Tubesteader's Lightkeeper V2 Tube Preamp delivers the most beautiful Dumble-style Harmonic textures across 35 decibels of immaculately calibrated gain breakup
This is an incredibly exacting shrink-down of 2021’s Dumble-style Lightkeeper Preamp with the full flavour and all features fully intact - just in a significantly more compact and pedalboard-friendly enclosure.
I’m a little late to Vacuum Tube powered pedals - having dithered on the larger varieties by Kingsley and Tubesteader for quite a number of years. I once came pretty close to acquiring a Kingsley Minstrel V3 - but that was about it for a long while. Effectrode’s Tube pedals are cool too - but way too large for me and my rig, and with largely impractical power requirements of 12V DC [+] @ 1000mA. Kingsley has improved its power supply requirements over the years, where now most of its pedals can get away with 500mA at the standard 9V DC [-]. Tubesteader’s recent Magnezium Magnatone-style Preamp requires 500mA at 12V DC [-] which means only something like a Cioks FPG supply will be default and unadulterated up for the task. You can of course use Current Doubler adapters and combine two power-supply outlets - while I always try to make things as neat as possible!
So last year’s Tubesteader Eggnog compact Tweed preamp + boost - was a godsend for me - as it met all my practicality criteria and requirements. I also happen to love dual-footswitch compacts - so that with its easy 12V DC [-] 350mA power requirement in a compact format - it was just the very thing for me! Exceptionally well-priced - and amazing sounding too - with those perfect Tweed breakup textures - further served by 3-Band EQ and a properly complementary Boost. I decreed then that this was surely the best Tweed Preamp currently on the market - not just for sound - but form and function also. I told Olly to keep me on the list for when he had another pedal out in the same format - and lo and behold - we have the new iteration of the Lightkeeper Dumble-style Preamp - which I think I like even more than the Tweedy Eggnog - the breakup texture of the Lightkeeper V2 is exquisite - and again with the perfect complement of features and controls.
As per my preferences and considering the sensitivities of power supply provision - Olly rightly points out that the Lightkeeper V2’s 350mA requirement is actually relatively easy to power - which is part of the reason I so like that format. And apart from Cioks FPG supplies, the Strymon Zuma delivers 375mA @ 12V, the T-Rex Classic FuelTank has 500mA @ 12V, and the Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 4x4 has 400mA @ 12V. And there are a variety of power supplies you can use a current-doubler adapter on (e.g. the one from Voodoo Labs) - and including the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus - where you can combine 2 x 275mA outlets @ 275mA - to boost that supply up to the required amperage. And finally the TrueTone CS12 also works a treat by allowing you to tap into its overall 3A output current - as long as don’t use more than that in total.
Like its predecessor, the Lightkeeper V2 is a 12AX7 Tube Preamp based on the clean channel of the early Dumble Overdrive Special ’High Plate’ Design. Us Dumble fans are well aware that Alexander Howard Dumble started off by heavily modifying Fender amps - and massively re-calibrating / re-engineering the Fender TMB Tone Stack to deliver a more Mids-forward / zingy profile - which at most levels of gain has a really cool subtle fuzz-like edge to it - particularly higher up the gain range.
I have a number of Dumble ODS style pedals in my reference collection - I believe around a dozen or so now at various different sizes - including some perennial favourites like the Demon Pedals Kondo Shifuku and Custom Tones Ethos Clean Fusion II. And this Tubesteader Lightkeeper V2 sits up top with the very best of them - ranged somewhere between the Cornerstone Gladio SC, and the Ethos Clean Fusion II.
The Lightkeeper has a few advantages of its own - it's so easy to dial in - and with the Deep / Boost options you can set up 2 quite different flavours - like say the classic Rhythm and Lead options. Where punching in both the Deep Mids and Treble Boost delivers an additional +5dB of gain - with a fatter, juicier, and punchier tone. As per the Eggnog - you have great guitar volume gain cleanup too - so you can set the Gain knob pretty high - and then wind back most of that gain on your guitar.
For a Preamp specifically based on the Clean Channel of the ODS I was a touch surprised by how much range is actually onboard here - taking you well into Mid Gain territory - helped in no small amount by that fantastic 3-Band tone-stack too.
As with all my favourite Gain Pedals - I'm all about rich breakup textures and harmonics - and you need to be up at a certain levels of Gain and Volume for all of those artefacts to bloom adequately - which seems to be around 2 o'c on this pedal - at least for my setup.
As I mentioned - I can set the Gain pretty high and then just roll off with the Guitar Volume knob - and then Punch in the Deep / Boost Footswitch for further impact as and when needed.
Also for those who may have somewhat oversized feet or can't fit the pedal onto your pedalboard's front row - Olly has thought of that too with an External Switch port just above the output jack - where you can connect a remote switch to engage the Deep / Boost separately - if the dual footswitches are a little too close together or the pedal placed a little too far away for you to manage easily.
Olly is in fact in the process of producing his own single switch JHS Red Remote style utility pedal. Where any of those latching single switch pedals should do the job - you just need the appropriate cable which goes from 1/4" TRS to 1/8" TRS. In any case there should be a version up for sale fairly soon on the Tubesteader Webstore.
Controls - Gain, Volume, Deep / Mids : Off / Switch Mode / Always On, Treble Boost : Off / Switch Mode / Always On, Treble, Mid, Bass, Deep / Boost Footswitch (Depending on toggles), Bypass Footswitch.
Preferred Settings - Gain @ 2 o'c, Volume @ 1 o'c, Deep : Middle, Boost : Middle, Treble @ 3 o'c, Mid @ 3 o'c, Bass @ 1 o'c.
As with the Tubesteader Eggnog - everything about the Lightkeeper V2 feels exactly right - how the Deep Mids, Treble Boost and overall gain sweep are calibrated - alongside that really smart 3-Band EQ Tone Stack.
I obviously run a stereo pedal platform rig - so this goes straight into the front of two amps - while this pedal excels also at going into a Power Amplifier, or in the FX Loop of an Amp - as well as going direct into any manner of PA system, audio or recording interface.
I found the Eggnog hugely impressive - but this Lightkeeper V2 is even more captivating for me - something about those extra Mids impacting the breakup texture and harmonics. The Dumble style has always been one of my favourite varieties / flavours of Overdrive - alongside the Blues Driver - and this new incarnation is pretty special indeed. It does not range quite as high on the gain side as some of my other Dumbles - but it has the most perfect sweep and trajectory regardless.
As with the Eggnog - I love everything about the Lightkeeper V2 - it's beautifully put together and with all the verve and harmonics you would want for this genre. It's every-way practical too! - and available for order right now from the Tubesteader Webstore for $279 USD.
Demos
12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition
