Bk Butler. Tube Driver, Real Tube, Tube King. Which Is Your Fav??

[marshallmellowed]

What about the Real Tube rack versions, any pics and info on those? I have a couple of those around here somewhere, one with bias adjust, one without.

 

[Buzzard]

Excellent thread and info ,my only tube driver was a real tube rackmount that I hardly remember (it was the 80's lol,enough said) Just wondered if anyone here realized that voodoo labs sparkle drive mod in position 2( I believe) was created to approximate a tube driver. Check out james santiago's video's on how to get eric johnson tone using the sparkle drive mod with the giggity pedal. Sounds great to my ear.Has anyone compared an actual tube driver to a sparkle drive mod?Seems like a great tube driver alternative without the fussiness.

 

[SpikeyMoore]

Great thread. Didn't know much about the subsequent disputes. I remember when Paul (Chandler) worked with RK Butler to market the TD in the mid 80's. Was certainly clear back then the TD was Butlers new and improved Mini Matrix. When Paul gave me a tube driver he also gave me a pretty carved up Mini Matrix to compare it to. My understanding was it was some prototype of the new circuit. I can tell you, the interior circuitry of the MM is a bit carved up. I used the MM for a long time, frankly I think it sounded a bit warmer than the TD. Pictures below. I would note this very early. This production doesn't reference Chandler or Butler at the base of the pedal. Again, great thread.

 

[Namkrad]

I'm so glad to have found this thread. I own the 3 knob version of the Tube Driver . I really love it , it has been on my board for years but every article that I read about these pedals really craps on the 3 knob version. I do agree that it is more of a distortion/fuzz pedal than an overdrive pedal but I think the tone is great. Just wondering if anyone here either owns or has played one.

I own the exact same version of Tube Driver and I’ve had it for years.
Seems reading through this thread that it’s a Taiwan made pedal.
But I don’t care as it sounds great and makes me smile


Edit: Found a great videoreview of the three knob Tube Works version.

 

[jeffb]

None. I bought one of the originals back in the mid 80s. I never understood the love they get. Maybe as a very particular sound for a recording with some studio magic, yes.. But to sit there and play through one live into the front of my amps....it was just a fizzy strident mess. I played one or two gigs with it, and it was shelved.

Somehow my brother ended up with it for about 30 years (he never used it, just in a box of his music stuff). I had forgotten I even owned one still. I thought I had sold it. I ended up selling it several years ago to someone- IDR how much , but I know I felt I got the better end of the deal.

 

[PowerTube44]

None. I bought one of the originals back in the mid 80s. I never understood the love they get. Maybe as a very particular sound for a recording with some studio magic, yes.. But to sit there and play through one live into the front of my amps....it was just a fizzy strident mess. I played one or two gigs with it, and it was shelved.

Somehow my brother ended up with it for about 30 years (he never used it, just in a box of his music stuff). I had forgotten I even owned one still. I thought I had sold it. I ended up selling it several years ago to someone- IDR how much , but I know I felt I got the better end of the deal.

I never owned one of these, but I feel the exact same way about the Ibanez Tube Screamer. Everyone raves about them, but I have yet to play or hear one that didn't sound like garbage to my ears.