Tube Works 901 Real Tube Overdrive

The Tube Works 901 Real Tube Overdrive is a pedal designed for use with electric guitar. The 901 has a pretty simple make up, with 1/4" connections for input and output and requires a nine volt power supply. The pedal is made up of analog parts and does have a real 12AX7 tube inside of it. The pedal isn't rack mountable as it is a stomp box.

UTILIZATION

Using the Tube Works 901 Real Tube Overdrive is a breeze, as all of the parameters will be familiar for most users. The 901 has knobs for drive and output levels, as well as a three band equalizer consisting of low, mid, and high knobs. As you can easily tell, there isn't much that you need to know before hand in order to use the 901, so I don't believe that you need the manual around in order to figure everything about it out.

SOUND QUALITY

The sound of the Tube Works 901 Real Tube Overdrive is extremely thick and full, definitely sounding like what you would think a tube pedal will sound like. I've used the pedal in tandem with a Fender Jazzmaster and a '65 Fender Deluxe Reverb amp for recording purposes, which in my opinion is an ideal set up for using a pedal like as they just blend well together. Even if you don't have a tube amplifier to use with the 901 Real Tube Overdrive pedal, it will definitely still give you that kind of feel. There is a good amount of control over the different tones that you can possibly make with the pedal, but in general you're getting a fat and warm tube overdrive sound with the 901.

OVERALL OPINION

Having a real tube overdrive pedal in your rig can really give you an extra thickness that would otherwise not be possible, and this is exactly what you get with the Tube Works 901 Real Tube Overdrive. I'd recommend the pedal for both users with and without tubes amps, as even though it sounds better on a tube amp, it will also help to warm up your solid state sound. While there are a number of different tube pedals that I'd recommend checking out in addition to the 901 like the Chandler Tube Overdrive and the ToneBone pedals, the 901 is definitely one you should check out as well...