| Have you ever just looked at a piece of equipment and knew it was going to sound good? That’s exactly the feeling I got when I opened the box and saw the Ibanez Tube King TK999HT pedal. It’s probably an unfair, naïve way of evaluating gear, but I just got excited when I saw the pedal. The Tube King is a hot red, diamond-shaped tube distortion pedal with a glowing window at the top of the pedal with a visible tube inside. This thing should win awards for the design alone. The best part is, it only got better from there. |
We’ll get to more of the cosmetic features in a minute, but first some stats. The Ibanez Tube King is a pedal that offers aggressive, modern tube distortion. It features an actual 12AX7 tube, 3 band EQ and drive controls with a presence switch for a variety of tones. It also includes a unique “VOID” control, which gets rid of the noise and can create sharper rhythmic sounds.
The Tube King isn’t exactly new – it was originally available in the nineties. The name and purpose of the pedal is the same, but this reissue differs from its predecessors by featuring internal high-voltage DC circuitry. The former pedals utilized “starved plate” circuitry, which basically means if you run the tube at a low voltage (“starving” the plate) the tube will quickly run out of headroom and start distorting. The previous tube acted more like a filter to achieve those tube tones, whereas the 12AX7 in the new Tube King now gets normal DC high voltage, which allows for genuine tube-like distortion.
Being a former metal guitarist growing up in the eighties, I’ve always been a sucker for any high gain products I could get my hands on. The Tube King did not disappoint! This pedal can truly make any solid-state amp sound just like a tube amp. I had to go for the full-on test drive immediately, so I plugged in my Schecter guitar with Seymour Duncan pickups and turned the Level and Drive knobs on the pedal to 10. It definitely took on every heavy, brutal guitar riff I threw at it with ease, quickly achieving huge and tight distorted tones. It’s configured with a scooped mid-range and heavy low end that is so prevalent in modern hard rock and metal.
I did try the sample settings that are included in the manual – everything from ''70s Drive to Death Rhythm – and they are great places to start before fine-tuning and tweaking the parameters to your liking. I tried this pedal with many guitars and different configurations, using different solid-state and tube amps as well as Pro-Tools amp simulator plug-ins. The pedal is very versatile in its tones, from a more subtle classic seventies rock sound to a very heavy, extreme metal sound. Either way, you get that genuine warm tube tone!
There are two controls I really liked on the Tube King. One is the Presence switch, which on the “Hi” setting adds more sizzle to the high end, just for an extra kick in the tone. The other is the “VOID” knob which acts as noise reduction or gate, which was perfect for canceling that evil single-coil noise if you’re rocking out with a Strat. As a gate, it can go from subtle to very tight and controlled. It can definitely enhance your rhythms – especially with playing quick, staccato chords, since the highest level of “VOID” shortens the sustain and cuts out the extraneous noise in between chords. In a high gain situation, I’m so used to doing a quick turn with the guitar volume knob to cut out the noise during chord stops so it was a nice surprise not having to deal with that, thanks to the “VOID” option.
The Tube King itself is huge – it’s more than twice the size of two average stompboxes and is a very heavy, durable pedal. I like the fact that you can easily control the Drive and Level knobs with your foot if you want to quickly change sounds in a live setting. The 3-band EQ knobs stay out of the way nicely by sitting on a recessed panel on the pedal. It may be too bulky or command too much pedalboard space for some guitarists, but with the incredible sounds this pedal can supply, I was happy to make room for it.
Overall, the Tube King TK999HT is a very easy to use, versatile pedal with excellent, authentic tube tones. It can make any guitar setup with average pickups and amp sound amazing. With its massive tone and size, the Tube King can definitely rule over all in your guitar setup!
Buy if...
you crave that tube sound when using a big rig is impossible.
Skip if...
you already have a tube amp stack and refuse to downsize.
Rating...
MSRP $249 - Ibanez - ibanez.com |
Phat Machine
The Phat Machine
The Phat Machine is designed to deliver the tone and responsiveness of a vintage germanium fuzz with improved temperature stability with no weird powering issues. Loaded with both a germanium and a silicon transistor, the Phat Machine offers the warmth and cleanup of a germanium fuzz but with the bite of a silicon pedal. It utilizes classic Volume and Fuzz control knobs, as well as a four-position Thickness control to dial-in any guitar and amp combo. Also included is a Bias trim pot and a Kill switch that allows battery lovers to shut off the battery without pulling the input cord.
Silk Worm Deluxe Overdrive
The Silk Worm Deluxe -- along with its standard Volume/Gain/Tone controls -- has a Bottom trim pot to dial in "just the right amount of thud with no mud at all: it’s felt more than heard." It also offers a Studio/Stage diode switch that allows you to select three levels of compression.
Both pedals offer the following features:
- 9-volt operation via standard DC external supply or internal battery compartment
- True bypass switching with LED indicator
- Pedalboard-friendly top mount jacks
- Rugged, tour-ready construction and super durable powder coated finish
- Made in the USA
Static Effectors’ Street Series pedals carry a street price of $149 each. They are available at select retailers and can also be purchased directly from the Static Effectors online store at www.staticeffectors.com.
Galloup’s Plek tech Adam Winarski preps a Yamaha acoustic for the machine.
Presently, many certified guitar-repair specialists possess the expertise required to deliver an instrument that both sounds and plays wonderfully. The standards set by manufacturers and distributors have significantly risen, safeguarded by rigorous quality protocols to guarantee the best possible acoustic experience for customers. Additionally, lutherie training has raised the bar for critical processes, and one of the most tricky is fretwork.
Traditional fretwork once involved manual labor, with technicians utilizing sandbags or similar supports to steady the neck as they straightened it with a truss rod during the filing process. A notable advancement in this field came in the mid 1970s when Don Teeter, an author and repair expert, imposed a new method: fixing the guitar body to the bench and using blocks to maintain the neck in a playing position. This refinement was one of many in the continued quest to produce superior instruments by standardized methods.
An example of the Plek’s readings from an acoustic guitar.
Photo courtesy of Galloup Guitars
In the late 1970s, another pivotal innovation was introduced by Dan Erlewine. He created an advanced fret jig with a specialized body-holding system and neck supports, adding another layer of precision to the repair process. During my collaboration with Dan in 1985, we developed a rotating neck jig that counterbalanced the forces of gravity, keeping the instrument in its playing orientation while adjusting the neck supports. This step represented a significant leap in establishing control and standardization of fretwork procedures in our industry. By 1986, our approach had evolved into a freestanding workstation coupled with a sophisticated hold-down mechanism and enhanced neck supports, culminating in increased accuracy, efficiency, and consistency. Over the decades, the Erlewine/Galloup rotating neck jig has become a benchmark in numerous shops, enhancing fretwork performance.
"This step represented a significant leap in establishing control and standardization of fretwork procedures in our industry."
By the 1990s, automated and computerized technologies permeated the guitar manufacturing and repair sectors. Initially applied by import companies in the mass production of guitars, the technology, although expediting processes, did not immediately achieve high execution standards. However, the tech dramatically improved over time, with computer-driven systems eventually transforming the industry. Contemporary automated production utilizing such advancements meets exceedingly high standards of precision. Some bespoke guitar manufacturers, such as Steve Andersen, were pioneers in adopting these methods, but it was companies like Taylor that established them in the modern era.
Inevitably, the progression of technology extended beyond the mere production of parts. Around 1995, German engineer Gerd Anke envisioned the integration of computer-assisted technology into enhancing instrument playability, giving rise to Plek technology, which uses computers to precisely measure and analyze the various components of a guitar, like neck relief, fret height, nut and bridge specs, and more. Nashville guitar-repair tech Joe Glaser was among the first to recognize the machine’s value, followed by San Francisco luthier Gary Brawer. When Heritage Guitar Inc. invested in a Plek machine, the guitar industry could no longer disregard the significance of this innovation.
“The machine’s scanning data confirmed that there was one nature of an ideal fret plane, done by hand or machine, and unsurprisingly, it conformed exactly to what physics predicts, not personal mojo.”
In the spring of 2022, Galloup Guitars obtained its first Plek machine. Promptly, our technician Adam Winarski paved the way for the Plek’s integration in our shop. Now, it’s a rarity for an instrument to leave our shop without having undergone Plek analysis and machining. Impressed by the results of our integration, we created “Intro to Plek” as a course for all students enrolled at the Galloup School of Lutherie, offering our students a practical introduction to this technology. We furthered this educational initiative with a comprehensive one-week intensive “Plek Certification Training Course” for both students and the public. This advanced Plek course serves those seeking to boost their knowledge base and employability in this high-precision field.
Plek is rapidly becoming an industry standard for major manufacturers and smaller shops alike. However, this does not mean that those without access to this technology cannot execute proficient fretwork. Personally, I continue to use my Erlewine/Galloup neck jig—not only out of nostalgia, but also because it remains an excellent method for delivering accurate and reliable guitars. Still, it’s undeniable that the process of fretting, fret dressing, and analytics of fretted instruments has undergone significant transformation, resulting in better sounding—and playing—guitars. And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.