Kinda Overdrive Quest

[Platefire]

This OD quest started off with a compressor quest where my favorite OD/compressor pedal was my Route 66 OD/comp. I now leave my compressor on all the time at a moderate setting, problem is that compressor is noisy. It didn't make much difference when I wasn't using it 100% of the time but now unbearable. I love the sound of the 66 OD which I've understood is tube screamer clone.

I've got two modified Boss CS-3's compressors that I like a lot and are quiet, so I decided to pull the Route 66 off my pedal-board that takes the space of two pedals. I installed one of the CS-3's plus a Joyo vintage overdrive I've had a while on another pedal-board which I understand is a pretty good cheap clone. This combination is very quiet and works very good.

Problem solved right! Wrong! The smaller pedal-board I use at Church the I pulled the Joyo off of was replaced with a Boss DS-1 which just don't have my favorite tube screamer sound.

I finally decided if I want to properly judge the tube screamer sound, I need to go to the original and try it. So I ordered a new TS-9 which hasn't arrived yet at this point.

Only after doing that in my research I learned that all tube screamers are not equal. There is the TS808, TS9, TS5, TS7 and all the reissues plus a hardwired version. Also I learned the my beloved Route 66 is actually a TS808 clone-har! and now I got a TS9 on the way?

So yesterday I stopped at a pawn shop that always has a lot of musical stuff that I frequent often and found a TS5 and got it for $20. I got it home and it works fine and even the flakey switch in those, works fine every time on this one. The thing sounds really good to me but it's a little noisy. I did a little research on it last night and from best I can tell it is a TS9 circuit in a very cheap pedal and board. Well for $20. I couldn't cull it because I am searching out TS's. I did an A/B test on the Joyo and CS5 last night side by side and I could match just about every sound on the Joyo I could pull up on the CS5, only the Joyo was dead quiet and the CS5 had added hum on the higher dist levels.

So where I'm at now is, I probably should have ordered a new TS808 instead of the TS9 since the Route 66 is a 808 clone but I guess while I'm at it I may as well find out what the TS9 is all about also. I know that there are a lot of high grade clones out there a lot better than the route 66 but I wanted to start at ground "0" and go from there. Platefire   

[Platefire]

On the Ibanez TS5 I recently picked up that I said had a hum, it was the cheap adapter used that caused the hum. I used it this weekend in another pedalboard and it was totally quiet. The TS5 sounded so good I kind of regretted that I had already ordered a new TS9 that should be in today. Anyway this is something most of you have done years ago but here in my old age am becoming somewhat of a taste tester. The tube screamer sound is just my favorite dirt in a nutshell and coupled with a good compressor in front of it, sweet! Platefire

[MakerDP]

I like the TS too. I built the "SRV Special" version of it. Sounds nice.

However, I have recently discovered the Electro Harmonix Soul Food which is based on the Klon Centaur. I REALLY like that pedal, and at less than $70 it is definitely worth trying out. In fact, I use two on my pedal board... one for a clean/lead boost and one for distortion.

[HotBluePlates]

... I probably should have ordered a new TS808 instead of the TS9 ...

I'd save my money and get the TS-9.

I had a TS-5 a very long time ago, then I got an original TS-808 at a guitar show. It was an emotional trade/purchase, and when I got home and played with it for an extended period of time, it just sounded like a tubescreamer to me. I wound up selling it to get something else I couldn't live without, and dearly wished I had the stuff back which I'd traded for the TS-808.

Maybe if I'd done long critical listening tests between the TS-808 and a TS-9 I would've heard a difference. But I didn't notice anything really worthy of the inflated price tag. I did eventually get a Fulltone Full-drive II, which does the tubescreamer sound and has a boost function. I've left it at that for that particular sound. I do think the Full-drive lets a bit more of the individual guitar's voice through, but they're in the same ballpark.

All that is a long way to say I don't think the TS-808 is worth double-price of the TS-9. Tubenit has a TS-10 with at least a change opamp, and it sounds excellent among tubescreamers, and maybe among other distortion pedals as well.

[smackoj]

I have focused a lot of my building and modding attention lately on the Tube Screamer variants. I built a TS 808 clone using a pcb from General Guitar Gadgets. It uses a small switch to toggle between two sets of diode clippers which is a nice feature. I substituted a germanium AC176 transistor for one of the silicon ones and used the recommended RC4558 op amp chip. I am very happy with the sound and it has tons of gain.

I wouldn't sweat that you bought the TS9 version. The TS variants are all very similar and there are mods available to change it closer to the 808 version (the main change is the op amp chip). Here is a link to Monte Allums pedal mods sight. there is a lot of good info about the different versions of the TS and he has a mod kit for the TS9 which is about 24 dollars plus shipping.

http://www.monteallums.com/pedal_mods.html#ibanez

[Ed_Chambley]

HBP mentioned Fulltone 2 and it is really nice.  I have never really warmed up to the Ibanez pedals and have wondered why it is called a tubescreamer.  I guess the additional boost makes the tubes scream .

You know I got a bunch of effects and I gotta say the Timmy is way cool, but I do not use it often.  I do have an original Klon I got a long time ago.  I can tell you "it ain't all that".  The Soul Food is really close.

I have a sparkle drive I modded, well replaced components to make it quiet.  I like it because it has a blend knob and works well as a boost.  I was never really a fan of fuzz until Jojokeo sent me his build of the FuzzShway.  No, it is not the same but it has made it to my main board and is on quite often I am finding. 

But don't pay much attention to me.  I just got a Wampler Triple Rectifier and that thing is a nasty distortion box that I really have no use for, but it is KEWL.

[Platefire]

Yep, got the TS9 in yesterday. Wow! very sturdy/heavy box compared to the TS5

My first impression was, wow! this one is brighter with a rawer edge than the others. After some ditteling I found by using the tone control from 8:00 oclock to completely counterclockwise brought in the tones I like. I was testing it with a SSS strat with Texas Specials. I'm thinking the brighter edge might come in handy with my humbucker LP and 335 types?? Haven't tested that yet--but seems to make sense!

I know what you hear sitting on your couch in the living room compared to playing with a live band can't be compared. So I will reserve judgement until I put it on my board at Church and use it live with the Praise Band. Platefire

[smackoj]

I know what you're saying Ed about not getting the wow factor that some attach to the TS. I bought a second hand TS from a guy, I think it was a TS9 but not sure. I didn't think it was worthy of praise and immediately resold it. That was probably six yrs. ago. I started building my own pedals over the last couple yrs. and about a month ago I found a guy on eebay selling a GGG pcb for the TS808. I felt like giving it a go so bought it for a few bucks and loaded it up with parts. I included a socket for the IC so I could swap them and installed a JRC4558 op amp. I put a germanium transistor in the Q2 position and this box is oodles more fun and better sounding than the TS I bought used. Night and day difference. I used to think there was nothing unique or special about the TS boxes but I am now a believer. 

Here is the schemo of the TS808 I built.   

[Platefire]

Just discovered today the noise from the Route 66 compressor is being caused by the power adapter I was using with it. I disconnected the power supply and installed a new battery and the hum was gone. So I've been jamming with it testing settings, I can add gain and sustain now without adding hum. So I guess I need to get a better quality power supply that won't add noise.

So this is good news in that I will be able to use the OD and comp together without the previous noise I was getting. I really do like the Route 66/TS808 clone. I will be hanging onto it because this pedal is my Ground "0" when judging all the others unless I find one I like better. Platefire

[Platefire]

Just picked up a Visual Sound Route 808 on e-bay for $43.00/free shipping. The Route 808 is suppose to be the same as the overdrive side of the Route 66 in a single pedal 3" wide. So this way hopefully I can get my favorite overdrive sound separated from that pesky compressor 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/331504082876?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[smackoj]

Route 66 overdrive pedals have a good sound. Hope it hits the mark for you.

 

[jojokeo]

...I was never really a fan of fuzz until Jojokeo sent me his build of the FuzzShway.  No, it is not the same but it has made it to my main board and is on quite often I am finding.

I originally totally felt the same way regarding "fuzz"...until I got bit by the fuzz-bug. I can only compare it and liken it to when I got bit by the tube amp-building bug. It's been the same kind of joy and wonderment because when germanium trannies are put together in different ways and with different components you never know exactly what you're going to end up with and how it's going to react and sound.

Using the FuzzShway and with the guitar's Vol rolled back it cleans up greatly and is definitely unfuzz-like and think it gives killer authentic SRV tones with the neck pu used like this don't ya think? Glad to hear it's serving it's master well Ed!

You know I got a bunch of effects and I gotta say the Timmy is way cool, but I do not use it often.

Then you should think the TAZ is "way way" cool since it's like Doublemint gum, it's two - two pedals in one. 

[Platefire]

I'm getting some better sounds with the TS9. The lattest thing I've discovered that sounds a whole lot better is, I fine tuned the Amp pre and master volume to where the guitar at full volume is right on the edge of breakup with a little grit--cleans up when you back off. Once you set the amp like that and kick in the TS9, it really goes to work from there. I had been testing it on a completely set clean amp, but that don't work as good as a slightly cranked amp with the TS9. With the amps set like that it's coming across a lot fatter with nice even harmonics. So Good--progress! Platefire

[Platefire]

Analysis so far on the OD quest or maybe I should say Tube Screamer quest is they are basically all the same. My Route 66, TS5, TS9, Joyo Vintage OD and Route 808 are very close given that Visual Sounds pedals have a bass boost switch which is kind of nice. If you like a tube screamer, and I do, any of these pedals will work! Of course most of you already know this and already been down this road, but I'm just now getting around to it. There is a million more TS clones and variants that I haven't touched on and no I'm not going to try them all unless you send them to me for my personal evaluation  fat chance! So I'm thinking my TS9 will go in my Church pedalboard and the Route 808 will go in my big pedalboard I keep at the house and the rest will subject to keep or move out. Time will tell! Platefire

[jojokeo]

The Tube Screamer circuit has been the basis of many variants of effects pedals just as the Fender Bassman's circuit has been to many tube amp variants.

[Platefire]

Well one thing I've learned with experimenting with these various tube screamer types is they shine best when you put them in front of a tube amp pushed to the edge and then let the TS drive it on into oblivion I used my TS9 today through a DIY champ, volume pushed about 66% and it really did a fine job when I kicked it in--pretty satisfying! Platefire