The Twin Tube Blue is a useful pedal for blues players with an interest in effects
Download Example 1 | |
Download Example 2 | |
Download Example 3 | |
SIGNAL CHAIN: Tom Anderson Cobra Special-S with 3 mini humbuckers cable to the unit by a Mogami Platinum 12' and from the unit with an Alleva-Copollo 20'. |
On the outside, the unit is painted a very pretty metallic blue with well-done graphics and labels in contrasting colors. The bottom cover is black with a large corrugated rubber “slip strip” and slotted vent openings for cooling on each side. Four screws hold the beefy steel top and bottom together. The left hand side has a status light at the top to show that the unit is engaged. When the light is out, the unit is in true-bypass mode. Below the light is the master Tone section with separate Bass and Treble controls, affecting both Rhythm and Lead channels equally (but of course not affecting the bypass signal). Below that is the logo, and at the lower edge of the chassis is the On/Bypass switch, brilliantly located so that it may be actuated easily with a toe (preferably in a shoe).
The right side of the top has the Rhythm channel, with separate Volume and Gain knobs. Below that is the Lead channel, with separate Volume and Gain controls as well. Below that, similarly placed to the bypass switch, is the Channel Select switch, which allows either the rhythm channel or the lead channel to enter the signal path, but not both. The rear of the blue cover has a 1/4" input for the instrument and a like output into the amp (or other device). There is also an input for the 16V 560mA AC power supply from a wall wart—the only way of powering this unit.
Removing the bottom cover reveals a very neat layout and tidy soldering. The mounting of some of the heavier components is reinforced by neatly placed dabs of flexible glue. There are some beefy capacitors in there that could definitely knock your socks off, so don’t be trying this at home unless you are sure you know what you’re doing. The 6111s have wires extending from their bases (instead of pins) and the wires are nicely insulated from each other and neatly soldered to tabs. A skilled tech should be able to change tubes in about 15 minutes, should that ever become necessary. The tubes are held to the board horizontally with a removable metal clamp and cushioned somewhat by silicon or Teflon tabs on the clamp and the board. All components both inside and out, except the footswitches, are mounted to a fiberglass printed circuit board. Components appear to be of good quality. The pots and switches are labeled “Alpha,” a reliable brand.
Time to light this baby up!
First, I tested the bypass by A/B’ing the unit in bypass mode with a direct connection and heard no change. I then read the very well-written instruction manual and set the unit up using my Clark Beaufort 2x10" and Mogami Platinum and Alleva-Coppolo cables (both very neutral sounding).
At middle, but appropriate, gig volume levels, the rhythm channel sounded very transparent and easily duplicated the bypass sound when dialing in less gain and more volume on the channel, with the master Tones set for Bass at 11 o’clock and Treble at 2. I could do the same with the lead channel, but had to add bass and back off the treble. This indicated that the rhythm channel used a different voicing than the lead channel. Indeed, further tweaking and listening showed the Lead channel with more top and a bit less bottom than the Rhythm channel. This makes sense if you plan to use the unit in the standard way, since you’d want the lead to come forward in the mix without adding mud to the overall sound of the band.
I set up other scenarios with the bypass, providing a solid rhythm sound and adding more gain to the Rhythm channel and Lead channel, but being careful not to overdrive the input of the amp at the same time, as this changed the character of the sound of the guitar and added some unpleasant (to me) forms of distortion. The unit outputs 2 Volts at max before clipping, so there is overdrive potential there. Everything I tried without going over the top retained a sweet tube sound. I then thought of using the unit as a two-step overdrive, which might actually work well with some amps.
I switched to my ’71 Princeton Reverb and set up the basic sound at a volume where it was slightly overdriven. I then set up the unit with low gain and high volume on both channels to produce an intrinsically clean sound but with incremental increases in volume, and thus was able to overdrive the Princeton in steps, each step having a useful tone and volume in a blues gig setting—all the while producing the sweet sounds of a Princeton Reverb (with a 12" Weber Alnico) in torture… er, I mean “enhanced interrogation” mode.
Another cool thing about the unit is that its Volume control doesn’t start at the volume of the input guitar but can be used to lower the volume instead. In other words, if you really love the sound of your amp going straight out in bypass mode for solos, you can use the unit to instantly lower the volume and at the same time change the tone and character of the sound at two levels.
To round out the testing, I used a number of other amps, including a Fender ’69 Champ and ‘90s Hot Rod Deluxe, an Ampeg ’65 Reverberocket, an Allen “Old Flame” and a Clark Beaufort, as well as multiple guitars with both humbucking and single-coil pickups. In all cases, the amps and guitars sounded like their glorious selves, but with the addition of smooth, clean tube tone changes produced by the effect.
A few concerns surfaced during use. The unit became somewhat microphonic at high-gain settings, causing particularly the bypass switch to “clank” loudly when actuated. The unit ran quite warm, which is understandable since the tubes are run at normal (high) plate voltages. Just don’t block the vents. Of more concern is the wall wart power supply. It is a real oddball voltage and runs very warm. I personally would not gig with this pedal without a backup power supply. I checked the internet and found no aftermarket replacements. Digikey, the supplier cited in the instructions by Seymour Duncan, listed the part as obsolete and unavailable. I did not find its exclusion from the warranty, so along with all else, it’s covered for one year (except tubes, which are covered for 90 days). Tubes are tubes, and prone to failure. These particular tubes are heavy duty and designed for mechanical stimulation as might be found in handheld devices, such as microphones. I suspect they will last a long time if the unit is not abused.
There are no value markings on any of the controls, but the use of “chicken head” knobs makes clock-hour values calculable—I’ve used small color-coded stick on dots found at office supply stores to indicate approximate setup for particular amps and guitars with final tuning by ear.
The Final Mojo
This is by far the best blues-oriented pedal I have ever used. I have used many over many years, and I still own the original BK Butler Tube Driver, a TS-9,etc. The Twin Tube Blue is so good it doesn’t sound like a pedal. I need one.
Buy if...
you're a player of amplified blues with no hang-ups about pedals.
Skip if...
you're an acoustic player, or an amplified player who doesn't use effects.
Rating...![]()
MSRP $325 - Seymour Duncan - seymourduncan.com |
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Well-designed pickups. Extremely comfortable contours. Smooth, playable neck.
Middle position could use a bit more mids. Price could scare off some.
$2,999
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II
A surprise 6-string collaboration with Cory Wong moves effortlessly between ’70s George Benson and Blink-182 tones.
Announced at the 2025 NAMM show, Cory Wong’s new collaboration with Ernie Ball Music Man scratched an itch—namely, the itch for a humbucker-loaded guitar that could appease Wong’s rock-and-R&B alter ego and serve as complement to his signature Fender Strat. Inspiration came from no further than a bandmate’s namesake instrument. Vulfpeck bassist Joe Dart has a line of signature model EBMM basses, one of which uses the classic StingRay bass body profile. So, when Wong went looking for something distinctive, he wondered if EBMM could create a 6-string guitar using the classic StingRay bass body and headstock profile.
Double the Fun
Wong is, by his own admission, a single-coil devotee. That’s where the core of his sound lives and it feels like home to him. However, Wong is as inspired by classic Earth, Wind & Fire tones and the pop-punk of the early ’90s as he is by Prince and the Minneapolis funk that he grew up with. The StingRay II is a guitar that can cover all those bases.
Ernie Ball has a history of designing fast-feeling, comfortable necks. And I can’t remember ever struggling to move around an EBMM fretboard. The roasted maple C-shaped neck here is slightly thicker in profile than I expected, but still very comfortable. (I must also mention that the back of the neck has a dazzling, almost holographic look to the grain that morphs in the light). By any measure, the StingRay II’s curves seemed designed for comfort and speed. Now, let’s talk about those pickups.Hot or Not?
A few years ago EBMM introduced a line of HT (heat-treated) pickups. The pickups are built with technology the company used to develop their Cobalt and M-Series strings. A fair amount of the process is shrouded in secrecy and must be taken on faith, but EBMM says treating elements of the pickup with heat increases clarity and dynamic response.
To find out for myself, I plugged the StingRay II into a Fender Vibroverb, Mesa/Boogie Mark VII, and a Neural DSP Quad Cortex (Wong’s preferred live rig). Right away, it was easy to hear the tight low end and warm highs. Often, I feel like the low end from neck humbuckers can feel too loose or lack definition. Neither was the case here. The HT pickup is beautifully balanced with a bounce that’s rich with ES-335 vibes. Clean tones are punchy and bright—especially with the Vibroverb—and dirty tones have more room for air. Individual notes were clear and articulate, too.
Any guitar associated with Wong needs a strong middle-position or combined pickup tone, and the StingRay II delivers. I never felt any significant signal loss in the blended signal from the two humbuckers, even if I could use a bit more midrange presence in the voicing. The midrange gap is nothing an EQ or Tube Screamer couldn’t fix, though. And not surprisingly, very Strat-like sounds were easy to achieve for having less midrange bump.
Knowing Wong’s love for ’90s alt-rock, I expected the bridge pickup to have real bite, and it does, demonstrating exceptional dynamic range and exceptional high-end response that never approached shrill. Nearly every type of distortion and overdrive I threw at it sounded great, but especially anything with a scooped-mid flavor and plenty of low end.
The Verdict
By any measure, the StingRay II is a top-notch, professional instrument. The fit and finish are immaculate and the feel of the neck makes me wonder if EBMM stashes some kind of secret sandpaper, because I don’t think I’ve ever felt a smoother, more playable neck. Kudos are also due to EBMM and Wong for finding an instrument that can move between ’70s George Benson tones and the hammering power chords of ’90s Blink-182. Admittedly, the nearly $3K price could give some players pause, but considering the overall quality of the instrument, it’s not out of line. Wong’s involvement and search for distinct sounds makes the StingRay II more than a tired redux of a classic model—an admirable accomplishment considering EBMM’s long and storied history.
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II Cory Wong Signature Electric Guitar - Charcoal Blue with Rosewood Fingerboard
StingRay II Cory Wong - Charcoal BlueThe Melvins' Buzz Osborne joins the party to talk about how he helped Kurt Cobain find the right sounds.
Growing up in the small town of Montesano, Washington, Kurt Cobain turned to his older pal Buzz Osborne for musical direction. So on this episode, we’re talking with the Melvins leader about their friendship, from taking Cobain to see Black Flag in ’84 to their shared guitar journey and how they both thought about gear. And in case you’ve heard otherwise, Kurt was never a Melvins roadie!
Osborne’s latest project is Thunderball from Melvins 1983, something of a side trajectory for the band, which harkens back to this time in Osborne’s life. We dig into that and how it all relates and much more.
Adding to the company’s line of premium guitar strapsand accessories, Fairfield Guitar Co. has introduced a new deluxe leather strapdesigned in collaboration with Angela Petrilli.
Based in Los Angeles, Petrilli is well-known to guitar enthusiasts around the world for her online videos. She is one of the video hosts at Norman’s Rare Guitars and has her own YouTube lesson series, the Riff Rundown. She also writes, records and performs with her original band, Angela Petrilli & The Players, and has worked with Gibson, Fender, Martin Guitars, Universal Audio, Guitar Center and Fishman Transducers.
Angela Petrilli's eye-grabbing signature strap is fully hand cut, four inches wide and lightly padded, so it evenly distributes the weight of the instrument on the shoulder and offers superb comfort during extended play. The front side features black "cracked" leather with turquoise triple stitching. The "cracked" treatment on the leather highlights the beautiful natural marks and grain pattern – and it only gets better with age and use.The strap’s back side is black suede for adhesion and added comfort, with the Fairfield Guitar Co. logo and Angela's name stamped in silver foil.
Features include:
- 100% made in the USA
- Hand cut 4” wide leather strap with light padding -- offering extra comfort for longgigs and rehearsals.
- Black suede back side avoids slipping, maintains guitar’s ideal playing position.
- Length is fully adjustable from 45” - 54” and the strap has two holes on thetailpiece for added versatility.
The Fairfield Guitar Co. Angela Petrilli signature strap is available for $150 online at fairfieldguitarco.com.