Tube screamer - which one or alternative?

ICBM · August 2022

Neilybob said:

[Best budget screamer?! Digitech Bad Monkey Vs Behringer Tube Overdrive TO100]

Not sure why they would use the TO100, since the one that sounds identical to a Tube Screamer is the TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive - and it is really identical-sounding.

The Bad Monkey is great too, but not quite a Tube Screamer.

Kittyfrisk · August 2022

I'd suggest a second hand Visual Sound, Jekyll & Hyde V2 or later.
TS808 sound, plus whatever else you want to add in or twiddle with.
Very affordable, much underrated & hilariously raucous or subtle depending on what you like.

FelineGuitars · August 2022

richman6100 said:

Thorpy's pedals are super versatile in my experience. I had a Joyo Vintage drive for a while, to scratch that TS itch with my Strats. I compared it to a friend's TS9 and we could get the two to sound virtually identical. It's probably not the best built pedal out there, but it's good value for money. Then, when I needed to free up some pedal board space, I thought I'd see how close I could get my Thorpy Peacekeeper to the Vintage Drive. The result? So close that the Vintage Drive went to my son. The Peacekeeper can do so much more than a Tubescreamer too. The Gunshot is another option, although I prefer that with humbuckers, personally. The Warthog is probably my favourite Thorpy pedal - everything from low overdrive, to higher gain, distortion and beyond. Possibly not the best at approximating a TS pedal, but after realising what the Peacekeeper can do in that area, I haven't bothered to try. If you just want a TS sound, there are near limitless options out there. If you want something that can do the TS thing and much more, it's worth considering some of Adrian's fine pedals.

Actually I think you may be onto something - the peacekeeper may be a better choice than the Gunshot

-x-GF-x- · August 2022

ICBM said:

Neilybob said:

[Best budget screamer?! Digitech Bad Monkey Vs Behringer Tube Overdrive TO100]

Not sure why they would use the TO100, since the one that sounds identical to a Tube Screamer is the TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive - and it is really identical-sounding.

The Bad Monkey is great too, but not quite a Tube Screamer.

Yup.

Get something identical for under £20 delivered, or look elsewhere to spend a lot more.

fastonebaz · August 2022

I have had a maxon od808 on my board for years, played virtually every solo with it on. Smashing pedal.

JMP220478 · August 2022

what amp n guitar you using ? dont discount an eq pedal as a boost to drive amp harder n really tailor your mids ..

if a TS is your chosen route then I recommend one with some control over bottom end - one mans mid push can be another mans thin sound

consider Way Huge green rhino or the Overrated Special or look at Horizon Devices Precision Drive - I know there are plenty of others with tone stacks but these are three I have and have worked as mid boosts and overdrive across a variety of amps,

good luck with search - its a well loved circuit with a load of variants and price points.

Kebabkid · August 2022

I've had a few variants of the tubescreamer with the Landgraff being the most expensive and it did sound different and good (I didn't pay the silly price they used to go for and what they fetch now).

I've had the Keeley TS-808 Mod Plus (non true-bypass) on my board for over 10 years and I can hear the difference between that and a regular TS. It has a better response across the the controls, improved bass and is smoother and stacks well with other pedals, but you'd expect that, as well being great as a standalone pedal. I don't think Keeley make them anymore but the mod is well-documented. Used prices are strong (I paid around £150 new) but it's a good pedal. That said, I did try the Ibanez TS Mini and whilst I could hear a slight difference, it wasn't enough to warrant the difference in price between that and my Keeley and I think that's a good shout.

As has been said, the JHS Bonsai might be a good buy what's the point if you end up using one of the options and it's pricey.

The Nobels ODR-1BC ( bass cut) also comes recommended as does the Wampler Belle (ODR-derived).

dilbert · August 2022

Neilybob said:

Neilybob said:

I've tried a few and can recommend the Digitech Bad Monkey

+1 and on my flyboard a Mosky overdrive at around £20 is as good as it gets for me

Sassafras · August 2022

If you want to cut through, try a treble booster.

prowla · August 2022

I'd get a TS9 and see how it goes; you've then got a baseline should you then decide you need a slightly different sound.

JJ72 · August 2022

JMP220478 said:

what amp n guitar you using ? dont discount an eq pedal as a boost to drive amp harder n really tailor your mids ..

if a TS is your chosen route then I recommend one with some control over bottom end - one mans mid push can be another mans thin sound

consider Way Huge green rhino or the Overrated Special or look at Horizon Devices Precision Drive - I know there are plenty of others with tone stacks but these are three I have and have worked as mid boosts and overdrive across a variety of amps,

good luck with search - its a well loved circuit with a load of variants and price points.

I'm using a Fender vibro king with anaward session Jd10 and a Keeley BD2 stacked to create an already slightly overdrive base tone ( sounds brownface-ish to me)
They're ( way huge) 2 that I have been looking at actually...believe they're virtually the same pedal in the GR mk 4 configuration?

JJ72 · August 2022

JJ72 said:

JMP220478 said:

what amp n guitar you using ? dont discount an eq pedal as a boost to drive amp harder n really tailor your mids ..

if a TS is your chosen route then I recommend one with some control over bottom end - one mans mid push can be another mans thin sound

consider Way Huge green rhino or the Overrated Special or look at Horizon Devices Precision Drive - I know there are plenty of others with tone stacks but these are three I have and have worked as mid boosts and overdrive across a variety of amps,

good luck with search - its a well loved circuit with a load of variants and price points.

I'm using a Fender vibro king with anaward session Jd10 and a Keeley BD2 stacked to create an already slightly overdrive base tone ( sounds brownface-ish to me)
They're ( way huge) 2 that I have been looking at actually...believe they're virtually the same pedal in the GR mk 4 configuration?

Sorry, mainly using a telecaster and mustang

JMP220478 · August 2022

JJ72 said:

JMP220478 said:

what amp n guitar you using ? dont discount an eq pedal as a boost to drive amp harder n really tailor your mids ..

if a TS is your chosen route then I recommend one with some control over bottom end - one mans mid push can be another mans thin sound

consider Way Huge green rhino or the Overrated Special or look at Horizon Devices Precision Drive - I know there are plenty of others with tone stacks but these are three I have and have worked as mid boosts and overdrive across a variety of amps,

good luck with search - its a well loved circuit with a load of variants and price points.

I'm using a Fender vibro king with anaward session Jd10 and a Keeley BD2 stacked to create an already slightly overdrive base tone ( sounds brownface-ish to me)
They're ( way huge) 2 that I have been looking at actually...believe they're virtually the same pedal in the GR mk 4 configuration?

ive got the mk2 GR - it is different from the Bonamassa tuned special - not tried the mk4 ... whats your target tone n music preference ? are you using the VB as a pedal platform or does the clean sound form part of your tone palette ?

Dave_Mc · August 2022

TTBZ said:

I'd probably just get a TS Mini and be done with it, they largely all sound the same. I use Boss SD1 because I prefer Boss switches. Apparently it's a bit more aggressive sounding than a TS but it does the "tighten and saturate" a dirty amp thing perfectly for me.

I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that the SD1 works better into some amps and the TS works better into others. The SD1 seems to work better into Marshally-type things, while the TS seems to work better into black panel Fendery type things.

dilbert · August 2022

Just remembered, one that I really like is the Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive, it really worked for me on a number of amps but especially on my HRD.

Roundwound · August 2022

In other words, toss a coin and trial by error!

Grumpyrocker · August 2022

Dave_Mc said:

TTBZ said:

I'd probably just get a TS Mini and be done with it, they largely all sound the same. I use Boss SD1 because I prefer Boss switches. Apparently it's a bit more aggressive sounding than a TS but it does the "tighten and saturate" a dirty amp thing perfectly for me.

I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that the SD1 works better into some amps and the TS works better into others. The SD1 seems to work better into Marshally-type things, while the TS seems to work better into black panel Fendery type things.

I've found this too. For example my Orange Super Crush (which as a much more Marshall flavour than usual for the brand) definitely sounds better boosted with a Boss OD than a TS.

Roundwound · August 2022

WGrumpyrocker said:

Dave_Mc said:

TTBZ said:

I'd probably just get a TS Mini and be done with it, they largely all sound the same. I use Boss SD1 because I prefer Boss switches. Apparently it's a bit more aggressive sounding than a TS but it does the "tighten and saturate" a dirty amp thing perfectly for me.

I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that the SD1 works better into some amps and the TS works better into others. The SD1 seems to work better into Marshally-type things, while the TS seems to work better into black panel Fendery type things.

I've found this too. For example my Orange Super Crush (which as a much more Marshall flavour than usual for the brand) definitely sounds better boosted with a Boss OD than a TS.

Well documented mantra. Same reason fuzz face tends to be suggested for Marshall amps rather than Fender BF and vice versa with mid pronounced fuzz.

TTBZ · August 2022

That checks out, I only play Marshall style amps with the SD1 as a boost, and hate the "tubescreamer into Fender" sound

downbytheriver · August 2022

Can I just say I have owned every single Ibanez version of the Tubescreamer, including hand wired and anniversary editions and the nutube one and just all of them. My conclusion (and boy I must be thick given the time it took me to conclude this) is I don’t like tubescreamers.

Get something bluesbreakery or ODRish.

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Tube screamer - which one or alternative?

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