Modded TS808/TS9: Keeley or Analogman?

[saltydogg]

I've been thinking about trying a modded TS pedal from one of these guys.

Has anyone used both? What model and, can you compare them?

How about the differences in true-bypass or not?

Thanks!

[JasonAz]

And i was wondering the comparison of midhump, high/low etc in each

[chokerjoker4]

I have one, sound like a tubescreamer just better, more like the vintage ones maby i was just luckey to get a good one, i don't know, but it gives me instant claasic tubescreamer tones love it with my strat, but humbuckers is good too

[wizard333]

Maxon.

Get the 9 series or the pro series 820, they are true bypass. They are also better than the 'modded' stuff, right out of the box from maxon. Go someplace you can listen to the various versions, including:

OD9
OD9 Pro Plus
VOP9
OD820

I've had all the Analog man/Keeley "mods"; the Maxon stuff dusts it without having to send anything off for tweaking. Sold the 'mod' stuff, kept the Maxons.

[chokerjoker4]

I have a keeley ts808

[Heady Jam Fan]

I love the Analogman, I think it sounds like a TS just better, more clear. The Keeley's seemed to have a slight change in voice to me, a little more modern/aggressive.

[saltydogg]

Originally Posted by Heady Jam Fan

I love the Analogman, I think it sounds like a TS just better, more clear. The Keeley's seemed to have a slight change in voice to me, a little more modern/aggressive.

Hey HJF,

Are your TS9's true-bypass? I know it sounds ridiculous....but...my curiosity cannot be stopped. I can only hope to contain it. Any major signal loss?

[Heady Jam Fan]

Originally Posted by saltydogg

Hey HJF,

Are your TS9's true-bypass? I know it sounds ridiculous....but...my curiosity cannot be stopped. I can only hope to contain it. Any major signal loss?

No I am not using TB... I am not sold on the benefit honestly, funny thing I had primarily TB pedals for a while and now I have 2 TS9's into a PQ4 (Boss para-eq from the 90's).

I haven't tried this in a few reincarnations of my rig, but I would say that I generally notice I have a little more high end with plugged directly into the amp, but I would say it is more of a signal change than loss because I keep the treble on my amp maxed and roll off my tone knob significantly, so any loss of treble along my signal is kinda meaningless when I am using my tone knob so much, IMO. The change in tone is probably comparable to switching from Hosa cables to Lava's, I use Lavas and Hosa patches (until the patch cables wear out in 10 years, then more Lavas). It doesn't keep me up at night.

I think having buffers is probably a good thing in many ways, especially considering I use an ABY, occasionally on the Y setting.

[cap217]

I was going to make another tubescrreamer thread because I have owned all of them and had them on my board at the same time to compare them...

1984 TS 9
1984 TS 9 wtih Kelley + mod
TS9 w 808 mod
Analog Man Mod Ts9
Handwired 808
Paisley Drive


The 1984 Ts9 was nice sounding but I sent it to be modded by Keeley. Now it had more drive, was more quiet and cleaner. The mid hum was huge though. I liked it for a while.

Then I got a Paisley drive and the Paisley does what the Keely mod does + more. Sounds better and it has a wide range of controls. Mid hump, scoop, presence, the gain is WAY more and the tone doesnt get harsh.

I had an Analog man modded one for a bit and it sounded fine but the Keeley had more of "it" to me. Wasnt that much different.

Then I got a HW 808... Now this is THE ONE! CLEAN, QUIET, TRUE BYPASS, The lows were clean and pronounced. The tone worked really well. Not heavy gain but more than enough for a TS.

What did I keep? The HW and the Paisley. Now I have every 808 sound you would want.

[Fireball XL5]

Originally Posted by saltydogg

Hey HJF,

Are your TS9's true-bypass? I know it sounds ridiculous....but...my curiosity cannot be stopped. I can only hope to contain it. Any major signal loss?

I own two AM modded Tubescreamers - a TS9 w/Brown Mod & an OD9 w/Silver Mod. The OD9 is true bypass and the TS9 is not, and I can't detect any noticable signal loss/degredation between them in my rig.

[saltydogg]

Originally Posted by cap217

The HW and the Paisley.

I had a Paisley a while back and found it to be TOO compressed on my favorite setting. And, I like compression, BTW.

Had a TS808 some years back but, never the HW.

[laughingsam]

i actually have two 808 clones, one Keeley mod and one AM silver mod. as was mentioned above, the keeley is more aggressive. i use it for higher gain. the AM is just more of the 808 tone. bigger, fuller. i'm likely to leave that one on and stack on top it unless i want a truly clean tone...

but there are also more mods to each clone (fat mod and LED clipping toggle switches), so mine aren't necessarily typical, since they were entirely custom made (best wedding gift i got!).

[Triangle]

One thing I've heard about the true bypass maxons (with the square switch like a ts9) is that you really have to stomp them to get the switch to activate. Might cause some issues if you're making lots of effects changes during a song and have to keep stomping on the maxon to get it to turn on/off.

[bandofthieves™]

Originally Posted by Triangle

One thing I've heard about the true bypass maxons (with the square switch like a ts9) is that you really have to stomp them to get the switch to activate. Might cause some issues if you're making lots of effects changes during a song and have to keep stomping on the maxon to get it to turn on/off.

That mostly happens when sitting in a recliner and playing with the pedal on carpet..

[batsbrew]

i happen to like the Barber direct drive super sport better than either of those two

YMMV