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Tube-amp users: do you use overdrives?

#26
Jefenator said:
IME the distortion I can get from hitting harder with a tube power section is mind-blowing and attempts at re-creating that with solid state devices have been consistently underwhelming.
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It's been decades, but my sentimental best-tone-ever came from those rare occasions where I got to crank up my 70's SVT rig. That rig sounded fine at lower volumes, but the real magic happened when I could hit that sweet spot where the tubes would begin to break up. Problem was: as noted, those occasions were rare.

I would never say that modern emulators/overdrives match all-tube magic, but they are very good these days, so I go with dirt devices exclusively because I can get the same level of (simulated) breakup at any volume. That to me is far more important than the tonal difference between all-tube and emulated-tube. Reduced weight is a nice secondary benefit.

Again: just speaking for myself. I totally get the all-tube love.
 
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#28
JazzyJacuzzi said:
Those of you playing through tube amps or amps with tube pre amps, do you use overdrive pedals as well? Why or why not?
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I have an Eden WT500/800 amp which has the hybrid preamp. It absolutely will NOT break up without a pedal because the 12ax7 tube in it is actually in the impedance matching section of the amp operating within a very specific range of parameters that give it it's nice warm sound. None of the WT hybrid amps will give you any breakup.

HOWEVER the newer WTP Eden amps have a second 12ax7 located in the gain structure and you can dial in a little break-up, some overdrive, or some really dirty distortion with those amps (WTP-900 - dual powerblock amp and WTP-600 - single powerblock amp). No need for a pedal with these Eden amps.
 
#29
I’ve been pushing my Mesa with tube pre with this JC Emerald. I bought it for my guitar practice amp which is a single 6L6 for power but it sounds so good on my bass I switched it to my board. 2 12AX7 tubes. It goes pretty dirty on a guitar but on bass it’s just very edgy through most of the range.
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#31
If I want to absolutely crank the gain and let it rip, just the amp will do. Or amp plus clean boost.

For light gain with clarity and dynamics, I prefer an OD with a clean blend and separate tone controls for the OD signal.
 
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#39
Depends. The Sunn 2000s is shockingly loud before it hits distortion, but I love the breakup when it does. It's rare I get to play in a room where I can actually push it to that volume, so if I need grit I can (though rarely do) add an overdrive. With the Hiwatt DR103, since it has the master I can push the preamp gains up and get some grit, and since it is quieter than the Sunn I can open it up more to push into power stage distortion. However, I've found my Menatone Pig works wonders into the preamp-crnaked Hiwatt, and running along side the Sunn gives a great balance of Overdrive and Clean.
 
#40
No.. I set the preamp for the right amount of grind...lots in my hard rock group.. a little in my blues group. I try to avoid pedals when possible, always seem to loose some tone in the chain. In a trio I use a octavider to fill up the space when guitar drops out for a solo.
 

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