Does this pedal exist?

[Twigman]

Ok so since moving to a Puma rig i realise that the sound I want to make isn't quite as clean as I thought.

So i'm looking for a pedal pre that has (at least) the following:

A 12AX7 tube
Gain control on the tube.
A frequency knob to isolate the frequency to saturate
A Q knob to extend or narrow that frequency range
A Blend knob that allows the dry signal to dominate.
Unity gain irrespective of knob settings (ie signal as loud with pedal Off as On).

Perhaps instead of the Freq/Q knobs a multiband EQ before the valve might suffice, as long as the clean signal can bypass this through the Blend knob.

Does this pedal exist?

What I'm after is a subtle hint of valve warmth, a very subtle fizz/break up on the sustain...

[Twigman]

I'll take that as a No then.....


so what compromise is there?

[ratman]

Do any of the Dave Hall (DHA VT) pedals have parametrics on? I'm not sure. If not, you might have to put a valve preamp & a parametric EQ in an FX loop pedal, one with a wet/dry blend.

[Dood]

The EBS Billy Sheehan Signature Drive on its lowest setting I think fits the bill perfectly. The tone control is a sweep rather than just the usual 'top end roll off' and you get an EBS compressor and two effect loops thrown in too!

[Dood]

Incidentally I use mine with TC BH800 which is also a very clean sounding amp.

[Twigman]

having watched the Billy Sheehan demo of it
[media]http://youtu.be/W-VhsE0srBg[/media]
I'm blown away by the way it has the dry and wet signal effect loops and comes with TRS Y splitter cable ...the sonic possibilities seem amazing...

but

It's not a real tube is it? Just a simulation....

hmmmm

Edited January 14, 2016 by Twigman

[Bigwan]

Again disregarding the valve (really - it's not the be all and end all!), the Ashdown lomenzo hyperdrive has what is, in effect, a 3 way crossover in it where only the midrange frequencies are overdriven/distorted. The center frequency is variable between 200Hz and 2.2khz. The Q is switchable between 1/2 or 1 Octave. This is then blended back with the clean signal. This is similar to the EBS pedal except the EBS has a variable frequency scoop, where the Ashdown has the opposite. My favourite overdrive for bass. Just a pity it's so BIG!

Edited January 14, 2016 by Bigwan

[dannybuoy]

Markbass Distorsore (discontinued) is exactly as you describe.

I've had that, the EBS Billy Sheehan, Ashdown J-Lo, and the Owen Gremlin which all do the same job. Once upon a time I thought that's what I wanted from a pedal too, but it turned out that they all sounded utter pants and so I sold them!

They all have a band pass filter in parallel with your clean tone, and it doesn't sound natural, it's like having an overdriven cocked wah pedal mixed in. And the resulting mid boost makes the low end seem much weaker.

Also I found the EBS unusable unless I put another boost pedal in one of the loops to invert the phase as otherwise the blend cancelled out all the low end. It did sound great after doing this though, but the resulting cable mess was too much faff for me.

Edited January 14, 2016 by dannybuoy

[Dood]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1452796969' post='2953638']
having watched the Billy Sheehan demo of it
[media]http://youtu.be/W-VhsE0srBg[/media]
I'm blown away by the way it has the dry and wet signal effect loops and comes with TRS Y splitter cable ...the sonic possibilities seem amazing...

but

It's not a real tube is it? Just a simulation....

hmmmm
[/quote]

Well, it's not a tube simulation at all - it's a distortion pedal. It can provide the very light grit that you are after though. For the lack of tube, in performance or dropped in a recorded mix, you wouldn't tell anyway. I'm not of course suggesting you are wrong - to be honest I really love tubes in the clean signal. Just suggesting an alternative in the absence of a valve solution.