Guyatone TO-2 Tube Overdrive

Couldn't be easier! Very straight forward control using the tone and gain/level knobs. I've got my standard setting that I like and just leave it set like that.

I really love the sound I get from this unit. It can get a little noisy, but I only usually use it to boost and shape lead tones so while the notes are playing you don't really notice. It does sound good for ryhthm sounds as well. It can go from from a nice subtle overdrive to a fairly heavy crunch. I tend to use it going straight into a tube amp and find it great when I want a nice warm lead tone.

I've had this thing since the 80's and the only time I had any worries was when the tube inside came loose after a nasty drop. I just pushed it back into place and never had any other worries with it. I love the fact that it doen't use batteries or power adaptors, just plug it in and it's ready to rock.

Never had any cause to find out.

I play mostly rock and have taken the TO-2 with me on every gig for over a decade, and when other bits of gear have failed it has not. I've used other effect units and pedals over the years, but the TO-2 has always been and always will be in the setup. I would love to get a hold of another one of these or even the distortion version, but I haven't seen any around - but I will keep an eye out and if I see one I'll grab it right away!

Easy... like plug and play...
Turn the all analog knobs, and hear the all analog warmth
didn't get a manual

I usually go from my fat tele, or jazzmaster into this and straight to amp. sometimes through my tuna melt and korg dl8000r 1st. am a major fan of the smiths, morrisey, and pulp...
very very close tones, not pristine... but very close

all metal, steel case....
if this ain't dependable, then nothing is!

never dealt wif them

from the 1970's so it easily got the tones i'm trying to get... good old 70's-80's british pop-rock...
used to use the mesa v-twin... way too big, modern rock for me...
trying to keep things simple and sweet...
yep, that's the word.. this simple box sounds SWEET!

Very intuitive, if you can work an amp, you can work this fella
Got this guy used at a major steal if you ask me, coz the moment I plugged it in, the tone was ringing... not the heavy rock overdrive, just a great warm and extremely pure tone...and the BEST thing is, you can't get another one like this even if you SEARCH for it... if you can get one under US$100 on ebay... GRAB IT!!!

I am using a Gibson Lespaul standard through to this, a Boss DD-5, Crybaby Wah, and sometimes through a TS9 for that extra drive when I go into a lead lick or solo....

built like a tank, with an all metal casing, and a metal on/off stomp switch, can't destroy it even if i tried

Is guyatone even around still?? I got my tube changed once.... but by my local guitar tech, got a Groove Tubes 12AX7... and now the sound is even sweeter... did i mention WARMTH???

I play mostly college rock, blues and some alternative rock.
The 12AX7 has got me hooked to the REAL tube sound... The TS9 was satisfactory for quite a while...
But now...
Only the REAL stuff!!!

It does look cheezy since it's not a throwback but a real classic gadget (70s). This pedal has 2 concentric knobs, one for gain and volume, the other for bass and treble. I keep dialing tone settings everytime I change guitars and amps. It could be active. Same goes for gain and level, you really have to tweak to find your sweet spot.

It enhanes the tubularity of my tube amps (Blues Deluxe, Bassman), and adds a tubey flavor to solid state amps. I find it great for single coils especially when you don't overdo the gain thing. It could get into fuzz territory dimed, but somewhere before noon is SRV, the Chicago, and Texas.

It looks and feels solid. The innards look neat enough.

Is Guyatone is still around?

I play strictly blues, and this is my bag. It beats the better trannie overdrives (TS9, Vox ValveTone) probably because it has a real 12ax7 in it. Couldn't buy this again as it's rare.
For the money, this was a big fish that didn't get away.

Classic tube overdrive, AC powered single 12AX7. Cheezy 70's or early 80's design, with orange and white detailing on a heavy-duty die-cast aluminum casing. Orange-knobbed, concentric controls (Gain/Volume and Treble/Bass), also ac switch on side, effect footswitch, and LED. Easy to dial in good rhythm distortion tones, but not much good for metal tones.

Pretty weak with my strats, but ok with a humbucker-equipped guitar, such as my Kramer (has a Duncan Mag pickup in the rear). My ADA MP-1 blows this thing away, but I did not buy this pedal to blow people away. I bought it because I like some kinds of cheese. I also could not resist a pawn shop bargain. The treble needs to be rolled back quite far on this pedal because it can bite, as well as bark. This pedal lacks personality, producing generic 70's distortion tones. Good for classic rock and blues, maybe country too!

I do not know, yet I have seen I few of these pedals still working in very beat up condition. My pedal is just about mint, so I think I will get a few more years out of it.

I have many pedals, including vintage Ibanez, and Boss ones. I added this one to my arsenal because it represents a piece of rock and roll history (albeit, probably a very small piece). I also could not resist the price. I have seen these going for $100, and up, and in worse physical condition than this pedal.