It is housed in a nearly identical enclosure, with the same knobs, and similar graphics as the Tube Works original. No BKB Butler markings. Chandler trademarked and owned the names Tube Driver and Real Tube Overdrive , so after Butler stopped making Tube Drivers for Chandler to market and distribute in , they copied his circuit and made this cheaper, simpler version in the USA.
Butler says this circuit is not his authentic design and includes mistakes. Some owners would disagree, but I think they do not sound very good at all and are EQ'd badly compared to the ones Butler made.
Some of these were built with an internal transformer like the original Tube Driver, but most were made with the power transformer on the outside. It was a plug in "wall wart" style transformer, but it was still hard wired to the Tube Driver by a long power cord.
Chandler did this to prevent the hum noise associated with the transformer being inside the enclosure in proximity to the circuit, which is a common complaint among Tube Driver owners.
Tube Driver Users Manual. After Chandler's trademark on the name Tube Driver lapsed in , Butler started making them again under his Tube Works brand. This Tube Driver was a lower cost, entry level version, housed in a smaller enclosure.
It had a slightly different voice and a simplified tone stage. Compared to the 4 knob version, it had less volume on tap, sounded more like a fuzz or distortion pedal at high gain, and sounded a little harsher at low gain.
Rather than the three-knob Fender style tone section of the Real Tube or four-knob Tube Driver, this version had a single Hi-Lo knob that dialed between bass and treble. At low drive settings it could sound very similar to the 4 knob version through many amplifiers, but obviously the single tone knob limited the possible EQ range so it could be difficult to get a good sound through some amplifiers.
It uses a 12Ax7 tube like the It's not exactly the same sound, but very close. Behringer VT Butler started making the 4 knob Tube Drivers again as a production model under the Tube Works brand around David Gilmour of Pink Floyd was seen using two s Tube Drivers in the studio and on tour in , which may have partly influenced the decision to bring these back to the market.
I have seen s dated from The circuit layout and pathways were very similar, but there were several component value changes across the circuit that affect the way it sounds. These sound more like the 5 knob Real Tube circuit, but with a fixed resitor for the mid range instead of a mids knob. The enclosure was the same width as the original s version, but not as long. Standard Tube Works knobs were used, rather than the yellow-capped knobs used on the original s Tube Drivers.
The old Tube Works product numbering was continued, so this model was named , after the Porsche The model number never appeared on the original pedals, but it was marked on the later Genz Benz Taiwan made version, which was also marked Genz Benz on the jack side of the enclosure. A tiny number of the US made Tube Drivers had a gold anodized finish on the case top.
Butler made a run of his Tube Driver car amplifiers with a gold anodized sheet metal enclosure. He had some of the gold stock left over and thought it would look cool to make some gold cased Real Tube and Tube Driver pedals.
They are extremely rare and I have only seen four of them. Unfortunately, the gold oxidizes and becomes spotted and rusted, and it seems to get worse over time. I have never seen one in good condition. The Genz Benz versions were made into the s.
Genz Benz then discontinued the Tube Works line and ownership changed a few times. Butler reissued the again in , making them by custom oder. The clean channel is Butler's solid state Mosvalve amp. It sounds like very much like a tube amp with a Fener-like tone. The built in Tube Driver circuit is similar to the Tube Driver version with a mids knob added. The amp covering was gray carpet cloth. A tweed covered version was also made in the mid s. Built by Tube Works in Denver, Colorado.
I believe TW made them from The built in Tube overdrive channel includes the same tone controls as the clean channel. The overdrive circuit is similar to the Tube Driver version with a mids knob added.
Early version had a creat colored faceplate with black text, later version had a black faceplate with yellow text. Came with gray carpet, black tolex, or tweed covering. An unusual Tube Driver variant in the shape of a guitar pick. I'm not sure when these were originally made but I know some were made in the mid s through the s after Genz Benz bought Tube Works.
Same pcb as the and Real Tube models, but with some component value changes. Fitted with a 12AX7 tube. As the name suggests, this a is a smoother, lower gain version of the Real Tube. Nearly the same voice, but half the gain. I have one from The circuit appears to be the same as the Tube Works Blue Tube.
After finding that the circuit clearly infringed upon his tube overdrive patent, B. Butler let Hoshino Gakki the Ibanez owner know. According Mr Butler, Hoshino sent a rep to meet with him in Denver and resolve the issue over lunch. Hoshino was hoping to get permission to use the circuit for free. The TD also has "notched" pots, like the Tube Works versions, meaning you feel tiny notches click by as you turn the knobs. Notches do little on the TD drive knob, then at notch three there is a huge jump in volume and drive.
Below are a few comparison clips. Strat into a fender Twin Reverb. These can sound wildy different from unit to unit. Butler designed Tube Driver circuit with some component differences. The Real Tube includes a mid range knob, allowing for a wider range of tones to be dialed in. In that way, it is actually a superior pedal to the Tube Driver, and housed in a smaller enclosure.
It is powered by an internal transformer and includes a power cord like the Tube Driver. The only real difference between the two was less expensive, cheaper parts in the Taiwan version. Some of those Taiwan pedals were made with a 9v or 12v DC power jack on the back, rather than a built in power transformer and AC cord on the earlier models. K Butler design, made by his Tube Works company for Ibanez. It is basically the 5 knob Real Tube circuit with a few changes and improvements, like an active tone circuit rather than the passive circuit in the Real Tube.
Unlike the Tube Driver and Real Tube, the Tube King includes an output buffer so it is immune to most capacitance and loading issues that can plague those other pedals. It also runs off a standard 9v DC power jack, not an internal transformer, so noise issues associated with the internal transformer in the Tube Driver and Real Tube have been eliminated.
The pcb includes the Butler patent number Note: there were two versions, one from Tube Works that was made in the USA, and one made in Japan by Maxon for Ibanez and Maxon branded versions that were sold internationally. The Japanese version does not follow Butler's circuit. Tube Drivers can sound slightly different from each other anyway, primarily because of differences in the way different tubes filter the sound and circuit variations, but when using the exact same tube, the and 5 knob Real Tube versions can both dial in nearly identical tones.
The photos above show what the Real Tube and Tube King settings need to be to match the tone and drive of the reissue Tube Driver settings on the right Even when using the exact same tube, the same knob settings on the Real Tube and Tube King will NOT result in a matching tone and drive on the 4 knob Tube Drivers built after The highs and lows on the Real Tube and Tube King are also notched a bit differently than the The photos above show what the Real Tube and Tube King settings need to be to match the tone and drive of the Tube Driver settings on the right.
He first used them for the recording sessions for Pink Floy's Division Bell album in Those same sessions also resulted in Pink Floyd's The Endless River album, which was not completed until He used Tube Drivers extensively for his album On an Island and the subsequent tour, heard on the Remember Than Night and Live in Gdansk concert releases, as well as his Rattle that Lock album and tour. Four different Tube Drivers have been seen in his recording studio.
The words Tube Driver are marked with a TM, as the tredemark registration had not gone through yet. He mounts the TDs on a piece of wood so he does not have to bend down far to reach the knobs. He sets the tone controls off and the drive at around I set the Tube Driver up on a block because, for some reason, it sounds better set apart from the rest of the pedalboard Eric later said this was becasue it was easier to reach the knobs.
A Monster Cable connects the head to the straight-bottom Marshall 4x12, which is loaded with watt Celestion Greenbacks. Listen to Joe Satriani's track Surfin' with the Alien from his album of the same name. Joe described his setup for that song in Vintage Guitar magazine: "I used a Kramer Pacer made from spare parts… The tone on the title track is so big, throaty, and dry.
We used an Eventide Harmonizer for the pitch-shift effect. Joined: Jul 5, Messages: Likes Received: Voted for tube king, but my opinion is based on the red one. S9X , Jul 2, Good thread MTM, my most favorite od pedal. I have a Tube Driver with bias pot, it's stellar. I use it more than any other drive pedal. If you are considering having Mr. Ok, maybe I need to dig out of storage the Tube King and revisit this pedal.
Last edited: Jul 3, Joined: Jul 2, Messages: 3 Likes Received: 0. The TD also has "notched" pots, like the Tube Works versions, meaning you feel tiny notches click by as you turn the knobs. Notches do little on the TD drive knob, then at notch three there is a huge jump in volume and drive. Below are a few comparison clips. Strat into a fender Twin Reverb.
Butler designed Tube Driver circuit with some component differences. The Real Tube includes a mid range knob, allowing for a wider range of tones to be dialed in. In that way, it is actually a more versatile pedal than the Tube Driver, and housed in a smaller enclosure. It is powered by an internal transformer and includes a power cord like the Tube Driver.
The only real difference between the two was less expensive, cheaper parts in the Taiwan version. Some of those Taiwan pedals were made with a 9v or 12v DC power jack on the back, rather than a built in power transformer and AC cord on the earlier models.
K Butler design, made by his Tube Works company for Ibanez. It is basically the 5 knob Real Tube circuit with a few changes and improvements, like an active tone circuit rather than the passive circuit in the Real Tube.
Unlike the Tube Driver and Real Tube, the Tube King includes an output buffer so it is immune to most capacitance and loading issues that can plague those other pedals. It also runs off a standard 9v DC power jack, not an internal transformer, so noise issues associated with the internal transformer in the Tube Driver and Real Tube have been eliminated. The pcb includes the Butler patent number Note: there were two versions, one from Tube Works that was made in the USA, and one made in Japan by Maxon for Ibanez and Maxon branded versions that were sold internationally.
The Japanese version does not follow Butler's circuit. Tube Drivers can sound slightly different from each other anyway, primarily because of differences in the way different tubes filter the sound and circuit variations, but when using the exact same tube, the and 5 knob Real Tube versions can both dial in nearly identical tones.
The photos above show what the Real Tube and Tube King settings need to be to match the tone and drive of the reissue Tube Driver settings on the right. Even when using the exact same tube, the same knob settings on the Real Tube and Tube King will NOT result in a matching tone and drive on the 4 knob Tube Drivers built after The highs and lows on the Real Tube and Tube King are also notched a bit differently than the The photos above show what the Real Tube and Tube King settings need to be to match the tone and drive of the Tube Driver settings on the right.
He first used them for the recording sessions for Pink Floy's Division Bell album in Those same sessions also resulted in Pink Floyd's The Endless River album, which was not completed until He used Tube Drivers extensively for his album On an Island and the subsequent tour, heard on the Remember Than Night and Live in Gdansk concert releases, as well as his Rattle that Lock album and tour.
Four different Tube Drivers have been seen in his recording studio. The words Tube Driver are marked with a TM, as the tredemark registration had not gone through yet. Shown above - two versions of Eric Johnson's pedal board with Tube Driverss. He mounts the TDs on a piece of wood so he does not have to bend down far to reach the knobs.
He sets the tone controls off and the drive at around I set the Tube Driver up on a block because, for some reason, it sounds better set apart from the rest of the pedalboard Eric later said this was becasue it was easier to reach the knobs.
A Monster Cable connects the head to the straight-bottom Marshall 4x12, which is loaded with watt Celestion Greenbacks. Listen to the track Surfin' with the Alien from his album of the same name. Joe described his setup for that song in Vintage Guitar magazine: "I used a Kramer Pacer guitar made from spare parts… The tone on the title track is so big, throaty, and dry. We used an Eventide Harmonizer for the pitch-shift effect.
He uses the TD for a slightly dirty clean tone in his live rig. It is his always-on sound. Featured Listing. Buy Used. Tube Works -B. Quick Responder. Add to Cart Make an Offer. Preferred Seller Quick Responder.
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