• From: East Midlands, UK
  • Registered: 2008-06-30
  • Posts: 164

Topic: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

i've come full circle and brought a TS9 again. don't really know why i sold mine in the first place.

at the moment i'm using it as my only source of drive/gain. not sure what this will be like at gig levels, might need something to help push it more.

thought i'd see how everyone else uses their screamers (and clones). do you us it to boost amps/pedals? do you use it standalone or boost it with another pedal? can you get away just using a screamer for everything?

Fender 60's Strat>Fulltone OCD V4>>TC Electronics Polytune>Orange Dual Terror>Torres 2x10 Cab(with a vintage 30 and a greenback)
  • From: N. Little Rock, AR.
  • Registered: 2007-03-02
  • Posts: 463

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

I usually use mine going into a Timmy. The Timmy is set as a Lower Gain Boost, and the Screamer is set with a little Higher Gain.

    2 ODs give me 4 easy to access Tones.
    1. Amp only
    2. Timmy>Amp  for grind
    3. TS>Amp for more grinding
    4. TS>Timmy>Amp for over the top Leads, etc.

Early 80's 1957 U.S. Vintage Reissue Stratocaster (Surf Green)-Warmouth Soloist  Pearly Gates Neck, Pearly Gates Bridge- Larrivee D-03 (Mahogany/ Spruce)
Carmen Ghia Head- Marshall 112 Cab W/G12H 30  or  Custom 4 X 6v6 Head  or  Budda Twinmaster Plus Head-Traynor 212 Cab w/Eminence Texas Heats. 
Mo'D-Eternity-Blues Pro- Timmy-BYOC Chorus/Vibrato- TC SCF- Korg DT 10 Pedal Tuner
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

Well I don't have a Tubescreamer but I got a Luther drive from Gearmanndude.  Mine is just like a tubescreamer but the bottom end is tighter and the mids are lowwer.  I like turning mine up about 2 o'clock on the gain wide open for the tone, and the level just a tick louder then my amps sound... so I guess I use it more like a boost.  I like my amps distortion with it, but those settings are a tick too bright when I set it up clean.

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: Harrison, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 3,155

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

I have two. One with the level all the way up and the drive all the way down, so it acts as a boost. And one has level at about 12 o'clock and the drive at 9 o'clock, which acts as my overdrive.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"

My ReverbNation page for Dees & Friends - check us out!
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  • From: South Brunswick, NJ USA
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 133

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

I use my tube Screamer (Maxon OD808) in front of my Zvex Box of Rock with just a touch more volume for when I crave that classic Screamer tone with my Les Paul!  I also use it stand alone with a clean amp setting on the rare occasion (at least lately) that I play my Stratocaster.

Russ B.
  • Registered: 2009-10-27
  • Posts: 250

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

IMO, good to have two (2) OD pedals next to each other in line.  I prefer to set the first OD with very minimal drive, maybe around 9am and leave pedal on at all times.  I use my volume knob on guitar to adjust clean to very slightly overdriven tone.  I then use another OD after that pedal with drive set high, around 3-4pm for when I need more grit or boost for solo. Key is for me, that the first OD pedal is on all of the time pushing slightly the tubes, but set at low OD setting, almost acting like a Keeley Katana Boost (clean boost I use sometimes instead).

I use a Re-Issue TS-808 first then a Dumkudo OD (pricey) pedal next as of today.  A cheaper way and to still get great tone would be to use your TS9 first with at slight OD setting and buy a Fulltone Mosfet II, Keeley Modded Boss Blues Driver or RI TS-808 - all of these pedals are under $150.00, easy to find and could be purchased cheaper on e-bay. 

P.S. Always make sure you're using hi-quality cables to connect pedals, not cheapest cables Guitar Center sells. Good company is Evidence Audio Cables.

  • From: East Midlands, UK
  • Registered: 2008-06-30
  • Posts: 164

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

Took the ts9 on my board for band practise. I use very little gear, normally an od (ts9), a delay or modulation pedal (never both) and my tuner.

Set the ts for gain full, tone about 1 o clock and volume a little loud than my clean sound. Sounded great for rythym work, really clear and rich and controlable from the guitar. Though for some of the heavier stuff (deep purple's hush for example), I needed a bit more gain.
Added my od2 before the ts and it sounded great. I could set the od2 for a good chunky driven sound and boost it for lead with the ts.

What are people's views on having the ts before or after a more gainy dirt pedal?

Fender 60's Strat>Fulltone OCD V4>>TC Electronics Polytune>Orange Dual Terror>Torres 2x10 Cab(with a vintage 30 and a greenback)
  • From: N. Little Rock, AR.
  • Registered: 2007-03-02
  • Posts: 463

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

I do find that Higher Gain INTO Lower Gain Pedals works better for me. I find that I get better Clarity and Definition this way. Plus the 2nd. OD (Lower Gain) can help to keep the overall signal from getting too overamped before hitting the Amp.

Early 80's 1957 U.S. Vintage Reissue Stratocaster (Surf Green)-Warmouth Soloist  Pearly Gates Neck, Pearly Gates Bridge- Larrivee D-03 (Mahogany/ Spruce)
Carmen Ghia Head- Marshall 112 Cab W/G12H 30  or  Custom 4 X 6v6 Head  or  Budda Twinmaster Plus Head-Traynor 212 Cab w/Eminence Texas Heats. 
Mo'D-Eternity-Blues Pro- Timmy-BYOC Chorus/Vibrato- TC SCF- Korg DT 10 Pedal Tuner
  • Registered: 2009-10-27
  • Posts: 250

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

Just need to test it out, as Budda likes his higher gain OD in front, I put my higher gain behind.  Everyone set-up is different, including cables we use. In my case, I play mostly Strats through a Ceriatone OTS and by having heavier OD behind, I get a fatter tone, but not a big difference in my case. There's no right or wrong way, just experiment IMO.  If I use a Fuzz pedal however, I put that first before slightly overdriven OD pedal, so there you go - no set ingredient.

Budda wrote:

I do find that Higher Gain INTO Lower Gain Pedals works better for me. I find that I get better Clarity and Definition this way. Plus the 2nd. OD (Lower Gain) can help to keep the overall signal from getting too overamped before hitting the Amp.

  • From: East Midlands, UK
  • Registered: 2008-06-30
  • Posts: 164

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

think i'm gonna have a pedal day tomorrow and go through the stuff i've got. i think my tonebender would sound pretty nice kicking the tubescreamer in the plums.  smile

Fender 60's Strat>Fulltone OCD V4>>TC Electronics Polytune>Orange Dual Terror>Torres 2x10 Cab(with a vintage 30 and a greenback)
  • macg1
  • BONAMETAL
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  • From: St. Petersburg, FL
  • Registered: 2010-01-21
  • Posts: 1,020

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

I also have a GMD Luther Drive, and since it is a tube-screamer-like pedal I use it to... well, make tubes scream!!  big_smile Turn everything to 11 and RAWK!

Amp: Firebird Musical Amplifiers
Guitars:62 LP SG , 02 FB VII, JB FB I, 76 Electra Omega, 64 Firebird V, 73 LPC, 61 Custom Tele, 59 and 60 Melody Maker
Effects: Mythos Chupacabra, Strymon Deco/Flint
  • Registered: 2009-07-16
  • Posts: 105

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

Paper weight. I only used the TS with my Marshalls. Too thin and essentially not needed on my Bludo or TwoRock.

  • From: East Midlands, UK
  • Registered: 2008-06-30
  • Posts: 164

Re: Tubescreamer: how do you use yours?

well, today i've messed around with various pedals trying to get a nice balance of being able to use the ts as a boost and also standalone for rhythm tones.

tried my timmy clone, tonebender, sd-1, od-2, mxr dist +, my DLS clone, LBP 1 clone.

the best combination and balance was.....
just the ts going into the amps drive channel. blues deluxe's aren't the best amps in the world. they do great cleans but the drive can be a little uninspiring. use my ts on clean channel gave me the rhythm sound i wanted and kicking the drive channel on gave me a really nice lead sound, slap a little reverb on there and i'm sold. plus i'm planning to get either a 2x12 or 4x12 cab for the deluxe, like robin trower is using to great effect recently. so i'm starting to win my tone battle.

Fender 60's Strat>Fulltone OCD V4>>TC Electronics Polytune>Orange Dual Terror>Torres 2x10 Cab(with a vintage 30 and a greenback)