Tube pedals?

Frequent asked about building blocks: gain stages, buffers, clipping configurations, ...
Post Reply
User avatar
Natman
Information
Posts: 34
Joined: 13 Jun 2008, 21:54
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by Natman »

Hi all, I wanted to know if there were any cool schematics for good tube-based pedals here. I loved my SIB Varidrive but it is long gone. Things like Tonebone or Real Tubes need not apply, I'm talkoing about realistic plate voltages. I figure there must be some designs I don't know about floating around? (Heck, the guitar world loves tube amps, so tube pedals should be both way more common than they are and relatively easy to design with so many amp gurus IMO)

thanks

User avatar
bajaman
Old Solderhand
Information
Posts: 4549
Joined: 26 Jun 2007, 21:18
Location: New Brighton, Christchurch, NZ
Has thanked: 595 times
Been thanked: 2056 times

Post by bajaman »

adjust your mind set - tube pedals are not tube amps - they do not have to be high voltage designs to sound remarkably good - forget Tonebone - the tube does nothing in their pedals :wink:
you just got here - register and use your eyes and the search engine - seek and you will find - just take those damn blinkers off first though :lol:
bajaman
be kind to all animals - especially human beings

User avatar
Natman
Information
Posts: 34
Joined: 13 Jun 2008, 21:54
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by Natman »

Ah-haaaaaahh I think I see what you are referring to! Seems like there just might be a massive load of knowledge in your noggin, Baja. I'll look into this for sure.

User avatar
bajaman
Old Solderhand
Information
Posts: 4549
Joined: 26 Jun 2007, 21:18
Location: New Brighton, Christchurch, NZ
Has thanked: 595 times
Been thanked: 2056 times

Post by bajaman »

Yes - the tube is notoriously non linear ( = good harmonic distortion - not NON harmonic :wink: - distortion generator) at low plate voltages.
you are encouraged to experiment - a switched dc plate voltage supply would be interesting to observe different sounding gain stages :wink:
Back to tube amps - The Mesa Boogie runs a 390v dc supply on it's input tube = tight and clean
The Fenders and Marshalls use typically 340v = still clean but not as much headroom
Vox and Gibsons use 240v = warm and bluesier sounding and much earlier onset of 2nd harmonic distortion.

Lower voltages down to 24v give progressively less headroom and earlier second harmonic distortion characteristics.
This is why I LOVE tubes :wink: so organic in nature unlike solid state stuff that just "hits the bricks" no matter what dc voltage you choose to run it from.
Tubes are very non linear devices at low levels - just what we need for smoooth sounding overdrives :D - forget clipping diodes - who needs them and there unnatural distortion components :lol:
cheers
bajaman
be kind to all animals - especially human beings

User avatar
Greg
Old Solderhand
Information
Posts: 3047
Joined: 03 Nov 2007, 09:35
my favorite amplifier: Tophat Emplexador & Supreme 16.
Completed builds: LOTS..
Location: Australia
Has thanked: 65 times
Been thanked: 164 times

Post by Greg »

There are a couple of "pedals" out there that are the real deal, but they're an actual tube amp fitted into a small enclosure - as Bajaman said - it's the only way it can be done.
You need a full tube pre-amp, power amp, output transformer, etc ... and all run at high voltage.

The ones that come to mind are:-
Stephenson Stage Hog
H & K Cream Machine, Blues Master, Crunch Master (no longer made)
Koch Pedaltone
Another whose name eludes me ATM - starts with a G.
culturejam wrote: We are equal opportunity exposure artists.

User avatar
puppiesonacid
Cap Cooler
Information
Posts: 672
Joined: 02 Apr 2008, 14:41
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 12 times

Post by puppiesonacid »

[quote=Another whose name eludes me ATM - starts with a G.[/quote]


Guyatone TD-1?

Used to have it, loved it...

User avatar
bajaman
Old Solderhand
Information
Posts: 4549
Joined: 26 Jun 2007, 21:18
Location: New Brighton, Christchurch, NZ
Has thanked: 595 times
Been thanked: 2056 times

Post by bajaman »

I am currently (no pun intended) working with those pencil thin Russian mig fighter jet tubes - directly heated cathode at 1.2v dc = very cool operation and very low current requirements. At 24v dc plate supply they are very linear in amplification characteristics - i am going to try them at 5vdc and see hoew much 2nd harmonic i can get from them :wink:
4 stages with careful filtering AND power supply decoupling between each gain stage should yield some very interesting results. :hmmm: :hmmm: :secret:
bajaman
be kind to all animals - especially human beings

User avatar
Greg
Old Solderhand
Information
Posts: 3047
Joined: 03 Nov 2007, 09:35
my favorite amplifier: Tophat Emplexador & Supreme 16.
Completed builds: LOTS..
Location: Australia
Has thanked: 65 times
Been thanked: 164 times

Post by Greg »

puppiesonacid wrote:
Another whose name eludes me ATM - starts with a G.[/quote wrote: Guyatone TD-1?

Used to have it, loved it...
Remembered.. it was called a Gjika.

Bajaman... sounds like a great little project.
culturejam wrote: We are equal opportunity exposure artists.

User avatar
clinchfx
Information
Posts: 38
Joined: 27 Nov 2007, 22:32
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by clinchfx »

bajaman wrote:I am currently (no pun intended) working with those pencil thin Russian mig fighter jet tubes - directly heated cathode at 1.2v dc = very cool operation and very low current requirements. At 24v dc plate supply they are very linear in amplification characteristics - i am going to try them at 5vdc and see hoew much 2nd harmonic i can get from them :wink:
4 stages with careful filtering AND power supply decoupling between each gain stage should yield some very interesting results. :hmmm: :hmmm: :secret:
bajaman
Like this one?
Image

But it's an American tube, not Russian.

Peter.

User avatar
punkin
Information
Posts: 6
Joined: 20 Jun 2009, 16:16
Completed builds: Pepper Shredder, Brown Sound II, Grace Big Daddy

Post by punkin »

At the risk of bringing to life an old and dead thread, I hope this subject to still be of interest. I present....the pepper shredder...all tube design. No other active components. Runs on 12 VDC utilizing space charge tubes. Renders an honest crunchy vintage rock sound (ala AC/DC). :wink: Biggest drawback is the current draw of the filaments. Other than that... a simple and satisfying build.
Image
Image
Image

User avatar
danielzink
Resistor Ronker
Information
Posts: 389
Joined: 23 Feb 2008, 19:27
Completed builds: Too many: www.danielzink.com
Location: Lansing, MI
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 27 times

Post by danielzink »

try a Pepper with 6111 Sub Mini Tubes:

Image

Image

Huge threads over at DIY.

Dan
http://www.danielzink.com
MoonWatcher wrote: Silent ain't better. If someone cracks the shitwind, I want to know what's headed my way. Silence is for the library and the cemetery.

User avatar
Greg
Old Solderhand
Information
Posts: 3047
Joined: 03 Nov 2007, 09:35
my favorite amplifier: Tophat Emplexador & Supreme 16.
Completed builds: LOTS..
Location: Australia
Has thanked: 65 times
Been thanked: 164 times

Post by Greg »

danielzink wrote:try a Pepper with 6111 Sub Mini Tubes:


Dan
Beautiful build Dan...

I'd love to hear one.. are there any clips anywhere that you know of ?
culturejam wrote: We are equal opportunity exposure artists.

User avatar
danielzink
Resistor Ronker
Information
Posts: 389
Joined: 23 Feb 2008, 19:27
Completed builds: Too many: www.danielzink.com
Location: Lansing, MI
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 27 times

Post by danielzink »

Greg_G wrote:
danielzink wrote:try a Pepper with 6111 Sub Mini Tubes:


Dan
Beautiful build Dan...

I'd love to hear one.. are there any clips anywhere that you know of ?

Thanks.

I think there may be clips in the thread over at DIY.

I don't have any up.

If I were to build this again - I would eliminate the tone stack completely. After I built the first one and sold it off - I swore I wouldn't put the tone stack in again, then someone asked me to build them one with the tone controls in - then wigged out on the purchase - so here it sits.

Mind you - there's nothing wrong with the controls and how they sound - they're just... :hmmm: ..fiddly.......


Dan
http://www.danielzink.com
MoonWatcher wrote: Silent ain't better. If someone cracks the shitwind, I want to know what's headed my way. Silence is for the library and the cemetery.

User avatar
danielzink
Resistor Ronker
Information
Posts: 389
Joined: 23 Feb 2008, 19:27
Completed builds: Too many: www.danielzink.com
Location: Lansing, MI
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 27 times

Post by danielzink »

found these pics - forgot about 'em.

Image
Image
Image


Dan
http://www.danielzink.com
MoonWatcher wrote: Silent ain't better. If someone cracks the shitwind, I want to know what's headed my way. Silence is for the library and the cemetery.

User avatar
Grendahl
Solder Soldier
Information
Posts: 225
Joined: 01 Feb 2010, 18:53
Location: MN, USA
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 7 times
Contact:

Post by Grendahl »

There's no need to hit DIY unless you want to search for sound clips. All the info you'd need to build it (including a kit if you want one) is all right at:
http://www.tube-town.net/diy/lov/lov02- ... r-eng.html

Also, while they don't supply a kit for it, or even support for it, there is even a version III schematic that can be found here:
http://www.tube-town.net/diy/lov/lov02- ... -mkiii.pdf
Resistance is futile...
( if < 1 ohm )

Post Reply