Tubescreamers and clones.

DanR

Is there any particular Clone people recommend or should I just get a 808 or ts9.

Im just looking for the classic mid hump boost into a Marshall style amp.

DiscoStu

If you can find one, a Digitech Bad Monkey.

DanR

I used to have one of them but I never liked it.

Could just of been it didn't suit my amp back then though.

Voxman

We had a similar thread recently.  My recommendation, and the one I've had on my board for 7 years, is the Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive.  Tons of youtube videos and forum reviews to back up my view that it's one of the best kept 'clone' secrets out there.  I think it sounds so good because Behringer put the original 4558 op amps and legendary MA150 distortion diodes in it, as found in the Ibanez To808 Tube Screamer!

RandallFlagg

 After That Pedal Show fizzing about it and generally good opnion on the forums I got the Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini a few weeks ago, it's close enough sounding to the orignal larger box unit with a nice small foot print and is cheap.  It's hard to see where small volume and tone controls are set though from standing or even sitting over your pedal board. It is a little noisier than my J Rockett Archer as well, not sure how it compares noise wise to the bigger box Tube Screamer.

ICBM

DanR said:

Is there any particular Clone people recommend or should I just get a 808 or ts9.

Im just looking for the classic mid hump boost into a Marshall style amp.

Boss SD-1.

jonnygreentrees

Back in the day I had the Bad Monkey and the Behringer TO800. In my experience the Behringer sounded like I had a blanket over my amp. The Bad Monkey is better but not as good as an actual TS

simonk

The TS mini is great.

Beexter

Another vote for the TS mini.
I had a Bad Monkey when they were all the rage but couldn't get on with it - just sounded really muffled.
If you want something with a bit more control and variety,  the Hardwire CM2 is fantastic - streets ahead of the Bad Monkey. I should never have sold mine... 

DiscoStu

Silly me, why not try the Digitech DF-7 Distortion Factory? It has 7 clone models including a TS-9.

Sassafras

I agree with ICBM.
The SD-1 is cheap, reliable and plentiful 2nd-hand.

DiscoStu

I can sell you an SD-1 if you're interested.

ThorpyFX

Maxon were the company that made the original TS-808's under license for Ibanez. Because of that providence I've always had a soft spot for the Maxon OD808 or OD9. both sound great and im certain you won't be disappointed.

DanR

I was looking at the Maxon.

guitarfishbay

Get an SD1 and if you feel you still want another option get a TS9 then you've got both.  Any modded/boutique one that claims to give a flatter response/more bass is in general going to be less good for a mid hump boost for an already overdriving amp than a standard one.  When you boost a driving amp adding bass tends to make things muddier.

ThorpyFX

DanR said:

I was looking at the Maxon.

well i don't think you'd be disappointed, great value and they have that tone, I seem to remember that the Metal guys were favouring the Maxon od9 around 2004-2010 i believe.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/p/MAXOD-808/overdrive-pedals/maxon-od-808-overdrive-pedal?LGWCODE=MAXOD808;56375;6335&gclid=CPL396KQhdECFSIG0wodQu8G6A

dogload

Sassafras said:

I agree with ICBM.
The SD-1 is cheap, reliable and plentiful 2nd-hand.

Certainly reliable - I've been using mine since I bought it new in 1981. I also love the sound although I never really liked the Tubescreamer.

I do have the Mooer Green Mile TS clone on my board now though. Perhaps it was the Tubescreamer into a SS amp that didn't sound good.

Dopesick

Way Huge Green Rhino

Can get s/h one for around £70 these days. Still have never seen the newer model with the slightly smaller enclosure up for grabs s/h anywhere yet.

therose789

I love my 808! Would strongly recommend just going original! 

crunchman

guitarfishbay said:

Get an SD1 and if you feel you still want another option get a TS9 then you've got both.  Any modded/boutique one that claims to give a flatter response/more bass is in general going to be less good for a mid hump boost for an already overdriving amp than a standard one.  When you boost a driving amp adding bass tends to make things muddier.

It depends on how you do it. The Eternity Drive (from memory a TS style circuit without the buffer) has a lot more bass, but if you look at something like the Fulldrive it does depend on the mode you use.  The flat mids mode is very different from a TS (and a bit meh) but in vintage mode it does have a mid hump although not to the same extent as a TS.  If you actually look at the values of a couple of key parts, it starts attenuating the low end from around 340Hz if I remember correctly where the TS circuit is a bit over 700Hz.

I looked into all this a few years ago when I built myself a pedal.  I ended up building a TS style circuit with component values that start attenuating low end from a bit over 500Hz so I still have a mid hump, with a little bit more meat than the TS but a bit more pronounced than the FD.

The other thing to bear in mind is the clipping.  The TS has symmetrical clipping where the SD1 and the Fulldrive have asymmetrical clipping.  They both sound good but I do slightly prefer asymmetrical clipping.  My pedal is kind of hybrid between the TS and the Fulldrive (which is largely based on the SD1).  I have the asymmetrical clipping of the FD, with the tone cap value of the TS, and the mid boost somewhere between the two.

stratman3142

ThorpyFX said:

Maxon were the company that made the original TS-808's under license for Ibanez. Because of that providence I've always had a soft spot for the Maxon OD808 or OD9. both sound great and im certain you won't be disappointed.

There's a Maxon OD9 in my pedal board and I'm very happy with it. Great pedal.