The Tube Works Real Tube: The Pedal That Turned My Amp Into a Time Machine

Have you ever plugged into a pedal and thought, “Did I just unlock the secrets of tone," because the Tube Works Real Tube made me feel like I’d been handed the keys to an old school tone vault—minus the cobwebs and cobblestone. -Side note, cobwebs and cobblestone would be a sick song name.

What’s in the Magic Box?

First things first: Yes, this pedal has an actual 12AX7 tube inside. An actual glass tube—not just some marketing jargon or a sticker that says “Tube-like.” This little fella takes your tone from “meh” to “holy crap, Batman!” faster than you can say “overdrive.”

The controls are painfully simple: output, drive, hi, mid, and low. That’s it. No confusing toggle switches labeled vaguely or anything. Just straightforward knobs that do exactly what they say. Imagine that—a pedal you don’t need a PhD to figure out.

My Sound Test: Or How I Almost Woke the Neighbors

For science (and rock 'n' roll), I paired the Real Tube with my ESP E-II and Fender Telecaster. And wow, did it deliver. Here’s the breakdown:

• Low Gain: Warm and buttery, like the audio equivalent of comfort food. Perfect for bluesy licks or when you’re trying to impress your friends without looking like you’re trying too hard.

• Medium Gain: Thick and juicy. Like a steak. This is where I started making guitar faces like I just ate a sour candy. You know, the “this is so good it hurts” face. You can see it right off the bat in my face on my demo here.

• Maxed Out: Full-on sonic shred-mode. Sustain for days, harmonics popping out of nowhere, and enough volume to make your neighbors consider moving away. Unless they have good taste.

Who Is This Pedal For?

If you’re the kind of person who dreams about juicy overdrive tones at night (and let’s be real, who isn’t?), this pedal is for you. Whether you play blues, rock, metal, or you’re just trying to sound like you actually practice, the Real Tube has you covered.

Final Thoughts: A Love Letter to the Real Tube

The Tube Works Real Tube isn’t just a pedal—it’s a portal to the land of great rock tone. It’s my favorite overdrive of the year! But the year just started so we will see how that goes.

If you haven’t tried this pedal yet, see if you can find one for sale. They are getting more procey and increasingly rare but would be worth it to any pedal collector. Watch my demo to hear it in action. Warning: Side effects may include uncontrollable grinning, spontaneous jam sessions, and a sudden urge to sell your other overdrives.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Have you heard of this pedal? Or are you still stuck in the “pedal that just doesn’t cut it” phase of life? Let’s chat—after all, great tone waits for no one. Thanks for reading!