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The Drunk Beaver Trainer TS-100 is Vitalii Bobrov's take on the Traynor TS-100, a 1970s solid-state 2x12 combo, offering a unique texture you can use as a preamp in front of your amp or in the effects loop.
The Trainer TS-100 offers tons of headroom and dynamics as it runs at 15V from a standard 9V supply, using two charge pumps for ~30V amplitude (Vitalii points out that a Klon achieves ~27V).
Bass, Mid, Treble Part of what makes the TS-100 circuit unique is the EQ section. Each band runs into its own pair of PNP transistors before being combined together. The result is a smooth rather than fuzzy bass distortion and a distinct clipping character.
Master Adjusts the output level
Bright Switch Just like the original amp, the bright switch allows the Trainer TS-100 to really cut through a heavy mix as well as making it more suitable for dark humbuckers.
Gain Adjusts the gain level
Boost The Boost footswitch kicks in an extra dollop of gain, giving a thicker, fuller sound.
Perfect for that traynor amp growl on bass. There’s a lot of scope with gain and EQ controls (which sound ace wherever you dial them in). Had the Tronographic Rusty Box before this which I regrettably had to sell; this is a perfect (and smaller, less power hungry) substitute.
British or American amp? How about Canadian. This pedal recreates a little known solid-state amp from that big beautiful land that gets a lot of snow.
If you're looking for something different from the typical trio of 'FMV' tube/valve amp sounds, then the TS-100 is it. The signal breakup has its own sonic personality.
Some pedals bill themselves as pre-amps, but often don't feel like you're plugged into the front of an amp. This really does! Internal voltage more than three times a typical 9V OD pedal, really has an effect on headroom.
The gain knob tapers the signal into saturation beautifully way past 'noon'. Many pedals are clean at '7 o'clock', the signal noticeably distorted by '10 o'clock'.
Not here. This allows dialling in just the right amount of breakup.
With the TS-100 at the end of the signal chain, not only does it take other dirt boxes really well, it also does lovely things to delays, tremolo and other modulation.
Run it into an amp or cab sim, you've got unique inspiring amp tones.
Ooh, did I mention the 3-band EQ, bright toggle and boost on a separate foot-switch. Very versatile, which is a hallmark of Drunk Beaver's uniformly excellent pedals.
(Also check out DB's TS-15, based on a lower wattage, smaller speaker amp. In fact both the TS-15 & TS-100 complement one another really well.)
I'll be away from my pedalboard from 6th - 18th April...but you can still browse!
I'll ship all outstanding orders on Friday 19th April.
All the best,
Jim