The Truth About Tube Screamers

[lastwinj]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Kind of 20 bees buzzing up Barbara Streisand's massive nasal honker kind of tone. :smack:

agreed. if yer amp cant do it, get a new amp.

germ

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

I have no tonal knowledge per se. I just know what makes my ears happy.:dance:

Oh shut it...like you wouldn't be the second phone call I'd be making if I ever won the lottery.....

:beerchug:

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Oh shut it...like you wouldn't be the second phone call I'd be making if I ever won the lottery.....

:beerchug:

Scott is another one of those modest tone guru guys with great ears! :laugh2:

 

[Scott_F]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Now actually, I'm slowly going quite deaf. I work off the blind hog and the acron theory.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Now actually, I'm slowly going quite deaf. I work off the blind hog and the acron theory.

I can sure relate to the going deaf problem and a huge loss in the highs in my left ear from cranking through Marshalls for so long! :smack:

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Skarekrough, are you getting what you wanted? :laugh2:

 

[Quencho092]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

i love my spina modded TS9, but im looking to grab another TS type pedal to 'double up', while using less gain on each pedal.

So which TS copies are very close in tone and are inexpensive?

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Just how many TS's are there? TS5, TS7, TS9, TS808 are the ones from Ibanez. Then, Maxon has the "original" TS808, right? I'm sure that there are more.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Just how many TS's are there? TS5, TS7, TS9, TS808 are the ones from Ibanez. Then, Maxon has the "original" TS808, right? I'm sure that there are more.

VooDoo Labs Sparkledrive is a good TS unit....and it is phenominal after John mods it. :beerchug:

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Diff between the TS5 to TS808 is quality of the individual components. Buy a TS808 and you needn't mod it? Send your TS5 to John and he turns it into a TS808? or send him your SparkleDrive?

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Diff between the TS5 to TS808 is quality of the individual components. Buy a TS808 and you needn't mod it? Send your TS5 to John and he turns it into a TS808? or send him your SparkleDrive?

The Sparkledrive is a ts 808 clone with a "clean" control. After John mods it the mid hump is gone, more low end, gain and transparency. Its the best O.D. unit I have ever used.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Diff between the TS5 to TS808 is quality of the individual components. Buy a TS808 and you needn't mod it? Send your TS5 to John and he turns it into a TS808? or send him your SparkleDrive?

The 808 does require modding and still suffers from lack of lows,lack of gain,and the midrange peak of the entire series....I prefer the TS9 over the 808 because the switch is bigger...Change 2 resistors and the chip in the TS9and you have the 808....

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

The Sparkledrive is a ts 808 clone with a "clean" control. After John mods it the mid hump is gone, more low end, gain and transparency. Its the best O.D. unit I have ever used.

The Sparkle Drive eats the entire Tube Screamer line in tone in my opinion,plus the extra clean knob is a very nice touch...I'd buy the SD now and mod it before I'd ever buy the 808 or the TS9!

 

[Scott_F]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Anyone here besides me get to play the new, unreleased, Duncan SFX-03? Quite yummy.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

Anyone here besides me get to play the new, unreleased, Duncan SFX-03? Quite yummy.

Send me one.......I would love to give it a test drive. :beerchug: :wave: :cool3:

 

[JeffB]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

As a standalone unit, I'm pretty much in the camp of "they suck". I've never liked most stompers as the whole source of gain....

However, an already cranked NMV or 800, goosed with a TS9 or SD-1 (level full,gain about 9 oclock, tone to taste), IMO is a great lead sound...to my ears the SD1 is a little crunchier and does not have as much high mids as the TS.. the TS9 is a bit more compressed...and it's almost like a Duncan JB with the extra high mids...it really cuts through nice for a solo, but the bottom end is def hacked off...the SD1 is a little bit fatter cos it seems to retain more low mids, though it too thins things out a bit

I had one of the TS10s I guess? the late 80s green version...as well as a reissue TS9 when they firts arrived... They both sounded pretty much the same to me...

The old late 80s Ibanez Disortion Charger (not the Metal Charger) was also a good box...

My whole prob with Ibanez peds has always been reliability...the switch always dies

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

I'm curious that there's only one mention of the TS-7 here. Out of the box, it was pretty awful - thin sounding, psycho bees, etc. - and the "Hot" switch just made it worse.

John was nice enough to tweak the little beastie, and we both got a nice surprise: pretty close to "traditional" 808 tone in standard mode and the "Hot" switch adds more gain with nice character of its own. The basic box is pretty solid.

Just wondering why so few people seem to tweak these...

Chip

P.S. Thanks again to John for this pedal & the DS-1

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

The Valvetone schematic is in fact identical though....

So, what's the diff between a TS9 and my Valvetone?

Is it just a change in component values that affect the voicing?

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

So, what's the diff between a TS9 and my Valvetone?

Is it just a change in component values that affect the voicing?

The 2 pedals are pretty much identical with just outside cosmetic differences..I have a Valvetone and the schematics..:laugh2:

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: The Truth About Tube Screamers

I'm curious that there's only one mention of the TS-7 here. Out of the box, it was pretty awful - thin sounding, psycho bees, etc. - and the "Hot" switch just made it worse.

John was nice enough to tweak the little beastie, and we both got a nice surprise: pretty close to "traditional" 808 tone in standard mode and the "Hot" switch adds more gain with nice character of its own. The basic box is pretty solid.

Just wondering why so few people seem to tweak these...

Chip

P.S. Thanks again to John for this pedal & the DS-1

Hello Chip!
Everyone talks about the more expensive TS9 and the 808 and the TS5 and TS7s are the inexpensive sleeper pedals...The TS7 is a great pedal to mod and the mods also enhance the boost switch on that unit..It's just an outta sight outta mind pedal is all..