"Just a little" tube like distortion from a pedal

I'm looking for a tube overdrive pedal to use at low volume with my tweed Champ clone. I'm after those older sounds from blues/jazz recordings from the late 40s-early 60s. Just an old pushed amp sound at lower volumes plus the eq I can't do with the Champ. All my online searching leads me to the discontinued Tone Works Blue Tube box. Can you recommend anything in current production for that slightly pushed tube distortion?

The SIB Varidrive, if you replace the 12AX7 with a 12AU7, would do a great job. SIB's status is kind of up-in-the-air at the moment, but if you keep an eye on ebay you can usually find Varidrives for $200.

Also, BK/Chandler has recently re-introduced the ORIGINAL BK Tube Driver, which he is making on a pre-order only basis, that is supposed to be great. They are $300.

I have a Vox Cooltron Big Ben & love it, but you want something with EQ options (the Big Ben only has a tone knob). The Varidrive & Tube Driver both have EQ sections.

Then there's the Hot Chili Tubester, but I have no experience or info on that one.

I can say that the Varidrive DOES sound like an amp, and is probably exactly what you are looking for.

I've got a Barber LTD that sounds great. Only a tone control on the top but also bass and presence mini-pots inside.

Xotic AC and RC Boosters are great pedals with Treble and Bass in addition to Volume and Gain. The AC goes from clean to a little dirty; the RC starts with a little bit of dirt and goes into much more OD/distortion. Both are very responsive to playing dynamics.

Oops....just saw your post seems to ask for a pedal with a tube in it. These three are no-tube, but I still like 'em.

Thanks for the input. The Varidrive sounds good. Looks like it may be a little hard to find and will cost half the price of my Champ, but I didn't think a cheap pedal would do the trick. I've tried a bunch and they all see to try to cop the Plexi overdrive thing. That's way I assumed a tube design would be the why to go. Still want the Champ to do it's thing without a fake sounding overdrive added on top. The new Seymour Duncan Twin Tube looks interesting too, but hardly anyone's tried one yet.

Xotic AC and RC Boosters are great pedals with Treble and Bass in addition to Volume and Gain. The AC goes from clean to a little dirty; the RC starts with a little bit of dirt and goes into much more OD/distortion.

I think it's the other way round i.e. rc does clean to low drive, ac does overdrive to distortion.

I'm looking for a tube overdrive pedal to use at low volume with my tweed Champ clone. I'm after those older sounds from blues/jazz recordings from the late 40s-early 60s. Just an old pushed amp sound at lower volumes plus the eq I can't do with the Champ. All my online searching leads me to the discontinued Tone Works Blue Tube box. Can you recommend anything in current production for that slightly pushed tube distortion?

Good advice from the prior posts. You can still find used BK Butler "Real Tube" or "Blue Tube" O/D's for a decent price. I've come across a few used ones in the $60 to $100 range.

The lower gain Blue Tube may be the best way to go for what your after.

I used a real tube for many years ( with a 12AX7 and 12AU7 ) and liked the tone on very low o/d settings. Higher up the wicket, it took on more of a buzz saw tone that was good for Santansesque tones, but little else. The 12AU7 helped smooth it out, but I've found better low gain tones with non-tube units. Still, the low gain settings added a nice warmth to the proceedings.

While this one has no tube, the best pedal I've found for what you're after is the old black box Marshall Bluesbreaker. I've posted about this wonder many times here. It adds such a wonderful complexity to the tone. A great pedal for that "on the edge" old blues tone. Plus, it does a nice job of aping it's name. For those old Marsahall/Clapton Bluesbreaker tones, this thing rocks. I've also found this pedal to be one of the best I've tried for classic Duane Allman/Dickie Betts Filmore type tones.

One more to consider. The Pedalworx Texas Two Step. While this pedal is capable of some serious gain, I find the low gain tones to be amazing. For 50's-60's type blues, this thing kills. The only problem I have with the Two Step is once I turn it on, I don't want to turn it off.

As usual, YMMV and IMBFOS! These are just the not so humble impressions of a very cynical, yet caustic old fart.

I think the idea of a tube or two in the pedal appeals to me becaues I can relate that to what different pre-amp tubes do in an amp. I switch out tubes and can hear the difference. I understand some tube pedals don't utilize the tube like an actual pre-amp. Something do do with too low voltage which I won't pretend to understand. I'm just looking for that old sounding low level overdrive that I hear on those classic blues, jump-blues and jazz recordings without turning my amp up halfway.

I think the idea of a tube or two in the pedal appeals to me becaues I can relate that to what different pre-amp tubes do in an amp. I switch out tubes and can hear the difference. I understand some tube pedals don't utilize the tube like an actual pre-amp. Something do do with too low voltage which I won't pretend to understand. I'm just looking for that old sounding low level overdrive that I hear on those classic blues, jump-blues and jazz recordings without turning my amp up halfway.

Based on this, you definitely want a Varidrive. AC powered. As sensitive to tube swaps as an amp. Sounds just like an amp. Actually- it IS an amp. It's a tube preamp on the floor. It's like adding a 2nd channel to your amp. (Or adding a master volume, in that the Varidrive now become your "pre" gain and the Champ is now your "master" volume.)

Boss OD-3. Seriously good overdriven tube-like power tubes.

I think it's the other way round i.e. rc does clean to low drive, ac does overdrive to distortion.


You are correct sir.

RC = Really Clean
AC = Almost Clean

I should be able to remember those now.

Good luck, Paddy, with whatever you end up getting. Preamp distortion at really low volumes has never sounded anything but buzzy and lifeless to me.

When I think of old blues and jazz guitar recordings (CC, etc), I'm hearing the whole tube amp working hard, and reacting with the space it's in.

I'll try to stop being unhelpful though -- for the price of some of the more expensive pedals above, you could buy a 1/4W Little Lanilei amp. That might be what you're looking for, although I've never tried one.

to get that at conversation levels is a bit hard, but if you just want your champ to break up a bit sooner on the dial, i have gotten a little bit more hair on my champ with the bad bob, the austin gold, and the zoom pd-01. Alls have worked well. The Boss OD-3 would work well too, (and preserves your bass responce nicely) and the Barber LTD is super also. But what you might try is a Weber Mini Mass. I bet with a little attenuation, and little volume and a little boost or light overdrive, you could get the sound of your champ cranked at a much lower vol. Too much pedal, and too much attenuation might ruin it, but a liddle of both might get you where you wanna be.

that's all i can think of....

Boss OD-3. Seriously good overdriven tube-like power tubes.
Oh yes, just read the posts here about it.

Preamp buzz will not make you happy. You need an "amp-like" pedal. i.e. one that simulates the sound of a WHOLE AMP (pre/power tubes/transformers/speakers) breaking up, not just preamp clipping.

If you got money coming out of your ears, I recommend you get a honey bee. They are the hot thing right now for exactly that kind of tone.

My suggestions would include (depending on budget):

Xotic RC Booster
Hermida Zendrive
Boss OD-3

Any of these allow you to put in as much (or as little) gain you want and still sound great - no fizziness (IMO)

hope this helps.

tomtheguitarguy

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Need to get out there and try some of the easier ones to find. I actually have a Weber Mini-mass. Thought that would be just the thing, but it's very touchy go get just the right breakup at different volumes. What you'd expect from a single knob tube amp with the breakup point shifted a bit toward lower volume and I still need an EQ with that rig. I have considered something like the Little Lanilei , but didn't want to give up on the Champ since I already have one. I looked at small analog amps(tech 21) and modeling amps and they were ok, but the Champ has a more inspiring tone to start with. I'll keep trying to find something for it.

I guess as a recent convert to the Boss OD-3 I owe it to the TDPRI to chime in. I bought one based on what I read on the forum and could not be happier. For clean/semi clean playing it works like a charm for me. In fact I'm keeping an eye out for a spare. Just my luck Boss will quit making this one. YMMV. Good luck.

Boss OD-3. Seriously good overdriven tube-like power tubes.
Oh yes, just read the posts here about it.

Beats the BD-2 fer sure

I tried a bunch of pedals over the weekend. Some with tubes, some without and found a partial winner. It isn’t an old amp in a box, but it does that ever so little extra gain thing very well. It’s the xotic RC Booster. A very transparent, clean booster with excellent treble and bass control and a gain range that goes from clean to about the lowest gain setting on most other pedals. A little pricey, but the complete lack of coloration to your tone, except what you dial in, may be worth the bread. Like adding a second channel to the Champ with treble, bass and light gain but still sounds like a Champ. I’ll keep looking for a SIB Valvedrive to try to get closer to the old amp sound.

It’s the xotic RC Booster.

I’ll keep looking for a SIB Valvedrive to try to get closer to the old amp sound.

The RC Booster is great, I wasn't sure if it had enough gain for what you're after. Now you'll probably get inundated with the "RC vs. Bad Bob" debate that rages here occasionally :roll:

And it's the VARIdrive, not Valvedrive. Just didn't want to looking for something that doesn't exist!

If you are entertaining solid state pedals, be sure to check out the Barber LTD or LTD Silver. Low-to-med gain overdrive, with a tone knob on top, and inside 2 trimpots to adjust bass & presence. The Silver LTD has less of a mid-hump than the regular LTD, from what I understand. As low-gain solid-state overdrives go, the LTD is my favorite. Very EQ'able, wide gain sweep, and only $99. Less used. http://www.barberelectronics.com/

Thanks for the correction ruger. I guess I'll set up a search on ebay and see when one pops up. Just had the RC for a day and half, and so far it is working very well. I also wanted to add that I contacted George Blekas at Pedalworx about his pedals and he was very helpful, to the point of wanting to adapt or build one to do what I wanted. Very friendly guy and if the RC doesn't work for me in the long run, I'll let him give it a try. Hope I don't succumb to pedal-lust the way I am with guitars and amps.

Hope I don't succumb to pedal-lust the way I am with guitars and amps.

Oh boy is THAT ever a losing battle... :shock:

I went thru it full-bore, and am now on the road to recovery. However, full recovery will probably require a new AMP :roll: ...and that's gonna' cost ALOT more than a slew of pedals... where's that piggy bank?

My latest hobby is buying used pedals on ebay and trying them out. If I don't like them, I sell them and get all my money back, and sometimes more. I paid $169 for a Keeley Compressor and sold it for $200. The Compressor was great, I just didn't see the need for a compressor once I had it. I'm having a blast!

...even though it's just a tubeless box-o-chips, my ltd has a very warm, smooth, natural, un-stompboxy sound - especially when i put it in front of my tube-rectified amp, an old ampeg m-15.

it was $99 new about a year ago, and (though i've only owned a few) it's the first distortion pedal i've had that doesn't get ugly.

if you're really particular, you'll probably want the varidrive with the swapped-out tube, but if you just want something reasonably functional at a friendlier price, you might like the ltd.

I didn't get a chance to try the Barber LDT, though it sounds like what I was looking for. I do like the advantage of a seperate bass and treble tone control on the RC Booster and the near total lack of coloration to your existing tone. The gain control is just right to add a little edge or thicken things up just a bit. I do want to continue to look for a tube based solution as well and the SIB Varidrive looks to be a good platform to play with.

BOSS SD-1 if you're on a budget - I've had one for about 20 years now and still use it off and on (trades palces with the other 'pedal-of-the-moment'), and bought me a 'spare' last year - of course I use them in tandem :roll:

T-Rex - I have a Dr Swamp, which is a dual OD with separate gain control, but the Alberta is a good choice too (I tried one out, but then the Dr Swamp came in and won because of the 2-in-1 )

Voodoo Lab Overdrive - I used one for years and had great tone with it

Ibanez TS-808 they sound good, never had one, but a friend of mine has one lying around - damn if he doesn't want to sell it because "I don't need the cash" and it NEVER gets used anymore

Just an observation from reading your post.

Wouldn't your Tweed Champ clone already come really close to the tone you're describing? I love a Tweed Champ cranked to 10.

I love pedals. And I love gain pedals. But before I would consider screwing with the natural tone of your guitar and amp, I think I'd try one of two things (or both of them)...in this order:

1) Get a Weber Mass (or Mini Mass).

http://www.tedweber.com/atten.htm

I use a Weber 50-watt Mass at almost every gig that I have. In conjunction with my 12-watt Alamo, or my 18-watt Marshall clone....makes the amp work really hard, and sounds 99% of natural, but at reasonable volumes.

2) What speaker is in your amp? If its not a 12" speaker, I would certainly experiment with different speakers/cabinets that would give you a more open sound, with better response.

******

The first suggestion would solve your volume issues.

The second suggestion would address your eq issues.

Just my thoughts.

I actually have a Weber Mini-mass. It was my first attempt to get what I wanted from the Champ, which also has a 8" Weber Sig Alinco. It's the older version of the mini that isn't as user friendly as the current box. I had it tucked in the back of the amp and depending on what volume I wanted to play, I would have to reach around back of the amp and adjust the attenuator. Sounded pretty good but wasn't easy to change for guitars with different output pups or just adjust the breakup depending on what you wanted to do. That lead to looking at stomp boxes because they had the advantage of being easy to adjust and EQ as well. Trick was finding something that sounded as good as the Champ. The RC Booster does a good job and the Champ still sounds like it should.

Tweed Champ clone

The Clark Gainster that I'm selling is said to be voiced towards Tweed amps. It has a nice low to medium breakup. I use my FD2 mosfet so the Gainster is lying around.

the RC Booster's a great pedal but not cheap, and seeing as you've worked your way up to that level I'm going to suggest my current favorite lo-gain overdrive; the BJF Honey Bee.

Honey Bee was designed to mimic the sound of a cranked Supro, which for all intents and purposes is a circuit very similar to your champ's.

And it does a very good job of it, too. Not an 'open' or 'transparent' pedal like the Xotic, the HB's got a thick, warm tone and is very responsive to picking dynamics as well as adjustments to your guitar's volume control.

It, and the Cochrane Timmy, are the two most "amp-like" pedals I've owned, but I think the HB would be perfect for your application as described.

Thanks for the tip on the Honeybee. I do love the sound of those old Supros. Didn't see any BJF stomps when I did the rounds last week. With the RC, I don't really add enough gain to notice much character and again, the separate treble and bass controls on the RC are as good or better than what I have on my other amps. A major advantage 'cause now I don't need that MXR 6-band EQ I was using with the Champ.

check out the Keeley modded Boss BD-2.

The un-modded Blues Driver is one of the pedals I tried out in my searching. It wasn't bad, but still not what I was after. The Keeley version may be better, but I couldn't have tried it first. The ofther features I was after with a distortion pedal was an effective EQ and no tonal coloration or gain as a starting point and the RC Booster does that. The degree and nature of the RC's gain may not be right for everyone, but I'm good with it for now. I still want to try more tube based pedals down the road for comparison. The idea of a controlable tube pre-amp and EQ for a tweed Champ still appeals to me.

I would say Zendrive, it has that voice and tone controls, it really is several overdrive pedals in one, except you can only use one sound at atime

Paddy:

I have a Barber LTD, Boss OD-3, Vodoo Labs Sparkle Drive, Ibanez TS 9, and other things I am testing to decide upon, and you may want to borrow one or more and try them out. I'm wanting to get my hands on an RC Booster, so we may be able to work out a lend-lease program over a weekend or something.

I like the new Seymour Twin Tube Classic. The Clean side gets sorta blackfacy at higher gain and the lead channel has a nice overdrive up till about half way, after that it starts getting fuzztone-ish, but usuable.

The Clean side boosted with a Bad Monkey or another pedal just SMOKES and is wiorth the price of the whole thing.