Tube screamer - which one or alternative?

Roundwound · August 2022

downbytheriver said:

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.

I’ve recently dropped a TS off my “blues” board in favour of a Tumnus so know what you mean. They have their place though…SRV used two of them!

ICBM · August 2022

Dave_Mc said:

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.

… and Mesa Rectifiers.

You're not wrong. The SD-1 has a very specific ‘harmonic’ thing when combined with a Marshall - I’m not sure it’s the voicing of the midrange frequency or the asymmetrical clipping, but it ‘jumps out’ more than a TS does. The TS is fuller and heavier into a Mesa - it seems to fit better with the slightly lower midrange frequency of the amp. Both do work with both types of amp, just not quite so perfectly the other way round.

JD50 · August 2022

I'd just pick up a 2nd hand TS9... I 've prolly.had more TS9s over the years than any other drive pedal.
I have a stupid amour t of pedals but always come back.to a TS9 / Rat combo

JJ72 · August 2022

downbytheriver said:

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.

I've had a mk1 marshall bluesbreaker and a prince of tone....didnt really for me tbh

JJ72 · August 2022

After all the advice, I'll probably just grab a used ts mini ( seems you can get them for about £40) to see if it's the sound I'm after.
Can always " upgrade" from there if it suits my rig

personalnadir · August 2022

Tate FX Antares knocked the Behringer TS clone off my board

Sassafras · August 2022

You need this one:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165627521961?hash=item26902b6ba9:g:LQUAAOSwFpph9Z~I&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoHi5YdVM39vJ1queBsANyAOkZ0CI/ho2UKtwwzUPvZexPw+bVPdlFQBKz3DtYpVeQakSS7Mj6+QGT0Izs8SS0jwGKjUlRLFPcxWtm+0jwwtOCh51YdBry2Lw/GdML2yTHrXKvzERY0ADH0INcNSKFUjVFVomaEfILSrCADtPA949Os5XFX6CatUxKeB5b+aepygK/0G0hUgjbHv9EMHeHkQ=|tkp:Bk9SR_bu3ezUYA

JJ72 · August 2022

Sassafras said:

You need this one:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165627521961?hash=item26902b6ba9:g:LQUAAOSwFpph9Z~I&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoHi5YdVM39vJ1queBsANyAOkZ0CI/ho2UKtwwzUPvZexPw+bVPdlFQBKz3DtYpVeQakSS7Mj6+QGT0Izs8SS0jwGKjUlRLFPcxWtm+0jwwtOCh51YdBry2Lw/GdML2yTHrXKvzERY0ADH0INcNSKFUjVFVomaEfILSrCADtPA949Os5XFX6CatUxKeB5b+aepygK/0G0hUgjbHv9EMHeHkQ=|tkp:Bk9SR_bu3ezUYA

And what shall I buywith the change?

Dave_Mc · August 2022

Roundwound said:
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.

Yeah I think so. The SD1 is still pretty middy- but it's not just so overpowering as a tubescreamer with Marshall-style circuits. I think- if I had to pick- I'd prefer an SD1 into a Fender than a Tubescreamer into a Marshall--style circuit, but that might just be my bias coming in again... I'm more concerned about distortion tones usually!

TTBZ said:

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

Just for clarity- I do like a TS into a Fender, too. It's the TS into a Marshall and (to a lesser extent, but still if given the choice) SD1 into a Fender which I'm not so keen on.

ICBM said:

Dave_Mc said:

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.

… and Mesa Rectifiers.

You're not wrong. The SD-1 has a very specific ‘harmonic’ thing when combined with a Marshall - I’m not sure it’s the voicing of the midrange frequency or the asymmetrical clipping, but it ‘jumps out’ more than a TS does. The TS is fuller and heavier into a Mesa - it seems to fit better with the slightly lower midrange frequency of the amp. Both do work with both types of amp, just not quite so perfectly the other way round.

Yeah, I think that's it, too- they're both a very similar idea in terms of what they do, but both of them just seem to sound "right" into the right amp.

I haven't tried them into a recto, but I don't doubt you're right. A TS sounds better into my Engl, too, and it's more Fendery in tone as well (despite having a ton of gain). The TS sounds a bit "flat" into a more Marshally circuit (also just "too much", in terms of mids etc.), and I'm tempted to think I just prefer an SD1... but then I try a TS into my Engl and suddenly it sounds "just better" in the way the SD1 does into my Laney GH50L or Jet City. In fact, it seems to even hold with Marshally-style distortion pedals too!

Voxman · August 2022

You really don't need to spend much to get a great tubescreamer. The Behringer TO800 is £21.45 from Amazon and others. Uses original 4558 IC plus MA150 distortion diodes as in the TS808. Put it side by side with a friend's Ibanez TS808...and the TO800 sounded identical but with better tonal range. Don't be put off by plastic casing as it's really tough! Had one on my board for 10 yrs.

TimmyO · August 2022

imho a good budget Screamer-with-a-tweak is the Mooer Flex Drive - it’s a (in my side by side test sonically indiscernible) clone of the Xotic AC Drive - has separate low and hi eq for a bit more tweak ability but just generally sounds “good” at any setting

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Tube screamer - which one or alternative?

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