Hot Chili Tube Co. Tubester DS-1

Ease of use depends on what you're trying to do. It gets an excellent thick, mid-hump tone pretty easily. If you want more subtle tones you'll have to tweak and in the end it might not be the right pedal for you, unless you have it modded.

The inputs are a pain, but can be dealt with. Fuse holder placement is annoying.

Mine has the silver wire option and I use a GE/JAN 12AX7

The sound quality ranges from excellent to muddy back to excellent. I've reviewed it before (and I still have it on my board so that tells ya something) and I'm reviewing again to corroborate the review concerning the volume knob (which clued me into that, so thanks).

Strat -> some pedals -> Tubester -> Twin. It's second to last in my chain so I'm not going to list everything, but it does like to be primed by my Tim.

Ok, cranking the volume pot makes this pedal sound extremely open, dynamic, well, like a Tim but with valve color/warmth. I usually leave both voltage and gain at 3 (about 10:00) and the tone pot maxed). Chords are great when set like this, and it does the slight break up thing to a nice grind. The issue here is volume, since when bypassed it's not at unity.

That said, with volume around 7/8 and the tone cranked, and gain/voltage are as mentioned above, it gets a very thick, mid-hump thing that I haven't heard done any better. So while I'm considering a mod, I don't think I want to loose the one-trick-pony piece that I like so much. I have other pedals that do the slight break up thing well, but for the over the top solo, this thing just nails it for me. Also, when set like this, I can get it just above unity so it's at the right level for soloing.

I'd rate it a ten if I could get it to do both clean chords and amazing thick solo tones.

I've had it for years, no issues.

I've talked with Don before, he was very cool and answered any questions I had.

I play rock/blues/funk/soul. To me this is a great pedal for screaming solos in the thick Marshall realm. It's a mid-hup pedal with a copious supply of attitude. If one were to mod it it could possibly be more versatile, but I'm not willing to lose the one tone I love so much.

Dom made a great pedal, if you can find one, grab it!

Pretty simple machine. Tone control is just a high end rolloff, no drama here. I like it all the way up, but others might have a really bright signal they need to soften up a bit.

This is what I buy effects for- to sound great. I think of the Tubester as more of another gain stage for my amp (Blackface Fender Bandmaster) than I do an effect. I'm not the kind of guy who has 9 boxes on the floor; as the matter of fact, I like the sound of just a guitar and amp. The Tubester just gives me more of that sound, with hair around it. It is very quiet for a tube effect, of course that can vary from tube to tube. I have yet to try different tubes in the unit, just haven't felt the need.

Just like all the reviews here say - you could probably run over it with a truck and it would still work. Never had a hiccup from mine.

Haven't talked to the company yet, but see all the other reviews.

I have been playing for 28 years, mostly classic rock (was new rock back when I started playing, sonny! *geezers away*). The Tubester just makes good tone that much better, when you need that extra gain. I would have to save my lunch money and buy another if it were stolen, or hunt thief down and take it back.

I'm not thrilled with having the input jack on the left side.
I still don't know why the case is made from tank armor [we are musicians, not soldiers].
Two volume outputs are a bonus but for what? [more on this later]
super industrial strength AC power cord is durable but cumbersome and easily disconnects from the Tubester.
Cadmium II plating looks cool but will wear quickly.
It must weight about 5 to 7 pounds [we are musicians, not body builders].

Due to it's size, weight and massive power cord the Tubester is a pain to lug around. It is a monstrocity on a pedal board and it's massive size and weight are not necessary. It could easily go on a serious diet.

As you read on you will see that I believe the Tubester lacks tone control and seriously needs a boost circuit and switch.

I posted back in December a bleak response to the sound from the Tubester. I retracted my review after the owner on the company [a charming fellow named Don] contacted me and suggested that maybe something was wrong with my used Tubester. So I spent a few more months toying with the Tubester and am post a new review after having discovered a way to get a decent tone from this gadget.

No other review on this pedal speaks on this but what I found to be the most important knob on the Tubester is the VOLUME knob. All the raving reviews and no one mentions where they set their volume knob.
The volume control makes a huge diffence to the sound this pedal makes. Initially, I adjustment the volume to obtains equal volumes between the active and bypassed settings. BAD MISTAKE!

I have since found that the Tubester sounds best with the VOLUME knob set to full blast! The voltage set between 5 and full blast and the gain around well below 1. The gain knob might as well be called the mud knob. You have to have some gain to have volume but by the time the gain is to the 1 position there is no more volume, just mud.

So with the volume and voltage cranking and the gain to almost off, I get a very nice sweet, singing distortion. Lots of bounce and breathing. Harmonics are produced and feedback is musical.

Of course, when I switch to bypass mode I might of as well just stop playing because I can't hear my amplifier anymore. This really sucks!

I have also been able to get similair sounds using a Boss C/S-3 Compressor/Sustainer as a clean boost to drive the Tubester. Don even mentioned that he likes to use a Ibanez TS-808 to boost the Tubester.

I'm using a Fender 2000 American Series Stratocaster with a Yngwie Malmsteen HS-3 humbucker in the bridge and several small Fender amplifiers to test the Tubester.

I have tried several tubes in the Tubester. I like the way the Groove Tube 12AX7 sounds since I'm a Marshall player mostly.

On a dirty channel the Tubester can take me to Yngwie land with the lower frequencies cancelling out and the higher frequencies staying clean and punchy. Totally useless for pounding out chords but way cool for soloing.

So, obviously [at least to Don and I ]the Tubester needs a boost, a hotter signal fed to it. I'm looking at the useless second volume knob on the Tubester and am wondering if I can go inside and rewire the Tubester to use the second volume circuitry to rig a booster circuit to the input section or maybe ditch the useless gain knob and reroute it boost the imput signal. I would also add a second switch to activate the boost circuit. Hell, there's plenty of room inside the Tubester for, well, another Tubester!

Now for the tone knob. It must be the most passive tone control I've ever encountered. As subtle as a presence control on an old Marshall. A second or third tone control would be a welcome addition. I set the tone knob anywhere from 5 to full up as it doesn't make much difference.

If Don had had the foresight to add a bass, mid and treble tone section he might of been able to attract a whole host on heavier guitar players.

Another nice feature would have been to reduce the gain. Since I set the gain to below 1 and still must have some gain to have any volume at all, well, somewhere a small resister is sorely needed there.

Floor noise is like any other distortion device without a built in gate. It is neither excessive nor impressive.

I do feel the voltage adjustment is the coolest thing about the Tubester. Without that the Tubester would have no nitch. Being able crank the voltage is what makes the Tubester sound alive instead of flat.

This thing seems pretty sturdy and being so simple inside not much can go wrong.

It was very nice that Don contacted me after my lack luster review but he's not God. He didn't offer to look at my possibly troubled Tubester nor offer to send me a user manual.

His website lacks any sound files, user instruction or chatroom.

I bought this because of the reviews here on Harmony Central.

The list price of over $300 is hysterical when you realize that if the Tubester was made in China it would sell for maybe $25.

I've been playing lead guitar since 1969. I have five Marshall halfstacks mostly from the 70's, 3 vintage Les Pauls, a real 1964 Fender Stratocaster I bought from Norms Rare Guitars in Reseda California back in 1979 and about 4 Gibson and Fender tube amps from the 60's and 70's. I also have a bunch of vinatage and newer effects pedals.

I play blues, rock, grunge and metal lead guitar.

I believe the greatest guitar tones were produces back in the 70's from bands like UFO, Aerosmith, Pat Travors, Heart, Scorpions [ok, 80's], Blue Oyster Cult [Godzilla], etc...

I'm still to try the Tubester on a loud Marshall. Maybe I'll post again should I try it.

The Tubester is simply to use, as any effects pedal should be. The chicken head knobs allow you to easily to determine settings. There are 5 controls: Tone, Volume, Gain, Volume B, and Voltage. The voltage control gives you the unique ability to adjust current flow to the tube and thereby increase sound combinations. There is a heavy duty removable cord that plugs in the side and the fuse is located neatly underneath. The input and two ouput jacks are all on one side -- I would have prefered them to be on opposite sides. There is a power LED indicator on the side as well as one on top for the footswitch. The manual is informative and provides sample settings and control descriptions.

I am using a modified Strat with Texas Specials, bass frets and a Pau Ferro fretboard. I use a Fender Blues Junior amplifier with Monster cables all around. For my initial tests, I ran the effects like this: Guitar/Tubester/Liquid Sound H2O Chorus-Echo/Amp. I experienced no noise except some static when adjusting the Voltage control, which I was told is normal by Tubester designer Don Wilcox. After working with this pedal for about 2 hours, I determined the possible sound combinations are endless. The pedal possesses an amazingly rich tone which I have not found in any other effects unit and delivers great classic, country & western, and hard rock sounds. For pure metal, however, better stick with digital and solid state.

The pedal is built with the most heavy duty materials I have seen in an effects unit. The outer casing is made of heavy guage steel and will probably last through the next ice age. The bottom is devoid of obstructions making it ready to mount on a pedal board. Details like quality soldering, point-to-point wiring, rubber sleeved wire splices, machine screws with locking washers, protective bezels around the LED indicators, etc, make the Tubester a high quality product.

Don and Lola Wilcox are the masterminds of the Hot Chili Tube Company and work overtime to make the customer happy. Although the shipping company lost the first order, Don sent out a new one ASAP. He also took the time to really talk to me on the phone and answer my questions. He genuinely enjoys what he does and stands behind his product. Try to get that kind of support out of the big companies -- it just won't happen.

I play in a Christian band although my influences were bands like Led Zeppelin, Rush, VH, AC/DC, SRV, Guns n Roses, and Aerosmith. I write music and I have been playing guitar for 20 years, although I have played music much longer. The Tubester has become the cornerstone of my equipment and I plan on refining my sound around it. For the price paid, I cannot imagine a better upgade to my gear.

Lot of exploring to do even though the layout is simple. You can get a lot of tones and textures if you are willing to tweek with each guitar. The higher voltage knob the voltage knob setting the brighter and cleaner it sounds. I find myself adjusting the tone knob much more than on other pedals.

When I first got it I thought it was broken. It sounded harsh and the knobs did not respond as I wanted them to. I looked inside and found a sovtek 12ax7wa. I don't know a lot about tubes but I know crap when I hear it. I dug around and found an old GE 12au7.

With the 12au7 the pedal really got sweet. Great crunch tones. Very smooth. Changing the tube changes the sound of the pedal much more than any other tube pedal I have tried. No one can accuse this pedal of using a tube just for looks. The distortion characteristics are completely different from one tube to the next.

Anyone who complains about the lack of gain is tone retarded. The man who is willing to trade tone for gain deserves neither.

I drive this thing with two clean boost pedals to get those higher gain sounds and it responds just like an overdriven amp would, better yet I can get those tones at bedroom level since they are being created in the pedal instead of the amp. Lots of pedals can do a good job of increasing your gain; not many can deliver the real tube tone this pedal offers.

A few months ago a switched from a crappy fender with channel switching to a single ended groove tubes soul o 45 combo. I love the sound of the amp but I was in transister ic chip pergatory trying to get a distortion sound untill this pedal delivered me. I own so many tin can tone crucifiers (some much more expensive. I had all but given up on finding any pedal that could create the creamy smooth overdrive I crave.

It is ultra quite and transparent. I would recomend this pedal to anyone who needs another overdrive channel on their amp. Truely the finishing touch on my rig.

Very sturdy. All good components. I imagine it will hold up as long as your amp.

Does tubester sound amazing or does every other pedal just sound so horrible that the tubester sounds incredible by contrast?

I think I will be selling a lot of distortion boxs soon.

I give the Tubester an eight for ease of use because it's not your "typical" 2 knob overdrive pedal. There is quite alot of interaction between the tone/gain/voltage controls. Once you dial in the sound you're looking for though, you can't help but smile . . .

I'm using the Tubester mainly with a non master volume amp, and I believe this is the exact application the pedal was made for. It's actually fairly transparent and has a very low noise floor which is expecially nice for a tube based circuit. Depending on the tube installed, you can go for a more of an overdrive tone (12au7) or have a more aggressive/distorted sound (12ax7). That's what's very cool about this pedal (and I'd assume most tube based pedals), just by changing the tube you can have all sorts of sounds. The Tubester came with an electro harmonix 12au7, I have in there now a mullard 12au7 and have tried a jan philips 12ax7. This is a very good pedal, everything I was hoping for and more. Congrats to Don on an excellent product . . .

The Tubester is built very solidly, and weighs in around 5 lbs. Upon opening to change the tube it appears to have excellent workmanship/parts etc. I can't really imagine anything going wrong save for the switch or the tube unless the pedal itself was abused in some way . . .

I bought it directly from Don and he was very helpful and honest about the Tubester. It sure is a relief to know that if anything went wrong I'd be well taken care of. Don is top notch in every way, and a real pleasure to deal with . . .

The Tubester is an excellent tube based overdrive/distortion pedal. What sold me on this particular unit was the variable voltage control, something which sets the Tubester apart from the other numerous tube pedals out there. It really is an interesting design that sounds awesome with a non master volume amp. I prefer the 12au7 mullard that's in there now, but for a different sound the 12ax7 could come in very handy. I've been playing for a long time (roughly thirty years) and have tried numerous pedals over the years and the Tubester definitely can hold it's own against the best. I play mostly 60's/70's style of rock/blues and this pedal is perfectly suited for that type of gig. I'm very happy with my purchase, and highly recommend the Tubester to anyone looking to buy a tube based overdrive/distortion pedal.

I think the Tubester Pedal is pretty strait forward, I found it easy to use.

I think the Tubester really shows what a tube is made of. I agree with some of the other reveiwers a Good tube will sound Good, a great tube Will sound Great, a bad tube WILL sound BAD. Be warned!
For a nice smooth lightweight distortion I like the Mullard 12AU7 or a Amperex Bugle Boy long plate with the D getter. For a really great over the top distortion that sounds real rightgeous I like the Mullard 7025, way better then the RCA 7025 in my opinion, allot richer sounding. My favorite sounding distortion though comes from the Sylvania Gold Brand 5751 with gold pins. I was blessed enough to find a couple of these on ebay and man-o-man SWEEEEEEEEEEET!!!
The Tubester allows you to taylor make your OWN distortion, get that signiture sound or just duplicate your favorite rock stars sound, you can do it with the Tubester! This is my run guitar>Fultone Wah(awesome)> Toadworks "Mr. Squishy"(Nice Effect!)>Analogman Compressor(Awesome)>Analogman Chorus (Sweet!!!)>Maxon CS-9 Chorus( Blends well with distortion!!!) >Maxon AD900 analog delay(the Best There Is!!!)>Tubester>Little Lanailei Reverb (I haven't found a better real spring unit for the money)>Marshall TSL602(with Mullards all around and Celestion G12H Anniversary speakers; careful when you buy a Marshall nowadays as quality controll isn't what it used to be with that company, I sent two of them back to Same Day Music). All I can say is that with the Tubester I can get any feeling I'm looking for as it offers so many fine distortions for you to use.

Give me some time with the unit, but it seems to be built like a tank!

It really adds to your set up! It melds to a variety of playing styles. Be sure to save your money for NOS tubes. Remember with this unit if you don't take the time to find the tubes you can grove to you won't or probably won't like this unit. If you love awsome over the top distortion get some Mullard 7025's as they aren't as popular as their 12AX7 so is cheaper and in the tubester they sound better. If you are looking for a nice distortion try a Jan GE 5751 for a reasonable price. If your looking for that Fender black tweed sound try an RCA AU7. If you have the money get one of these pedals, if you don't have the money...get it!!!

I left the knobs where they were when I first plugged it in. They were all at 11 o'clock. I knew I had found an outstanding overdrive because it blew me away. I've had a ton of overdrive boxes and I think that this is one of simplest ones to use. The reason is because it's hard to dial in a sound that isn't useful. I agree with some other reviews that's it's possible to get this thing sounding very muddy but I'm hopeing when I change the tube that'll change. The voltage control is very handy. I play a lot of jazz and groove tunes but I also do ZZ Top, Cream, Van Halen, etc. This control allows a little more versatility than most overdrives and it's very simple to use.

I use an American Deluxe Fat Strat through a Fender Deville and a Traynor 15YVC20. My chain of pedals goes Tubester->H&K Replex->H&K Rotosphere. The Rotosphere is stereo so I use the Tubesters outputs into the Shpere and then run it to both my amps. I leave the Tubester on almost constantly and control my OD from the guitar. This is the most transparent OD I've ever plugged into. Every adjustment of my guitar is very clear. My strat sounds amazing when the volume is on 5. Enough said. I've never used a tube OD pedal before and I think I found one of the best ones out there.

Well when I lifted it out of the case I couldn't believe the weight. It's gotta be 5 pounds. You could probably run it over with your car and it would still work(don't take my word for it). On the other hand, anything electronic has a chance of failure. I'm a working musician in vegas and I believe that one should always be prepared to cover their a#$ in sticky gig situations. Afterall I'm getting paid to play. So I always use a backup. Naturally it would be nice to have two of these in case one went but at the price that's not going to happen. So I use a Jekyll and Hyde as backup. My advice is have a backup for everything. I'm giving an eight because nothing I've ever used is 100% dependable

I haven't had the pleasure, but there are many who have. Read some of the other reviews.

This unit matches my style perfectly. It's versatility is nice yet it's also got it's nitch. When it comes to outboard OD and Effects I believe that less is more. I've been playing for 6 years and play gigs on a regular basis here in Vegas. I play everything, even country now and then. And even though I play mostly cover music I still have my own style as does everyone else. If it were lost I would buy another because it's a great unit. The price is very high but I'm sure they know that we players will pay a lot for good sound. I guess that's wise on their part. I love the fact that this unit sounds so transparent. I'll never swith back to a chip driven overdrive pedal. The Jekyll and Hyde makes my strat and tele sound the same and backing of the volume with that unit is pointless. The Tubester allows a player to be in control of every aspect of their playing from the guitar--which is how it should be. This unit is uncomparable to any solid state overdrive. Mostly because it's on a higher level. I've had tons of OD pedals, still do. None of them are being used except the Hot Chili Tubester. A great thing that the tubester has is the B out put with volume control I don't need to run a splitter box anymore. I feel so free having 3 outstanding pedals running to a great amp. It sounds awesome. One thing that would be cool is if it had drive control for the B output. But how much can a guy ask for. So if you need a controlable drive that will blow most out of the water then this is the one. If you just need as much gain as you can get and don't care what your guitar sounds like then don't waste your money. It's all a matter of perspective.

Pretty simple to get a good sound once you get used the difference between voltage and gain. Voltage seems to add saturation/clipping and gain adds the grit. The tone knob takes getting used to as well, but it's all pretty straight forward after about ten minutes. I like that though, because it's very tweakable.

The significant pedals I put before it are: Super Duper > Fatdrive > Varidrive > Tubester. Right now it's the end of my chain. I use a 73 Strat (staggered poles) and a '68 Twin.

The Tubester is awesome! I have an early version ('98) with the silver wire option. It's been true bypassed (all the newer models are now) and I have a GE NOS 12AU7 in it. It sounds great! I like the gain around 3 and the voltage at 5 with the tone cranked. It sounds like a saturated Delux! The more I use it, the more I realize that it's capable of many different tones. I use it as a second stage overdrive or as a first stage depending on if the Varidrive is engaged. I usually use the Varidrive to give a slight breakup to my Twin, so the Tubester is the solo tone if I can turn off the Varidrive, or run together they scream!

Built like a brick-you-know-what. I'm going to gig w/o a backup. The only gripe would be placement of the fuse holder that protrudes almost above where the power cord connects. But again, Hot Chili has moved these on the newer models (I kinda like having an early one though...). Components are all very high quality (jacks have been replaced recently with Switchcraft, in the new models high quality jacks are standard) and everything else is extremely solid.

Don has been very cool answering my questions! He genuinely cares about making tone people pleased and does a great job of it! I can tell if I need anything he'll work with me to remedy any issue.

It's an awesome tube overdrive pedal. The only one I can compare it to is the Varidrive. All other tube overdrives I've heard have been very weak in comparison. It truly is like adding another stage to whatever amp you use it with. I would suggest using it with a tube amp though, because it's possible you could lose some of the tone if you ran a solid-state amp (though it would probably fatten it up). I would also suggest another pedal if all you want it to add a slight break up. It seems like it's mostly designed to range from mild overdrive to a really thick Marshally saturated tone (which it does awesome!). The Varidrive seems more versatile in the low end of overdrive and is better suited for that slightly broken up sound. The Tubester will do the slight break up thing, but there isn't much room to tweak it there, though I hit a sweet spot pretty quick when I tried it. I guess I just like it better in a more pushed capacity but it will do both. It's an awesome piece!

I picked up my 2001 Tubester second-hand, so this piece came with the old 12AU7 in the socket and the true-bypass switching.

The Tubester has 5 knobs: volume controls for each of its two outputs, Gain, Voltage and Tone. Those last three are highly interactive controls, and a change to any one of them will effect the intensity of the distortion. It's a tricky proposition, and I wouldn't want to knudge one the wrong way on a dark stage.

I'm adding to the volume of reviews on this piece to make the following point: this is not a subtle box. There is no clean boost here, and not much that could be called "low gain overdrive." The range of clipping effects runs from the hot and nasty overdrive of Duane Allman at the Fillmore and early '70s Johnny Winter to the high gain sounds of Aerosmith or early EVH. If you're over age 25, you can probably remember a time when guys were laying out big money to have their Marshall heads heavily modded with additional preamp gain stages to produce the sounds which come out of the Tubester at most settings... and that's with a low-gain 12AU7 installed, not a high-gain 12AX7A or 7025. One thing (aside from flexibility) which is superior to those old mods: the Tubester retains your bass frequencies.

If you want that gritty, screaming Plexi preamp sound (as opposed to the smoother buzz from the JCMs or the Mesa DRs) in front of virtually any basic tube amp, here it is. If you're looking for that "smooth blues" thing now playing on the Weather Channel, you're in the wrong neighborhood and are about to get your ass kicked.

Well... my problem with the Tubester in terms of reliability has to do with the placement of the fuse holder. First of all, it's located in a position where the retaining cap could easily be stepped on. Second, the cap on mine can be popped off with a bit of finger pressure and is about to be replaced with a holder which locks into place more securely. Given the voltage flowing through this circuit, that's a very bad thing.

Otherwise, the internals on this box look solid- not exactly HiWatt quality, but good enough that I'm not expecting any parts failures.

Can't speak to it, haven't heard back from the company re. the fuse holder.

It's about as good a straight distortion preamp as I've heard- no ss stompbox I've ever tried is going to come close, and the only other box which can cop all of these sounds is the SIB Varidrive. The Tubester will hotrod even the most vanilla-sounding Bassman/Showman for classic rock tones, on that you can be sure.

First of all, I should mention that what I have isn't the production model Tubester, but actually an early prototype with two outputs and two stomp switches. The first stomp switch activates the distortion on the first output, giving the standard DS-1 Tubester sound. The second stomp switch does... nothing. Nothing at all, except turning on a little red led above the switch. Hey, that's why it's a prototype.
This pedal is pretty straightforward. Tone, Volume, Gain, and Voltage. The first three knobs function pretty much as one would expect from other distortion boxes. The Voltage knob, however, bears a little explaining, especially since it's what makes this pedal unique. Most "real tube" distortion boxes (and amps, for that matter), run a given tube at a preset voltage. Turning up the volume may up the voltage and give a stronger, more "lively" distortion that responds better to volume changes in one's playing, but it also... turns up the volume. In the Tubester, these two functions are controlled by two seperate knobs, so you can keep the volume balanced with the Volume knob and still get a good high-power tone out of the tube. The Voltage knob is marked from 1 to 11 and goes above that to about 12 or so. Since standard preamp tubes run at around 9 volts, you are perfectly capable of driving a tube past it's capabilities and frying it completely within a short amount of time if you so desire. In fact, most tubes will start to overload and about nine on the dial, so this thing is in fact marked pretty acurately. However, the really cool tones can (I think) be found just right before the tube starts to overload. This is that magical little zone where really digging into the strings brings out a great dirty grind and backing off them brings you back to a nice smooth tone without ever going near any knobs. This feature is really where this pedal excels.
The only reason this doesn't get a 10 on ease of use is that the Voltage and Gain knobs can interact in a strange way. The Voltage knob actually has a much greater range of control over the level of distortion, while the Gain knob has a more subtle effect that's most noticeable at the limits of it's range. Turning the Gain down to near zero will cut both the distortion and the output volume, and the limit to which you can turn it up before overloading the tube is determined both by the type of tube you use and the setting on the Voltage knob. It's almost as if the Gain is a "fine tune" knob controlling the level of distortion while the Voltage is the wider "coarse" distortion control that limits the effect of the Gain knob.
This isn't a bad thing- just different than most other pedals of this type. Usually I find the "sweet spot"- the point where the tube is just below overloading- on the Voltage knob, and then turn the Gain up to it's own sweet spot. This is just the tone I prefer- other people may want to back off the distortion. Volume simply adjusts the output level of the pedal, and can also overdrive tube amps on it's own, and Tone functions pretty much just like a guitar's tone control.

Rating this is a bit tricky- the sound of this pedal is completely dependent on what tube you use in it. A lousy tube will sound lousy, and a great tube will sound great. Higher gain tubes will distort more, and lower gain tubes provide more of a clean boost effect than a distortion. The response of the tube can effectively EQ the sound- some tubes sound too trebly, and some sound mellow even with the tone set high. The Tubester *can* bring out the best any tube is capable of giving, though.
So far I've tried an EH 12AX7, a JAN-GE 5751, a Philips 12AT7, and an RCA 7025, as well as assorted lower quality tubes that didn't get used much. I use a Mexican-made Fender Stratocaster with a Warmoth baritone replacement neck and a Sovtek Mig-100 Marshall-copy amp. The EH did OK in the Tubester, but was a bit too sharp (although these tubes work quite well in my amp). The JAN-GE 5751 was as smooth and silky as all get-out- the perfect overdriven Strat blues tone: warm, sweet, rich, sustaining forever, but although this would be perfect for someone playing that style, I wanted something with more bite. The Philips ECG 12AT7 was unbelievably sharp and trebly- yuck. The Chinese Ruby and Groove tubes were just squawky and nasty, and Sovtek's were just about not bad enough to get used for a few months before I found something better.
The real treat I discovered was the RCA 7025's sound. This type of tube can handle quite a bit more on the Gain knob than any other tube I tried without overloading, and its sound is nice and balanced. With the Gain and Voltage at the limit and the Volume just below overloading the high gain channel of my amp, this combination gives a tone that a so-so player like me feels plain unworthy of. The amp and the Tubester really have to be set *just right*, but with a bit of feedback the notes leap off the guitar and into hyperspace. Feedback sustain comes easily and lasts infinitely, and the feedback-triggered harmonics are SO STRONG that it almost sounds like I'm playing every note as a pinch harmonic. Gobs of sustain, rich-as-hell harmonics, aggressive grind when played hard and sweet, saturated melody when played softly, and yet the underlying sound of the guitar and amp is still apparent and complex chords still ring out with a minumum of mud or intermodulation distortion. The tone is unlike any other I've heard- inspiring, versatile, and truly unique to this pedal. Just incredible.

My unit is a prototype, so keep in mind that these comments DO NOT apply to the production model but only to my own pedal.
There was originally a problem with a "ghost distortion" being heard faintly behind clean notes when the pedal was bypassed. I sent it to Hot Chili Tube Co. in New Mexico and they fixed it and only charged me $5 for shipping. Pretty cool. Recently it's developed a hum that also bleeds thru to the clean sound when the pedal is bypassed, but I haven't yet had time to send it to get checked out.
Other than those problems, it's hard to beat this pedal's ruggedness and durability. Heavy gauge steel box, silver wire (!), top-notch components- considering that it was at least five years old when I got it used and I've been running nearly every tube I use near overload since I got it a year ago, it's held up really well. Never had a problem with the switch popping or crapping out mysteriously like I've had on some other true-bypassed pedals.

One guy runs the company. He's really cool- like I said, he repaired the pedal once and only charged for shipping. Sending this to him was a bit of an adventure- since it was a prototype made by a different guy who ran the company before him, it got mailed around the country a bit while they both poked at it- neither remebered building this thing! They fixed it anyway, and called me at various stages of checking it out to see what I wanted done. Very cool- I'm assuming that the current problem will be fixed with the same degree of courtesy and attentiveness.

Although I play some funk and blues, most of the music I play tends to be heavier, darker, and more strange/experimental than most of the previous reviewers. I'm happy to say that (with the RCA 7025) this pedal can cover the heavier stuff in style. I'm primarily a bedroom rocker who plays local open mics on occassion, but I've been playing for about 7 years and I think I have a decent ear and a good sense of what I like. Before I had this pedal I used a Pearl Distortion (not a bad pedal in it's own right) but after I got the Tubester, the Pearl has hardly been touched. The only other distortion I use is an Electro-Harmonix Bass Microsynth for the really outre, extreme death metal/industrial type tones. For anything from blues to rock to Metallica-esque heavy metal, it's hard to imagine a better pedal for the price. The Voltage control in particular really sets this thing apart, and helps to explain why so many other "real tube distortion" pedals have a mixed reputation. Frying the tube just adds that extra bit of oomph to the sound, and the result is quite inspiring. It makes me want to play.
If it were lost or stolen I'd probably get the standard DS-1, since I assume that some of the problems I've had with this one are related to the fact that it's an old prototype and not the current up-to-spec version.

After you play around with the controls awhile and get a feel for their effect on your sound, it's fairly easy to to get a good sound. Controls are volume, gain, voltage, tone and a level control for using a second amp. Also, the tube choice ( 12au7 thru 12ax7 ) alters the tone. Once you find what's right for you it's easy. I know some people who would not be able to figure it out so I'll have to give this a 9

1993 Fender Strat Plus Deluxe w/Kinman Avn Blues pickups. Fender Bandmaster Reverb head modded to John McIntyre Bluesmaker into a homemade cab.w/one 12" & one 10" speaker. Also a Silvertone 1482 that was restored and upgraded by Russ Hunt ( relic-tronics.com ). I use my Tubester mostly on the lower gain settings with a Telefunken 12au7 and it is very quiet. If I set it at the higher gain settings, it is noisier. I think that is expected on just about any gear I've tried. the pedal covers many tones ZZ Top, Santana,etc, and can do a thick, fat jazz tone too.

Very reliable. I have used this for several years with no backup.

SEVERAL YEARS BACK I BOUGHT MY 1989 HOT CHILI TUBESTER ON EBAY. I HAVE USED THIS PEDAL ALMOST DAILY SINCE, AND DECIDED TO CHANGE THE JACKS AND SWITCH. I ALSO DECIDED TO WIRE THE SWITCH FOR TRUE BYPASS. THE WIRING WAS A BIT COMPLEX, SO I RELUCTANTLY EMAILED DON TO SEE IF HE WOULD HELP ME OUT. I DIDN'T EVEN BUY THE PEDAL FROM HIM AND I WASN'T GIVING HIM THE REPAIR WORK! HE COULD HAVE BLOWN ME OFF AND I WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD, BUT HE
EMAILED BACK WITHIN HOURS AND EVENTUALLY CALLED ME TWICE TO HELP ME OUT! I JUST WANTED EVERYONE HERE TO KNOW. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A QUALITY TUBE OVERDRIVE WITH AJUSTABLE VOLTAGE, AND SOMEONE WHO STANDS BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, CHECK OUT THE HOT CHILI TUBESTER.

I play Blues, Rock, and Jazz. This pedal really details picking dynamics, and offers many degrees of sustain or grit depending on your tube choice and settings. I would buy another if I had to for some reason. It' a little large and heavy compared to some other pedals but it does much more and the size and weight are directly related to it's durability and versitility. I once had a Dean Markley Overlord tube pedal and there is no comparison. I sometimes put a Stamps Drive-o-matic or TS-808 in front of the Tubester with both pedals set for low gain.

As with any high end device, you will have to work a bit to get "your sound." Tube selection is very important as well. Having said that, it is hard to get a "bad" sound out of this thing. Almost any place you set the knobs yeilds a usable sound

I have one of the very first Tubesters made and I am nortiorious for keeping something for a while and moving on to something else insearch of "The Sound." I have used the Tubester for over 6 years in every situation from Country to R&B to Fusion to Blues -- on stage and in the studio. It always delivers "The Sound."

The one and only time I needed any repairs, Don fixed it and got it back to me within a week. Never missed a gig.

Don is totaly devoted to his customers. He will work with you until YOU are happy. No coporate B@#* S*#@ here.

If I bring only one device to a gig -- even to a studio where I use the resident amp r a sit in sub where I have to use someone else's amp. I always take my Tubester. An 8 here only beacuse it is a costly item; but how much is good tone worth? In fact I have saved money on all the other distortion pedals I didn't buy in the past 6 years. Not only would I replace it, I am working with Don to build another one with some different options. Trying to improve upon perfection I guess.

The directions provide a good range demonstrating the unit's potential. The most challenging part was to get my amp's settings to be complimentary (to my ears). You will need to take some time to get a handle on which control really does what. For example, reducing voltage (great feature) decreases perceived treble while adding treble increases perceived gain.

I primarily use two guitars: a 1991 Paul Reed Smith Custom ten top, birds-adds to the sound :-) and a homemade 2001 Alan L. Cohen Alancaster-bookmatched flame maple top on Korina, maple neck, ebony fretboard, Duncan Jazz Neck and Duncan Distortion bridge pickups. I mention the composition of the guitar because the Tubester is very responsive to each instrument's character; unlike most distortion boxes that make virtually all guitars sound the same. Combined high gain, high voltage settings reveal some hum. This becomes more evident if plugged into a distortion channel on an amp. But, if you need that much distortion, go ahead and just shred your eardrums with a broken 6L6!
I use the Tubester with a Mesa Boogie Mark I reissue. I finally can get a natural channel switching setup. I set the Boogie with a pushed clean sound (on the brink of breakup)and plug the Tubester into channel 1. In a way the Tubester acts as a preamp channel. I am able to replicate my favorite creamy-Santana lead tone when I punch in the Tubester. Further, the Tubester can be set for a translucent effect; just giving more of the distortion tone you already have. I suspect this is better on tube amps, but have not checked out transistor amp performance.
This unit is versatile. Along with the Santana tone, I can replicate other classic rock & blues signatures: ZZ Top, early Zeppelin, Eric Johnson, and Stevie Ray. I can even dial in some nasty "Heart Full of Soul" Jeff Beck 1966 mosquito tones. Again, I suspect the amp you use and its settings are critical. Also, your choice of tube will matter. I use a Phillips JAN 12AT7 (just right) and have tried a 12AX7 (too hot) and a 12AU7 (too cold). I suspect a new 12AU7 might work for me. My test tube was 40 years old, with nearly that much use.
I keep things simple: guitar, T.C. Chrous, Morley Wah, Tubester, Boogie Mark I. Itan be set to back off the bite of a WahWah pedal.
To the disbelief of my friends, I am very happy with my sound now! By the way, all signal is wired with George L cable-highly recommended.

As others have noted. the thing is built like a tank. The circuitry is professionally, almost artistically done. Nothing is going to break here enless you try to. I would use it on a gig withot a backup. It will out live me.

Don, the owner, emailed me because he saw I bought it on Ebay. Very friendly guy. Very reponsive to emails. See other reviews for raves.

I am a versatile player and the Tubester suites the styles I play in most: Blues. 60's through 90's rock, and a little country picking. I would not use it for industrial rock tones, but your mileage may vary. I've been playing for ohmygod 24 years. If it were lost or stolen I might not rush out to replace it, I would consider busting the bank and getting a Soldano Decatone. I love the aforementioned translucent sound and that it has two outputs; one with a volumen control. This great feature allows me to decrease the heat going into my amp and allows for a sweet lead tone (pickup volume full but the amp is not being driven by it). The Tubester is far better than the Tube Driver. I prefer it to the Boogie V-Twin that I sold prior to picking up the Tubester. While the V-Twin has two foot switchable sounds, its sounds are a blend of tube and solidstate that sounded somewhat harsh to my ear. This is no Pod, but you will like the range of sounds available better.
My unit has the silver wire option. While I don't have the alternate to compare it to, I suggest the silver is worth the extra $50.00. It is better to have more signal to work with.
I would only sell it if I got an amp that has everything I want in one package. I gave it a "9" only because of the price. I would do the same for a Lexus.

Very simple to use, intuitive controls, and the enclosed owners' manual gives good starting points. Some people like a plug and play type unit, but the tones are so wide ranging between the controls, and the type of tube you use, that is definitely worth it to "twiddle the knobs" for a while - although you'll be hard pressed to find a "bad" sound.

My current set-up is an American Series Strat (w/ Kinman AVn "Blues" pickups), or a Carvin T60 (KOA body S-S-H pickup configuration), to an MXR Dynacomp, to the Tubester, to a Deluxe Memory Man, split stereo (when I have the room on stage) to a 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue, and a TopHat Club Royale (I'll only use the Royale when space is tight). First I must say, that the Tubester is extremely quiet!! By adjusting the Voltage, Gain, and Volume knobs, you can really go from a thick Bluesy tone to a very close approximation of EJ's lead tone (you need an amp on the edge of breakup to really nail it). I was really surprised by how much variance there is in the control system (as I noted earlier, it is worth the time to turn some knobs). The other thing you may want to consider is the tube itself (I tried an EH12AX7, and a Telefunken 12AX7, before choosing a NOS JAN 12AT7). The gain structure and responsiveness of the pedal will really change with different tubes. For me the 12AT7 was smoother (less gain than a 12AX7), less fizzy when the gain is cranked. When you find that "sweet spot" with a good tube, your playing just flows (I know it did for me).

This thing is built like a tank (I know, I know, it's an overused cliche). I believe it's 16 GA. steel housing, and heavy, heavy duty. About the only thing I would consider as undependable in this unit is the tube (like your amps, you always want to carry spare tubes, just in case), otherwise I would feel very confident in gigging without a backup.

I've had the pleasure of corresponding with Don Wilcox - the owner - a few times, and he's been very responsive to any questions I've had. Very, very congenial guy, and very quick to respond to emails.

Overall, this is an wonderful sounding distortion/boost unit. Go from a fat clean boost to all out distortion (once again that will depend on your amp, and the tube in the pedal), or anything in between. If there are any drawbacks, my only one is the location of the input jack. It's on the same side as the outputs (I'm sure this was done from a wiring standpoint), it take a little getting used to, and if you have some extra George L cable and a couple of jacks, it's really easy to make a patch cable that's long enough to reach around it. As I said to me it was more of an idiocincricy, than an inconvenience, I've wired around it with no problems.

wow!

wow!! although there is some hum... but the sound quality is so good that that is not even an issue.

another wow!! so far so good!

havent needed support yet.

overall -- wow!! the price tag is a little steep - relative to most dist/overdrive effects, but this is a different technology than most. has some new features that others do not have...
i will take this to the grave with me. forget about buying again if stolen.. this pedal will never leave my side.

It's extremely easy to get a good sound from this unit. I can't get a bad sound. The stereo outs are a major plus.

Really great. As other reviews have stated, this pedal changes with the kind of tube that is used. It came with a JAN 5751 which provides a very sweet overdrive/distortion. I experimented with a 12AX7 - while it didn't sound bad, It was harsher than the 5751. I may try others.

This pedal ranges from clean boost to a fair amount of distortion. It has a really fat sound - probably not for someone who wants a typical scooped metal sound, but just perfect for everyone else. The warmth of this unit is outstanding.

I treat my equipment with care, but I'm not obsessive. This is an incredibly sturdy unit - Inside and outside. I would have no trouble using this without a backup.

I emailed the people at Hot Chili Tube Company to ask about the removal and installation of the tube. I expected to get a return email in one or two days. Instead, Don Wilcox gave me a call in the space of an hour or two. He was incredibly friendly and very willing to talk about the pedal and any of my concerns. It doesn't get any better. Kudos!

I play a diverse brand of spacey, hillbilly, punk, jazzy music (no covers). The range of sounds in this unit suits me. I have other overdrives (Daddy-O, Jekyll & Hyde), but I really wanted something that would have a richer, fat sound. This pedal is fine on its own and in tandem with my other pedals (UltraVibe, PolyChorus, DanEcho, Fuzz Probe, Seek Wah, Colorsound Wah, MoogerFooger Ring Mod, Small Stone, YardBox among others) through single coil and humbucking guitars (Martin GT-75, Heritage DC, Dearmond M75T, Fender Mustang, etc.).

Unlike my other pedals, this one is on all of the time. It seems more like an extension of my amps (Blues Junior, Velocette, modded Hot Rod Deluxe) than another pedal.

There is one input jack for the incoming signal. Two other jacks offer separately controlled outputs. There is a volume control for each output (A and B), a gain control, a tone control and a voltage control. The A/C power cord is wired directly into the chassis -- no batteries and no wall warts. There is a power switch on the side of the box, and of course the stomp switch on top of the unit. A green LED on top of the unit indicates when the effect is engaged. A red LED on the side above the power switch indicates that the effect is turned on.

A small Phillips head screwdriver is required to remove the four screws holding on the bottom cover. You will want to do this AFTER unplugging the power cord from the wall and waiting a while to allow the capacitors to discharge. Do NOT open this thing up unless you really know how to safely handle high voltage electrical current.

The reason I am mentioning removal of the case is because you will definitely want to change the tube. I do not know what the stock tube is these days, but it is likely whatever is readily available, which means Sovtek or generic Chinese. Mine had a Groove Tubes 12AU7 (probably Chinese). I planned to replace it with something else since I am a bit of a tube amp junkie and a tone hound. Read the sound quality part for more.

With fiddling (don't forget the guitar volume and tone controls, and the amp settings too) you can go from a pretty much clean signal through to full-on thrash. Eric Johnson tones are EASY to find. You can get AC/DC-ish, ZZ Top-esque and pretty much everything in between. I have many OD, boost and distortion boxes. This pedal is almost always in the chain.

The sound was very good with the stock tube, but there were a few things that I found a little annoying. At some settings the sound could get muddy. Okay, fine, don't use those settings. Any piece of gear (usually) can be made to sound like crap. Also, it was easy to dial in too much high-end shrillness. It was also easy to dial in other GREAT tones.

I had planned to experiement with a selection of various branded 12AU7 tubes (the stock and recommended tube) through 5751 and even a 12AX7 just for kicks. I chose a NOS Mullard 12AU7 and oh my lord. It sound SO good that I almost ended the experiment right there. I tried a GE/JAN 5751 too. I really liked it and will try it again when I am bored, but the Mullard blew me away. I put it back in and stopped right there. It seems to me that the full gain sounds with the Mullard are less compressed than with the GT tube. The 5751 had a nice smooth breakup -- definitely will try it again, but the Mullard rocks and has been in there ever since I first tried it.

There was definitely more of a Marshall flavor to the Tubester. This makes sense I suppose since these older Mullards were at one time the cornerstone of old Marshall tones. The mud was gone, Eric J. was still in there, and the shrillness up top at extreme tone and gain settings was gone. I could now crank the gain and tone to 100% and get enough clear, distinct distortion to play passable metalish stuff. Full bar chords remained distinct, just very distorted in a very pleasing way. You could hear the difference between 7ths and 9ths and everything else.

Cranking the tone control upwards toward the treble side seems to release more gain too. I typically use mine with the tone rolled off more though, and the gain backed off quite a bit, but the volume up around 5-6 (depending upon amp settings), and prefer the non-master volume amp almost dimed. Control the volume with the guitar to roll off to a nice clean tone, turn it up to get into bluesy break-up, grit or full-on grindage.

Sounds best on MV amps I tried it with when you use less gain in the input section. This makes sense too since you are effectively adding a full pre-amp tube to the front of the amp.

When the Tubester is turned on but not engaged, there is little noticable difference than if the effect were not even in the chain. It really is that quiet, and does not rob the tone of the dry signal. The Mullard tube added a bit more noise than the GT it replaced, but it was not noisier than anything else in the chain, and is quieter than a TS-9 (original) or a Vox Valvetone (another favored pedal). It is WAY quieter than any wah I have ever plugged into, and I have heard (and own) amps that make more noise.

The bottom line. If you don't like the tone of the stocker, replace the tube. The generic Chinese tubes are not that great. Get a few GOOD non-microphonic NOS tubes. I imagine a 12AX7 would be WAY too much. A 5751 would be a good bet, as would any good 12AU7.

Play with the gain, volume and voltage levels. There's a nifty sweet spot for the voltage control that balances the smoothness of the distortion you can achieve from the gain control. Where that is will depend on the tube I suppose, but it is between 10 and 2 o'clock. Turn the gain to the conservative side, crank the output and dime the amp. The tone is there. Be prepared to throw away the Tubescreamer. Mine sits in a box. I still use the Valvetone now and then (mostly for a little compression, the TS-9 can sometimes sound too compressed IMO) but I am beginning to think I don't need it in there either.

This thing is built like a tank. The case is completely metal and a good hefty thickness at that. The stomp swtch is heavy duty. The knobs are heavy duty. The power cord (no wall warts here) is heavy duty. The only detracting point would be the jacks. I think they could be a little more durable, HOWEVER, it took 4 years for the stock plastic ones to wear out so that isn't bad. There may well be a very sound safety reason for the jacks being plastic instead of metal. In any case, this thing works every time you turn it on or stomp on it. Hard to be more reliable than that.

Here is perhaps one of the best features of this product. My DS-1 needed to have the input jack replaced. The plastic threads and metal retainer nut would no longer hold the jack in place. It periodically would get loose and once or twice got loose enough to fall out. Keep in mind this is 4 years after the unit was built.

I emailed the Hot Chili Tube Co. to find out which jacks I should use to replace the broken one. I could guess, but I wanted as close to an exact replacement as was possible. Mr. Don Wilcox promptly returned my email stating that he could either send me replacement jacks FREE or send him the DS-1 for a FREE repair. Unbelievable. He even offered to send me a spare capacitor in case the one which hangs off of the input jack was damaged in any way whilst performing my home repair. The parts arrived a little over a week later (this was all around the Christmas season too). There was the orange drop capacitor and a handful of jacks in a well packed compact parcel. Again, wow. Who else does this? I imagine there are a few still, and cudos to them. Those that don't, well, time will tell.

What can I say. This is my favorite overdrive, and I have tried many. I kept a Budda Phatman that I enjoy as well, but it is used only under certain circmstances. It likes NOS tubes too, BTW.

Various Tube Drivers have come and gone. They just don't have the range of what the DS-1 can do. The TS-9, as good as it is, sees no use any more, and the ValveTone is probably going to be relegated to the unused effects box too. The other "boutique" effects are all gone, and the DS-1 is the main keeper.

I don't usually give things 10s. However, with the superior customer service (which is better than ANY I have experienced to date) and the tonal flexibility of the DS-1 (responds well to tweaking and variety of tubes) plus the superior build quality of the unit in the first place, well, this piece is hard to fault.

Very easy to get a good sound (haven't found a bad sound yet), but it'll take some work to find your FAVORITE sound, considering the variables you can experiment with.

I play an '89 American Standard Strat with Lindy Fralins, a mid-70's Ibanez Artist with Dimarzio Humbuckers (Humbucker from Hell in the neck position, Norton at the bridge), and a Tele made from parts (G&L vintage pickups), through a Dr. Z MAZ Jr. The sound is great with all guitars and at most of the settings. It gets noisy only when the voltage and gain are cranked all the way (omething I did only to see how much noise I could get it to make - really, there's no need to dime these controls). Otherwise it's exceptionally quiet. One of the greatest features of this box is the tremendous change in personality with a switch of the tube. In descending order of aggressiveness, try a 12AX7 for full-throttle, tapping, dive-bombing and harmonics, or a 5751 for a slightly tamer feel, with plenty of crunch. A notch below this is the 12AY7 (I'm currently using a version of this one labelled GE 6072, an NOS tube I got from Kropotkin Classic Amplification). This still offers plenty of grind and is suitable for everything from blues to classic rock (hate that phrase but you know what I mean). The 12AT7 and especially the 12AU7 offer quieter, more refined overdrive - an especially nice one is the RCA5963 (a 12AU7 variety I got from Mike Kropotkin - a GREAT source for NOS tubes, by the way). This one will give you a nice, conservative "old-tweed" sound which should please blues players and seems to work better with my Fenders. Unless you're a Metalhead, there should be plenty of overdrive sounds for everyone with this pedal (and with a higher-gain amp like the Mesa DC-5 I used to have, who knows?). I can't offer a comparison with Klon Centaur, SIB Varidrive, Mesa or Matchless pedals, but I can say that this box sounds much more natural and "alive" than the pre-FM Fulldrive I owned. With any of these tubes, there's tons of sustain with the voltage up past 6 or 7.

Haven't put this through 50 gigs, but it's built better than any box I've laid hands on. Even the power cord is excellent! (No wall wart).

Don is very responsive - answers e-mail within a day or two, returns calls, etc. A very nice guy, and totally trustworthy. Also, a fanatic - definitely the kind of guy you want to build a piece of equipment for you, and I'm sure he's the kind of guy who would take it personally if there were a problem with one. I'll probably never find out, though...

I play blues, blues-rock, southern rock and alt-country. I don't use overdrive/distortion all the time, but when I do, this is all I need. My last distortion pedal! Sure, it's expensive (I got one with silver wire), but if you don't like it, it'll sell fast through the H-C classifieds. I know, because I waited for one to show up for a few months before ordering from Don. I think I saw only two during that time, and both sold within a day or two. Sure, I'd replace it in a heartbeat! The only reason I don't give it all 10's is because I'm one of those people who think a "10" is unattainable...

The ease of use is pretty self explanitory,New users who are not somewhat familiar with the product may need to resort back to the user guide every so often.Overall I think after someone gets used to the unit & learns its personality they will REALLY like it! I do.

I use mine with a Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectifier Trem-o-verb.I play a 97 Les Paul standard,A 1976 335 with original PAF pick-ups,A 1999 Lucille,& a 1999 American Standard Strat with Fender 1950's relacement pickups that come stock in the Relics.I found that it sounds excellent through humbuckers for playing rock or metal,but through my old 335 & my strat the distortion was in my opinion, really overpowering.I tried to adjust down with the voltage & gain but it really did'nt give me the sound I was searching for.So I e-mailed Don (who promptly responded) asking about using a 12AT7 tube in place of the 5751.He confirmed that would not be a problem & encouraged me to give it a try & asked that I please call him back & let him know what I thought,He said he may offer the AT7's as an option.I changed the tube & quite frankly,I could'nt ask for a better sound.It takes away the "fuzz" sound & gives it a really clear "grind"
like a very cool overdriven tube sound so many Blues players use.I think with the tube change,for me I could'nt have asked for better.

Man this thing is built like a tank.It will easily stand the everyday demands of playing gigs on a regular day in day out basis.

As I said above,I e-mailed Don who promptly resonded & offered any further assistance he could.It took a little longer to get that I had hoped,but I was VERY pleased when I finally had it.Don's customer service is what great companies are built on.

I play mostly blues,(Hendrix,SRV,ZZ Top,KWS,B.B.King)some rock & pop.I've been playing for about 12 years,I also have a Drum set,Yamaha Keyboard,& a Modulas Bass & Eaden 2X12 amp.If it were lost or stolen,I'd be rightfully miffed & yes i absolutely woul buy it again.I think it's a product that is about to really take off once word is spread about how good it sounds.

This is a solid and easy to use pedal. The controls are self-explanatory, and the manual suggests some useful settings.

I'm using the pedal with my Ibanez S-series guitar with a S.Duncan Custom/Custom pick-up in the bridge. I have the compressor going to a TS-9(w/the 808 mod.), into the DS-1, to T.C. Chorus to BOSS Delay, into a '71 Fender Super Reverb. I really like the combination between the TS-9 and the tubester,both on at the same time. It's a smooth, endless sustain tone with a nice edge, but never harsh. I'm using it more for a Holdsworth/Johnson kind of legato tone and it sounds great.

Built like a tank indeed, requires a screwdriver to access the tube, so plan ahead.

I spoke to Don when I first got the pedal, and he suggested using a 12AX7 tube for more gain. He was very courteous and receptive of my comments.

I researched before I purchased this pedal, and was sold by the voltage knob and refined tone.

Very easy to use.

This is by far the best sounding distortion unit I've got. It's the only one that I like in front of my Dr. Z Ghia Head. Others sound muddy with chords, not this one. Tried it with my Les Paul, '75 Strat, and my G&L. Not a bad sound anywhere. Great definition on chords, excellent harmonics.

I've just gotten it, but I feel it is very solid and well built.

Have not dealt with the company, but am very pleased with Analog Mike who I bought the pedal from.

Play mostly blues, ZZ Top, Hendrix. Perfect pedal for me. Now I can stop looking. The only change I would make is to have true bypass standard instead of an option. Just my opinion.

The operation of the pedal couldn't be more straightforward. There is a volume,gain,voltage and tone control. The subtle adjustments and combinations of these controls allow for almost infinite sound alterations. Replacement of the tube is also very easy and allows for even further sound changes.

The Tubester I ordered had a true bypass switch and the silver wire option. It is the quietest pedal I have ever used. There is no background noise with the bypass switch engaged and with the distortion on, background noise is very low. I am extremely impressed with how quiet this unit is.

I have used the Tubester almost daily for the past six months. It has operated flawlessly and I can't see any reason I wouldn't be able to rely on it. Yes, it really is built like a tank!!!

I have dealt only with the owner:Don McCandless. Don was very helpful in guiding me through questions I had about the unit. He also answered a number of questions I had about other musical products. I found Don very knowledgeable and willing to help with any concerns I had. I felt that Don would take care of, fix or resolve any problem I would have.

I first read about the Tubester in Guitar World. The write-up was so glowing that I had my checkbook ready to go by the last paragraph!! I had visions of sounding like Stevie Ray Vaughan or every other solo guitarist.
I have been playing a Strat Plus through a Marshall Artist 3203(Hybrid)amp for the past few years. However, I felt that I wasn't getting enough variety of distortion sound.
When I first received and plugged in the Tubester, I was a little dissapointed.I was expecting a little more sound. I called Don the next day. He recommeded that I change the tube inside(which he sent me). I changed the tube and-BINGO, the sound I was looking for.I also found that tweaking the controls opens up all kinds of possibilities. This is truly an effect that needs time and patience to discover the nuances and true quality of sound that it can produce.
I have had the Tubester now for six months. I waited to write this, so that I would have enough time to judge it fairly. I have to honestly admit, that I enjoy the sound more and more every time I play. I didn't fully appreciate the quality of the sound at first. I was so used to the Marshall, that the sound of the Tubester was unfamiliar to me. However, the Tubester lets me play the note and than allows me to distort it. I am not playing a distorted signal.
This is a great pedal and there is no need for any other distortion pedal in my sytem.
Great Job Hot Chili Tubeworks!!!!

The Tubester is like other distortion boxes in that it has controls for Gain, Volume, and Tone, but it adds two extra features. The first is Voltage which allows you to control the voltage to the tube, and the second is a second Volume for the B Output.

I have a nice selection of distortion boxes: Boss Metal Zone, FuzzFace, Ibanez TS-9 modded to 808 specs, Real Tube, Rat, and various Zoom boxes. This Tubester has the best tone and harmonics out of all of them. I tried out various tubes (12AX7, JAN-5751, 12AT7, 12AU7) and settled for a Phillips Jan-5814A (which is a mil-spec 12AU7). A typical Rock setting with my EC Strat would be Voltage 8, Gain 5, Tone 9 in the effects loop of an Ibanez UE-405 running some analog delay with a minimun Repeat and Delay Time and a 50/50 Blend. "Did somebody say 'Rock On'?"

How many Boss reviews have you read where some Alteenager said it was "built like a tank"? Well, I worked in the electronics area of General Dymanics for 6 years and saw M1 military hardware up close. This is the closest thing I have seen to being "built like a tank." (Although, I will give honorable mention to ProCo for their Mil-Spec circuit boards.) Anyways, this thing is very heavy duty.

Great. I read the 6/27/97 review by Don McCandless and so I sent mine back to have the mods/upgrades. He is very helpful and I recommend him.
I purchase mine from Analog Man (Analog Mike) who I also recommend.

This is indeed a great box.

The only thing that makes this not super easy to use is that it has a fully interactive two channel stereo setup whereby you can run two amps interdependently.

Unbelievable tone. It's pretty tough to dial in a bad sound. I should mention that this is the only box I've put in front of my Top Hat Club Royale that I thought didn't detract from the amps tone. The Tubester doesn't improve the tone--I don't think anything could--instead, it gives you more flavors and nuances of the existing tones. This pedal is like the Matchless Hotbox in that it is a real tube (12AX7A) driven unit that runs at a high voltage. What makes this unique is that the voltage is variable so you can back off the gain, but keep the voltage high or vice versa for different sounds. Since usually higher voltage = better tone, all of the action on the voltage control is between say, 5 and 10, but this doesn't diminish the value of the feature. Especially when you're trying to dial in a really smooth low gain kind of boosted sound, which is really tough with a 12AX7, you can back off the voltage while you have the gain around 1 and you can get the tone you're after.
With the voltage and the gain dimed, this things kicks it out! Tons of sustain without being buzzy or harsh. Great for leads.
I play a Fender Tele Plus (7 pos. three pu's) with Seymour Duncan pu's. Sounds great.
I love this pedal.

This thing is overbuilt. I don't know if that's good or bad, but I think I could drop it down a flight of stairs and if the tube didn't break, I could pick up the box and play through it. It is dead rock solid. The quality is also very, very high in terms of components. This thing is almost dead quiet. Unbelievable for a stomp box!!!

This is another one of those boutique outfits for which I seem to have a fetish (see the Top Hat review). This outfit is run by Don McCandless and I think another fellow who don't even do this full time. Don is extremely helpful and sincere, but is not able to provide the kind of rapid response to problems, inquiries, etc. that you might want. I originally ordered mine with an extra output but somehow the communication between myself and Don got screwed up. I got an extra output, but it wasn't wired the way I wanted it to be. Don split the shipping with me, delivered the mod. free of charge, and was very apologetic about the mixup (which was more likely my inability to express what I wanted clearly than any oversight on his part). Of course, all this means is that he still is probably better than Fender .
Don is a solid guy who I enjoyed doing business with. I would buy another of his products in a second. The rating in this category is a combination of 10 for intention and sincerity and 5 for timeliness of response. Since the former is more important to me than the latter, I rounded up.

I've been playing on and off for 10+ years, seriously for the last few. This is the 4th distortion stompbox I've bought and I don't even *look* at any others any more. Everything I want it to be. I *DO* wish it had a three band eq instead of the single tone knob, but nothing's perfect I suppose. I'm pretty much a tone junkie. I'm fussy about my gear and am really happy I ended up with this pedal.

Wide variety of sound: from additional sustain to mesa like overdrive. Straight forward controls. However, all controls at feet, so can't change them midstream.

Terrific sustain and depth of sound. Real tube sound. From merely adding a bit of sustain to all out distortion. It's totally great. I'm using a fender STrat with Fender Vibrolux playing Afro-pop. I use it very turned down for clean but beefy double stops or turned up for real lead sound.

Seems very reliable, built like a tank.

Terrific, Don's there. He'll make one justt for you.

Would but it again, and again. I simply hate the ts-9 electronic type of distortion, makes everyone cringe, but this make a deep rich wonderful multi-octave sound.

Very easy to get a good sound. Controls are pretty straightforward. Real tweaking is between the gain and voltage controls.

First, I agree with just about all of the other reviews of this pedal and bought it based upon this information. Used with a variety of guitars and amps. Strat w/ Van Zandts, 63 LP Junior and 94 LP standard. Amps include: 64 Champ, 61 Bassman, 75 JMP Marshall Vox AC15 Reissue. This pedal sounds great with just about all of these combinations. It sounds great for anyplace you would normally use a tube screamer but...It kicks the TS9's ass. Heres the difference- I like my TS9 (which was modded by Analog Mike much to my satisfaction!) and Fulldrive II but the Tubester retains more of the individual guitar's character. Better Harmonics than either pedal and not as compressed. The best way I can put it is with the Tubester it doesn't sound just like a strat or LP- It sounds like your strat or LP except a hell of a lot more of it. It will do the tube screamer thing but will also kick a marshall into a smoother overdrive. It sends my Vox AC15 into a harmonic frenzy. IMHO my amps are pretty decent but this pedal seems to improve them all. The only thing I've found is it can be a little bright so I run the tone down. However, this could be a result of me needing more time to gauge the effect of the other settings on the tone.

I agree with the other reviews. This thing is heavy and solid. I first got some crackling from the footswitch and thought I would have to return but I noticed the nut was real loose. After I tightened it the switching was fine. Only had the pedal for a few days but I wouldn't expect too many problems.

Haven't dealt w/ Don yet but from what I hear he's great. I bought the pedal from Analog Mike and really can't say enough good about the guy. I've bought and traded a few pedals with him and have been very pleased. His TS9 mod is as good as everybody says.

I play a lot of classic rock and Blues. The tubester is great for this type of music. It is so versatile I don't know what it wouldn't be good for. I've been playing for 19 years but unfortunately don't sound like it. I don't like a lot of effects although I am an overdrive freak. Although I continue to like my Fulldrive, TS9, SD9, and Marshall Guv'nor, the Tubester is my present favorite. The other "Real Tube" pedals don't touch this one. All these pedals have their place in the world of overdrive but this one seems to cover more bases.
Its not a cheap pedal but I do believe its worth it. If you are a big fan of smooth overdrive buy it. If you are a shredder you may need something with more gain, however, it will melt a Master Volume Marshall.

plug in-line foot switch has large range of sounds which requires turning the knobs

The sound: this has it...the tube warmth and ooouch feel, still clean, mega sustain, awesome lead sound. Used with a strat and Fender Blues Deluxe. Also great with standard crybaby. One other guitarist uses a blue sound Ibanex box and the other guitarist uses a Boss Sonic distortion (cousin of tube distortion. There both are better guitarists and sound good through their boxes, but miss the gripping full singing ringing clarity tearing sound is missing. They both use the same guitar and amp so I can tell under rather controlled conditions. I like this better than any electroic box and better than the Mesa V-Twin. Really the ultimate tube sound, at any volume level.
Not noisy at all, total quiet passthrough.

rugged direct 110 volt

terrific, personal. expect to wait a few weeks for your to be built, with whatever options you might want.

Gives that "old Fender Delux" sound without the comprmises, at any volume level. The sound is simply superb, every note is worth listening to. You can get 4 Ibenez boxes for the price, but they are one dimensional, they simply fuzz up the sound. If you have the $ and like to play singing ripping soaring leads, don't let this one get away.

Very easy. Five contols the gain and the plate voltage are the two I use the most. It's great fun to play with. Nothing compares with the range of overdrive you can get.

I have a Chandler Tube Driver, Ts-9 Tube Screamer, Danelectro Daddy-O, and have had various other overdrive pedals. Nothing comes as close to giving the true overdriven sound without coloring your original sound. I still use the other pedals but they are one trick poney;s were the Tubester is incredibaly versatile (even woithout changing the Tube)

This thing is built like a tank. No problems so far and I don't expect any.

Don is great. I have talked with him several times and he is always interested in what the musician wants. After I got mine I wanted a little more bottom end out of the unit. I called Don he said he knew what he needed to do and turned the thing around in a week (no charge). He is very interested in your ideas about what could be done to make the unit better (anything additional would just be icing on the cake for me).

The unit I have has the silver wire option. I have used the JAN 5751, 12AX7, 7025, 12AT7 and the 12AU7 tubes in the unit. They all give you something a little different. I play moslty blues and classic rock and for now I have settled on the 12AU7 tube to use. It's the best combination for me. I think the ability to use different tubes and the plate voltage make the tubester the most versatile overdrive/distortion pedal available today. I would but one again in a heartbeat, but I don't think I will ever need to. Thanks for making such a great product Don.

Thanks for the honest review of our pedal! Congrats to Harmony Central for offering a forum of credible reviews, not a bunch of hype.

We did find a small problem with the circuit that did allow some signal leakage, but this has been fixed in all models purchased after the 6/14/97 review (that follows this one).
As for existing customers, if you would like to have your pedal modified for FREE! (we want ya'all to own the best from Hot Chili), just contact us for instructions. All we ask is to cover the shipping. We'll do the parts and labor at no charge.
Since the Tubester has only tubes in it (no op-amps or transistors), the amount of gain will be slightly less than other similar products, but it depends on your individual "tone taste". We tried to make it go from clean to nasty enough, but sometimes you just need more! Thats where a Rat or other pedal may come in handy (preceeding your Tubester in the signal chain).

Sorry about the design flaw. Its fixed now. It's actually built like a tank, including silicone "anti-vibration" mystery stuff. It should last longer than you do! Replacing tubes should be the only regular service required. But again, if you have a problem, don't hesitate to call us! (505) 237-1637

Thanks for the kind words! (I'm blushing!)

Yes, the Tubester is getting better and better. We really appreciate hearing from our customers (and potential ones) about what you want, what works and what doesn't. If you continue to tell us, we'll continue to improve!

The Tubester is very easy to use and get a good sound.

I have an original Chandler Tube Driver and it has more volume on about 5 than the Tubester on 10. It also has more gain on 7 than the Tubester on 10. The Tubester also has considerably more hum than the Chandler. The Tubester has about half of the balls that the Chandler does. On the other hand the Tubester's voltage control is great, and gives a wide variety of colors to the sound. Unfortunately the Tubester with all of the controls set on 10 has about 25% less distortion than the Chandler. Me and a friend both bought one on the strength of the reviews here at Harmony Central and we both sent them back. Both were defective in that when the Tubester was clicked off, if you had the voltage control on 10 you could hear a fuzz sound under your clean sound. Both of our units did this. Mine also had a high frequency feedback that would happen when you turned up the B output, even when you were using the A output and had nothing plugged into the B. If I didn't have the Chandler to compare it to I would have loved the sound of the Tubester apart from the obvious problems with mine. No one would notice the problem with the voltage leak unless they were using a clean sound on their amp. If they already had a bit of distortion on there amp they'd never notice the fuzz sound that the Tubester added very quietly under the clean sound. I thought this was supposed to be a true bypass pedal.

As the two we bought were both defective I would not feel I could depend on it which is one of the reasons I sent mine back.

Don was extremely nice and helpful. You couldn't ask for better customer support. He said the problem was with bad switches and offered to replace it with a better switch and have it done in two days. He even offered to try and beef up the gain. Because of his extreme helpfullness and kindness I will very likely buy another of his pedals in the future, but not a stock one. He would have to eliminate the voltage leak and give the pedal at least as much gain and drive as the Chandler, and reduce the hum level. He is also working on something which I am sure will put all other attempts to build a tube pedal of this kind to shame and make them all obsolete. I am convinced he is dedicated in trying to build the very best quality pedal of this type and will stand behind his work.

I'd buy it again if the problems I mentioned were corrected. I love the tonal possibilities when varying the voltage control. I wish it had more gain and drive like the Chandler and less hum. It would be nice to have a parametric eq section, with lows, sweepable mids, and highs. As I said before if I didn't have the Chandler to compare it to I would have loved this pedal had it not had the voltage leak. As the Chandler is no longer available, the tubester is likely the best product of its kind, and I'm sure it will only get better. The ones we had were stock with no extras.

This unit is extremely easy to use. Since the pedal is quite versatile (thanks to it's voltage control) it may take a couple hours the first time (that's what it took me) to discover it's best sounds and capabilities. You may also spend some time on listening to different tube types in this pedal (as many other pedals of this type it will accept any 12A*7* tube type). Once the initial 'self-study' is done, just plug in and go...

This pedal sounds GREAT at any setting. Mine was ordered with silver wire option (additional 50$ to the base 239$ price). I don't know if it's the wire but at any setting the sound seems to be very open with beautifull harmonics. I don't want to repeat other submissions on this pedal - I do agree with them. However ther're two things I was particularly impressed with. First is bypass mode. Most of todays quality pedals come with true bypass. However most of the AC-powered units have a real problem in bypass mode - AC coupling. Try it for yourself - try the bypass mode with power OFF and then try it with power ON (almoust any AC powered pedal on the market with exception of this one and Matchless Coolbox). Thanks to it's shielded transformer, quality parts and silver wire this pedal does NOT suffer the 'dirty bypass' desease. In addition it produces less power supply hum than any other high gain pedal I have tried. Second - the Voltage control. This is the feature which puts this pedal in a category of it's own not approached by any of the rivals. This feature allows to change both, dynamics and tone (in addition to the common volume, tone, gain controls). Set Voltage low and you will get warm, rich in lower mids sound with breakup characteristics reminiscent of tweed amps. Turn it up and sound becomes very articullate with tons of headroom and upper mids liveliness. Anything in between - just dial it in... Not only does it add another dimension to your tone possibilites but in addition it allows to keep dynamic responce of guitar-pedal-amp setup similar within different amp volume settings.

Since this pedal is point-to-point wired and built out of quiality components I don't expect any problems (had it only for a week).

Don McCandles is a very helpful and friendly person. It's always nice when you can talk to the guy who runs the business instead of a dumb receptionist.

This is the best preamp distortion/overdrive pedal I ever had (or tried). Of course it still is a PREAMP pedal, so it doesn't sound exactly the same as a 100W non-master-volume Marshall cranked up. So does not any pedal I owned or tried and so do not overhyped power attenuators. It still sounds better than any of those and its extreme tone quality and dynamic range makes it my choice over other available tube-driven pedals.

This is wicked easy to use! Spend a little time with it, tweek the knobs to and fro, and in no time, you are comfortable with it! The manual is very self explanatory, and easy to follow. It's great because it has a SECOND volume pot, designed for a second amp! I tried this out, mixed an Ampeg Reverberocket with a Mesa Boogie Subway Blues! Really, really nice and interesting! What potential! Don, the leader of the company, suggested I try a 12au7 tube if I wanted a more 'blues' oriented performance. I didn't have one, but I did try a 5751 JAN tube, which has roughly a third less output. Geez!... Really tonally changed it into a blues pedal! Real sophisticated and sweet and warm and fat. AND ohhh yes, you can still dial in phenominal amounts of crunch, due to the one very special knob, the 'voltage control', which allows you to dial in the amount of plate voltage to the tube, giving you ultimate choice of how tube saturated a sound quality you want! No doubt about it. This works for you!

Mine has virtually no noise at all! And as i said, this setup and design is superior! Example, at very very low volume levels, it still sounds correct, as if the speaker was being tortured in the best of ways. Another point, this gives you the added bonus of increasing the volume when engaged! Allowing you to decide how you want this great pedal to 'kick in'!
I've had 4 other friends of mine come over to try this unit. All of them are real real pickey about how they sound. ALL of them really really really like this Hot Chili Tube Works Tubester! Compared it to an Ibanez Tube Screamer, which by comparison sounded very 'small', had no sustain, and no bottom end whatsoever. This pedal 'soars and nails everything you dial in! In fact, there's NOT a bad sound this pedal does. From 'Sublime to Wicked', this pedal delivers the goods. And, BTW, this pedal also 'smoked an Ibanez Tube King 999 !!! There were witnesses to this! The owner of the Ibanez was dissappointed, and has since put his in the paper for sale, so he can order a Hot Chili Tube Works "Tubester"! That, everybody, is a real testimonial to this product!

When i looked inside to change the tube as I mentioned before, I was very very impressed with the quality of the parts used, AND the cleanliness of the installation and the layout. Indeed... Highest quality effort! It's a pretty pedal, extremely well thought out, built like a tank! I expext zero problems with this! No plastic battery powered 'wanna-be' here!...
Don, the leader of the company, is always accessible to talk to, and is open minded to modifying the pedal to suit your needs. Hard to beat that, isn't it??! Had mine made with the Pure Silver Wire option, because I know what great things silver does for my tube stereo at home! Truly the best approach...Use the best components, with a great idea, take the proper time to put it together. BINGO! One superior pedal!

Can't beat this! Talk to the designer/builder yourself! Get it made to do what YOU want! There are other options available! Please, take the time to talk to Don, get his info, and get ready for the best pedal on the market...Period!! Need to talk to him after the sale? No problem! Don takes the time to answer all my comments/questions... He/this company can be reached via Email at: donmcc@unm.edu
Ask for Don!

Yes, I would buy it again! I love the incredible versatility of the pedal! From just a slight 'sparkle' to wicked 'creaminess'!, to just blistering distortion! ALL done with the best tones! Yup, compared it with others. NO contest... This one is it... Pedal gives you a whole other dimension to your amp! The louder you play, the better you sound!!! And this even sounds terrific at very very low volume levels! Since these are hand built, here in the USA, one at a time, I had to wait a bit to get mine. Not a problem though. The performance of this pedal and design, are TRULY worth waiting for!
As a mentioned before, 4 different players had their chance to play, and tweek the knobs to suit their style of playing, which is quite diverse BTW, and all came away from this marvelling at how good everyone sounded! Again, You can't beat this!

See earlier posting

See earlier posting

It broke on me but only after bouncing around in the back of my truck during a near collision.
See Below for futher discussion.

This is an update regarding my earlier submission. While in my gig bag with the rest of my gear, I had to make a sudden stop. Well it all came tumbling to the front of my truck including my # 2 Tubester. When I hooked it up the next time, It just didn;t sound right and went down hill quickly. Dismayed I got out my old Tube Driver (which had not been involved with the afore mentioned incident) to use on my next gig and called HCTW for help. Don dalled me back and told me to ship it to him and he would get on it ASAP. During the conversation (Don is great fun to talk to and is always open to new ideas) I made a couple of comments, really gripes which I had after using the unit for a while. I shipped it to him on monday; and Friday it was back in my hands. Not only had he repaired the unit in less than a week, but had rewired it with more insulation,installed a brighter status LED, and put locktight on all exposed nuts (These were the minor gripes I had before). When I looked inside he had also written a service record for future reference. Additionally he called me back to verify that I had received the unit and that the repairs were to my satisfaction. That is what I call service ... I wish I could give an 11 in this catagory.

While I was talking to Don we discussed some other modifications and possibilities for future devices. He asked me, and I quote "what else do you think you or other professional musisicians might need?" He really knows his stuff and will work with any pro to fit his or her needs if at all possible.

It's about as easy to use as anything ever has been. You just twist knobs until the hair on your neck stands up which won't be long cause this thing sounds great.

If it's too noisy, then you're playing too loud and you know what that means! This is the best tube overdrive unit I've ever used (I've tried a few!). If you're a tired old tone junkie looking for a mean fix you NEED to get your hands on one of these units... I'm now using it with a Blues Deluxe; What a sound!

Well, it hasn't broken yet. I've had mine for a couple of months now and it's seen a good deal of abuse. It's really built to be very rugged (heavy welded steel) so I have no complaints. I can't give it a 10 because I need a little more time with it...

I had had a Mk I Boogie in the late 70's and when you called them for support you got to talk to Randy Smith himself. Same with Hot Chili Tube Works. This is a custom shop, hand made unit. As far as I know you can get one made the way you want it and talk to the boss for help getting it done.

I was blowin' through Albuquerque a few months back and happened to hear a Tubester being played through a milk toast master volume Twin with a Tele/EMG combo. It sounded so good I hocked a GSP Legend for the cash to get on the waiting list to get one. I've never looked back. I'm very happy to be a Tubester owner! Check one out...

The thing is deceptively easy to use, that is although there are only 5 controls, the range of tones make experimentation a must. There is one unusual control which I think is unique among similar pedals: a seperate volume control for a 2nd amp. This is active regardless of wheather the distoration is on or off. I have thought of a number of uses for this feature although I haven't used it in performance. The other controls are pretty well what we are used to on this type of effect (volume, drive, tone) with the added exception of a plate voltage control. This is an improtant tone shaping feature as the unit runs at full voltage not a wimpy 9 volts.

As with any device that has a tube and power supply in one housing there is some amount of noise which is unavoidable. I have a "Tube Driver" and in side by side compairisons the Tubester is somewhat less noisy. Don, the resident genius at Hot Chili Tube Works, has worked very hard to limit the noise. The use of very high quality components throughout the unit is evidence of this.
I find that the sound is best suited for blues and rock tones although I understand that a mid range modification is avaliable that provides a more metal orientated sound. For me the sound is perfect just as it is!!! I used it on a gig the first day and the guys in my band all commented on the good tone I was getting (even though I had not told them about trying something new). The next day I went into our project studio and really gave it a workout ... Bottom Line? ... It is the absolute BEST sounding unit of it's kind I have ever used (and I have used them all).

As I said earlier, The thing uses Very high quality components throughout and it is built like a tank on the outside. I have only had it for a week but I don't look for any problems, but if anything does go wrong, Don is right there and stands behind his products like a proud mother.

As I stated earlier, Don builds them and is right there to back them up. I corosponded with him several times to get mine right and he has told me often that if there are any problems, or if I was just unhappy with the sound he would make it right. What else could you want.

I am thinking about getting another one with some of the custom modifications as soon as I can sell my old pedals so yes I would get another ... You can't have too much tone.