Conference napalm::guitar

    Chandler makes two tube driver units. One is a full-feature
    rack mount unit which generally sells for about $200. They
    also make a floor unit with fewer featurs for ~$129. For
    the money they are better than most transistorized dist.
    units (imho), but distortion is always subject to opinion.
    
    Realtube makes 3 units, each of which are available in both
    rack mount ad floor packages. There is the original Realtube,
    the Blue tube and a third unit (for bass?).
             
    Nobell and Rocktron units are transistorized. Nobell makes a
    rack mount unit and another that resembles a Rockman.
    
    The prices you list sound like they apply to the less expensive
    floor mount units. Better check it out before you order.
    
    Mark
    

    As I understand it, the "original" separate tube overdrive effect
    was created by B.K. Butler....while he was working at Chandler.
    If you look in some guitar mags from 2 to 4 years ago, you'll notice
    the Chandler units have Butler's name on them!
    
    Butler went off to form Real Tube and Chandler continues to market
    their version of his "invention."  I believe the units are virtually
    identical in price and ability.
    
    Butler/Real Tube offers a foot pedal version, the rack-mounted Real
    Tube, and the rack-mounted Blue Tube for bass.  I believe there is 
    a note from a satisfied Blue Tube owner in this conference.
    
    Chandler offers a floor pedal and a rack-mounted version.  
    
    I received quite a package from Real Tube when I wrote to them. It
    contained some reprints from magazine reviews, a list of dealers,
    and a fact sheet for each unit.
    
    Chandler sent me a catalog and while it has info on the unit, the info
    is not exhaustive.  It's my observation that they are into
    a number of different areas, i.e., custom pickguards, bodies, necks,
    hardware, etc.  The Real Tube/Butler company just makes electronics.
    
    Mr. Starr, if you are reading this, why not jump in and tell us about
    your Chandler unit?
    
    Brian

>    Mr. Starr, if you are reading this, why not jump in and tell us about
>    your Chandler unit?

Well, I am hardly a person to talk to when looking for recommendations or 
information on anything technical! But here's some general comments....

First off, there are bargains to be found sometimes. I bought a Chandler Tube 
Driver from Daddy's Junky Music last month for $99 (and yes, it is the rack 
version, not the stomp box)! I dunno if you'll find that kind of buy again, 
but you never know. (They didn't have it in stock, but I asked them to check 
other stores, and they had used one in mint condition in the Portland, Maine 
store. I left a deposit, they shipped it to my store, and it was mine a week 
later!)

I had to get some sort of distortion unit, because the Marshall I was playing 
through was too loud for my band (at low volumes, it was too clean, as it 
didn't have a master volume). I was using a Power Soak with it, but I started 
to blow tubes (which gets real expensive, real quick).

The best thing about the Chandler (besides the price!) is the variety of tones 
I can get out it. There are an infinite number of settings to try out, and 
I've barely scratched the surface. You can get anything from light, sort 
Beatles-ish distortion up to a raging, wall-of-sound, Metallica distortion, 
and everything in between. 

I have no idea how they compare to others, as I did not do extensive 
comparisons. But I do knwo the Chandler is very highly regarded by many guitar 
players.

There are drawbacks - nothing is MIDI, so you pretty much have to set it, and 
leave it as is. There is a Boost and a Bypass (both with footswitch), so there 
is a *little* freedom to change sounds, but not much.

Overall, I've been incredibly happy with it, in my limited experience and use.

If you're in the Andover/NH area, feel free to contact me about trying it out!

Alan S.

    
    	Thanks for the quick replies. Sounds like the Chandler could
    be a good deal. We're in NYC..it's a long ride to Andover but thanks
    for the invite anyway. Sam Ash tomorrow..............
    
    
    					rich
    

	Can the stomp-box version of these units be used as pre-amps?  Do they
deliver enough power to drive a straight power amp?  I've heard discussion on
this before, but have never heard anything conclusive.

	What I would like to do would be to plug my guitar into something like 
a tube driver unit (rack-mount would be great, but no holding my breath), and
take the output of that and run it through a chorus pedal and a delay pedal, 
then into a rack-mount power amp and send the amplified signal into the Theile
cabs I'm building.

	There seem to be a number of problems with this approach...  First off, 
if the tube driver devises are capable of serving as a pre-amp, then won't they
be sending TOO much power into the other pedal units?  If the tube driver unit 
is NOT capable of being a pre-amp, then won't I be sending the power amp too
weak of a signal?

	I know that the real solution would be to get a true pre-amp with an
effects loop, but I doubt they can be found for $100 or less.  

	Any ideas?

	BTW, I saw a Tube works stomp box at Daddy's a few days ago for $69 
(used).  Is that a normal price?  How much would it cost to replace the tube(s)
in this unit?

	Dan

    The rack mount version of the tube driver has line level outputs
    as well as instrument level outputs. I don't know if the stomp box 
    model has the line outs or not. In either case they expect to see
    an instrument level input.
    
    I would assume that your chorus and delay pedals are designed to operate at
    instrument levels. You could place the efx before the tube driver
    (although this is probably not the preferred signal chain) and out
    the line outs to a power amp. If the tube driver had an efx loop
    you could place these in the loop but I don't believe these have
    a loop.
    
    This is about the only way you could use this setup with a power
    amp as far as I can see.
    
    Mark
    
    
                                                          
    

     Doesn't that guy in the cure use one of those?? har-de-har-har!!!
    A-d-a makes a midi one for about the price of a stealth bomber.
    Check a few out , they have very different personalities. Also
    GUITAR MAGAZINE'S 1989-90 wish i could afford guide is out-- I could
    check and see what else is available.....(hmmmmmmm maybe I'll bring
    it in and let you do it yourself!!!!!)
    

    
    
    
    	I just converted my DOD American Metal Pedal (yuch!) into a Tube
    Works Tube Distortion unit.. and I'm amazed.. this thing is great!!!
    
    	The tone is so much better than my other pedal... OK, I've got all
    the equipment I need now...
    
    
    Steve
    

    
    
    	My friend just picked up a used Butler/real tube rackmount at
    Manny's for $120. Sounds sooo good. I'm getting one too!
    			
    				rich
    

    
    Some new tube preamps from Peavey, no MIDI, no B.S. type boxes.
    No idea on price or availability (see more later).
    
    1. T.G. Raxx  for guitar
    
    2. T.B. Raxx for bass
    
    3. Alpha for bass
    
    The Alpha has more goodies than the T.B., namely a graphic EQ and
    fancier loop patching.  It is supposedly the front end of the new
    Alphabass all tube bass head (160 watt) which has yet to hit the
    stores despite being announced over a year ago!!!  
    
    Peavey has released so much new product this year that I wouldn't
    count on seeing any of these too soon, but who knows!!!
    
    						Brian

    
    The Hughes and Kettner "Cream Machine" preamp is to be joined by
    their "Crunch Machine", which has the additional feature of a three
    band EQ for a measly $25 extra.
    
							Brian    

    
    	They run about $250.Each.
    
    				Rich
    

    
    
    
    	Now I really like these Tube Works guys!!!   Jeeze, I just called
    them to get the current specs on my new Tube Driver and was telling
    them how much I liked the sound and they said, heck, we'll send you out
    a brand new dc converter with our compliments (I was using one that was
    rated at 150ma... it worked, but I wanted to make sure that the tube got
    planty of electrons...)  They wind up recommending 9-12v at 300ma
    (pretty much standard, I guess).... nice folks...
    
    
    	BTW.. I've got TWO of these little 150ma goodies, and if anyone
    would like one of them (I'll keep one, but I'm not sure why), send me
    Email and I'll send it to you FREE... pretty good deal huh??
    
    
    
    
    
    Steve

	I spent some time last night A/Bing the RealTube floor unit with some
of the Boss/DOD transistor units.  Now, I have never had that sharp of an ear 
for hearing details, but this was extremely obvious.  The tube unit had body
and depth to it that the Boss unit (SD-1, Super Overdrive) just couldn't
match.

	I bought the RealTube unit.

	Dan

    
       Well, I ended up with the Tubeworks rackmount. Sounds ballsy!.
    $120 new at Manny's . 
    

    
    	Hi.  A quick question about the Chandler units.  I was in
    Daddy's this weekend, and saw a Chandler for $69.  I asked if
    the price was right, and was told that it was the normal price.
    Now the kicker.  They also have a Chandler for around $100 or so.
    The difference is the tube used in the unit.  The cheaper was the
    12ax7 (?) and the more expensive the 12au7 (?), I think.  Does 
    anyone know what the difference in sound is between these?  Also,
    is it worth buying the cheaper one?
    
    	Thanks, Glenn Roy
    

    
    
      For lack of a better idea on my part, why don't you take your
    favorite axe down to good old Daddy's and AB the suckers?.
       Let us know the results......
    
    
                                              Rich
    

    Ok, I have a question for those of you knowledgable about tube drivers.
    
    I just acquired a used Chandler rackmount unit (Hi Alan) and I'm unsure
    of what some of the controls do.  I didn't get a manual and haven't
    seen any literature on these things in some time.  There are two that
    I'd like some more input on, "Bias" and "Contour".  
    
    I presume that Bias has something to do with the tube biasing and
    *thought* that when I used this on a CTD I demoed a couple of years
    ago, it allowed it to change tones from a Fender-ish sound (low bias
    setting) to a Marshall-ish sound (higher bias settings).  However on
    the one I have in my posession now, it seems to only work well with the
    Bias knob cranked all the way up, when it's turned down, the signal
    gets kind of scratchy and even starts to break up.  Could this just
    need a new tube to cure this problem?
    
    I can't seem to define exactly what the Contour knob does at all.  It
    changes the tone somewhat, but I haven't decided what it really does. 
    Can anyone tell me what it's supposed to do?
    
    Also, the unit has both inputs and outputs marked Line and Instrument
    level.  Is it kosher to plug into the instrument level and use output
    from the line level one and use it as a preamp?  
    
    Thanks in advance!
    Greg
                                                                           

    I have the same results with my Tube Driver - the contour and bias
    don't really seem to do *that* much, fine tuners I guess.  As far as
    the line vs. inst. level outs ... I go inst in and line out with no
    problems.  Try it both ways .... (?)
    
    Scary

    
    Greg, I'm not sure this is true for your tube driver, but on my 
    hifi preamp, the contour button acts as a sort of "loudness" switch 
    which boosts high frequencies as well as low ones.
    
    -pat

Greg,

	I am after the schematic for one of these ..dribble.....any chance
of a copy ? (sell you my soul....sister ?....clean your car?...)

Look at it this way, once I get the schematic I can advise what the controls 
do!

Ever hopeful .....

Dave

    Sorry Dave, I don't have a schematic for it.  I'd actually like one
    too, anyone have one?
    
    Greg

>                 -< But...what's this about your sister?  ;^) >-

I was bluffing Greg...at her age.....she still gets excited...but can't 
remember why (old english humour) 

>
>    Sorry Dave, I don't have a schematic for it.  I'd actually like one
>    too, anyone have one?


Thanks due to Rick Busenbark, I may have one on the way

Dave

    Haha!!  Good one, Dave!  So, like does Rick get your sister now?
    
    I'd also like a copy of that schematic (Rick, Dave, whoever?)
    
    Greg