Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: dheim on March 31, 2011, 08:49:29 PM

Title: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: dheim on March 31, 2011, 08:49:29 PM
i was looking at the ibanez website... i'm not completely sure that i need a tubescreamer, but - in case i decide to try it - what model should i consider? TS808? TS9? TS9DX?
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Madsakre on March 31, 2011, 08:53:30 PM
i like and own the ts808. its pricy.. but it does what it does
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Elliot on March 31, 2011, 08:59:26 PM
TS7  :D
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Transcend on March 31, 2011, 09:16:30 PM
if you can solder by numbers the BYOC classic overdrive is a clone of the original ts808 and is far far cheaper.

I owned a TS9 in the past and it wasn't very good at all. In fact i preferred the digitech bad monkey over it.

The classic OD/TS808 is fantastic though
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: tomjackson on March 31, 2011, 09:31:14 PM

I think the BYOC would be great.

But if you don't want to solder the ToneriderAmerican OD  is a very good TS type pedal.  I prefered it to the TS9 anyway....
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: dheim on March 31, 2011, 09:33:30 PM
hey! wait!
i've got an american overdrive, and use it in a totally different way... i didn't know it was a tubescreamer clone!  :oops:
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Telerocker on March 31, 2011, 11:09:02 PM
Clever guy!  :lol:
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: JDC on April 01, 2011, 05:47:55 AM
and the american overdrive has true bypass! ibanez ones don't, the original ibanez tubescreamers were made by maxon
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: tomjackson on April 01, 2011, 11:24:26 AM
hey! wait!
i've got an american overdrive, and use it in a totally different way... i didn't know it was a tubescreamer clone!  :oops:

Well I'm not sure if it's a clone as such but certainly in a similar ball park.

Another idea would be a BB preamp clone.  I've just built a Madbean Glitteratti which sounds excellent.  Like a tubescreamer but thicker and crisper with an active EQ
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Denim n Leather on April 01, 2011, 12:13:01 PM
The BB Preamp sounds nothing like a Tube Screamer.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: tomjackson on April 01, 2011, 02:30:53 PM

Mine does.  But thicker and crisper.  And better....

Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Andrew W on April 01, 2011, 04:16:15 PM
I've found that it depends on what sort of amp you have whether you choose one Tubescreamer over another. I have a TS808 which I love to bits through my Fender-ish Cornell Romany. It did very little in front of my Plexi and I only held onto it in case I one day got a more Fender-ish amp which I then did and it's become my favourite pedal since that moment. For me TS808 into something Fender-ish = big win.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Telerocker on April 02, 2011, 12:43:30 AM
The BB Preamp sounds nothing like a Tube Screamer.

I agree. The BB is good, but sounds different then a TS9 or 808. I have an original 81 TS9 which I like for some purposes. Not on every amp though.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: hunter on April 02, 2011, 09:28:19 AM

Maxon 808 or for a bit smoother the 820. The mix pot works wonders on these.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Telerocker on April 02, 2011, 11:04:04 AM

Maxon 808 or for a bit smoother the 820. The mix pot works wonders on these.

The 820 is a good allround pedal! Will do some heavier stuff too.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Pete24v on April 02, 2011, 01:00:04 PM
The recent Maxon screamers are true bypass, i have the Analogman OD-9, the silver mod flattens out the mid hump.

The Keeley modded pedals fix the missing low end that most other screamers have. And his 'mod plus' gives more and less gain than standard at the extreme settings.

The Turbo screamer is a strange beast, it has Way too much low end in any of the settings other than standard ts-9. Could be good if you use a really thin sounding guitar and amp i suppose.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Mr. Air on April 03, 2011, 12:22:31 PM
T-Rex Alberta for a tubescreamer like tone. A bit pricey, but a real nice pedal. Or maybe their cheaper Tone Bug Overdrive which I haven't tried out though.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Alex on April 03, 2011, 04:30:55 PM
Both the Visual Sound Route 808 and the Digitech Hardwire CM-2 sound like a tubescreamer, but both are cheaper and have excellent bypasses.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: gwEm on April 03, 2011, 04:31:36 PM
The BB Preamp sounds nothing like a Tube Screamer.

agree
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: kittyhawk on April 19, 2011, 05:48:07 PM
barber direct drive!!! :D
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: horsehead on April 19, 2011, 08:49:38 PM
what about a Bad Monkey?
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: JacksonRR on April 19, 2011, 10:37:00 PM
What's the application? Stand alone drive where the focus is on the pedal by itself mostly, or is this for front end enhancement into an already fire breathing channel?
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: dheim on April 27, 2011, 05:47:17 PM
i'm using my american overdrive in the first way, but i should try it in the second!
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: shobet on April 27, 2011, 06:02:45 PM
HBE's power screamer. http://www.homebrewelectronics.com/shop/power-screamer

Sounds similar to a power screamer to me. I've got the one with the optional fat switch. It does what it says on the tin.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: JacksonRR on April 27, 2011, 11:00:15 PM
Well the reason I asked about what you were using it for was almost none of the 3 knob boutique models are really good for that as they let too much bass through to be useful into your Mesas, Peaveys etc. A very lean pedal, like a TS9, or one with a nice EQ section is best for front end enhancement. For example, the Xotic RC and AC boosters are based on TS circuitry, but with a Baxandall EQ section. Some people like a lot of dirt out of the pedal, some people don't but the main ingredient IMO is that sharp bass cut that lets the bass stay tighter through the gain stages. It's not the absolute best way of getting tighter bass response out of a high-gain head, but it's still very effective, widely used and coupled with a boost. Of course you'll be throwing the bass knob on the amp up more to compensate, but that's just how they work together for metal.

Good luck in your search.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: ericsabbath on April 28, 2011, 12:13:03 AM
Well the reason I asked about what you were using it for was almost none of the 3 knob boutique models are really good for that as they let too much bass through to be useful into your Mesas, Peaveys etc. A very lean pedal, like a TS9, or one with a nice EQ section is best for front end enhancement. For example, the Xotic RC and AC boosters are based on TS circuitry, but with a Baxandall EQ section. Some people like a lot of dirt out of the pedal, some people don't but the main ingredient IMO is that sharp bass cut that lets the bass stay tighter through the gain stages. It's not the absolute best way of getting tighter bass response out of a high-gain head, but it's still very effective, widely used and coupled with a boost. Of course you'll be throwing the bass knob on the amp up more to compensate, but that's just how they work together for metal.

Good luck in your search.

this
most boutique TS-based models are usually better as a distortion source, but not as a booster
they add gain, a ton of bass and cut off the mid hump, and that's pretty much everything that makes a stock TS a better amp booster than a distortion pedal
fat switches are good for thin sounding guitars, though
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: Zaned on April 28, 2011, 09:00:25 AM
How about a Voodoo lab Sparkle drive? TS808 tone and clean boost built into the same pedal, blendable.

-Zaned
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: doc_erp on April 28, 2011, 09:39:46 AM
I have to agree with Mr. Air, T-Rex has fantastic products. But the best one for me is Machine Head 72 Degrees.

Check the Burgerman666 review on the youtube.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: asianaxeman on April 28, 2011, 10:34:53 AM
I swear by my crowther double hotcake for tightening up a tube amp for metal, in a crisp fashion without that awful awful TS mid hump. The second gain stage allows more gain to make leads more fluid.

A cheaper but slightly inferior alternative- YJM 308.
Title: Re: tubescreamer... but what?
Post by: rsf1977 on April 29, 2011, 09:07:38 AM
More tube screamer info then you can shake a stick at http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/equipment/346068-tube-screamer-faq-version-1-a.html (http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/equipment/346068-tube-screamer-faq-version-1-a.html)