try the tube PAC

Colonel Monk · #5 03-24-2010, 04:19 PM

Mark Olson · #6 03-24-2010, 06:34 PM

Are you having volume issues as in having too much volume on your DS-1 to get the bass response you need out of it? I haven't played through a DS-1 for many many years, but from what I remember I think you'll find it much easier just finding a different drive pedal altogether rather than trying to compress the volume boost with a sansamp.

Just my 2 cents, I abhor Tech 21 and all of their products, which to me have nothing anywhere near the response of any tube amp I've ever played. Just my opinion, the Tech 21 stuff is not even close to being any kind of suitable substitute for a cranked tube amp.

But the upshot is, if you haven't spent years gigging through cranked tube amps and gotten familiar with their response when cranked and grown and developed your playing style to make the most of that response, there might not be an appreciable difference for you, especially if you aren't fully familiar with the differences in tones.

Kromwarp · #7 03-24-2010, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassman1185

Yeah, the VT Bass does a great job of copping some of the "feel" of an overdriven tube amp, without the cost or the 80+ pound weight.

Tube preamps are cool to have, and they can add a certain presence that you might not get so much with your all-solid-state setup. I have an ART Tube PAC, which is a preamp and compressor in one unit. The compressor has two fixed ratios: 2:1 and 6:1, so it can do very subtle compression. They are available used for abot $60. I would HIGHLY recommend replacing the two stock 12AX7 tubes with JJ Teslas, which will run you about $15 each.

+1 for the JJ Teslas, replaced the stock 12AX7 in my Hartke LH500 preamp section and it sounds amazing

Step · #8 03-25-2010, 03:25 AM

oh wow, I haven't updated my gear list in a while now I see

I agree with the DS-1 sounding horrible, I now use a bass big muff and a verellen big spider is on the way, I still experience alot of volume difference if that makes sense

the big muff emphasizes other frequencies than my clean tone obviously, so there is a volume boost/drop

anyway, I ordered the VT to use as an always-on pedal at the very end of my chain, so that my 'clean' tone has that little bit of drive and EQ to it that will hopefully even out the differences

RCCollins · #9 03-25-2010, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Olson

Are you having volume issues as in having too much volume on your DS-1 to get the bass response you need out of it? I haven't played through a DS-1 for many many years, but from what I remember I think you'll find it much easier just finding a different drive pedal altogether rather than trying to compress the volume boost with a sansamp.

Just my 2 cents, I abhor Tech 21 and all of their products, which to me have nothing anywhere near the response of any tube amp I've ever played. Just my opinion, the Tech 21 stuff is not even close to being any kind of suitable substitute for a cranked tube amp.

But the upshot is, if you haven't spent years gigging through cranked tube amps and gotten familiar with their response when cranked and grown and developed your playing style to make the most of that response, there might not be an appreciable difference for you, especially if you aren't fully familiar with the differences in tones.

my point wasn';t to endore the VT - it was to point out that a tube pedal pre (or hybrid amp with tube pre) doesn't get you much closer to all-tube feel or tone.