Ibanez TS-808.. my search is over for now..

[November5th]

I'm a fan of the TS808 but liked the Cusak Screamer even better. I saw Lynch using one and it sounded great so I gave one a shot. It's real close to the 808 but not so much mid hump which was exactly what I was looking for. They're definately worth checking out.

Thanks for reminding me. I was going buy a Cusack Screamer awhile ago before I sold most of my gear and moved to Mexico. I will have to check one out when I get a real rig again. A 808 without the mid hump is exactly what I want in an overdrive.

 

[Spaceboy]

odd description to me, i hate tubescreamers because they take too much control over tone and make every amp sound the same when used in the typical clean boost for high gain fashion. i typically don't like drive pedals in front of a master volume amp at all.

 

[rupe]

Welcome to the 1970's.

FWIW, a room full of tone snobs at my old music store couldn't tell the difference between an original 808 and a Vox Valve-Tone in a blind test. We were also able to dial in a Boss Blues Driver to mimic that sound to a large degree, although we could always pick it out (I can't remember what set it apart...I think it may have had more low end regardless of settings IIRC).

As for Lynch's gear through the years: http://web.archive.org/web/20031219041025/georgelynch.com/rigs/studiorigs/studio.html

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

haha good point Rupe. I think the biggest difference might be felt beyond just heard.... that said, the stock blues driver isn't bad at all for boosting. I think it is more transparent than an sd-1.

 

[rupe]

I think the biggest difference might be felt beyond just heard.

There it is! I think all the tone chasing and hair-splitting comes down to exactly this for me.

At the end of the day, all of these hot-rodded Marshalls and Marshall clones sound damn near the same for all intents and purposes...you'll likely get more tonal variation out of mic type/placement at a gig or in the studio than you will going from a Friedman to a Splawn to a modded Marshall and so on.

 

[se7en]

I think the biggest difference might be felt beyond just heard.... that said, the stock blues driver isn't bad at all for boosting. I think it is more transparent than an sd-1.

Yeah, exactly. The FEEL of the TS808HW is what sold me - very amp-like.