I Think I Made A Hasty Purchase…

At a quick glance I didn't see mention of what voltage it's running the 12AX7 on, but most of these type pedals (tube driver included) are running the tube in what is known as "starved plate" mode, or in other words, very low voltage. Doesn't have the same characteristics as the same tube run on the normal (high) voltage, but they do work & have a unique sound. Over the years I have made several of these type pedals for people, though I use a small transformer to power them off the mains power, putting a little over 20VDC into the circuit.
Some of these pedals (like the tube driver) run the signal through an IC before it hits the tube. Whether or not this does is anyone's guess. The ones I've made don't.
I wouldn't really expect to be disappointed, they usually do what they're called,,,, overdrive. Hope it works well for you. Cheers
Edit:
I actually worded some of that wrong,,, these are usually AC powered by a means of a wall wart/plug pack that plugs into them, whereas I put a small transformer inside the pedal enclosure. Cheers
 
Last edited:
ivan H said:
At a quick glance I didn't see mention of what voltage it's running the 12AX7 on, but most of these type pedals (tube driver included) are running the tube in what is known as "starved plate" mode, or in other words, very low voltage. Doesn't have the same characteristics as the same tube run on the normal (high) voltage, but they do work & have a unique sound. Over the years I have made several of these type pedals for people, though I use a small transformer to power them off the mains power, putting a little over 20VDC into the circuit.
Some of these pedals (like the tube driver) run the signal through an IC before it hits the tube. Whether or not this does is anyone's guess. The ones I've made don't.
I wouldn't really expect to be disappointed, they usually do what they're called,,,, overdrive. Hope it works well for you. Cheers
Edit:
I actually worded some of that wrong,,, these are usually AC powered by a means of a wall wart/plug pack that plugs into them, whereas I put a small transformer inside the pedal enclosure. Cheers
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, Ivan.

Yeah, this does use the starved plate design. I’m hoping I don’t end up with a little fizz box!
 
Far Rider said:
Why are you in doubt?
Click to expand...

I suppose part of it is that I rarely, RARELY make sudden purchases. I usually weigh these purchases very carefully…sometimes for days or weeks.

Part of my doubt may be due to having made a relatively sudden purchase, which somewhat out of the ordinary for me.

I plan on pairing this up with my Fender Champ (1973 Silverface). Hopefully, they sound good together.
 
Here’s the marketing blurb from the TC Electronic website, minus the pics:

****************
TUBE PILOT OVERDRIVE
Nothing beats the classic 12AX7 vacuum tube when it comes to delivering soul-searching guitar tone; that’s why it’s a mainstay in musical instrument amplifier design. TUBE PILOT OVERDRIVE is highly maneuverable and powerful enough to satisfy any guitar ace with a burning need for tone. Equipped with a genuine, handpicked 12AX7, TUBE PILOT injects your sound with the organic, touch sensitive saturation of a vintage tube amp that dares you to push it over the edge.
• 12AX7 tube-powered overdrive
• All-analog circuitry
• True Bypass

Real Tube Overdrive
Unlike those pretend “tube” overdrive pedals, TUBE PILOT OVERDRIVE isn’t just a facsimile of a tube preamp being pushed into distortion – it’s an old school tube preamp being pushed into true natural distortion. Inside the pedal, you’ll find the very same 12AX7 tube that has been used in a host of vintage and iconic guitar amps. By adjusting the Gain knob on the pedal, you control how hard the tube is working, from barely breaking a sweat – to kicking in the afterburners!

Unparalleled Dynamics
The tone and feel you get from TUBE PILOT OVERDRIVE is exactly the same as what you’d get from a tube amp. It’s extremely-touch sensitive, and reacts to how you attack the strings, allowing you to use picking dynamics to seamlessly go between fat blues tones to rich, grinding rock sounds. Pick the strings softly for a warm and clean tone, or hit ‘em hard for an organic bite with incredible warmth and sustain.

Build Quality
Housed in a rugged, high quality metal enclosure to protect the tube circuitry, TUBE PILOT OVERDRIVE will serve you reliably around town – or on the road. Operating performance is ultra-quiet, and the true bypass technology maintains the integrity of your tone when the pedal is off.

********

I guess we’ll find out!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top