Tubescreamers and clones.

Winny_Pooh

An SD-1 is the best value out there however the bass cut with these and TS9s are a bit extreme. You might also enjoy a zendrive which has wider freq range and a bit more bite.

Beexter

To add to my earlier post, the SD-1 with the Monte Allums GT Mod is cracking.  It has a switch to go between asymmetrical and symmetrical clipping giving you both the harder edged SD1 and softer Tubescreamer in one pedal. It has another toggle to increase bass and gain too. It is the pedal I have had the longest and can't imagine selling. 

ThePrettyDamned

Phil x likes the bad monkey. The sd1 is good, the maxon and Ibanez ones are good... 

Tbh they're much of a muchness. 

My favourite was the visual sound route 808 as it had a bass boost switch and a wider ranging tone control, which meant it played well outside the usual tubescreamer realms. 

Dave_Mc

^ not when you just dial it in like a TS like I do (to be fair I probably use a bit more level boost than a ts usually has)

I also really like the SD1. If push comes to shove I might even prefer it (slightly) to a tubescreamer, though it does depend on what type of tone I want and what amp I'm using.

Beexter said:

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... 

yeah while the bad monkey is killer for what it costs (£20 new just before it was discontinued ) I always found it sounded a little muffled compared to even a cheap TS clone like the Joyo (though it had more features with the bass knob etc.). I agree that the CM2 is awesome, but (again compared to the Joyo) I thought it didn't quite sound exactly like a TS- it was 95% of the way there, but it didn't quite get the compression etc. that a TS gets (I'm guessing because the voltage is bumped up within the pedal to give more headroom, but I could be wrong). But much more versatile than a TS- if you want something that can get well into the ballpark of a TS, but don't have to have it 100% exact, but which can also do a lot more, the CM2 is killer.

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.

Yeah. As crunchman said, it depends on exactly which boutique one you're talking about, but as you said, a lot actually mod the thing so that it's worse as a boost than the stock model

Modellista

RandallFlagg said:

 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.

The TS mini is indeed lovely.  

To help the visibility of the little knobs, get a chalk pen and run some liquid chalk in the groove. Wipe off the top and the liquid will remain in the pointy bit. Daft that they're not painted as standard. 

57Deluxe

EHX East River Drive - has the TS  JRC4558 IC chip and sounds great with everything

nick79

Another vote for the TS mini here. Way i saw it was i wanted a Tubescreamer, so i bought a Tubescreamer. 

Cols

If you can find a Vox Valvetone, they're great.  I've sworn by mine for decades.

MattFGBI

I got a thing called a TSC off ebay for about £30 a few years ago and it's brilliant. 

DanR

I ended up with the KHDK Ghoul Screamer in the end.

Should get it tomorrow hopefully.

TimmyO

Some good recommendations there.

I'd add the Hardwire/Digitech Hardwire CM-2 - was a staple on my first gigging board

Dave_Mc

^ It's awesome, but it's not an exact clone- can be dialled in to be very, very close (I tried with my joyo TS clone), but not exact. I think it's maybe the extra headroom? It didn't quite get the compression a TS does. But it is an awesome pedal and if you only want something which can get into the ballpark it's arguably better than a TS as it does a lot more sounds besides... and probably gets close enough to a TS tone for rock n' roll.