Questions for Tubescreamer (clone, modded, derived) aficionados

Xotic AC Booster:



Check videos here: http://www.prosoundcommunications.com/english/video/index.html

 

I have one of Vaughn C's modded TS9's and it's the best sounding OD I've ever had....and I've had a bunch!

I have mod #'s 1,2, and 3. It looks pretty freaky and sounds great! Mod #2 includes a compression switch which allows you to go to less and then no compression, which turns it into a clean boost, basically. It's all explained on his site.

I'll never part with it.

Here's a link:

Vaughn's Mods

 

Of course, many popular ODs on the market today are similar to the tubescreamer, but if it's that exact circuit (w/true-bypass) you're after, my vote goes to the MJM BluesDevil. It's like the one in forty that Eric Johnson would have kept.

 

I would also consider pedals that have a definite mid range tonality but are not necessarily derivitives of the TS:

Zendrive
Lovepedal Eternity
BJF honeybee
Barber LTD (these have flatter Mids than a TS but still enough for thickening singlecoils and it has GREAT dynamic response)

On the cheap: Bad monkey (seriously, try one. Kills my TS9 with DIY mods)

 

This one is easy.

MI Blues pro

Killer and cheap.

Way touch sensitive and still has great sustain and compression on the higher settings. Lower settings still act punchy. This pedal is a great value.

 

2nd that! i got myself one last week while I was out hunting for pedals with two other pro guitar players.
We tested the Blues Pro against the Barber DD, Red Snapper, Mudhoney, Blues Boy and a bunch of others but the Blues Pro won hands down. The only thing getting close was the Xotic BB Preamp.

All three of us ended up buying the Blues Pro even though we hadn't heard of it before.

Edit: We tested the Blues Pro through a Heritage 50w head, a vintage Fender Super Reverb and a Bogner Shiva with various strats, teles and les pauls.
No contest!

 

Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer, Keeley modded.

 

Landgraff DO

 

nother vote for the blues pro, have had a zendrive, tim, odr-1, ts-808 modded ts-9, ts-9, and this thing is better to my ears (though i do love the tim and zen)

 

Red Snapper is good for that. For a more versatile variant, the FD2 is great also.

 

+1 on the Keeley TS-9. The Mod Plus is an awesome change to the stock TS-9. It takes care of the bass loss, it's cleaner with the drive off, it's dirtier with the drive dimed and it's not at all harsh. It helps a lot cutting through the band mix in a live context.

 

Blues Devil

 

Landgraff DO with the 3-way toggle switch in the "Down" position.

2nd Choice would be the PedalworX Tour Pro.

 

Good overview. IMHO, this is the pedal many overdrives emulate. I have had and compared it to a Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive and a Tube Works Blue Tube. Both good pedals, but not in the same league as a TS9 with the mod.

 

Check this OD shootout:

http://dd.johnedmonds.net/shootout/

It features 3 OD's that have been mentioned in this thread. I find one of them to be CLEARLY buzzier, fizzier and more PEDAL like than the other 2 which have a more organic AMP like tone and response. They are just clips but I do think they are indicative of the respective pedals.

For the best comparison load all 4 clips (including the clean tone clip) into a multi-track program like Sonar and switch between them in real time.

 

a keeley 808 just bumped my Sparkle Drive off my board.....

 

This is a perfect description of the BJFE Little Green Wonder, plus it has some EQ adjustments most dont....