There’s quite a story and a lot of history, both fact and conjecture, around the little, green overdrive pedal designed by Susumu Tamura of the Maxon company in the late 1970s. Originally intended to compete with the Boss OD-1 and the MXR Distortion +, Mr. Tamura’s unique circuit design clearly took on a life of its own. There have been countless clones and mods of the Tube Screamer, making it the root of a large family tree. This, in turn, begs the question, “How do I know which one is right for me?” Hopefully some history, context, and comparison will help you to make the right choice.
History
In the mid ’70s, Japanese guitar manufacturer Ibanez and its parent company Hoshino added effects pedals to their product line, and the Nisshin Onpa company was tapped to manufacture them. Simultaneously, Nisshin’s agreement with Ibanez allowed Nisshin to sell these same pedals under their own Maxon name. By 1979, the line included the Maxon OD808, which was internally identical to the Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer. As the story goes, Hoshino was better capable of international distribution, so the Ibanez brand was sold in America.
In 1981, Ibanez created the “9” series of pedals that included the TS9 Tube Screamer. This was a replacement for the 808 and was very close in construction — the TS9 notably had a larger footswitch — and sound, except that the output was changed, resulting in a slightly brighter and less smooth sound. Ibanez has had many iterations of the TS throughout the years; they currently offer seven different versions of the Tube Screamer. However, the two that are the most talked about are the 808 and the TS9.
That Sound
To say that the Tube Screamer caught on is a monumental understatement. Its clever design simulates the way a tube amp responds to the guitar’s wide dynamic range. The distortion it produces has a soft clip, and its EQ curve accentuates the mids and tightens the low end. The high end is adjusted by the Tone control. These attributes have made converts out of guitarists from every musical genre, including players as diverse as John Mayer, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brad Paisley, and Trey Anastasio. Just about anyone you can think of has used a Tube Screamer or TS clone/mod at some point.
Another popular use for the Tube Screamer is to boost or “front-end” an already distorted amp. Not only is there added gain, but also the EQ curve is perfect for tightening up large amounts of gain on the low end and adding clarity with the mid-boost.
The Tube Screamer’s popularity spawned a host of clones and mods. Many pedal manufacturers offer their version of the venerable circuit, and many high-profile pedal designers started off modding Tube Screamers.
Much can be done to this circuit, but some of the most common mods include:
- True bypass, which eliminates the internal buffer amp
- Enhanced gain or switchable gain options
- Greater EQ control
- Upgraded or handpicked components
Sweetwater currently has a wide variety of TS-style pedals — 27 models from 14 different manufacturers. This list is not only limited to Sweetwater’s inventory, but also to pedals that are dedicated to the TS sound. There are a lot of pedals that combine multiple sounds, one of which is a TS, that are outside the spirit of this comparison. Consider this list a Sweetwater TS-style drive pedal buying guide… of sorts.
The Pedals
Ibanez TS808
Here it is, the Ibanez TS808: the one that started it all. This is a faithful reproduction of the original.
Ibanez TS808DX
The TS808DX is an 808 with a foot-switchable clean boost that can be configured in Pre (as a gain boost) or Post (as a volume boost) positions. The EQ curve of the boost circuit cuts a little from the mids and adds a bit to the highs and lows — a complement to the gain side of the pedal. It also offers true bypass.
Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini
The Tube Screamer Mini is a compact 808. If you’re fighting for centimeters on your pedalboard or just trying to go smaller, this will give you the same performance as the original. The Mini doesn’t have a battery option and wields smaller Tone and Level controls.
Ibanez TS808HW
Ibanez goes boutique. A limited production, the TS808HW is the 808 circuit handwired on turret boards with handpicked components for the tightest tolerances. Also, it features true bypass and comes in a fancy box!
Ibanez TS9
The TS9 is another faithful reissue, very much in the spirit and sound of the original TS9. Even though it was intended as a “version II” of the 808, it has its own legion of devotees and a unique sonic stamp.
Ibanez TS9DX
The TS9DX adds three modes to the TS9 that have more gain, output, and low end — each one is slightly different. The Turbo mode offers the most gain.
Ibanez Nu Tubescreamer
The Nu Tubescreamer is definitely a different take on the TS format. Equipped with a Nutube mini vacuum tube, this pedal is louder and less compressed when compared to an 808, and it has chunkier gain, more highs and lows, and less mids. There is a Mix control for the clean signal, ranging from full clean to full drive. It has true bypass and can also run at 18V for greater headroom.
Fulltone Full-Drive
The Fulltone Full-Drive series is based on the JRC4558D chip, which is found in the TS-808. In the early ’90s, Fulltone started there and designed a lot of sonic options into the Full-Drive pedals (Full-Drive 1), including adjustable clipping diodes (Full-Drive 2 V2) and adding a JFET boost circuit (Full-Drive 3). The parts are carefully selected for tight tolerances, and the result is a beautiful, TS-style sound with a wide range of useable options.
EarthQuaker Devices Dunes V2
The EarthQuaker Devices Dunes overdrive utilizes three different voices: crunchy MOSFET, smooth silicon, and gritty op-amp. It also has a Bright switch and a Bandwidth switch for extra highs and lows. You get a lot of sonic versatility from this take on the classic 808.
JHS Bonsai
JHS founder Josh Scott is a self-professed Tube Screamer fanatic. He’s collected a ton of originals, clones, etc. and understands the differences among them. The Bonsai is a collection of nine of his favorites in one pedal. As you dial through the various voices, the circuits are changing, so it’s like playing through nine different TS-style pedals. It’s a playground for tone tweakers.
JHS Moonshine V2
The Moonshine is JHS’s ultra-modded TS. It’s got more headroom because it runs at 18V internally. The two-position Proof toggle switch goes from classic TS to a more open sound. It also provides higher gain and a girthy low end — it’s a big-sounding pedal.
Wampler Hot Wired V2
Wampler designed their Hot Wired overdrive for Nashville session guitarist Brent Mason, and it’s the pedal he uses day in, day out. With two pedals in one — overdrive and distortion — the Hot Wired V2 is one of the most versatile pedals you’ll plug into. Use them as separate channels or stack them for colossal crunch.
Wampler Paisley Drive
Country superstar Brad Paisley tapped Wampler to craft his own personal 808. He wanted a more amp-like feel and sound, in the vein of his Trainwreck amps. The Paisley Drive delivers; and according to Wampler, it offers considerable extra scope for increased clarity, reduced compression, and improved dynamics.
Wampler Clarksdale V2
The Clarksdale V2 is an 808 with more range, cleaner low gain, dirtier high gain, a 3-band active EQ, and a Lift switch that switches clipping diodes for a more open sound.
Way Huge Green Rhino MkIV
The original Green Rhino was highly sought-after for its balanced, smooth, and refined dynamic sound and response. The Green Rhino MkIV gives you all that in Classic mode, but flip the switch and you have two EQ points, 100Hz and 500Hz, that give you ±12dB control over the lows and mids.
Way Huge Smalls Overrated Special
Guitarist Joe Bonamassa asked Way Huge for a Green Rhino that was modded to his specifications, which included more mids and a Frequency control to dial in the mids even further. The result was the Smalls Overrated Special.
Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive & Sparkle Drive Mod
An 808-style design with a long history, Voodoo Labs’ Sparkle Drive offers control over the clean blend, all the way from fully clean to fully dirty. The Sparkle Drive Mod offers three extra selectable voices in addition to the original: Lead (more gain, bigger low end, smoother highs), Rhythm (scooped mids), and High Gain (highest gain, articulate highs, aggressive lows).
Mesa/Boogie Grid Slammer
Mesa/Boogie’s take on the TS is aimed at the lower end of the gain spectrum. Very open and balanced, the Grid Slammer is great for clipped sounds and for driving a dirty amp. It offers +20dB of output gain and true bypass.
Seymour Duncan 805
The 805 has a wide gain range that’s useful from bottom to top, but the versatility is derived from the 3-band active EQ. It’s great as a boost or a gain pedal, and it also features true bypass.
Keeley Red Dirt
Robert Keeley’s pedal mods are the stuff of legend, and the Keeley Red Dirt is his take on the Screamer. It features top-quality components, true bypass, and Hi or Lo gain settings.
Walrus Audio Warhorn
The Walrus Audio Warhorn has the classic mid-boost that we love about TS-style pedals with the addition of separate bass and treble controls. It’s got an extended gain range that cleans up great plus a switch that offers either a traditional, slightly compressed sound or a more open voice. It also features true bypass.
T-Rex Alberta Classic
The Alberta Classic is a remake of T-Rex’s original TS-style pedal. It has the hallmarks of the 808: responsive gain, mid-boost, and just-right compression but with more low end that stays tight and focused, more useable range in the Tone control, and more drive and overall output. True bypass and top-quality components make this a great Screamer-type option.
Electro-Harmonix East River Drive
Built on the 808’s JRC4558 chip, the East River Drive delivers authentic TS tones at a bargain. Although not as detailed or nuanced as the boutique builds, it’s an affordable way to inject some TS sounds into your rig. It has true bypass, as well.
Behringer TO800
The Behringer TO800 is by far the most affordable option when it comes to TS-style pedals. Does it sound like an 808? Yes, it does. For someone looking to get started with drive pedals, the TO800 is a great point of entry.
