Hard to believe, but 20years of Groove Tubes are

now behind us. I thank eachof you who’ve supported us

from our humble beginnings, andthose friends we’ve made morerecently. We all share a commonblessing (or curse?)...we have thosepesky musician’s ears. We knowwhen it’s right, and suffer when it’swrong. It’s been my heart’s desireas a guitarist to seek great tone.Without these ears, and the graceof God, I would not be writing thisletter to share a few stories fromour past.

Summer of 1979: GrooveTubes is bornI was shootin’ pool and talkin’ tone with my pal, JacoPastorius. I had just invented a wayto measure and match powertubes to make the amp more musi-cal. Our matched tubes sustainedlonger, had better balance, andcould be distortion rated. Wecould hear the difference, and Iknew I had a company, but wasstruck on the name. Jaco sug-gested we write down everyname that came to mind. Hourslater, out came “Groove Tubes,”and the 20 year adventure hadbegun. Jaco, if you’re reading this in heaven, thanks.

One of my first customers was PatSimmons (Doobie Bros), in the finalstages of a record project. I came in to retube his

Bandmaster. Pat was thrilled, but theengineer was more excited becausePat’s tone was so even he didn’t needthe compressor. I retubed every ampthey had, even the Leslie! They re-cut much of that record, they couldhear the difference. Months laterreturning from tour, they told me theyhad never changed tubes becausethe tone never faded. Our system hadactually extended tube life too. Today,Groove Tubes are sold in 1,000’s ofshops around the world. We are hon-ored that amp makers like Fender,Ampeg, Soldano and many othersuse our tubes.

Spring of 1985: Fatheads & FatfingersI had noticed Les Pauls with thicker headstocks hadfatter tone and more sustain. I fashioned athin brass plate for my Strat that dou-bled the mass of it’s headstock, andheld it on with the tuners. You couldhear the difference immediately, fattertone, more sustain and no dead

spots! It worked onacoustic or electric,guitar or bass.Fathead was born andawarded a US patent.Our latest version, theFatfinger, simply clamps on any headstock, producing a difference you can really hear.

Fall of 1985: The Speaker EmulatorCapturing great guitar tone on record meant hours ofstudio time messin’ with mics and placement, and itwas even harder on stage. Electronic drums, bass andkeyboards could all go direct to the board, but greatguitar tone came from a tube amp cranked into aspeaker. My idea was to replace the speaker and themic with a special reactive load to reduce the amp’slevel, capture the tone and feel of the power tubes,and go direct. Months later, we finally discovered theperfect recipe, the Speaker Emulator was born and

later earned a patent. GT Custom Shop’s current ver-sion, SE2, is in studio and on stage with hundreds ofguitarists, including Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani,Billy Gibbons, and Skunk Baxter who once used itwith the Doobies for the “Live at Red Square” concert,long before the Wall came down.

Summer 1989: The Dual 75 amp & Trio preampFender amps used 6L6 power tubes, Marshall usedEL34’s, I wanted an amp that could use either. RedRhodes, our head engineer, helped me build the firsttube amp that could, the Dual 75. We made it dualchannel so we could quickly switch between the twotube types and/or combine them! The Trio camenext, the world’s first 3 channel switching preamp:Clean; Mean; and Scream. Combined with the D75 wecould switch between 9 fundamentally different classictube amp designs! These are still made by ourCustom Shop because you can hear the difference.

Spring 1992: The Soul-o ampsRed Rhodes also designed ourSoul-o amps using D75/Trio tricks,adding more innovations: powerstage switching from Class A/Bto Class A; Clean and Screamchannels could be playedtogether; a parallel FX loopwith mix control; shock

mounted tubes andchassis for clarity athigher volumes;

and arack space to hold an FXunit. Red died in 1995,but GT Custom Shop stillbuilds his Soul-o amps,and Red’s still smilin’some where up in heaven.

Summer 1992: The MD1, our first tube micWhen I listened to an imported tube mic andsaw the $5,000 price tag, I knewI could do better. Our goal wasto produce an affordable tubemic with the best characteristicsof the classics. We knew abouttubes, but had to learn muchabout capsules before we finallyreleased the MD1. Priced under$1,000, it was an immediate hit, and stillin use throughout the industry. Our studioproducts line grew to include 6 mics, mic pres, EQ’s

and compressors. In 1998, I sold this division toAlesis, and developed some studio products for GTElectronics (a division of Alesis). However, Alesiswent bankrupt in 2001, so we’ve restarted our own-studio products division with our all tube mic preamp,the Vipre, which has ground breaking technologyunique in the industry. Vipre has already won severalindustry dedsign achievment awards and makes allmics sound better... you can hear the difference!

Fall of 1997: The SFX revolution!I’ve been blessed with so many great products, butStereo Field Expansion is per-haps the most exciting. One ofmy brilliant musician friends,Drew Daniels, had an idea toperform live in an “expanded”stereo sound field so everyonein the room could hear stereoeffect...all from a single speak-er cabinet! My crude prototypeworked even better than Drewhad imagined. We immediatelyknew SFX was bigger thanboth of us. But not too big forFender who licensed SFX even before we got thepatent. SFX is the magic behind their award win-ning Acoustisonic amp. We just released a GTCustom Shop SFX line which works with most

amps, so even Marshallplayers can have theSFX experience, whichone reviewer described:“like playing inside of a40 foot pair of head-phones.”

2001:God only knows... After 20 years of divineinspiration, I doubt He’ll let us down now. MyTube Amp Book has

already sold more than 80,000copies, and I’d like to write thenext edition soon. I’m still workin’on makin’ even better tubes, butwherever the next 20 years lead,our customers will continue to bethe most important part of our suc-cess. If you will continue to lend usyour ears, and honor us with yourbusiness, I’ll keep trying to make adifference you can hear.

Thanks again and God Bless you all,

Aspen Pittman

Thanks for the 20 year Groove (to be continued...)

GrooveTubes

“hear the difference”

My wife Sigi hand painted this Soul-o for Steve Miller

Hard to believe, but 22 years of Groove Tubesare now behind us. I thank each of you who’vesupported us. We all share a common blessing:those pesky musician’s ears.We know when it’s right,and suffer when it’s wrong.It’s been my heart’s desireas a guitarist to seek greattone. Without these ears,and the grace of God, I would not be writing thisletter to share a few stories from our past.

Summer of 1979:Groove Tubes is bornI was shootin’ pool andtalkin’ tone with my pal, JacoPastorius. I had just inventeda way to measure and matchpower tubes to make the ampmore musical. Our matchedtubes sustained longer, had bet-ter balance, and could be distortion rated from#1 (early distortion, softer compression) to #10 (late distortion, more dynamic) We could hearthe difference, and I knew I had a company, but was stuck on the name. Jaco suggested we writedown every name that came to mind. Hours later,out came “Groove Tubes,” and the 20 yearadventure had begun. Today, Groove Tubes is theworld’s leading brand and are sold around theworld. We are also honored that amp makers likeFender, Ampeg, Soldano and many otherschoose our tubes. Jaco, if you’re reading this inheaven, thanks.

Spring 1992: The Soul-o ampsRed Rhodes and I developed our Soul-o seriesamps out of our D75 tube amp and Trio tube preamp, adding more innovations: power stageswitching from Class A/B to Class A; Clean andScream channels could be played together; aparallel FX loop with mix control; shock mountedtubes and chassis for clarity at higher volumes;and a rack space to hold an FX unit. Red died in1995, but GT Custom Shop still builds our Soul-oamps, and Red’s still smilin’ some where up inheaven.

Spring 2002: The Soul-o Single

The Single is a true sin-gle ended Class A ampwe designed especially

for recording or gigs thatmic the amp. It has manySoul-o features, but whatmakes it unique is it canuse ANY dual triode pre-

amp tube in either preampstage (ie:12AX7, 12AT7, 5751), and also ANY

power tube (ie: 6L6, 6V6, EL34, KT66, KT88, evena EL84!) and without rebiasing...just change them

and Hear the Difference!

After 22 years of divine inspiration, I doubt He’ll let us down now. If you will continue to lend usyour ears, and honor us with your business, I’llkeep trying to make a difference you can hear.Thanks again and God Bless you all,

Aspen Pittman

The 22 year Groove

GrooveTubes

“hear the difference”

www.groovetubes.com • (818) 361-4500

Groove TubesEnjoying our 25thyear making theWorld’s finest “tonemachines” for stageand studio.GrooveTubes Your tube amp is only asgood as it ’s tubes. GrooveTubes is the world leaderin tube design, manufac-turing, special matchingand selection for guitaramplifiers and studio gear.

GT Amps Our ledgendarySoul-o seriesfeatures classsictone, creativedesign, and handcraftsmanship2nd to none.

FatfingersIncrease tone, balanceand sustain instantlyby simply clampingour patented deviceto your headstock.

GT Mics and PreampsAward winning designs,immaculate sound, terrificvalue, and designed to makebeautiful music even more so.

SFX StereoTechnologyOur patentedaward winningSFX stereocabs let youplay live in a300 degree Stereo Surroundfieldfrom a single cab. It ’s truly Magic!

Hear the Difference!Visit us on line or call to find your

nearest GT dealer: 800-459-5687

www.groovetubes.com

Hear the Difference!

SFX G3 cab

MD1b tube mic

The Fatfinger

Soul-o Single

GT6L6GE

www.groovetubes.com

An Introduction...Based on the principle of Aspen Pittman’s FATHEAD(US PATENT 4,840,102), the fatfinger™ (PAT.PEND.) is an effectiveand natural sustain enhancer when clamped to the head-stock of any stringed instrument. The fatfinger can “tuneout” those dead spots found on almost every guitar or bass, by simply changing the point of contact to the headstock.The fatfinger installs in seconds and gives instant and amazing results...even for the most hardened tonal skeptic.

The Science...The physics of fatfinger are simple; by effectively adding 2 to 3 times more mass to the “weak” end of any stringedinstrument, the strings ring out longer, louder, and with more balance. The increased sustain is immediately apparent,but the improved balance is the ultimate reward. The fatfinger’s mass lowers the frequency of the harmonic imper-

fections, or nodes, of any stringedinstrument. These “dead spots”

are moved below our audiblerange, and so are effectively

eliminated! They work aswell on electric guitars orbasses as they do onacoustic instruments. It’san incredible “fix “ forthat Fender Jazz Basswith the “disappearing C

note” syndrome, andit adds new

punch to yourfinger

pickin’.

the amazing...

“Hey, who couldn’t use an extra finger?”

Our Sales Pitch...The fatfingers are made of chromeplated Bell Brass for mucho mass,and that little chrome finger on theheadstock of your guitar will makeyour friends swoon with envy! The fatfinger can not damage yourinstrument in any way. We moneyback guarantee you’ll love yourfatfinger! You can buy a fatfingerfor $29.95 (guitar) or $39.95 (bassversion is 20% larger) from yourGroove Tubes distributor.

The original GeneralElectric 6L6GC “cleartop” power tube wasperhaps the music

world’s most belovedpower tube. It wasused by scores of USA

amp manufacturersduring the 50’s and 60’s,

the Golden Era of tube amps.It's unique tonal signature can

be found on recordings rangingfrom Dick Dale, to Jimi Hendrix,

to Buddy HollyandRockabillygreats likeCarl Perkinsand GeneVincent.These tubesare prizedfor theircrystal clear,bell liketone.

The Groove TubesGT6L6GE is a faithfulreproduction of the historicGE 6L6GC with a 90% USAmade content. Much of it ismade on the original GEmachines located at theirCalifornia factory and usingoriginal GE materials. The toneof this tube is unmistakable,a difference you can hear!

www.groovetubes.com

IntroducingThe 6L6GE

History Repeats Itself!

Most folks know us for our premium tubes, our Tube Amp Book, or our studio microphones.But many professional guitarist also know we’ve been hand building high grade tube

amplifiers for almost 20 years! Our Speaker Emulator revolutionized directrecording of tube amps, we pioneered the 3 channel tube preamp withour Trio, our Soul-o 75 amp was the world’s first channel switchingtube amp that also could switch between Class A and Class A/Bpower output, our Soul-o 45 amp was the first tube amp specificallymade for use with foot pedals, and most recently our patented SFX

products that fill the room with stereo sound from a single SFX cab.This year’s addition is a cool little amp we designed for the

studio and live gigs that mic the amp. The Soul-o Single is a true single ended Class A amp that uses just a single power tube...butyou can use any power tube from an EL84 to a 6L6. The power

ranges from 7 to 15 watts, and the sonic signaturechanges to reflect the preamp and power tube youchoose...and it can be changed in seconds withoutany adjustments. The Single is a little ‘tube sampler’

amp that records incredibly big and can give you arainbow of tone just by changing it’s tubes.

It also has a full set of gain and tonecontrols that range from fat & clean tocrunch & shred.

Groove Tubes Amplifiers...Hear the Difference!ASPEN PITTMAN holding the new 6L6 GE Tube

TRIO PREAMP w/ RC2 CAB SFX K3 STEREO KEYBOARD 3x12” CABINET DUAL 75 AMP • SOUL-O 45 COMBO ON A SFX S12 CAB S45 TOP 112 CAB • NEW SINGLE 10” COMBO • NEW SINGLE TOP

www.groovetubes.comTo find a GT Amp dealer near you, call 1-800-459-5687

D75 SFX + E1 w/ RC3 CAB SFX G3 STEREO CAB + SFX S15 CAB

S75 + 410 CAB • SPEAKER EMULATOR 2S75 TOP + 212 CAB • SOUL-O 75 COMBO

Most folks know us for our premium tubes, our Tube Amp Book, or our studio microphones.But many professional guitarist also know we’ve been hand building high grade tube

amplifiers for almost 20 years! Our Speaker Emulator revolutionized directrecording of tube amps, we pioneered the 3 channel tube preamp withour Trio, our Soul-o 75 amp was the world’s first channel switchingtube amp that also could switch between Class A and Class A/Bpower output, our Soul-o 45 amp was the first tube amp specificallymade for use with foot pedals, and most recently our patented SFX

products that fill the room with stereo sound from a single SFX cab.This year’s addition is a cool little amp we designed for the

studio and live gigs that mic the amp. The Soul-o Single is a true single ended Class A amp that uses just a single power tube...butyou can use any power tube from an EL84 to a 6L6. The power

ranges from 7 to 15 watts, and the sonic signaturechanges to reflect the preamp and power tube youchoose...and it can be changed in seconds withoutany adjustments. The Single is a little ‘tube sampler’

amp that records incredibly big and can give you arainbow of tone just by changing it’s tubes.

It also has a full set of gain and tonecontrols that range from fat & clean tocrunch & shred.

Groove Tubes Amplifiers...Hear the Difference!ASPEN PITTMAN holding the new 6L6 GE Tube

TRIO PREAMP w/ RC2 CAB SFX K3 STEREO KEYBOARD 3x12” CABINET DUAL 75 AMP • SOUL-O 45 COMBO ON A SFX S12 CAB S45 TOP 112 CAB • NEW SINGLE 10” COMBO • NEW SINGLE TOP

www.groovetubes.comTo find a GT Amp dealer near you, call 1-800-459-5687

D75 SFX + E1 w/ RC3 CAB SFX G3 STEREO CAB + SFX S15 CAB

S75 + 410 CAB • SPEAKER EMULATOR 2S75 TOP + 212 CAB • SOUL-O 75 COMBO

The original GeneralElectric 6L6GC “cleartop” power tube wasperhaps the music

world’s most belovedpower tube. It wasused by scores of USA

amp manufacturersduring the 50’s and 60’s,

the Golden Era of tube amps.It's unique tonal signature can

be found on recordings rangingfrom Dick Dale, to Jimi Hendrix,

to Buddy HollyandRockabillygreats likeCarl Perkinsand GeneVincent.These tubesare prizedfor theircrystal clear,bell liketone.

The Groove TubesGT6L6GE is a faithfulreproduction of the historicGE 6L6GC with a 90% USAmade content. Much of it ismade on the original GEmachines located at theirCalifornia factory and usingoriginal GE materials. The toneof this tube is unmistakable,a difference you can hear!

www.groovetubes.com

IntroducingThe 6L6GE

History Repeats Itself!