ibanez tubescreamer ts9 VS Maxon OD808

[juansolo]

they're full of shitee

they're both very, very close.

what everyone has been saying, in other words. if you don't like ts-style ods, then get a different style of overdrive (timmy/blues driver/bluesbreaker/klon or something like that). if you do, odds are your current one sounds close enough to all the other ones that you're just chasing your tail.

^This. There really are about 4 flavours of OD tops. Tube Screamers are one and they are much of a muchness. You can tweak them, but they always sound like a Tube Screamer.

[Dmoney]

But... is using a TS only ever about adding mids? 

One thing I also thought of while reading this thread is that the EQ in a common Marshall or 5150 is at the back end of the preamp, so using a mid boost before the amp is adding mids to the to gain stages preceding the tone controls in that situation. 3 and a bit in the case of the marshall example and 5 or 6 or whatever in the case of the 5150 with the first, second and forth stages all boosting frequencies in the midrange and up with the full gain available at that stage. Basically, it might just be the case that putting more mids into those amps gives you a different result than simply turning up the mids.

 

[Dave Sloven]

i have never understood the use of a tubescreamer to boost a marshall or 5150 etc.

This is what I use my OD-9 for.  I was a bit skeptical about it, although I had heard videos etc with a TS-9 through my amp and cab combination (Peavey 6534+ & Orange PPC412) and noticed the audible change in character (not just volume but EQ) using the screamer as a boost.  It EQs, compresses, and boosts the signal going into the front of the amp.  I really didn't want to rely on the 'drive' feature of the pedal, but rather to provide a signal to the preamp that would then produce a change in sound via the gain structure of the amp ( I hope this makes sense).  The Peaveys can do with a bit of tightening up in their sound, especially at the low end. The OD-9 does this for me, both with the Explorer (A-Pig set) and SG (Cold Sweat/A-Bomb).  Actually I couldn't be happier with this pedal as an effect.  Like others have said though the differences between overdrives are so slight it was largely a matter of picking one and going with it.  The idea of going with a version of the original TS-9 with true bypass appealed to me, just in case I didn't want that buffer effect sometimes with this pedal, which I use most of the time.  So I got the Maxon.  But I could have just as easily got an Ibanez or some other brand.  The one distinctive feature of the OD-9/TS-9 that people mention, the slight mid hump, I thought might be useful so I went with that.

With the A-bomb guitar (which is much more middy) I set it as follows:

Drive 0
Tone 0
Level 8

With the A-pig guitar I compensate for the extra bass a bit by moving the tone knob up some if I need it.  For example, if playing Venom I might move the Tone up to 5 or 6, although I could definitely set it higher.  The Drive is always on 0 and the Level on 8.

It's not just mids, there's a bit of compression as well.

[witeter]

I have a Maxon OD808 and i love it, its probably the most important pedal on my board and is on at all times. I use it to boost the crunch channel of my JSX; it takes that channel from a hard rock sound to a metal sound; and as people have said it adds mids and tightens the sound.

[dave_mc]

On the subject of the differences in sound on that vid, with these kind of demo's (and correct me if i'm wrong but i'm on an oilrig and can't really stream vids) they tend to set the pedals to similar setting in terms of physical pot positions. Differences in the tone can be accounted for and will be affected more by variations in component tolerences in the circuits (esp. the pots) than any of the "mythical" TS9/808 differences.

yup :lol:

^This. There really are about 4 flavours of OD tops. Tube Screamers are one and they are much of a muchness. You can tweak them, but they always sound like a Tube Screamer.

yeah. it probably doesn't hurt to consider things like a bad monkey, which are more or less a tubescreamer where you can dial back in the bass, but most of the time i set it like a tubescreamer anyway :lol: But way I see it, you might as well have the option. But yeah even with the bass dialled back in it still sounds "pretty much like a tubescreamer", just thicker and without the bass cut.

But... is using a TS only ever about adding mids? 

One thing I also thought of while reading this thread is that the EQ in a common Marshall or 5150 is at the back end of the preamp, so using a mid boost before the amp is adding mids to the to gain stages preceding the tone controls in that situation. 3 and a bit in the case of the marshall example and 5 or 6 or whatever in the case of the 5150 with the first, second and forth stages all boosting frequencies in the midrange and up with the full gain available at that stage. Basically, it might just be the case that putting more mids into those amps gives you a different result than simply turning up the mids.

That may well be true- same thing with the bass cut. It's the same way some people wonder why you need an od boost with a high gain amp- but it's not the same as merely turning the gain up. Turning the gain up (I think) increases the amount of distortion from the valves at the end of the preamp, but using a boost pedal boosts the cr@p out of v1. It's distorting preamp tubes earlier in the circuit, which sound and react differently. Tends to be less mushy and more "immediate" sounding, for want of better words.

I mean, I'd agree that with an already middy amp, a tubescreamer can be too much (and i generally use a dano timmy clone or digitech screamin blues (glorified bd2) as my "always on" boost as they're more transparent, while i use a ts or sd1 style od for my lead boost. But I only play at home and those extra mids may well make you cut through live...

[gwEm]

If we're talking about the original tubescreamer, rather than one of these boutique pedals based on a TS then I have the following to say.

Thinking that the TS was a classic pedal for early metal, I got myself one. It tightens the low end and boosts the mids indeed. I find it best as a solo boost with a just a hair of gain and volume on full.

But anyway in reality, although I liked it, theres other pedals I much prefer. I found the TS didn't give me the sound I wanted in a lot of situations. I used to use it every few months, but frankly I've not touched it for a couple of years now. I don't sell it, because of its classic status.

Maybe I should give it a go again.

[Dave Sloven]

Depends on your amp as to how much you would get from it.

For a Peavey 5150 series amp it's pretty much indispensable in the opinion of most users, including myself.

[dvorak]

gwEn, what pedals have you been using instead if I may ask?

[Dave Sloven]

Even MAB has his own signature OD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkip1p1NAw4

[gwEm]

gwEn, what pedals have you been using instead if I may ask?

you may well ask ;)

I've been using a Boss OD-1 for humbucker equipped guitars. For strats I've been using a DOD250, and a Phil Hilbourne treble booster.

I also like a modded boss GE-7 EQ pedal for its ability to really shape the tone.

Frankly though, my main booster is now a Klone, like many on this forum.. works with anything.

(by the way, turning the mids up on your amp has a very different effect to adding mids with a pedal. On a Marshall type amp, the EQ occurs after the preamp - applying EQ pre and post distortion makes a noticeably different tone)

[dvorak]

Thanks!

I'll check out the klone!

I have been a Kokoboost addict for some time though, but the more the merrier. It's always interesting to hear about what other players are using

[Lucas]

Can you use Maxon OD808 too boost volume of other distortion pedals (clean channel on the amp).
For example I have some overdrive/distortion pedals and want to boost the volume up for solos, is Maxon a good choice? Or pedals like Xotic EP booster would do better job?

[Dave Sloven]

I stopped using a tube screamer for a while, after changing from a Maxon OD-9 to an MXR Custom Badass Modified O.D.

This most recent gig though I went back to using the MXR with the level dimed, drive on zero, tone at around 11 o'clock, and the 100Hz around 2 o'clock and dropped the pre-gain on my Peavey 6534+ lead channel back to around 3.5

Best sound so far.  I had to back the post-gain off a little though with the boost.

The idea of boosting a Peavey 5150/6505 series amp is to boost the signal going into V1, rather than the signal coming out of it (which is what happens when you increase the pre-gain).  It sounds different for some reason, mainly because winding up the pre-gain seems to add flubb

Can you use Maxon OD808 too boost volume of other distortion pedals (clean channel on the amp).
For example I have some overdrive/distortion pedals and want to boost the volume up for solos, is Maxon a good choice? Or pedals like Xotic EP booster would do better job?

For this I would probably just use my MXR/CAE Boost/Linedriver, which I have last in my effects loop.  It runs on 18V and is loud as hell.  You probably wouldn't need to wind it up past 9 o'clock.  You could try an overdrive in the same place.  It will add a little EQ and compression compared to my setup.  Generally adding it before distortion in the front end will just be like having a hotter pickup

[CommonCourtesy]

Good topic this. I've got a TS9 which I run with my 6505+ head. Drive is on zero, tone noon and level around 1 o'clock. Pre-gain on 6505+ head about 4 max on the lead channel, sometimes I'll take it down to 3/3.5 depending on the venue and how loud I can turn my amp up. This setup gives me a nice rhythm sound without over distorting it. Any higher on the gain and the sound is mushy and feedbacks too much.

Not tried an OD808 but alot of bands use that combination, esp drop tuned American metalcore ones (Killswitch, etc). If I can get hold of one I would like to A/B it and compare.

[Alex]

Even MAB has his own signature OD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkip1p1NAw4

I have that pedal, it's my main overdrive pedal. I didn't really know who he was though, I don't know exactly why I bought it (probably read about it), but I remember looking him up only afterwards.
Anyway, I had 6 or 7 overdrive pedals and now I only have this one and a Bad Monkey.

The MAB is very good if you want to hear mostly your guitar and amp and not the sound of the pedal; it also has a quite low noise level and gives a little more character on leads. I think it's out of production now, but it really is a hidden gem, if you can still find one.

However, in all honesty, I don't use overdrive pedals much for my sound anymore, I prefer the pickup and the preamp to make my sound.