Tube overdriveish pedal?

[Charley Umbria]

I've tried a bunch of much-loved pedals: Wampler Ectasy, Barber Deep Fryer, SFT, VMT, Joyo UD, and others. To me, the [sfx] Micro Red Dragon sound the most like a low-gain tube amp: subtle, warm, and touch-sensitive.

Believe it or not, I also really like the Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer. At low-gain settings (gain knob around 9:00), it adds a bit of warmth, without significantly changing the sound. Mine has the Analog Man Silver Mod, but the stock version sounds really good, too.

 

[emjazz]

I used to have that TS9DX with the silver mod. Great pedal indeed.

 

[monsterthompson]

Fairfield Accountant compressor

 

[mmbongo]

Bongo, any chance you have paired the Grizzly with a VMT, or Any DG pedals? I'm trying to choose between a Grizz, or a LeBass.

Sorry for the derail OP.

Yes, I love Darkglass pedals as well! The DG stuff definitely has their baked in tone that you can't really dial out, while the Grizzly is transparent. Because of that it can really enhance the DG pedals, plus you have the fantastic low pass filter on the Grizzly that can dial out the fizz of the DG pedals.

 

[chaak]

I like that one. What settings are you using to get a smooth overdrive?

Just used these settings on a track recording:

Blend 12
Level 1
Era 7:30
Drive 10

 

[Mosfed]

Darkglass Vintage Microtubes hands down

I can't believe anyone thinks that the VMT sounds like a tube drive. I love the pedal, but that's not what it does AT ALL.

 

[chaak]

I can't believe anyone thinks that the VMT sounds like a tube drive. I love the pedal, but that's not what it does AT ALL.

"The Vintage Microtubes provides warm tube-like tones with a natural dynamic response.......
it does emulate tube amp drive,it takes equal inspiration from the grit and organic compression of old reel-to-reel tape machines.."

 

[Mosfed]

"The Vintage Microtubes provides warm tube-like tones with a natural dynamic response.......
it does emulate tube amp drive,it takes equal inspiration from the grit and organic compression of old reel-to-reel tape machines.."

Again - I love the VMT and I love tube amps. I own 2 SVTs and have played through a bunch of others.

Two totally different sounds. There a ton of great things about the VMT but it does not in anyway, shape or form sound like a tube amp breaking up. And again, putting tubes in the name is the only thing I blame Darkglass for.

 

[groovaholic]

Nobels ODR-B. Usually in the $60-$90 range. A little hard to find, but worth the search.

The Nobels ODR-1 is a good one too; often "too bassy" for guitarists but perfect for bass.

I have a Visual Sound Open Road that is their version of it...but more reliable.

Dunno about the ODR-B, but the Open Road (and hence the ODR-1) is thick and a little dark sounding. I love it, but use it as my coloration alongside the transparency of the Blue Tube.

 

[wongahcheng]

For me it works great with the eq flat (not cut). Someone who likes to eq would be disappointed for sure.

I have an Idiotbox Han-Taun coming that I hope is even better for low gain purposes.

Mind to share some of your favorite settings on Timmy(photos are easier since you don't have to type )? Can't PM you for this, had to ask here haha thanks!

 

[emjazz]

Mind to share some of your favorite settings on Timmy(photos are easier since you don't have to type )? Can't PM you for this, had to ask here haha thanks!

I leant my Timmy pedal to the guitar player on the theater gig I'm doing. It's sitting at the theater currently. I can tell you that for low gain, which is what I use it for, I have the bass knob off (no cut), the treble somewhere between 9 and 11 oclock (slightly cut) the gain below 9 oclock and the volume for a slight boost. Great pedal.

 

[FaithNoMan]

Tech21 Oxford

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[Nunovsky]

I think that the Wren & Cuff Suppa Phat Phuk is the right pedal for you.

It can give just that breaking point kind of drive that tube amps do if you turn the bias knob clockwise.

I'm using mine just to do that. And it sounds great!

 

[emjazz]

Yup...I was using the Timmy but am currently using the Suppa Phat Phuk. I like the drive of the Timmy, but I LOVE what the SPPhuk does in the low end of my sound.

 

[Turn Em Loose]

Tone Hammer DI. Keep The Gain low.

 

[crapusername]

If the Timmy is what you're looking for, try the danelectro transparent overdrive v1 ( allegedly a clone)
The version 2 is pretty damn good too.
Also the hardwire cm2 is well regarded in these parts

 

[Snowglo]

Tech21 Oxford

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I've always wanted to try the Oxford. It's doesn't sound too fizzy in the clip you posted.

 

[morgan138]

I used to have a Tube Works Real Tube (which I think is the same basic idea as the Blue Tube, but with a little more gain). Really wanted to like it, but it sometimes got uncomfortably gritty/brittle just as it pushed into low overdrive. I miss it sometimes, wonder if it would've worked better with a different tube, different bass, different amp, dialed in better, or...?

 

[Jman2089]

I have a John K mini bass od on my pedal board. I use it in in front of my ampeg pf800 or an Ampeg svp-cl. Just the right amount of drive for me.