The Keeley Tube Drive 12AT7WA RKFX.com Exclusive is a limited-run, tube-powered dual overdrive from Keeley Tube Drive maker Robert Keeley's Oklahoma City shop. It pairs a genuine 1950s Sylvania 12AT7WA high-voltage Class A tube preamp with Keeley's Super Phat Mod circuit, and only 100 units were built, each in a brushed gold gloss finish. It sold out almost instantly after launching in August 20261.
A dual overdrive with a vintage tube
The Tube Drive is a dual-gain design: Delicious Audio describes it as "a limited, collector-grade dual-gain engine pairing a genuine 1950s Sylvania 12AT7WA high-voltage Class A tube preamp with Keeley's legendary Super Phat Mod circuit"2. The vintage tube is the headline. It swaps the modern 12AX7 found in the standard Keeley Tube Drive for a 1950s Sylvania 12AT7WA, a tube Delicious Audio says audiophiles prize for its lush, deep character and military-grade ruggedness3. Each unit came with an original 1950s 12AT7WA tube fitted, and the tubes were all burned in and fully tested before shipping1.
The limited release also carried a Black "K" Tube Shield on the tube, according to Guitar Pedal X4. The tube socket is not locked to one tube type: gearnews reports that it accepts 12AT7, 12AU7, and 12AY7 tubes as well5.
The controls
Each side of the pedal has its own set of knobs and its own footswitch, so the two gain stages can be set and switched independently1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level (per channel) | Sets the output of each side separately2 |
| Gain/Drive (per channel) | Sets the amount of drive on each side2 |
| Tone (per channel) | Adjusts the EQ of each channel separately2 |
| Tube footswitch | Engages or bypasses the tube side1 |
| Drive footswitch | Engages or bypasses the drive side1 |
The jacks are standard and top-mounted, and the rear panel carries a vented jack plate for airflow around the tube2. The switching is true bypass or Keeley silent buffered switching, which gearnews notes makes it suitable for tone chasers1.
The pedal draws at least 500mA from its 9V DC center-negative supply because the internal circuitry converts the input to high voltage to run the tube12. Many daisy-chain outputs and compact power supplies cannot deliver that, so it needs a dedicated, higher-current outlet.
Power
Power comes from a standard 9V DC (minimum 500mA) center-negative supply, with the internal high-voltage conversion doing the work of running the tube preamp12. There is no battery option mentioned in the published material, and the 500mA requirement is the practical thing to plan around on a pedalboard power supply.
Tube Drive editions and where this one fits
The RKFX.com Exclusive was a pre-release edition of the Tube Drive. Where the standard model uses a modern 12AX7, this one swaps it for a vintage 1950s Sylvania 12AT7WA13. Each unit came with an original 1950s 12AT7WA tube fitted, burned in and fully tested1. Priced at $499, it was a premium drive option and still sold out quickly1.
Alongside the RKFX.com Exclusive, the Tube Drive has been offered in other editions, each with a different tube onboard6:
| Edition | Tube | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Stock / standard Black and Blue | Keeley-labeled 12AX7 | $3996 |
| Black and Silver | 1984 GE 12AT7A/7025 | $4996 |
| RKFX.com Exclusive (this pedal) | 1950s Sylvania 12AT7WA | $49921 |
The RKFX.com Exclusive remains a sold-out, collector-grade piece of that lineup2. Players interested in the circuit itself can look at the current Keeley Tube Drive editions, or at other Keeley drives built on the Super Phat Mod side of the family such as the Keeley Super Phat Mod Full Range Overdrive and the Keeley Retro Super Germanium Phat Mod. For how a dual-drive layout compares with single overdrives, see the site's Overdrive Pedals page.
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Questions
What power supply does the Keeley Tube Drive need?
The Tube Drive runs from a standard 9V DC center-negative supply, but it needs at least 500mA because the pedal converts that input to high voltage internally to run its tube preamp. That current draw rules out most daisy-chain outputs and low-current supplies, so plan for a dedicated outlet on your power supply rated for 500mA or more.
What does the Remote jack on the Tube Drive control?
The facts published about the Tube Drive describe dedicated Level, Gain, and Tone controls on each side of the dual overdrive, along with two footswitches labelled Tube and Drive. Details of what a Remote jack switches are not covered by the published material, so the pedal's manual is the place to look for that.
Where is the Keeley Tube Drive made?
The Tube Drive is built in Oklahoma City. Each pedal in the limited 100-unit RKFX.com Exclusive run came with a numbered faceplate, and the vintage 1950s 12AT7WA tubes were burned in and fully tested before the pedals shipped.
Is the RKFX.com Exclusive Tube Drive still available?
No. The RKFX.com Exclusive was a limited run of 100 pedals that sold out almost instantly when it launched in August 2026. Keeley has since released the Tube Drive in other editions, including a standard black version with a Keeley-labelled 12AX7 and further limited variants, so the circuit remains available in other forms.
Sources (6)
- Guitar Journal: Keeley Tube Drive 12AT7WA & More, gearnews.com, 2026-08-11
- Keeley Tube Drive, Delicious Audio, 2026-08-07
- New Pedal: Keeley Tube Drive, Delicious Audio, 2026-09-01
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-08-10
- Keeley Tube Drive Twin Triode Dual Overdrive: Dual Tube Overdrive Now Available for Everyone!, gearnews.com, 2026-09-02
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X
