Tubescreamers

[LP Freak]

The key is to only use OD pedals that cost <$500. Those are the only ones that sound good.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

If you can't get a good sound out of a Tube Screamer into a JCM800 then hang it up, time to find another hobby.

+1

 

[JakeAC5253]

Not hating on the TS-9, I just wanted to know what they were used on that worked. For the record I had an original big box Rat I bought new in '83-'84 that I never really bonded with either. Some people view those as one of the greatest distortion pedals ever. I geuss I'm just not a Distortion/OD pedal type of guy. Or more likely I need something that is more transparent and lets more of the amp shine through.

I'm currently trying to use this on a AC30 type of circuit that is a 2 X 10 combo. I don't play metal or with a ton of bass. The 2 X10 doesn't have much bass to begin with so adding this pedal bumps up the mids and decreases the bass which just makes the amp sound smaller and boxier. Maybe it's not such a big deal with larger tubes and 4 X 12 cabs.

Maybe the question should have been has anyone had luck running a TS-9 through a small combo amp. I know SRV used them, but he was going into 6L6 or 6V6 tubes with the Fenders. Maybe a TS-9 isn't a good match for a EL84 combo amp?

I probably could get by with the mid hump if I could get back the bass. Maybe I should look into that mod.

"Mid hump" and "loss of lows and highs" are one in the same. Getting rid of the mid hump on a TS pedal simply has to do with increasing how much low end gets shoved into the clipping stage, which makes it quite a bit muddier, and totally negates the point of using it to tighten an amp in the first place. It's a bit different now that we are talking about an AC30, especially if it has those alnico speakers. That's a combination that you really don't want to go coloring too much. Pretty much any metal amp from the Marshall Plexi era and on up does very well with a coloring OD pedal. Any modern voiced amp (tons of gain and full low end response, think 5150, Recto, Uberschall etc) shouldn't ever be used without an EQing boost IMO.

 

[SFW]

I modded mine. No bass loss and added a bit more gain. I love my TS9. I've had in for 20 years now. It just works so well for solo boost and to get an amp from on the verge to over the top.

 

[joepete77]

as others said, I have used them over an already semi overdriven marshall for lead boosts or just to bump the rhythm up a notch. I didnt care much for using a ts as the basis for my overdrive tone with a clean amp, the dod 0d250 also only sounds good to me over an already crunchy tone also, otherwise, they can add a solidstate type amp tone