Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
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papersoul
New member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
Would love to try the TS808HW against any of these, especially the OD-808
Would love to try the TS808HW against any of these, especially the OD-808
G
guitarrob
Guest
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
I know you decided to just buy one but have you ever considered just building such pedals?
People get some really great and unique pedals with some simple circuits.
I know you decided to just buy one but have you ever considered just building such pedals?
People get some really great and unique pedals with some simple circuits.
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guitarded
New member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
I've got:
OCD
Plimsoul
Green Rhino
Custom Badass
BB Preamp
Boss OD-3
Keep going back to the Plimsoul. That one sounds the best on both my Mark IV and AC-30. The BB and Custom thin out my tone too much and the OD-3 can get a little harsh sounding. The OCD is either too mellow or too in your face. The Rhino sounds good but the attack just doesn't seem right. Like it is a little too smooth. The BB takes over my amps tone and tries to turn it into a Marshall.... Not a bad pedal with the right amp and guitar I suppose. The Plimsoul can get a little too hairy on the bottom end but it seems to be the happy medium between transparency and a nice mid hump in the right spot. Very smooth and musical top end as well.
I've got:
OCD
Plimsoul
Green Rhino
Custom Badass
BB Preamp
Boss OD-3
Keep going back to the Plimsoul. That one sounds the best on both my Mark IV and AC-30. The BB and Custom thin out my tone too much and the OD-3 can get a little harsh sounding. The OCD is either too mellow or too in your face. The Rhino sounds good but the attack just doesn't seem right. Like it is a little too smooth. The BB takes over my amps tone and tries to turn it into a Marshall.... Not a bad pedal with the right amp and guitar I suppose. The Plimsoul can get a little too hairy on the bottom end but it seems to be the happy medium between transparency and a nice mid hump in the right spot. Very smooth and musical top end as well.
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
If yu want a tubescreamer, get a tubescreamer. TS-808, not sure about the OD808. You can have the TS-9 modeified to 808 pecs. These are the REAL screamers, and nothing compares.
You can't make a "more perfect" tubscreamer, only a pedal that is basd on a TS, but sounds different, like a TS with less of a mid hump or whatever .
You can also get a pedal like the KOT, that claims to be entirerly divorced form the TS design, and everything a tubesceamer can't be , but has to resort to contrasting itself to the TS in every way shape and form. Tahts all well and good, but again, its not the genuine Tubesceamer.
You can also get cheap immitations, which is what you would liek to do.Well,
You can get a "cheap" TS, but it won't satisfy. Save up, and get a real TS. Itys one of the worlds geratest pedals.Srv used a Screamer. Just get one.
The 'Bad Monkeys' and RT.66/88's or whatever of the world don't hold a candle to the real thing.
The OCD is a great pedal, but it isnt a TS-808.
If yu want a tubescreamer, get a tubescreamer. TS-808, not sure about the OD808. You can have the TS-9 modeified to 808 pecs. These are the REAL screamers, and nothing compares.
You can't make a "more perfect" tubscreamer, only a pedal that is basd on a TS, but sounds different, like a TS with less of a mid hump or whatever .
You can also get a pedal like the KOT, that claims to be entirerly divorced form the TS design, and everything a tubesceamer can't be , but has to resort to contrasting itself to the TS in every way shape and form. Tahts all well and good, but again, its not the genuine Tubesceamer.
You can also get cheap immitations, which is what you would liek to do.Well,
You can get a "cheap" TS, but it won't satisfy. Save up, and get a real TS. Itys one of the worlds geratest pedals.Srv used a Screamer. Just get one.
The 'Bad Monkeys' and RT.66/88's or whatever of the world don't hold a candle to the real thing.
The OCD is a great pedal, but it isnt a TS-808.
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hermetico
New member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
None of those are TubeScreamers or alike!.
OCD - Just a "cold" overdrive that can have too much gain. That was what I've mainly used, until I've got bored of its impedance issues. And this was, because I didn't liked TS tones, at all!.
Plimsoul - mid gain to high gain. I've tried and throwed away the same day. More a distortion than an overdrive, IMHO.
Green Rhino - unnatural, very fuzzy. Not a TS, in any single way.
Custom badass - More of a crunchy distortion unit. Not bad at all but, definitively not a TS.
BB Preamp - Marshall's Blues Breaker combo tone there. Crunchy OD to mid distortion gain. Not a TS in any single way.
Boss OD-3 - Not a TS. Boss ODs work fine but they overwrite your sound, they create the sound, they don't push the tubes to get their own harmonics.
None of those are TubeScreamers or alike!.
OCD - Just a "cold" overdrive that can have too much gain. That was what I've mainly used, until I've got bored of its impedance issues. And this was, because I didn't liked TS tones, at all!.
Plimsoul - mid gain to high gain. I've tried and throwed away the same day. More a distortion than an overdrive, IMHO.
Green Rhino - unnatural, very fuzzy. Not a TS, in any single way.
Custom badass - More of a crunchy distortion unit. Not bad at all but, definitively not a TS.
BB Preamp - Marshall's Blues Breaker combo tone there. Crunchy OD to mid distortion gain. Not a TS in any single way.
Boss OD-3 - Not a TS. Boss ODs work fine but they overwrite your sound, they create the sound, they don't push the tubes to get their own harmonics.
guitarded
New member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
Guess I need to add a real TS to my OD collection which I have chosen the Plimsoul over
Guess I need to add a real TS to my OD collection which I have chosen the Plimsoul over
hermetico
New member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
From Fulltone, that you seem to love, you have the FullDrive. A nice take of the TS, with double channel.
There are lots of ODs, with different flavors and applications.
The TS (and many ODs that push hard the tubes, instead of fingerprinting their own tone) makes all sense when you can crank your amp. That's when tubes start to sing and deliver their complex harmonic content.
If you cannot crank that amp, you need an OD that creates its own tone. That's why many people gets bored of nice overdrives, because they (we) cannot get the best of our tubes.
A tube-pushing overdrive can sound really ugly and weird if you use it with your amp's gain and volume low enough. You can even hate a Klon Centaur in that way.
Guess I need to add a real TS to my OD collection which I have chosen the Plimsoul over
From Fulltone, that you seem to love, you have the FullDrive. A nice take of the TS, with double channel.
There are lots of ODs, with different flavors and applications.
The TS (and many ODs that push hard the tubes, instead of fingerprinting their own tone) makes all sense when you can crank your amp. That's when tubes start to sing and deliver their complex harmonic content.
If you cannot crank that amp, you need an OD that creates its own tone. That's why many people gets bored of nice overdrives, because they (we) cannot get the best of our tubes.
A tube-pushing overdrive can sound really ugly and weird if you use it with your amp's gain and volume low enough. You can even hate a Klon Centaur in that way.
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guitarded
New member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
I was thinking of getting one of those. I currently use the Full Tone Fat Boost like an overdrive to push my tubes, but have been thinking of getting an 808 for a long time.
I was thinking of getting one of those. I currently use the Full Tone Fat Boost like an overdrive to push my tubes, but have been thinking of getting an 808 for a long time.
papersoul
New member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
Why sure it is.....the tone of the amp is intact...while boosting some upper mids.
Why sure it is.....the tone of the amp is intact...while boosting some upper mids.
Frankly
Active member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
Ned, Frank F'ing Lee would heartily recommend you do that. The Silver Mod is a thing of beauty.
Ned, Frank F'ing Lee would heartily recommend you do that. The Silver Mod is a thing of beauty.
MojoMonster
Active member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
BYOC OD2.
All the TS possibilities in one box.
You can get them pre-built if you're not into DIY.
BYOC OD2.
All the TS possibilities in one box.
You can get them pre-built if you're not into DIY.
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
Frank I have no doubt. I have had OD fever since I started playing guitar. There have only been 2 pedals that satisfied me for any length of time.
1. An original Rat pedal. I used it with a blackface twin to get drive. I used it for like 2-3 years happily. I haven't used one in 25 years....maybe I would hate it now?
2. This Analogman TS9. This pedal just plain sounds good, especially with a Fender amp. I will without a doubt try the Silver Mod just based on the pedal I have now. I find it hard to believe it can be anything but great.
For me drive pedals, and pedals in general, usually result in a "fiddle with it till I give up" scenario. Not so with this, it just sounds good. My TS-9 was a pedal I bought that I just could not like no matter how much I wanted to, so I figured not a big deal to try this mod. I had it for years and I very very rarely touched it. I expected to get it back and think it was just ok at best, use it for a week, become unsatisfied, and put it back on the shelf so to speak. Now it sounds like it should, it's almost impossible to get a bad sound from it. Also, it sounds so warm & rich that it can be used with a nice clean amp, and give you a great drive sound. This Analogman TS is not just for hitting an already driven amp a little harder. I won't hesitate to buy a Silver. I plan to be equally amazed when I do.
Frank I have no doubt. I have had OD fever since I started playing guitar. There have only been 2 pedals that satisfied me for any length of time.
1. An original Rat pedal. I used it with a blackface twin to get drive. I used it for like 2-3 years happily. I haven't used one in 25 years....maybe I would hate it now?
2. This Analogman TS9. This pedal just plain sounds good, especially with a Fender amp. I will without a doubt try the Silver Mod just based on the pedal I have now. I find it hard to believe it can be anything but great.
For me drive pedals, and pedals in general, usually result in a "fiddle with it till I give up" scenario. Not so with this, it just sounds good. My TS-9 was a pedal I bought that I just could not like no matter how much I wanted to, so I figured not a big deal to try this mod. I had it for years and I very very rarely touched it. I expected to get it back and think it was just ok at best, use it for a week, become unsatisfied, and put it back on the shelf so to speak. Now it sounds like it should, it's almost impossible to get a bad sound from it. Also, it sounds so warm & rich that it can be used with a nice clean amp, and give you a great drive sound. This Analogman TS is not just for hitting an already driven amp a little harder. I won't hesitate to buy a Silver. I plan to be equally amazed when I do.
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papersoul
New member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
nedcronin, yoou make a good point about fiddling with knobs. That is one thing I prefer about my J&J OD over my Xotic pedals. With the J&J, I have Gain, Tone and Volume, which makes tweaking a snap! With the Xotic or any similar pedal, I spent too much time adjusting bass and treble, LOL. That scares me about the Green Rhino. There is more tweaking with the GR than a standard tube screamer.
nedcronin, yoou make a good point about fiddling with knobs. That is one thing I prefer about my J&J OD over my Xotic pedals. With the J&J, I have Gain, Tone and Volume, which makes tweaking a snap! With the Xotic or any similar pedal, I spent too much time adjusting bass and treble, LOL. That scares me about the Green Rhino. There is more tweaking with the GR than a standard tube screamer.
Frankly
Active member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
Frank Lee recently traded a Barber LTD for a Pedalworx Texas Two Step. The TTS is really, really nice. It is somewhere in the TS area, but has more low end. IFLHO, it sounds a lot like early ZZ with a bit of "Ya Ya's" thrown in.
Thank you.
Frank Lee recently traded a Barber LTD for a Pedalworx Texas Two Step. The TTS is really, really nice. It is somewhere in the TS area, but has more low end. IFLHO, it sounds a lot like early ZZ with a bit of "Ya Ya's" thrown in.
Thank you.
Powdered Toast Man
New member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
But that means it's colouring the tone of your guitar. Adding mids means the tone is changed and therefore is the opposite of "transparent". This is why I dislike the TS808 and most of its variants that I have tried.
Why sure it is.....the tone of the amp is intact...while boosting some upper mids.
But that means it's colouring the tone of your guitar. Adding mids means the tone is changed and therefore is the opposite of "transparent". This is why I dislike the TS808 and most of its variants that I have tried.
guitarded
New member
Re: Looking for the best Tube Screamer I can buy without spending too much!
I can't seem to figure that one out. It sounds good but something is wrong or disagreeable about the way it responds to picking nuances.
I can't seem to figure that one out. It sounds good but something is wrong or disagreeable about the way it responds to picking nuances.
