noob pre/pwer amp recording ?s

[ghola]

Hi all. I am a drummer and beginner guitarist/songwriter seeking potential abuse of vintage tube gear for sound exploration. Todays "tube-sounding" gear is dreadful. I have my eye (on epay) on some affordable old tube pre/power amps. I want a direct-to-"tape" recording solution. I am in no way tech minded, but I am good at following directions. Are there any impedance issues to look for when/if I buy? Any hazards I should know about? I know to power up with a variac, and to let a tech go over any eqip before I get my sweaty hands on it. Since I seek distortion in all its many colors, clean pure sound is not a factor. Any possible combos to look for? I might not even need a power amp, since I plan to record direct to hard disk anyway. Remember, Im not just a tube noob, Im also a drummer! Any help is much appreciated.