#Buffalo fx td x vs bk butler tube driver driver
Ever since 1994’s Division Bell he’s been using the Tube Driver as his main overdrive unit and it’s been one of my favourites for the last couple of years.
#Buffalo fx td x vs bk butler tube driver drivers
Butler Tube DriverTop row (left to right) - the Chandler knockoff from 1988, three BKB/Chandler Tube Drivers from 1986-87, and an Ibanez Tube King (TK999US) from 1995.Bottom row (left to right) - a BK Butler 911 Tube Driver reissue from 2007, a 911 reissue with bias knob on back from 2008, an original 911 Tube Driver from 1994, a 901 Real Tube from 1987, and a 903 Smooth pick pedal from 1997There are three different circuit boards used in the original BKB/Chandler 1985-87 Tube Drivers.David is often associated with his lead tones but he’s a master creating the sweetest overdrive tones too. I do not recommend the knockoff Chandler version with the attached wall wart either (the one without BK Butler's name on it), as those have a different tone circuit that sounds different than the BKB circuit, although some people like it.Various versions of the B.K.
There are also Taiwan versions that may or may not sound the same as their USA made counterparts. The three knob version may be found for much less money but it is a simplified version of the circuit and can be difficult to make sound good on certain amps. I have played most of the other variants as well and I suggest staying away from any but the original 4-knob Tube Drivers branded with both BKB and Chandler, Tube Works branded 911 Tube Drivers made in the USA, the USA made Ibanez Tube King, or the. Butler reissue of the 911 Tube Driver from 2006.I have owned nearly every version of Butler's Tube Driver, including several original Chandler/BKB versions from the 1980s, the 1989 Real Tube version with 5 knobs, the 911 model, the 911 reissues, the 1996 Ibanez Tube King, and the Tube Works Smooth pick pedal, among others.
A reissue of the 1990s Tube Works Tube Driver.Shown above - An extremely rare original 1985 Tube Driver with input and output jacks on the sides and slightly different graphics than later models.Shown above (left to right) - The 1985 BK Butler Tube Driver, the revised 1986-87 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.K.
Butler has always made these stock with 12AX7 tubes, but owners typically experiment with tubes having different gain factors to tailor their tone.I think the TD sounds best with clean amps that have a healthy mid range, like the Hiwatt Custom 50 or Custom 100 (DR103), or similar amps like the Reeves Custom 50/100.Ī four knob version of the Tube Works 901 Real Tube pedal, which was an improved Tube Driver.2005 - 911 Tube Driver. It would seem that the tube itself would make very little difference to the sound, but it actually is an integral part of the sound, and different tubes or tube types will alter the sound in different ways. This is called a 'starved plate' design, and you won't see much tube glow, if any, if you look inside. The circuit only draws about 30mA and the tube is actually only running at 12v, a fraction of what these tubes run in a typical amplifier.
It filters and colors the sound with the tube characteristics. That strong signal is fed into a vaccuum tube, which does not work to amplify the signal as it would in the pre amp stage of a typical amplifier. The hard clipping part of the distortion comes from the integrated circuit chip, or op-amp.