New BK Butler Bias Or Not

[gpro34]

Hi guys for anyone who has heard both is the bias worth it? I have the regular model and have thought of sending it in but am not sure? Has anyone done this or tried both? What did you think?

[Angle Loss]

I like having the bias knob in that it changes the feel of the pedal from fairly stiff to quite saggy. The tone doesn't change an exceptional amount, mainly just the feel of it and a little of the gain structure.

[KLB]

According to BK, with the bias knob full up it has the same tone as units without the knob.

The Tube Driver sounds excellent at both low and high gain settings.

I find the bias knob is indispensable in tuning the tone and feel, and increases the available range. Full up, it focuses the midrange and punch. As it is turned down, it softens the attack a bit and helps reduce strident tones from higher gain settings.

[TDavis]

+1 on what KLB said! I really like Bias Control feature.

[clothwiring]

I didn't get one on mine, and still dug it, BUT it was much more tight (less saggy) than my Chandler Tube Driver, I dug the Chandler more and sold the Butler. The Butler was great, just not me. I'd suggest trying the bias if you want more control over it.

[nondeplume]

.......I find the bias knob is indispensable in tuning the tone and feel, and increases the available range. Full up, it focuses the midrange and punch. As it is turned down, it softens the attack a bit and helps reduce strident tones from higher gain settings.

+1.

[gpro34]

Thanks for your posts, I think I will spring for the mod.

[Occam]

Wow...$425 for the full monty here. How good are these things? I haven't had the best luck with tube pedals. The Soldano GTO was pretty cool but a bit too squishy for my needs.

[jcshirke]

I'm not sure I can justify $425 for one of these babies, although I have spent more than that on other pedals I own. How different can BK's Tube Driver be from, for example, The Tubester--which I own. Has anyone compared these two head to head?

Thanks.

[HassanBinSober]

How different can BK's Tube Driver be from, for example, The Tubester--which I own. Has anyone compared these two head to head?

Bump this question. I'm wondering the same thing.

[tedwoods]

Bump this question. I'm wondering the same thing.

Designwise,the tube driver uses an op amp followed by a starved plate tube while the Tubester a tube running in high voltage,which can be lowered ofcourse but not as low as the tube driver,followed by clipping diodes.
I can't comment on their tonal differences.I own both (along a ton more) and use them for different things.A very general observation:The tube driver is more classic rock,the Tubester more Tejas attitude.I'm a sucker for both.
PS:Adam,I got my Gjika back!I was missing it too much.

Ted

[drolling]

Wow...$425 for the full monty here. How good are these things? I haven't had the best luck with tube pedals. The Soldano GTO was pretty cool but a bit too squishy for my needs.I've had the original & still have one of BK's BlueTubes. I've also still got a Mesa V-Twin and a Hughes & Kettner BluesMaster. Others, like the Ibanez TubeKing (lawsuit verson:AOK) have come and gone over the years.

Like yourself, I've not had good luck w/any of them, no matter what make/model of tube I've used (and I've got a crate full of 'em) My old tube amps just seem to prefer being hit w/transistor or op-amp based OD pedals.

The only one I've been able to dial out the mush and/or fizz with is the H&K - which, unlike the rest, uses a power amp tube (el84?).

[HassanBinSober]

Designwise,the tube driver uses an op amp followed by a starved plate tube while the Tubester a tube running in high voltage,which can be lowered ofcourse but not as low as the tube driver,followed by clipping diodes.
I can't comment on their tonal differences.I own both (along a ton more) and use them for different things.A very general observation:The tube driver is more classic rock,the Tubester more Tejas attitude.I'm a sucker for both.
PS:Adam,I got my Gjika back!I was missing it too much.

Ted


That's good to hear Ted. Gary and I were starting to wonder about you :D .

I got a StageHog recently, by the way. Cool box.

[tedwoods]

That's good to hear Ted. Gary and I were starting to wonder about you :D .

I got a StageHog recently, by the way. Cool box.

Cool!We guitarists have it real good these days with all that wonderful stuff around...Give Gary my regards.
Ted

[Dendog]

I talked to BK about this via email recently. During the discussion I told him I had a Tubeworks RealTube from 1993. I sent him a photo and schematic, he confirmed it was his design. He told me that he preferred the sound of the RealTube over the one he's now doing a limited run of. So, I ended up sending him my RealTube for the bias mod, $125. It sounded great without it, but this gives it some very interesting flexibility.

[garbud]

Cool!We guitarists have it real good these days with all that wonderful stuff around...Give Gary my regards.
Ted

Ted,

Back at ya! Email sent regarding GMA mod.

Garbud

[Cody McLain]

Ted,

Back at ya! Email sent regarding GMA mod.

Garbud

Hey Gary.. what's this all about? SHoot me an e-mail if you get a chance.

[garbud]

Hey Gary.. what's this all about? SHoot me an e-mail if you get a chance.

Cody,

Email sent!

Garbud

[LHanson]

Stay tuned for more Tubester info....