What's the best boutique Tube Screamer?

[El Kabong]

I am looking for the ultimate TS that does it at bedroom volumes and in a live setting. The front runners are the MJM 'Blues Devil', the Foxrox 'Zim' with B9 modules and the Analog Man SD-1with silver/frog mods. Opinions please...

 

[El Jimbo]

Hey EK, if you can wait a little bit longer, you should check out the new Blue Boy pedal from MI Audio which should be available from Tone Factor soon (is my mail).

A while back Michael released the Blues prototype pedal and a lot of people have said that one was their favourite TS style pedal. The Blue Boy is an enhanced version of that one (check the MI Audio thread at HC) and I think it will sell for $129.

 

[fernmeister]

well I have not played every boutique ts pedal out there...


...but I really dig my jacques tubeblower. it is very true to the old ts sound, but goes cleaner and dirtier. also, the dual tone controls make it quite a bit easier to dial in the right sound.

 

[abergdahl]

Landgraff Dynamic Overdrive

 

[HHB]

Maxon OD808, a great warm TS style

 

[fjs1962]

Fulldrive II

 

[muddy]

i've got a pedalworx texas tour pro coming. it's the ts killer...


ml

 

[ES330]

Originally posted by muddy
i've got a pedalworx texas tour pro coming.

me too !

 

[bluesdoc]

Check out the ts mod that our own Vaughn Cost makes. Hopefully he'll chime in and give the link.

jon

 

[Pointbreakd]

Keeley mod plus on the TS9 is awesome imo


I'm actually selling one...but I believe it is sold.

 

[tonemandan]

A reissue TS9 with the Keely plus mod is the best I've tried. The Voodoo lab Sparkledrive is very good too-I just never cared for the "blend the clean back in" feature.

Dan

 

[TTrahan]

Originally posted by muddy
i've got a pedalworx texas tour pro coming. it's the ts killer...


ml

It sounds nothing like an 808 in my opinion, so it can't really classify as an 808 style pedal, ya know? Not trying to start anything here Muddy, ****, if I had my way, I would just say............COT50!!

Back to the problem, I think the MJM Blues Devil is the best 808 clone out there. It has a little more output and a little more drive available, but it is still an 808 style pedal.

The Keeley Modded 808s are awesome, you really can't get much better, except they aren't true bypass.

 

[hawkeye17]

I just sent my TS808 Re-Issue to Keeley to have it modded. He does mod the pedal for True Bypass also btw. I'll let you all know how it sounds when I get it back.

 

[pgurlea]

I haven't played all the pedals mentioned but I love my Keeley modded Maxon 808. I would either go that route or get an TS808 reissue and have Keeley mod that for you. I am pretty sure they are about the same circuit anyway.
Paul

 

[Sofus]

BJF Little Green Wonder

 

[Pedro58]

To me, it's a confusing question for two reasons...
One: "Best" is always a problematic issue...
Two: Most boutique TS style pedals try to deal with the mid-range hump or compression that the TS, by definition, introduces. So, it seems that you are asking the near-impossible. It's like asking which full-size pickup is best, the Volvo or the Honda?
That said, I would say an original 808!

 

[bjm007]

Analogman "true vintage" mod on an 808 reissue. To my ears, it sounds the same as an original...

 

[Deaj]

Originally posted by tonemandan
A reissue TS9 with the Keely plus mod is the best I've tried. The Voodoo lab Sparkledrive is very good too-I just never cared for the "blend the clean back in" feature.

Dan

+1 for the Keeley Plus Mod - mine is a Maxon OD-808 RI (same board as the Ibanez RI according to Keeley) and it is an absolutely indespensible part of my signal chain.

 

[muddy]

Originally posted by TTrahan
It sounds nothing like an 808 in my opinion, so it can't really classify as an 808 style pedal, ya know?

yeah, i know, but it is meant to kinda serve the same purpose. that was the original intention though, no? it's marketed as such. only it came out sounding a lot better, i think. for a ped that DOES sound like a ts, it's hard to beat the blues devil. but i was totally bowled over by the tour pro. hey, do you have a cot5o? it's pretty awesome isn't it!


ml

 

[Pointbreakd]

Originally posted by hawkeye17
I just sent my TS808 Re-Issue to Keeley to have it modded. He does mod the pedal for True Bypass also btw. I'll let you all know how it sounds when I get it back.

you are right. TS808 can be true bypass....TS9 cannot.