Tube Works 9002 Real Tube 2?

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 16 Jul 2000 8:57 pm

Is anyone using this new preamp from Tube Works?

www.genzbenz.com/tw_new.htm

What do you think of it?

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Averybob.gif" width=64 height=81>Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra 8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (D13, A6)

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 18 Jul 2000 12:22 pm

bOb, Myself & Steve Feldman both bought the TubeWorks/Mosvalve rig back in Febrauary from Herby. I have yet to use/set-up mine as I need a pair of enclosures. Steve has his operational & speaks highly of it. I think I will also once I get it hooked up. I am also using the Digi 2112, Mosvalve 1500 amp. I am interested in the TubeWorks 921 rack spring reverb to complete the system & was told GenzBenz may start making this later this summer/fall. Make sure you get the 9001 w/"steel mod" that is available.

DALE WHITENER · Post by **DALE WHITENER** » 19 Jul 2000 2:14 am

Kevin I have one of the Tubeworks RealTube
reverb units I'll sell for $300.00 plus shipping. It is in mint condition. I also have a the RealTubeII preamp but mine doeen't have the steel mod. I'll also sell it for $300.oo plus shipping. both units are hardly used.-- Dale

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 19 Jul 2000 6:55 am

What does the steel mod do?

Bill Rowlett · Post by **Bill Rowlett** » 19 Jul 2000 7:09 am

b0b,

It is my understanding that the steel mod pads down the input (resistor?) more so that the hotter steel pickups don't distort. It would probably be an easy thing to do yourself. I imagine it is simular to the second input on most guitar amps.

Bill

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 19 Jul 2000 1:18 pm

I don't know the technical terms for this stuff, but my understanding is that the mod essentially does something that permits you to play at a higher gain without breaking up. Cleaner at higher gain.

Sorry, that's as close as I can get to an explanation. All I know is that I like a CLEAN sound and the 9002 is as clean as I've heard with the sweetness to boot.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 19 Jul 2000 2:44 pm

Can you still get a good rock tone from it with the steel mod? I like a little bit of crunch when I play rock rhythm, and the kind of distortion that Paul Franklin gets out of his Boogie preamp for country-rock leads. I also like a Carlos Santana kind of tone for modern rock.

I realize that every amp is different, but does the Real Tube 2 with the steel mod approximate those sounds?

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Averybob.gif" width=64 height=81>Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra 8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (D13, A6)

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 19 Jul 2000 3:16 pm

-b0b-

Like I told you, you have a separate drive channel that will do what you want by itself. The drive channel can be stacked on top of the clean channel to give you more crunch than you can believe. I don't dwell in these areas too much, so I'm no expert.

As far as dialing a PF or Santana sound, I don't really know. I never tried.

The bottom line is probably that you're going to have to try one to find out, and that may mean buying one. If you don't like it, I'm sure it would sell fairly easily. On the other hand, if the Mesa V-Twin is more of a sure thing fort you, maybe that's the way you ought to go.

Lot of trouble to try out equipment, but it almost seems like a necessary fact of life these days.

Good luck. [This message was edited by Steve Feldman on 19 July 2000 at 04:18 PM.]

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 21 Jul 2000 1:40 am

b0b, I have owned both the old Real Tube and also the Tube Driver. I personally never cared for the distorted sounds of these all that much. The Tube Driver was OK as long as it was used like you use a Tube Screamer (to increase the gain to a tube amp). They both sounded buzzy to my ears.

Believe it or not, I think the Line6 POD will give you a much better rock and roll sound live than the Tubeworks preamps. I have been using the POD for occasional gigs and many rehearsals (where I don't want to bring my THD head). It doesn't sound as good as the THD head, but sounds pretty convincing. My personal theory is that great rock and blues tone is all about power amp distortion. The tube preamps will provide distortion, but it's harsh and 'buzzy'. The POD models an overdriven power amp stage, and does a pretty reasonable job at it.

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www.tyacktunes.com

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 21 Jul 2000 10:13 am

News update - I'm buying Dale's preamp (see above). It doesn't have the steel mod, but I'm not really looking for that super clean steel sound anyway. My rack system is being geared for country rock.

I should have it next week, and I hope to do the Cazadero Firemens Dance with it next weekend. This is a loud outdoor venue, and we don't mike the amps. It will also be the first outing for my new speakers - a pair of EVM-12L's that really smoke in my living room. The cabinets lock on top of my 15" JBLs.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Averybob.gif" width=64 height=81>Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra 8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (D13, A6)

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 21 Jul 2000 11:18 am

I await your review on this. These units pop up on ebay from time to time. I would love to side-by-side it with the pre-amp I'm using at the moment--a Carvin Quad X--a 4-channel, 9(!!!) tube (12ax7) unit with graphic EQ and spring reverb. I think I like it but would love to compare it with something more widely known as a benchmark.

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 21 Jul 2000 1:03 pm

There is a TubeWorks pre-amp & amp on ebay right now.......$140.00. Who knows where it'll go from there.
Actually there are two.....$150 on the other... no bids yet[This message was edited by Kevin Mincke on 21 July 2000 at 02:08 PM.]