Ibanez Tubescreamer Mini - Not Enough Gain

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gubblegubble Frets: 1737

A couple of months back I picked up a s/h tubescreamer mini. I've owned a number of TS style drives before such as the bad monkey but hankered after the real thing.

I was expecting the gain levels to be similar to the other pedals I've tried or indeed similar level of gain on tap as a Boss SD-1 - however this thing has much less gain on tap.

I've found I'm having to stack it with my soul food however I just really want the TS drive on it's own without having to use another pedal to add more gain. I've a boss blues driver for my heavier gain sounds and that has bags more gain on tap.

Is this normal for a tubescreamer? The easy answer to this is ditch the tubescreamer and put my SD-1 back on the board however space is now at a serious limitation.

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Comments

  • robinbowesrobinbowes Frets: 3021
    FWIW, I found the same with my TS Mini. I use a mini @juansolo clone on my small board now.
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  • timbuk02timbuk02 Frets: 271
    or this which is a great price if its still going...
    http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/126818/fs-ft-mi-audio-blues-pro
    (or find a super blues pro for all the TS goodness you could ever need and more)
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  • BoopDeWoopBoopDeWoop Frets: 101
    Are you playing with yourself alone in your bedroom? I use a TS mini and it has plenty of gain. Ok so it's not a replacement for the dirty channel of my Orange but at rehearsal or gig volume it has plenty of gain and not mushy. 

    Depends on what your expectations are really. If you're using a strat or something wimpy it wont have as much gain as something with hot humbuckers.
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  • Try a Keeley Red Dirt Mini 
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  • I have two 'drives' on the board I take out to gigs - I play a tele through a blues deluxe. I use an exotic EP booster for a clean volume lift - that thing sounds great - rounds out my tone with a real mid boost and plenty of volume - then I use the mini TS to give me some volume and crunch - there isn't lots of distortion - hardly any at all - which suits me - but it certainly gives my tone crunch and sustain which I think of as 'gain'.... have you got the tone pot turned up?
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    Are you playing with yourself alone in your bedroom? 
    Please, this is a parental controlled forum. We'll have none of that depraved smutty stuff here thank you very much!  :)
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • rawk100rawk100 Frets: 1757
    I've got a Jacques Overtube pedal which is a tubescreamer with a switch labelled "Cascade". The switch increases the gain so that its like stacking 2 tubescreamers (like SRV use to do), it would probably give you the extra gain you'e looking for.
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  • 57Deluxe57Deluxe Frets: 7329
    boost it.
    <Vintage BOSS Upgrades>
    __________________________________
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  • gubblegubble Frets: 1737
    I think I've found the reason for my displeasure with it.
    At rehearsals we use the amps in the room, peavey bandits (great amp like it a lot) however at gigs I use my Fender HRD which the TS Mini works really well with, plenty of nice crunchy gain on tap and sounded great.

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