No matter how many overdrives, distortions, fuzzes, I build.....

[peAk]

.....I always come back to the Tube Screamer.

Just recently built a Madbeans Green Bean (2014) and it's just heaven for me. I have a 90s reissue that I have used for many years as well.

I have used/built most of them (Fuzz Faces, Big Muffs, Benders, Rats, Klons, Overdrivers, etc.) and they all have their place, but there is just something magical about the TS to my ears. 

I realize the majority of the forum loves fuzzes, and I know its apples and oranges but.....just had to get that off my chest. 

[jimilee]

Same here; it's just gritty enough.


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[matmosphere]

I have never bonded with it. I like the Timmy more, but mostly because of the versatility of the tone controls. But I absolutely feel you. Sometimes you just want "that sound". For me it the sound of a Fender Pbass. I can totally see that a tubescreamer is definitely one of those iconic sounds.

[peAk]

I have never bonded with it. I like the Timmy more, but mostly because of the versatility of the tone controls. But I absolutely feel you. Sometimes you just want "that sound". For me it the sound of a Fender Pbass. I can totally see that a tubescreamer is definitely one of those iconic sounds.

funny you mention that. I have a Fender Jazz Bass but I really love that old, muted, Motown sound with the PBass. I can kind of get there with my JBass but it's not completely there.

[dawson]

I'm right there with you, Tube Screamer brother!

Though my holy quest to find the perfect overdrive pedal for my lead guitar setup will never be truly complete, I feel like the Tube Screamer or a variant of it got me 94% of the way there 12 years ago running an 808 into a Full-Drive.  I still continue to try a bunch of other circuits since they're so fun to build and explore, but I always have at least one Tube Screamer on my pedal board.  They're versatile, touch-sensitive, and when I really need to be heard, they cut through a band mix without being shrill or way too loud.

I'm collecting PCB's to build a bunch of the TS clones and evolutions so that I can eventually put them all on their own board and try to determine which variant is my favorite.  So far, I can say that the 2019 Green Bean has really great clipping options and the PPCB Mini Drive sounds great as well.  The BYOC 808 clone sounds just like my 808 re-issue.  I built a PPCB Stockade and it's waaay overkill for me, but still super cool to have- I've thought about loaning it out to other TS advocates to determine which capacitors or diodes they might want in an upcoming clone.  Will report back on the PPCB Greengage, Oasis, and Seyfoam when I build those.  All of this may seem redundant but that last 6% is out there somewhere and I'm going to chase it until I lose my ears.

*I will mention that a couple Blues Breaker circuits and the Timmy are certainly contenders but I built them during this lockdown and haven't had a chance to test their worth against my bandmates..hopefully that will happen before too long.

*Also worth mentioning, the pedalboard of our rhythm guitar guy is purposefully devoid of TS circuits and other mids-heavy devices, so a lot of things that don't work for me end up there.  He's got my vero Angry Charlie and a Green Russian MBP Rabbit Hole that sound great for his parts and assure that we don't step on each others' toes in the mix.

[alanp]

So weird... I've built a ton of fuzzes, ODs, and distortions, but I think I've only made one Tubescreamer clone. Didn't really gel with it.

My go-to OD/Dist/Fuzz is still either the Madbean Cosmopolitan, or Lavache.

[Willybomb]

Oddly, I keep building tubescreamers and thinking..... "Nah, I'm not into this"

[LaceSensor]

I just re-bought an old SD-1 (which is basically a TS with different clipping) cos I had one years ago and still like that sound.
I did have a Green Rhino for a while and its currently (since about 5 years now) being held hostage by my ex band mate one day I will grab it back.

SO you arent alone! its a classic for a reason.

[jjjimi84]

There is something great about this circuit that keeps me always coming back to my very old BYOC build from 2006. It sounds great and is a blast to play, especially for dem blooze licks.

[EBK]

I'm currently working on rehousing an old TS circuit that I originally built inexpertly.   The old enclosure was embarrassingly bad, and I don't want to hide the pedal anymore.

So, I'm a fan of the TS as well.  I won't try to explain why. 

[harryklippton]

I never really got along with the tube screamer. My only real experience with one is the BYOC OD2 that I built when I first got into pedal building. I pulled it out recently when I recorded a springsteen cover for a friend's birthday and it got me just the sound I was looking for

[matmosphere]

I keep meaning to try out an SD1, I forgot it had different clipping. I like the tubescreamer but the Timmy's clipping options and EQ setup work for me a bit better.

Isn't the OCD more or less a tube screamer as well? I used to be really into that one, it's probably what got me into pedals in the first place.

This is all making me want to build another Green Bean to do some comparisons. My ear has developed quite a bit since I've really sat down and compared any of these.

I have never bonded with it. I like the Timmy more, but mostly because of the versatility of the tone controls. But I absolutely feel you. Sometimes you just want "that sound". For me it the sound of a Fender Pbass. I can totally see that a tubescreamer is definitely one of those iconic sounds.

funny you mention that. I have a Fender Jazz Bass but I really love that old, muted, Motown sound with the PBass. I can kind of get there with my JBass but it's not completely there.

Sorry for the tangent...

I like Jazz basses as well, but there is something about that p-bass sound that is hard to quantify. I did a lot of research on it ages ago, apparently a lot of it has to do with the location of the pickup.

I think another part of the picture as to how it has become so ubiquitous is that, before Leo Fender designed it there was no other option than an acoustic upright. It entered the market as a completely unique product, and once the bass could be louder other instruments could follow suit.

I read an interesting piece that said no mater how innovative the Telecaster was or how much Leo pushed the envelope with amplification, his most important achievement was the electric bass.  It is an interesting point of view but it might be true, Bigsby already made solid body guitars when the telecaster came out, and I'm sure at some point somebody else would have made a good 100 watt amp.

[Tremster]

Madbean Sparkplug has outlived any other overdrive on my board.

[Aentons]

I have an 808 modded, Maxon built, Ibanez TS9DX that I use on the + mode. It's the "One"

[dawson]

an 808 modded, Maxon built, Ibanez TS9DX

^That's a mouthful- I'm sure it's glorious!