Tubescreamer advice

[Muppet]

Can anyone recommend a model of Tubescreamer that retains the lower end? I like the tone but all the ones I've tried take the bottom end out and I have to eq the amp to suit. Is this a trait of all Tubescreamers and something I'd just have to live with?

thanks

Steve

[Dad3353]

Can you not mix in some 'dry' tone in parallel, in effect creating a 'blend'..? That's how I use fx for bass, in general. The TS doesn't have its own 'blend' control, so you'd need another pedal or a mini-mixer to do it. Just a thought.

[Muppet]

Didn't think of that, could be one option. I've got an ls2 but that would mean switching in two pedals....?

[Dad3353]

I'm not familiar with that pedal (I'm a drummer, after all..! ), but it looks as if it would do the job. Set up one lop with just the 'dry' sound; set up a second loop with a mix of 'dry' and 'TS'. Leave the TS permanently on, and use the LS to switch between 'dry' alone and 'dry + TS'. Is that 'do-able'..?

[Beer of the Bass]

How's your soldering? It's not hard to get a little extra low end out of a tubescreamer with a simple capacitor change and that might be sufficient, but it does change the character of the distortion somewhat. Although to some extent the bumped mids and lean bass are part of the tubescreamer vibe.

[BigBassBob]

The mid-range hump is kind of what gives a TS its charm but as others have said, you can modify them quite easily. It's one of the most popular OD circuits in the world (if not the most) and there's a lot of schematics online (you could even build one yourself for quite cheap with a DIY kit and tune it to taste).

[JapanAxe]

If you're going to be modding, get one that has full-size components, not surface-mount!

[Muppet]

Thanks chaps. I'm fine with a soldering iron so I'll check out the kits. I've got an older TS808, don't know how this compares to other versions?

[pete.young]

I built the pedalparts ts808 kit which was excellent. Did the straight kit for guitar. There is also a much smaller version without buffers which might leave enough room for a blend circuit, which pedalparts also have. Talk to the diy effects thread for modding ideas there are some very capable builders there.

[tedmanzie]

I've got a Maxon OD-9 Pro+ which I really like
[url="http://www.maxonfx.com/nine-series-effects-pedals/od-9-pro-plus-overdrive"]http://www.maxonfx.c...-plus-overdrive[/url]
Apparently it's a tubescreamer but 'better' with more options, might be right up your street (the specs mention 'more low end').

However these days I like so [i]little[/i] overdrive that I just use a tiny bit of my Fulltone OCD pedal, and the OD-9 doesn't get out much.

Edited December 29, 2015 by tedmanzie

[randythoades]

I use the Digitech Bad Monkey which is a TS-a-like pedal but it has High and Low EQ on the pedal as I like quite a lean sound in general but like a hump in the low and mids for solos (I keep the gain quite low though).

[Wooks79]

Try the Abominable Electronics Hellmouth

[DorsetBlue]

According to this months Total Guitar mag, Kirk Hammett's new pedal company is releasing a TS clone that does this. Not cheap though:

[url="https://khdkelectronics.com/ghoul-screamer/"]https://khdkelectronics.com/ghoul-screamer/[/url]

[Kiwi]

Try it with a Boss Blues Driver in front. It'll fatten up plenty.

[Muppet]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1465133056' post='3065499']
Try it with a Boss Blues Driver in front. It'll fatten up plenty.
[/quote]

Spooky you say that, that's exactly what I've been doing for a while and you're spot on!

[Kiwi]

[quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1465142247' post='3065560']
Spooky you say that, that's exactly what I've been doing for a while and you're spot on!
[/quote]
Yeah the Blues Driver appears to have become a vital component in the gain paths of so many pedal boards with tube screamers!

The Metal Zone fattens up strats very nicely as well if you're looking for OTT gain. Simon Neill in Biffy Clyro uses it as an essential part of his set up.

[paul h]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1465182264' post='3065884']
Yeah the Blues Driver appears to have become a vital component in the gain paths of so many pedal boards with tube screamers!

The Metal Zone fattens up strats very nicely as well if you're looking for OTT gain. Simon Neill in Biffy Clyro uses it as an essential part of his set up.
[/quote]

Did you see the episode of That Pedal Show with Simon Neil? Very interesting

I use a Nux OD-3 which is a Chinese tubescreamer clone. I tend to use it with the gain and the tone quite low and use it more of a boost. It works well enough for me...especially since it cost £14

[Muppet]

Interesting you say that - I've been through a few and the one I've kept is a TS808 clone as it sounds the best. All the Ibanez ones I've sold on....

[paul h]

All the pedals I use are Chinese clones

In fact I'm planning on selling a couple of Boss pedals which don't get a look in!

And I have a Digitech compressor which sounds great but is way too noisy.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1465193215' post='3065897']
Did you see the episode of That Pedal Show with Simon Neil? Very interesting
[/quote]
On Youtube? Not yet, but I will!

[paul h]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-2mBcmfQ7w

[Kiwi]

cheers

[Sharkfinger]

Just seen this. Don't know if it's been suggested but I understand the Voodoo labs sparkle drive is a TS clone with a blend already built in. It's a guitar pedal but the blend should allow you to dial in your original signal to retain lows.

Bass specific, you have the fulltone bass drive which I also understand it a TS clone. No blend but being a specific bass pedal, one could assume it retains most of the lows. I believe Nate Mendel from Foo Fighters is a fan of these.

YMMV.