The PREF86 is a tube preamp pedal that features an EF86 preamp tube, running at high voltage courtesy of a Hammond power transformer inside the pedal. The pedal runs on 120 volts via a fused IEC socket mounted at the top of the pedal. The controls are straight forward: Volume and Tone. True bypass footswitching, with Switchcraft jacks, Alpha pots, and Gorva switches for on/off, ground lift and bypass/run. The white LED indicates that the pedal is on, and the orange LED indicates the effect is engaged. 

The PREF86 was inspired by my love for the EF86 tube. Filmosound 8399s, a Premier B-160, the EF86 channel of my Vox AC30 Heritage Handwired amp. It was evident that there was something magical about the pentode preamp tube that the guitar signal encounters first upon entering the amp. I designed the PREF86 based on the Vox AC4 circuit. All the clarity and detailed information from when your fingers or pick touches the strings of your instrument are captured, and as the EF86 has more gain on tap than the 5879, you can really hit the front end of your amp hard! The EF86 was discontinued from the AC30s due to microphonics, but in a pedal format, those issues are mitigated by distance and can be leveraged into unique character and additional expressiveness, giving your tone that extra something that it might have otherwise lacked. 

The PREF86 is made to order. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.

Hey man! I’m sorry I’ve been so swamped, but when I wind down at night and play for a few hours, I’ve been using your preamp nonstop! Just awesome! And the coffee beans rule too, thank you! I got a little Peavey head for my son’s birthday and was trying it out. I couldn’t believe it’s all tube and I could barely get a passable clean sound much less a dirty sound! The next day your preamp arrived and I tried it in the fx loop in the back… holy cow I barely had to touch it to rip! At noon it drove the tubes perfectly and the tone now had a beautiful bite to the midrange. It’s so cool, it’s exactly what I love about an AC30 and I can dial in and saturate that midrange as much or as little as I want! Thanks man, you’re a true wizard! -David Pajo Slint, Papa M, Zwan