Use a Tubescreamer! No, seriously, just do it!

[Iron1]

I’ve always preferred the SD-1 to the Tubescreamer but was just considering grabbing one of the TA clones the other day. Any recommendations for the best middle ground between price and quality when it comes to a TS clone?

 

[ApathyForum]

I prefer using a Boss SD-1 as a clean boost. Does wonders.

 

[scozz]

I’ve owned the same Maxon OD9 Tubescreamer since 2002,....I think. Whatever the year was that Maxon was able to sell them under their own name, here in the States, rather than under the Ibanez name.

 

[scozz]

I prefer using a Boss SD-1 as a clean boost. Does wonders.

How transparent is it using it that way?

 

[ApathyForum]

I would say it’s very transparent. It doesn’t color the tone that I can tell. I use it to boost overdriven amps.

 

[Greg70]

My 2203 LOVES a Boss Super Overdrive in front of it. It helps the sustain and gives the palm mutes a metallic ring. My drummer always loved the muted notes from it.

 

[Webslinger]

I bought a circa-90s/2Ks TS9 when they were first reissued. The amount of drive is just right (maybe could use a tad more), but honestly, I was never crazy about the funky wah tone of it. Not sure if they are all that way, or mine just happened to roll of the line with this element exaggerated. I tried a few other OD pedals. (the "T-scream" setting on my Boss OD-20 does NOT have that quacky tone). The OD pedal I like best is the Boss BC2 Combo Drive.

 

[vojkan]

Ibanez tubescreamer TS10, simply gives a volume control over a drive, meaning the stronger you play the more drive it has. For this thing it shouldn't be mixed up with pure overdrive effects.
It stretches sound mass point from the bass to mid tones, while it saturates the EL34 to sustained drive, so we end up with almost clean sustained solo and recognizable drive with full power cords. When tube screamer is combined with wah-wah envelope control you may easily pick up endless feedback!

 

[Reauchambeau]

I prefer an SD-1 but a TS is good too with the drive all the way down. Right now I’m using an SD-1 with C-6 mod removed, which takes away the mid poke and makes it more transparent. I use it with a TS for when I want more mids, great combo.

 

[SLICKFASTER]

TubeScreamer mods..
I read here TS can be turned into a face melting over drive by some mail in peddle modifiers.. do you loose the original goodness when modified? I pulled my TS off for a used ZW44..

 

[Tommy Vaux]

So... wow. I had a Mesa F100 amp gathering dust unused that I bought on a whim a while back, didn't mesh with, and put up for sale.

Found a buyer.

Decided to plug it in to test everything works before the appointment, and just randomly plugged in through a Tube Screamer (which I somehow never tried before).


And.... DAYUM!!!


Boring bassy amp suddenly got SASS and bite, even at non-deafening volumes...

Almost regret putting it up for sale now.

You can put a Tube Screamer in front of anything and make it sound good. I've even used them direct... for a unique tone.

 

[Ufoscorpion]

Tubescreamer into a Rat , into a crunchy Marshall sounds killer .

 

[NoelH]

OK. So yeah the TS is good at what it does. For me personally I never got along with the TS, until I sent one 15 years ago to Keeley, who did his asymmetric clipping mod. Suddenly, it was awesome into the front end of almost any amp. I since found that Boss pedals are asymmetrical clipping by design. I now use an SD-1. I think most Tube Screamer lovers tend to be single coil players. Or low output PAF players. I could be corrected on that, but for me, having the front end of the note 'click' that the TS diminishes, is a big deal to me. I play medium to high output humbuckers, so take this with a grain of salt.

 

[Karl Brake]

I like the fulltones, like Trower uses, especially the v2. I prefer the bulk of the tone to come from the amp, just using the overdrive to make it punch...like a graphic eq, kinda, without the sizzling wierdness of that. They are good especially for giving a clean tone some sustain and grind. But, yes, it's true...before dumping any good quality tube amp, hit it with a drive...sometimes that's all it takes. Honestly, though, with a band, the overdrive can either have too much, or too little effect.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I use ODs up front, gain zero, level up. I find the units with just a Tone control lose something. Some thump. I prefer soemthing with a minimum 2 band EQ or 3. Bad Monkey or Super Bad Ass, it has B, M and T. Nice to tonally shape it more than a tone. Tone only control seems thin, then dull as you turn down. For me.