Tube pedal: could you do this?

[Matt72]

Hey guys,
I've been looking for a tube overdrive pedal and nothing I've found really is what I'm after. I've built myself a Herzog which sounds really, really great, but it's big! (For those that don't know, a Herzog is full 5w amp but instead of a speaker, the output transformer is hooked to a resistor and then to a pot to vary the output and then to a jack to connect to your amp).

So I love the sound of this verses a tube preamp pedal (which just sounds more preamp distortion-ish) but I'd like to get the size smaller than the Herzog, perhaps into a pedal on the floor.

So all this is to ask, do you need an output transformer, or could you build a little "amp" with the power tube feeding an output jack somehow without the transformer? It seems to me that if you can build a 2-12ax7 preamp pedal with the output jack right after the preamp tubes, that you could do the same after the power tube(s)? Thus yielding a pedal with more of a full amp's sound (but without having to make room for an OT).

I mean isn't the output transformer just used to couple the power tubes to a speaker?

Does this make sense?

Thanks!!

[mhuss]

You could use an appropriately sized (power and resistance) resistor as a load for a single-ended power tube. However, it still wouldn't sound like a full amp IMO, because the OT is part of the sound "mojo." I like the firefly idea, use 12AT7 or 12AU7 for outputs into a tiny OT.

--mark

[CaseyJones]

You could use an appropriately sized (power and resistance) resistor as a load for a single-ended power tube. However, it still wouldn't sound like a full amp IMO, because the OT is part of the sound "mojo." I like the firefly idea, use 12AT7 or 12AU7 for outputs into a tiny OT.

--mark

If you really like a slide down a slippery slope speaker emulation figures in, too.

The Herzog offends my sensibilities. It seems a waste to have 5 watts available and then to convert that to heat to bring the level back down, bit of a heavyhanded approach, no?

[Matt72]

Thanks for the replies.

I had to laugh about the wasting power remark. I guess that's true, but...have you heard a Herzog?? The final sound is what matters to me...those things really sound good.

So where can I find info on this Firefly business?

[Sonny ReVerb]

Looks like Doug's page is MIA. Here's a link to the web archive:

http://web.archive.org/web/200605162215 ... d/doug.htm

He's got a lot of great projects on there including a 'Firezog'.

Here's a link to the AX84 Firefly project page:

http://www.ax84.com/dp.php?pg=legacypro ... id=firefly

And also a build page by Paul Marossy:

http://www.diyguitarist.com/GuitarAmps/FireFly.htm

Enjoy!

[jurgen]

I found an early Radial Tonebone (old paint job) on ebay for $80.
It had gobs of gain but sound pretty ordinary.

With a NOS Bugle Boy 12AT7 ($22) it has as much usable gain as you'd want and sounds amazing.

If you've already got a pedal, you might just try out a few tubes -made a huge difference for me.

[Matt72]

Thanks for all the replys.

I like something to drive my amps with, but just can't stand any SS pedals. Tube preamp pedals are definitely better and can sound really great if the gain is kept lower (up higher they sound too preampy), but the best of all is a line out off a full amp! That really sounds unbelievably good. But I'd just like to get that in as small a package as possible. The Herzog's like an amp head.

[LeeMo]

I built a Firezog into my HO. I call it a "HOzog". It works well. It will , however , show off a bad layout and tranny orientation.
I super glued a Radio Shack 10 ohm sand resistor to the aluminum chassis o the HO for heat sinking. No speaker is necessary. Line out to another amp and speaker. The second amp volume acts as a master volume.

LeeMo

[s2]

What about a Herzog pushing a 12AT7 or 12AU7 through a reverb transformer instead of a 6V6. That might get you where you want to be and would certainly be smaller.

[Allynmey]

I did a firefly a year or so ago. Cool practice amps also!

[Johnhenry]

I use a Vox BrittBoost with my Vox AC 30 and i Love it, great tube pedal !
Money for Nuttin !
Johnhenry