Quote:
Originally Posted by guitar5
Maybe I should be looking for something just to push the pre tubes I already have in the amp.
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This has been my experience... tube-based overdrives, especially ones that ACTUALLY USE THE TUBES FOR DRIVE (requires a 12V wall wart or AC power, like the Varidrive, for example), only sound good used for drive when going into a CLEAN tube amp. If you are running your tube amp already breaking up some, a tube overdrive pedal simply turns everything into mush. I run my tube amps already breaking up some, then use SOLID STATE overdrives to boost the signal to the tubes, making everything hotter. It doesn't get too compressed, the bass stays tight, and everything has more clarity.
If, however, you DO want to run a tube amp clean, a tube-based overdrive is very much like "adding a dirty channel to the amp". The Varidrive does this very well. If I were looking to buy another tube overdrive, I'd look into the BK Butler Tube Driver as mentioned above, or one of the Swell pedals...
www.swellpedals.com