Well designed, high quality, sounds good, and it's rather flexible: naturally, it's not made any more! Bartolini went out on the proverbial limb with a better mousetrap, there just weren't enough people willing to buy the "Tube- it". The tone quality, and options of the effect are even more remarkable, since this pedal was in production about twenty years ago.
This fine piece of work is highly recommended: It has Bass, and Treble, as well as Output and Sustain controls. There's also a 3, (yes, that's three) position boost switch, and we're not through yet! Whip the bottom off the Tube-it; inside there's a little trim pot for adjusting the sound to be bit more, or less present. All models may not have this option: a plastic wheel similar to the color to the exterior paint job. Some of the Tube-its were said to be mercilessly treble boosted, but ours didn't have that slice & dice, laser edge.
This pedal can get a sound like a healthy Tube Screamer in the first position. Now up the boost one notch, to add a little more drive, and fullness: perfect for lower output pickups. Need some grind? Just flip the boost switch to position three: It's at least double the increase in gain, as between positions one, and two. The circuit is now presenting significant drive, and a fuller, slightly distorted tone. Let's not forget the absence of tone suckage when it's not kicked in.
A very fine, versatile pedal. It's always nice to see effects with well executed options that add real value. A piece where the designer had a clear vision, and the money people didn't insist on cutting corners. None of that happened with the Bartolini Tube-it. Bravo!
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