The Vox Tone Garage Straight 6 Drive is a British-style distortion pedal from Vox, part of the five-pedal Tone Garage series announced in 20131. MusicRadar describes it as "a Brit-style distortion pedal that loads on the dirt," with Vox's own take on it being a signature British-flavored distortion that runs from a mild raunch to something like a maxed-out valve combo, cleaning up progressively as you roll back your guitar's volume knob2.
What sets it apart from most distortion boxes is what is inside: a real 12AX7 vacuum tube and a fully discrete analog circuit with no integrated circuits at all321.
A real valve, and no chips
Three of the pedals in the Tone Garage series, including the Straight 6 Drive, carry a 12AX7 vacuum tube in a prominent housing on a solidly built chassis3. Vox's Hi-Volt technology delivers a full 200V to that tube, which is far beyond what a normal 9V pedal circuit supplies, and it does so running from six AA batteries (included with the pedal) or an optional 9V DC adapter3.
The rest of the circuit is just as old-school. Guitar World reported at launch that the Tone Garage pedals use all-discrete circuits with no op-amps or ICs, built instead from individual transistors, resistors, capacitors and coils1. MusicRadar confirms the Straight 6 Drive itself features "all-analogue discrete circuitry with no integrated circuits whatsoever"2.
Vox engineers named the series "Tone Garage" for its boutique-inspired, hot-rodded and modded designs intended to deliver classic and unique tones not found elsewhere31.
The controls, including the standby switch
The control panel follows the AC30-flavored theme. MusicRadar's reviewer, Trevor Curwen, found the bass and tone controls offer sensible variations, adding body and presence respectively where needed, while a bright switch "kicks in some top boost chime," a nod to the AC30's famous Top Boost channel2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bass | Adds body where needed2 |
| Tone | Adds presence where needed2 |
| Bright switch | Kicks in some top boost chime2 |
| Standby/on switch | Valve-amp-style standby; effect off but signal still passes2 |
The standby switch is the unusual one. All the pedals in the range have a standby/on switch as you might find on a valve amp. In standby you get neither silence nor the effect: because the pedals are true bypass, your dry signal keeps flowing, but the pedal itself is disengaged2. Reviewing the range, Curwen noted the thinking behind the switch is admirable and should extend valve life4.
The standby switch is a two-step operation unlike most stompboxes. MusicRadar listed "standby switch could cause headaches" among the pedal's drawbacks, so it pays to remember the pedal is not simply on or off2.
Is it based on the AC30?
Not literally, but clearly in spirit. MusicRadar's review states that "Vox obviously had its iconic AC30 in mind when designing the Straight 6"2. The result is described as a valve-powered, AC30-inspired overdrive rather than a model of the amp, with the bright switch's top boost chime being the most direct AC30 reference2.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review, by Trevor Curwen, was broadly positive. On gain range, he found "plenty here to naturally turn your clean amp dirty and to add even more grit to an already dirty amp"2. Among the reasons to buy he listed the valve-powered AC30-inspired overdrive and the rugged construction; against it, the standby switch2.
"There's plenty here to naturally turn your clean amp dirty and to add even more grit to an already dirty amp."
Elsewhere in the Tone Garage range, the same reviewer praised the build of the V8 Distortion and the Trike Fuzz, and noted that the Flat 4 Boost could just as well have been called an overdrive pedal given its gain knob's crunch character456.
Videos
VOX Amps
VOX Brasil
Guitar Player Magazine
Questions
Is the Vox Straight 6 Drive true bypass?
Yes. The Tone Garage pedals use true bypass switching, so with the effect off your signal passes through untouched. Even in standby mode the pedal is not silent, because true bypass keeps the dry signal flowing while the effect itself is disengaged.
Does the Vox Straight 6 Drive use a real valve?
Yes. Three pedals in the Tone Garage series, including the Straight 6 Drive, carry a 12AX7 vacuum tube in a prominent housing on the chassis. Vox's Hi-Volt technology supplies high voltage, 200V, to that tube, running from six AA batteries or an optional 9V DC adapter.
What does the standby switch do on the Vox Straight 6 Drive?
It works like the standby switch on a valve amp. In standby you get neither silence nor the effect: true bypass keeps your clean signal passing through, but the pedal's processing is off. MusicRadar's reviewer noted the design should extend valve life, though the same switch was listed as a potential source of headaches.
Is the Vox Straight 6 Drive based on the AC30?
In spirit, yes. MusicRadar's review says Vox obviously had its iconic AC30 in mind when designing the Straight 6 Drive, and describes the result as a valve-powered, AC30-inspired overdrive. It is not an amp modeler, but a distortion pedal voiced in that British tradition.
Does the Vox Straight 6 Drive use any integrated circuits?
No. Like all the Tone Garage pedals, it uses all-analogue discrete circuitry with no integrated circuits whatsoever. The circuits are built from individual transistors, resistors, capacitors and coils rather than op-amps or ICs.
Sources (6)
- Vox Announces Tone Garage Series of Tube/Analog Effect Pedals, Guitar World, 2013-07-18
- Vox Tone Garage Straight 6 Drive review, MusicRadar, 2013-11-05
- Vox Announces Tone Garage Line of Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2013-07-11
- Vox Tone Garage V8 Distortion review, MusicRadar, 2013-11-08
- Vox Tone Garage Trike Fuzz review, MusicRadar, 2013-11-14
- Vox Tone Garage Flat 4 Boost review, MusicRadar, 2013-10-30
