Hello harp-lers. I don't know this guy from adam, nor get anything out of it, but since there has been some talk off and on about tube sounds and effects pedals, I thought I'd forward this in its entirety as a fyi kind of thing.
I also do not know about the real usefulness of these critters for harp, nor the technical accuracy of all his claims (for instance, in the latest Guitar Player, it says SRV used the screamer hooked up to about a 1000 amps and speaker cabs on a wall and miked everything close and far away until they got the right phase; seems like a bit more to it than a pedal). It might make good informational reading for the technically inclined, regardless of the spam nature to this post. Requisite apologies for those sensitive to spamming. I don't know Mr. Delaney either.
Ibanez Tube screamers : What's the deal??? 18-MAR-96
HISTORY :
An Ibanez Tube Screamer is an overdrive/distortion pedal that is mild compared to most, but allows the true sound of the guitar and player's technique to come through. The best use of a tube screamer is to push a tube amp to make it overdrive more, but they sound good through almost anything.
The first green "Tube Screamer" was the TS-808 in the late '70s. It was preceded by the reddish Overdrive-II which had a very similar style box, but with a different, more fuzzy circuit. The TS-808 and this generation have small square chrome on/off touch-buttons (I have a few buttons in stock if you need one). Almost all TS-808's sound great.
Later TS-808's have the Ibanez (R) "trademark" logo which some people seek. It is not unusual for a TS-808 to have an undercoat of a different color (which can be seen in the ever-present corner chips). SRV used the TS-808 for his trademark juicy strat tone.
Around 1983 the Ibanez pedals were repackaged and the 9-series of effects came out. The most popular is the TS-9 tube screamer, which is almost the same as the TS-808 internally. Externally the on/off switch grew to fill about 1/3 of the effect. The main change in the TS-9 circuit is in the output section. This caused the tube screamer to be a bit brighter and less "smooth". In later years the TS-9s were put together with seemingly random op-amp chips, instead of the JRC-4558 which is called for in the schematics. Some of these sound BAD, especially the JRC 2043DD chips.
After the 9 series was discontinued, the cheap looking TS-10 appeared, then the little TS-5 "Soundtank" which is still available. Some people are happy with these but most prefer the older ones. Compared to a TS-808, a TS-10 has about 3 times more changes than the TS-9. A few years ago, Ibanez started to make the TS-9 again due to popular demand. This "reissue" is almost identical to the last "original" TS-9s in sound, circuitry, and appearance.
SOUND IMPROVEMENT
In my experience about 50% of original TS-9s I have played have sounded weak and thin, mostly due to a weak or incorrect op-amp. The "distortion" issue of GUITAR PLAYER in October '92 mentioned this, and interviewed Eric Johnson. E.J. said that he "went through about 15 of them before he found a couple that he liked".
I can fix weak TS-9s, or modify them to 100% TS-808 specs, and this work is easily reversable. I use an IC socket rather than simply soldering-in the IC chip. There is also a modification to the output section of the TS-9 circuitry, which couples directly to the input section on your amplifier. I can even modify the reissue TS-9 into a true TS-808. I'll make any TS-9 on our list into a TS-808 for an additional $30, or modify your TS-9 (original or reissue) for $40. (See below for pre-modified new TS-9's)
Using a TS-9/808 for CLEAN BOOST mode :
Another use, which works best with a TS-808 or my TS-9/808 mod is a clean boost. Turn the gain (top left) knob almost all the way down (maybe on 1) and turn the tone (middle) knob down almost all the way too, and crank up the output volume (top right) to the desired boost level. This can boost a tube amp with nice tone and very little pedal distortion (makes more tube distortion).
TS-9/808 MOD SOUND DESCRIPTION :
A recent TS-9/808 upgrade customer (rob.dav~drc.com) has described the sound better than I can, so here it is :
"I A-B'd it last night through a 4x10 Fender Blues DeVille with my 1960 Stratocaster. Comparing my modified pedal to my friends reissue TS-9 (same model w/out the mods), I could immediately tell that the tonal range was more natural than my friends; that is, the lows were low, the mid was right on, and the high end was sweet and rich, and I could get those Billy Gibbon's style sweet pinch harmonics. Overall, the distortion is more creamy and natural-sounding, rich in tone, while the other pedal has a week bottom end (too buzz-saw like), and a squealy and not at all sweet tone on the high notes. More distorted-sounding than true overdrive, really...
Also, what REALLY impressed me is that playing rhythm is possible, and I've always shyed away from pedals for rhythm playing because they sound too thin, cutty, and trebly. But the TS-9 made the chords stand out and really fatten them up. Very natural sounding, very cool true overdrive sound... hats off!
Thanks again Mike, and you mention that you treat all your customers like rock stars... that's true, but add that you make them SOUND like rock stars too! (OK, at least BLUES men!) "
MORE TS-9/808 MOD CUSTOMER FEEDBACK :
Here's an unsolicited reply I got from Tom Delaney, Guitarist/singer with "The Wheelers" from Minneapolis, after I modified his reissue TS-9 :
> ...whoa...sounds like Some Girls...one of the greatest albums ever > made in rock 'n' roll history! And then a little ZZ Top solo action > too! Man...I AM HAPPY...and in case you didn't, go to the bank > Mike that money's all yours. > The Tube Screamer sounds massively different...much more > aggressive now...VERY nice work...
Here's another reply from Graham Duncan (gadunc~tudents.wisc.edu) who also paid for his mod :
> I got the TS9 today, and I wanted to thank you for getting it here so > quickly... but mostly for how it sounds. I wasn't unhappy with it stock, > but now there seems to be much more useable range on the tone pot... > and most importantly, the bass doesn't drop out on rhythm passages. > Also, it's much smoother in the high end. I'm very pleased. > It actually sounds good on the vibrato [er, umm tremolo- thanks fender] > channel, when before it was a bit too harsh. > [this is through a re-issue Deluxe Reverb with a strat]
One more from Nick Thomas in New Hampshire :
> I've got one word to describe your work on the TS-9 and fuzz face.... > > BLOODY-AWESOME!! > > Best I've ever heard, and I've been looking for 10 years for those > sounds and have never been able to get them in the old stuff. > Anyway, you made two guitar tweakers / players / artists > VERY happy today. If I can't sleep tonight, it will be your fault.
I don't personally think the difference is HUGE, but if you are really into tone then it's more than enough to matter.
PURCHASE INFORMATION
Several customers (especially overseas) have asked to buy TS-9s which are already modified, for convenience so they do not have to ship the pedal here and back. Also overseas prices for stock TS-9s are higher than my modified ones. So I am now stocking brand new reissue TS-9's that you can order pre-modified to TS-808 specs. Suggested list price is $169 for a normal TS-9, but our price with the TS-808 modification is $145 plus shipping ($5 in the USA, $10 Canada, $20 overseas). This includes the original Maxxon 9V battery!
** Sorry, we are currently back-ordered on the TS-9 reissues, ** but will gladly hold one for you if you are interested. ** Ibanez has raised their TS-9 prices but we will try to hold ** the price down if possible.
Or I will modify your TS-9 for $40 plus the same shipping amount.
