tubesteader Lightkeeper

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MANUAL v1.0

The Lightkeeper is a tube based, all-analog boost/overdrive pedal,

designed to deliver that ‘tube-feel’ to any amp, house system, or

recording interface. Inspired by Dumble’s legendary clean channel

sound with lush dynamics and touch-sensitive sound we crave. It’s a

portable tone palette that’s perfect for enchancing the ﬂat-sounding

amps or tucking in your case for jam sessions.

Sculpt your base tone from crisp clean to an edge of breakup while

reserving the footswitch boost/mid-punch for solos, thanks to the

3-way Mid and Boost footswitchable controls.

The Lightkeeper operates as a pure analog, Class A audio pre-amp

offering high ﬁdelity sound without semi-conductor or DSP in the

signal path. It features a genuine ECC83/12AX7 vacuum tube operating

at 250VDC high voltage and delivers a warm, rich tone with gentle and

natural compression.

INTRODUCTION

TUBE BOOSTER / LIGHT OVERDRIVETUBE BOOSTER / LIGHT OVERDRIVE

Congratulations on your purchase and thank you for supporting us!

CAUTION! RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.

DO NOT OPEN THE ENCLOSURE.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.

Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and

(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interfer-

ence that may cause undesired operation.

Unauthorized changes or modiﬁcation to this system can void the users

authority to operate this equipment.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for

a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.

These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against

harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment

generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not

installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause

harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no

guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this

equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television

reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and

on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or

more of the following measures:

- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to

which the receiver is connected.

- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

CAN ICES-003 (B) / NMB-003 (B)

This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS

All Tubesteader pedals are warrantied to be free from defects in parts

and craftsmanship for 5 years from the original date of purchase.

The external hardware, such as pots, switches and jacks are warrantied

to be free from defects for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase.

The tubes are covered for a period of 30 days from receipt of the pedal.

EXCLUSIONS:

- Damage caused by accident, abuse, modiﬁcation, improper use.

- Cosmetic wear and tear of the enclosure and external hardware.

- Shipping costs.

Tubesteader reserves the right to make changes and

improvements in designs & dimensions without notice.

The Tubesteader will repair or replace, at our discretion, the product

under the warranty at no cost to the original owner. For any warranty or

repair inquiries, please contact support@tubesteader.com

Returns are accepted within 7 days from the date of receiving your

order. To qualify for return the product has to be in “new” condition,

in the original packaging and perfect working order.

WARRANTYCOMPLIANCE

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The Lightkeeper is a tube-based, all-analog, boost/overdrive pedal designed to deliver "tube-feel" to any amp, house system, or recording interface. Inspired by Dumble's legendary clean channel sound with lush dynamics and touch-sensitive sound, it offers a portable tone palette suitable for enhancing the flat-sounding amps or tucking in your game for jam sessions.

Function Description:

The Lightkeeper allows users to sculpt their base tone from crisp clean to an edge of breakup while reserving the footswitch boost/mid-punch for solos, thanks to the 3-way Mid and Boost footswitchable controls. It operates as a pure analog, Class A audio pre-amp, offering high fidelity sound without semi-conductor or DSP in the signal path. It features a genuine ECC83/12AX7 vacuum tube operating at 250VDC high voltage and delivers a warm, rich tone with gentle and natural compression.

Important Technical Specifications:

Input Impedance: 1M
Output Impedance: < 10K
Vacuum Tube: ECC83/12AX7
Power: 12VDC @ 300mA (min.), power adapter supplied. The power connector is a barrel 2.1mm, center negative.
Enclosure: Die-cast aluminum
Size: 4.7" x 5.7" (120mm x 145mm)
Height: 2.75" (70mm) including tube protectors
Weight: 1.6 lbs (700 gr.)

Usage Features:

The Lightkeeper can be connected in several ways:

As a pedal plugged into the input of a guitar amp: Set the amp volume to normal listening level and adjust the amp's tone control(s) to flat or centered. The Lightkeeper will handle EQ and Gain preferences. It can be chained with other pedals; it is suggested to run overdrive or distortion pedals in front of the Lightkeeper, with ambient and modulation devices behind it.
Directly into a power amp or powered speaker.
Lightkeeper Output to an Amp FX-return Input: Note that FX-return circuits differ between amp models, so overall levels and sound results may vary.
Straight into a mixing console or recording interface: It is suggested to combine the Lightkeeper with an IR/Cabinet sim for recording.

The device features several controls:

VOL (Output volume): Controls the overall output volume.
GAIN: Adjusts the amount of signal driving a 2nd gain stage. The 3-band EQ controls are interactive and also affect the gain levels, similar to a tube amp.
BASS, MIDLE, TREBLE: A 3-band interactive EQ for tone shaping.
BOOST: Provides a gain boost, partially bypassing the EQ.
MID: Offers a midrange shift.
FC (Foot Control): A footswitch for controlling the MID/BOOST toggles. When the lever is in the middle position, switching the Mid-shift, Boost, or both switches together is done by the panel-mounted footswitch.
BYPASS: A true bypass footswitch with status light.

Maintenance Features:

The Lightkeeper ships with an ECC83/12AX7 vacuum tube installed. This stock tube can be swapped with equivalent preamp tubes from other brands to explore additional tonal possibilities.
When powering up from a cold state, allow the Lightkeeper to warm up for a few minutes before playing. The tube runs warm to the touch under normal operation.
To prevent malfunction and equipment failure, always turn down the volume before making any connections.

Compliance and Safety:

The device complies with industry Canada license-exempt RSS CAN ICES-003 (B) / NMB-003 (B).
It complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to two conditions: (1) The device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) The device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Unauthorized changes or modification to the system can void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
The equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
A warning symbol indicates "CAUTION! RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT OPEN THE ENCLOSURE."
All Tubesteader pedals are warranted to be free from defects in parts and craftsmanship for 5 years from the original date of purchase. The external hardware, such as pots, switches and jacks are warranted to be free from defects for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase. The tubes are covered for a period of 30 days from receipt of the pedal.
Exclusions: Damage caused by accident, abuse, modification, improper use. Cosmetic wear and tear of the enclosure and external hardware. Shipping costs.
The Tubesteader will repair or replace, at our discretion, the product under the warranty at no cost to the original owner. For any warranty or repair inquiries, contact support@tubesteader.com.
Returns are accepted within 7 days from the date of receiving your order. To qualify for return the product has to be in "new" condition, in the original packaging and perfect working order.
Tubesteader reserves the right to make changes and improvements in designs & dimensions without notice.