The Tube Driver looks like something from the bridge of the Enterprise from the 1960s Star Trek television show. The TD has a very unique voice that I have never heard another overdrive replicate. It can be difficult dial in a tone setting that hits the sweet spot, and some people find it finicky and hard to get along with due to some design issues, but in the right setup, with the right amp, nothing sounds quite like it. It is not very versatile sounding through some amps, but exceptionally good with others.

At low drive it can deliver a Fenderish smooth gain boost or a bluesy overdrive.

At high gain, it is very reminiscent of the lead crunch tone of a Marshall JCM800 amplifier. It generates anything from a smooth, light overdrive tone, to a classic rock-style heavy distortion. It has evolved over the years and there are many versions (a list can be found HERE).

Around 1978 Butler designed and began making an early version of the Tube Driver, one of the first tube overdrive pedals. It was designed and built by audio electronics engineer B.K. BUTLER REAL TUBE OVERDRIVE - The Tube Driver is a booster/overdrive 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. Last update January 2021įor the Tube Driver History and Versions article CLICK HEREįor the David Gilmour Tube Driver article CLICK HEREī.K. I was hoping it would be Gilmour in a Box too - it isn't.©Kit Rae. I just find the TubeDriver really isn't too useful. And yes, I'm running a strat through a vintage Hiwatt. I know it's going to sound wrong, but I use a FullDrive 2 for all the lower gain stuff, and a ToneBone Hot British for the high gain stuff. Your money is better served getting a very nice Muff or a different tasty od. I guess what I'm saying here is it is, in my mind, in no way essential at all. In other words, it's on for perhaps 5% of the total show. Personally, Money and the intro to Time are the only songs I even use it on. I find that the pedal sounds _EXACTLY_ like the solo from Money - so if that's the only sound you want, it's a great way to spend three hundred bucks I find it's a bit of a one trick pony - I can never lower the gain quite as much as I'd like (I even emailed them at Chandler or wherever, they said use a 12AT7 - I did, no dice). Once you get it dialed in, though, it's pretty nice. Let me try to explain.īasically, it's like everyone says - it is very hard to get the right sound out of it. It's kind of good and not good all rolled into one. I have an original Chandler Tube Driver (duh, I'm in a Floyd tribute act ).

Bk butler tube driver vs tube screamer