FAQ
- Can I power my Effectrode pedal with 'Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2 Plus'?
The short answer is, 'No'. The Voodoo Labs, 'Flatliner' and 'Trex Fuel Tank' power supplies are designed or low-power transistor/opamp pedals and simply cannot supply enough juice for real vacuum tube gear. Effectrode pedals are more like tube amplifiers in their power supply requirements and demand high currents and voltages to operate correctly. A typical transistor pedal will use in the order of just a few milliamps, Effectrode pedals require a minimum of 1200mA. -
Do the tubes operate at true amplifer plate voltages?
Yes, the tubes operate at 300 Volts D.C. Our high voltage power supplies are fully regulated and smoothed to ensure low noise. Many other manufacturers of tube pedals are operating tubes at voltages as low as 12 volts. I guess this is for economic reasons or for lack of ability in power supply design. It's certainly not for better tonal quality because low voltage operation (current starvation) of tubes sounds terrible. To avoid an electrifying experience, refer servicing to qualified personnel only. High D.C. voltages of up to 400 volts are present in the circuit. Whilst working on the power supply design for these pedals, I've experienced an electric shock or two and it's not a pleasant experience. Beware! -
How often should I replace tubes in my effects pedal?
To extend tube life, it is recommended that the unit be allowed to warm-up for at least one minute after being switched on. This is to allow the heater filament in the tube to heat the cathode, which is coated with a layer of barium and strontium oxide. This oxide layer gets torn off the cathode, a process known as cathode stripping, if the cathode has not reached it's correct operating temperature. If operated well within their ratings, good quality signal tubes can last 100,000 hours or more; that's well over 11 years of continuous use. - Why is the volume level output from my Tube Drive so high?
This is normal. I suggest all knobs set at quarter (9 o'clock) and use that as a starting point. All the control knobs on the Tube Drive have a wide range which makes it possible to achieve clean boost, blues, overdrive, distortion and modern saturated Soldano/Boogie tones from one pedal. Just about any miniature B9A tube can be used in the 12AX7 positions. The gain architecture of the Tube Drive is designed to work with different tubes. It has been tested with 12AX7, 12AT7, 12AU7, 12AV7, 5751 and 5965 tubes so far and will operate with mixed tube combinations. These tubes have different characteristic curves, which affects the overdrive response and tone in a more fundamental manner than just increasing the gain knob. So, for example, With low mu 12AU7s the Tube Drive becomes a clean boost pedal; with a 5965 in position one it has an exceptionally smooth response; and with 12AX7s (fitted has standard) it has a huge amount of gain range from blues to saturation - watch your volume level though! - What is the difference between the Effectrode Tube Drive and other tube overdrive pedals?
The Tube Drive has an all tube signal path based on 3 triode tubes 4 gain stages, plus an active tube boost where the tubes operate at amp plate voltages. This gives a more natural amp-like tone in comparison to other tube pedals that utilize solid-state transistor or op-amp buffers and gain-stages to feed a single tube operating at low voltage (starvation). - Can the Delta-Trem emulate a bias tremolo
There's been some interest on using the Delta-Trem to emulate the sound of the early Fender bias tremolo amps. One of my customers has spent some time on this and provided some settings:
Mode: Leslie
Shape: 11 o'clock
Depth: Full
Speed: 3 o'clockish
The key to the bias trem effect is the asymmetrical wave coupled with smoothed peaks. Obviously speed and depth are to taste but this is a good demonstration of the full on effect. -
How do I nail the Robin Trower 'Bridge of Sighs' sound with the Tube-Vibe?
Set the 'Speed', 'Volume' and 'Intensity' controls to the 12 o'clock position and then make fine ajustments from there. This will give you a huge, clear Trower sound with no noise or hum and that famous tube warmth. -
Expression pedal for the Tube-Vibe.
I've tested the Roland EV-5 (and more robust EV-7) expression pedal with the Tube-Vibe and it works very well. There's also a knob on the EV-5 which allows fine-tuning of the range of travel which is usful. Recently one of our dealers also confirmed compatibility with the. Moog EP-2 Expression Pedal. Finally, for the ulitmate in flexibility, Tone In Progress also make a mechanical foot controller. 'Guitar Buyer' magazine road tested it with the Tube-Vibe and you can read the full review here. -
What advantages do tubes offer over transistors in effects pedals?
The short answer is, peace of mind. Tubes offer clarity, richness and purity of tone that simply cannot be attained with solid-state silicon or germanium technologies such as transistors, FETs, opamps and even the latest digital modelling technologies. To my ear, transistors and FETs often sound overbright, clinical and even brittle sounding. They are also susceptible to overload and clip in a harsh and unpleasant way splattering the audioband with unrelated harmonic content. With careful design these effects can be minimized, however tubes are inherently linear, have greater headroom and softclip. They're the right tool for the job of audio signal processing. It's interesting to note that hthe first use for transistors was in the mass manufacture of portable radios. The sound quality of these was not exactly audiophile. The operational amplifer was originally designed for analog computation. True bypass is no longer an issue because our pedals do not contain any opamp or transistor buffers that will destroy your tone. Effectrode tube effects pedals are engineered to 'Sound fantastic on any setting all the time!' and are characterised by a wide open and natural sound that's full of warmth and clarity. -
What kind of service warranty does Effectrode offer?
Buy with confidence. We provide a 21-Day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with our pedals for any reason, return it for a full refund of the purchase price, full credit, or exchange of your choice. We give you 21 days from the shipping date.
Should you find it necessary to return a pedal, it must be shipped within this 21-day guarantee period. All returned items must include a Return Authorization Number, be in the original packaging complete with the power supply, warranty card and owner’s manual, and show no signs of wear or abuse otherwise the return will either be refused or subject to a 25% restocking fee. Should you decide to return your pedal, please obtain a Return Authorization Number from us by email. Paypal payments will be refunded directly through Paypal. Refunds are made for product value only, excluding shipping and handling charges. All returns must:
- Include a return authorization number
- Be in the original packaging complete with power supply, warranty cards and manual.
- Be in brand-new condition, showing no signs of wear or use such as scuffs, dings, or scrapes on the pedal or collateral materials.
*Effectrode pedals operate their tubes conservatively and you should expect tube lifetimes of 100,000 hours or longer. That's 11 years of continuous operation, 24 hours a day! If you use your pedal for only 4 hours a day, they should last over 25 years. (We can't warranty tubes for this period, however experience shows that such lifetimes are probable).
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What methods of payment do you accept?
Our preferred method of payment is cashiers or personal checks (payable to 'Effectrode'), however we also accept PayPal payments (add 2.5%). Shipments will be made to the verified shipping address on the account - if this is an issue, email us with additional shipping information. Note that all personal checks must first clear our bank before your order will be shipped. This will substantially delay the shipment of your order (approx 10 working days). If ordering from outside the USA please contact us for a shipping quote and new price total. -
I can hear a faint low-frequency hum from my guitar amplifer with the pedal connected.
Earth loops can be a common cause of audio noise problems in setups using more than one item of mains operated equipment. If you are experiencing low-frequency hum from your guitar amplifier loudspeaker, then a likely cause is multiple return paths or loops to earth. The solution to this is fairly straight forward - the loops must be broken. This can be achieved by one of two methods. Either by lifting (removing) the earth on your guitar amplifer or tube effects pedal. Or removing the earth (shield) on the lead between the pedal and the amplifier. The second method is safer - note that the earth should feed forward i.e. the break in the shield is near the amplifer. In my experience best results have been obtained by lifting the earth on the guitar amplifer. However extreme caution must be exercised, as your amplifer will only be grounded through the input lead feeding it. Unless you are confident in what you are doing, seek advice from a qualified engineer. -
Where does the company name, "Effectrode" come from?
The name Effectrode is an amalgam of the words "effect" and "triode". A triode is a type of vacuum tube that has three terminals; an anode, a cathode and a control grid. For enthusiasts, here's a brief timeline showing the discovery of the tube. -
Mission statement
My aim is to create audiophile quality effects pedals with a larger-than-life, warm and musical tone. To achieve this I practice a no-compromise approach to design and engineering using modern audio grade electronic components and triode vacuum tubes operating at real amp plate voltages. The signal path is 100% tube analog - we're the only effects pedal manufacterer that insists on doing signal processing this way. It makes a huge difference in terms of transparency, richness and warmth of tone. The result is a range of pedals that integrate seamlessly into high-end guitar/amplifier rigs allowing players to realise exceptional hi-fidelity peformance and define totally unique signature sounds.
