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Real Tubes. Real Legacy Circuitry. Complete Rig Flexibility.
  • •Two 12AX7 preamp tubes with four gain stages
  • •260V high-voltage tube operation
  • •Clean and Drive channels with footswitchable High Gain
  • •Independent Clean and Drive tone controls
  • •G3 cabinet-voiced output for direct recording or live use
  • •Use with a guitar amp, power amp, PA, recording setup, or headphones

steve vai vld1 tube guitar preamp pedal

LEGACY TONE. ANYWHERE.

The sound and feel of Steve Vai's Legacy amplifier in a compact, all-tube preamp pedal.

The VLD1 Legacy Drive uses two real 12AX7 tubes and the full Legacy preamp circuit to deliver everything from pristine cleans to saturated high-gain tones. Use it as a pedal with your favorite amp, as a complete preamp with a power amp, or go direct for recording, live performance, or headphone practice.

carvin steve vai legacy drive all tube guitar preamp pedal vld1

THE LEGACY PREAMP. IN A PEDAL.

Two 12AX7 Tubes. Four Gain Stages. 260V PLATE VOLTAGE.

The VLD1 isn't simply designed to emulate the sound of a Legacy amplifier. Its two 12AX7 tubes operate at 260V plate voltage across four gain stages, bringing the Legacy preamp architecture into a compact pedal format—all powered by the included 12VDC, 1A power supply.

Steve Vai Legacy VLD1 Pedal Clean Channel

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SHAPE YOUR TONE

Clean: Volume / Bass / Mid / Treble / Presence

Drive: Volume / Drive / Bass / Mid / Treble / Presence

Global: Master / Bypass

Footswitches: Bypass / Gain / Drive-Clean

BUILT AROUND THE WAY YOU PLAY

Independent Clean + Drive EQ

Clean and Drive each have dedicated tone controls, so you're not forced to use one EQ setting across radically different sounds.

Wide-Range Presence Control

Dial the Drive channel toward smooth and thick or increase Presence to add edge and cut through a mix.

True Hardwire Bypass

Take the VLD1 out of the signal path when you don't need it.

Remote Switching

Control Bypass, Clean/Drive and Gain from external footswitches or compatible automated switching systems.

Steve Vai in concert using the Carvin Legacy Drive VLD1 Tube Preamp pedal
DESIGNED WITH STEVE VAI

THE LEGACY CONTINUES

Carvin worked closely with Steve Vai to develop the original Legacy Series amplifiers in 1999. The VLD1 brings the sound and response of that Legacy preamp design into a compact, all-tube pedal built for the stage, studio, and anywhere your rig takes you.

"I just got off stage after using the new pedal for half the show. I went back to the amp for the other half just to compare. They are very very close, but my sound man likes the new pedal version better. This is going to make my life a lot easier." — Steve Vai

VLD1 Legacy Drive

All-Tube Guitar Preamp

User Manual

Download the product user manual here