Tonebone Plexitube
Tonebone Plexitube
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 Radial Tonebone Plexitube Distortion 12AX7 Tube Pedal  US $299.99
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Tonebone pedals?
Does the Hot British have a 12AX7 Tube? Or is it just the Plexitube version that has the tube?
It looks like all of the Tonebone distortion pedals have 12ax7 tubes in them, from just a brief look at their website. Probably the only difference between them is the topology - ie, the different voicings and solid state circuits surrounding them. The 12ax7 shouldn't actually give all that much distortion in the way it's being used... I don't think it's a starved current design, but even then I'm pretty sure that it's mainly being used to add some harmonics - my gut instinct is that most of the distortion is coming from FET circuits before and after the 12ax7 tubes.
Whichever one you end up going with, think about swapping the tube out - 12ax7 tubes are very replaceable, and different ones have their own sonic characteristics. I favor the JJ spiralwound tubes, for less hum, but perhaps they may be too dark for you. Either way, they're all pretty cheap (less than 20 bucks for most) and swapping them out doesn't hurt anything, as long as the unit isn't plugged in.
It's a great way to expand the sonic possibilities of an already great distortion pedal.
Saul
Ae Wizard reviews Radial Tonebone Plexitube