The Drunk Beaver Ternopil Pentode Preamp is a tube preamp pedal, described by its maker as a Preamp Tone Enhancer. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson described it as warming the core signal, adding sparkle and lower resonance, with limited gain1. It launched on 12 April 2024 as Drunk Beaver's 20th Pedal Drop, a limited run of 20 units sold from the Drunk Beaver Webstore at $175 plus shipping and relevant taxes1.
What it does to your signal
Drunk Beaver positions the Ternopil as a tone enhancer rather than a gain pedal. Karlsson wrote that it "opens up and warms up your core signal", often adding "a certain Sparkle to the top, and a deeper lower Resonance" to the bottom end1. For a player, that places it alongside boost pedals and other preamp pedals whose job is to improve the character of the signal going into the rest of the rig, not to distort it.
Karlsson's verdict on the gain question was direct:
"you can hear that the Ternopil is definitely in the Tone Enhancer category - there's not a whole load of gain onboard"
He added that there is still plenty there to make the signal sound better in overall character1.
Controls
The pedal keeps things simple: one knob and two switches1.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Gain (Master Volume) | Single knob combining gain and master volume |
| Low-End Switch | Shift (Bass-Cut) or Normal (Full Bass) |
| Sparkle Switch | Normal (Off) or Brilli(ant) |
The two toggles let a player cut bass or add top-end brightness without touching the gain knob, which suits a pedal meant to sit in front of an amp or other pedals and shape the core tone1.
Tubes and background
The Ternopil is built around rare Ukrainian 6Ж45Б-В military-spec tubes, rated for 3000 hours1. Drunk Beaver's designer, Vitalii, has released these pedals at a quick pace: Karlsson noted that Vitalii "has made 20 of these at breakneck pace" by the time the Ternopil arrived1. The Ternopil followed the popular #19 Khelnytskyi OD1.
Only 20 units were made, so the Ternopil was a limited release from the start. Later Drunk Beaver preamp releases include the Zhytomyr Sunset Preamp, the Trainer TS-15 MKII and the Kostiantynivka Dominator Preamp, which may be easier to find.
Videos
Drunk Beaver Pedals
Questions
How many Drunk Beaver Ternopil Pentode Preamps were made?
Only 20 were made. Guitar Pedal X reported the limited run when the pedal launched on 12 April 2024 as Drunk Beaver's 20th Pedal Drop, available from the Drunk Beaver Webstore at $175 plus shipping and relevant taxes. As a small limited release, it is unlikely to appear in ordinary retail stock.
What tubes does the Ternopil Pentode Preamp use?
It uses rare Ukrainian 6Ж45Б-В military-spec tubes, rated for 3000 hours. Guitar Pedal X highlighted these tubes as a distinguishing feature of the pedal, which Drunk Beaver describes as a Pentode Preamp Tone Enhancer.
How much did the Ternopil Pentode Preamp cost?
As of the Guitar Pedal X article going live on 12 April 2024, the price was $175 plus shipping and relevant taxes, ordered from the Drunk Beaver Webstore.
Is the Ternopil Pentode Preamp a high-gain pedal?
No. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson wrote that the Ternopil is definitely in the Tone Enhancer category, with not a whole load of gain onboard, but plenty to make the signal sound better in overall character. It is aimed at warming and opening up the core signal rather than driving it into heavy distortion.
Sources (1)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-04-12
