Thermionic Actuator
Tube and germanium overdrive. NOS 1950s IBM computer tubes plus rare germanium transistors.
Industrialectric released the Thermionic Actuator for their 10th anniversary in 2022. Ten years in development, it combines vintage NOS components into something unique.
Two rare NOS germanium transistors pair with two NOS vacuum tubes salvaged from 1950s IBM computers. A cooling fan keeps the germanium transistors stable against heat from the tubes. The result spans overdrive through distortion to what they call hellhound summoning.
Controls are simple: Gain, Output, and High Pass filter for fine tuning. The Fuck It switch bypasses the input gain and sends full signal directly into the transistors and tubes. All through-hole components on a professional PCB with custom ventilation grills.
Built by hand in the Junction, Toronto. At $400 and frequently sold out, it is for players who want truly unconventional drive tones. See the tubes glow through the vents as you play.
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