Pretty Years
High-gain subminiature tube-based distortion/fuzz with interstage resonant filter, inspired by Thermionic Culture Vulture with switchable pentode/triode modes.
The Pretty Years is smallsound/bigsound's homage to the legendary Thermionic Culture Vulture, a two-rack British tube-powered distortion unit. Designer Brian Hamilton became fascinated with Culture Vulture while recording his band Cymbals Eat Guitars' album "Pretty Years," and set out to create a stompbox inspired by that unit's unique approach to tube saturation. While not a direct clone, Pretty Years captures the spirit of running low-voltage subminiature tubes hard with extensive filtering and tone-shaping options.
Released September 2016, the Pretty Years is high-gain subminiature tube-based distortion/fuzz with interstage resonant lowpass filter. Signal path consists of INPUT – PREGAIN – T1 – T2 – T3 – EQ – OUTPUT with separate VCF (voltage controlled filter) block. Combines switchable pentode/triode operating modes for tubes (affecting harmonic content and aggression), low-voltage biasing for unique distortion characteristics, switchable feedback networks, and active bass/treble controls.
Final version includes extensive switching scheme creating different feedback networks via four toggle switches, frequency modulation switch for VCF, four filter modes (lowpass/bandpass/highpass/notch), extra gain knob, and pregain toggle for additional gain and diode clipping. Despite running on standard 9V supply, internal tube stages create everything from subtle warming and harmonic enhancement to complete sonic destruction.
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