Hi bk, i got the tube driver with bias last week and was too busy to test it out. Chandler tube driver vs tube works 911 telecaster guitar. Butler tube driver blue 2150 owners information pdf. It can be a little harsh and raspy and i assume that is because i still have a 12ax7 in it.
Its kind of like having a section of your amp right in a pedal. I have the bk butler version is a little easier to maneuver. I would recommend using the gain to control the amount of drive. The layout included is for an offboard tube socket not mounted on the pcb. If you havent played through a bk butler tube driver, you are missing out. Buy tube driver original by bk butler with bias control. The tube driver houses a preamp tube and it generates distortion by overdriving the tube rather than conventional pedal methods. The pcb is pretty accurate to the original, with a few small improvements, mainly to the power rail and tone control. The tube driver is a holy grail type pedal, but many people, especially younger players, have never heard of it. Bk butler s original hand made tube driver guitar pedal used by eric johnson, david gilmour, billy gibbons, joe satriani, kenny wayne shepherd, robbie krieger, and many other pros.
The mids control will be sacrificed and replaced by the bias control. So, i started hunting for some videos or any info on bias knob. The knob is attached with duct tape temporarily, i. Bk butler tube driver 5knob demo original bias mod vs diy bias.
Bk butler tubeworks blue tube bass driver whos using. David gilmour of pink floyd was seen using two 1980s tube drivers in the studio and on tour in. I have a bk butler tube driver with the bias control. If youre wondering how these things sound heres a demo for you.
The b k butler tube driver has been used by several of rock guitars greats david gilmour and eric johnson to name just two. My solution was to install a 5th control that controls the tube cathode current and enables him to dial in the. Ive looked to compile the best and most reliable for this post. For the bias control my favorite settings are maximum for gilmour tones and 10 notches below maximum for my original tones, which is roughly 2. When i recently built an exact clone of the chandler 4knob tube driver actually 5 knobs since i added a bias controli seriously bbk replacing the entire tone control circuit with 1 a baxandall tone control circuit, 2 a variation of the tone woeks on the colorsound power boost, or 3 perhaps a 5 band eq. After doing some research, i decided to order the parts for two builds. Bk butler tube driver 5 knob special bias model reverb. Anyways i got a bass driver, real tube tube overdrive, and tube enhancer, all the older versionsthe blue boxnot the fancy 80s ones, and i spent a good few days experimenting with. These pedals have to be dialed in for each individual amp and guitar combination as they are relatively low output and the tube drive tends to kick in at a lower level than some pedals.
This latest patent pending creation of bk butler, promises to become a classic just as his former tube driver designs have. Butler real tube overdrive the tube driver is a boosteroverdrive pedal with an ic and vacuum tube driven preamp circuit inside, used by guitarists such as david gilmour of pink floyd, eric johnson, billy gibbons, joe bonamassa, joe satriani, kenny wayne shepherd, j mascis, david holt, keith urban, and others. If so, where can i get a real one and about how much will it cost. After that, i just roll down the bias on the tube driver til i find the right blend of creamy overdrive and borderline fuzz tones. It was always too crunchy and brittle for my tastes and sat packed away forever.
Bk butler tube driver 5knob demo original bias mod vs. The tube driver is a somewhat famous pedal, id guess it to be the most wellknown tubebased distortion pedal. Not all amps are created equal to handle this, nor are the bk butlers. Bk butler tube driver with bias knob the gear page. Hi andrea, i have the bk butler tube driver with bias mod as well, i use a nos yugo real tube tho 12ax7. If you know of a tube pedal not listed here, please let me know. My solution was to install a 5th control that controls the tube cathode current and enables him to dial in the tube characteristics he wanted. A bk butler tube driver fabbed board would be great handmade ones suck, really hard to get them right. Bk butler tube works tube driver 12ax7 overdrive effect pedal. I read the schematics of td cant say they were 100% correct. Bias mod in tube driver on right made by bk butler. I am on again off again with my bk butler tube driver wbias mod.
The bk butler tube driver is the quintessential overdrivebooster pedal and. Shown above left to right the 1985 bk butler tube driver, the revised 198687 bk butler tube driver, the unauthorized 1988 knockoff made by chandler after butler parted ways with them, the 1990s tube works 911 tube driver, and a b. Its like changing the types of tubes anywhere from a weak 12au7 to a blistering. It runs the 12ax7 stages at very low plate voltageabout 9 volts. I switched my 12ax7 yugoslavian with a 12au7 mullard. Tube driver original by bk butler with bias control.
My marshall jubilee doesnt like the tube driver, but the clean channel on my orange or100 does. Ive got one of the us made bk butler tube works real tube ods on my board. I have a 4 knob bk tube driver with bias control that i bought is new condition. This pedal is legendary, used by eric johnson, kenny wayne. I found this one at guitar resurrection in austin texas. Need help, bk butler tube driver discussion in the effect effect started by willeycaster000, jan 31, 2016. It goes solitary places and ascends to where none have dared climb before.
Compatible with all electric guitars and amplifiers. Special 5th knob bias mod information butler audio. Its like changing the types of tubes anywhere from a weak 12au7 to a blistering 12at7. There are many schematics out there as well as a wealth of pcb projects. Used bk butler tube works tube driver, vintage tube overdrive pedal from the 1980s. Heart of the tube driver is a real handselected 12ax7 tube by bk butler himself controls. With careful attention given to the attainment of all tube response characteristics in a mobile environment, tube driver blue will satisfy even the most critical audiophile. The bias control allows you to adjust the tube characteristics over a wide range. This is the big daddy of tube overdrive pedals the classic tube driver from b.
Butler tube driver 5knob w bias control youtube eric johnson interview guitars amp effects on up close album part 3 of 3 duration. The core of the pedal is a handselected 12ax7 tube which gives you a lovely sort of fuzzdrive sound than can sound amazingly smooth and textured in the hands of masters like david gilmour who still features 2 of these within his rig. All in all, it is a pro tool type of control that each player can set to their own subjective taste. I got an upgrade offer by mr butler to add a bias knob on it. The only other problem i have had is getting it to cut through in a band situation. Bk butler tube driver page 1 joes guitars, amps and.
Butler tube driver famously used by david gilmour, eric johnson, billy gibbons and joe satriani to name a few. He recommends the 5 knob model with the added bias control. The reissue my words, not bk butlers, is the new bk butler tube driver, which is the original design. This is the original model, designed by bk butler, built by chandler industries with the power supply built. The bk butler comes as a tube driver model and is available with a bias knob for 12ax7, 12at7, and 12au6 preamp tubes. I definitely need to try a 12at7 or a 12au7 in mine.
Butler started making the 4 knob tube drivers again as a production model under the tube works brand around 199394. The 2006 bk model is delivered with a 12ax7 tube which is a bit too aggressive for my taste. I use the bk butler blue tube on bass sometimes, mainly as a warm tube preamp or boost. Never tried an original bk butler tube driver but always wanted to give one a go. You can hear smooth singing sustain prs santana md,mercury magnetics,tran and choke mod, trex delay into a fender vibro. It was 9v powered, like most pedals, making it more marketable to a larger crowd. This is a favourite of eric johnson, david gilmour, joe. The other models, esp tube works, are a different circuit and, imo, not as dynamic or clear. When i first tried it i thought i remember the pedal. It depends on what tone youre looking for but it has a very narrow clean response and it can be a bit bassy and have that woofy boomy sound as well. This is a demo of the much hailed and much sought butler tube driver with added bias knob. It was designed and built by audio electronics engineer b. The tube driver is not an extremely versatile pedal but what it does it does very well. Need help, bk butler tube driver fender stratocaster.
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