• Gear Reviews – October 5, 2012 – 0 Comments

    Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer

    This popular Ibanez 9 series pedal was the successful follow up to the highly collectible TS-808. While the two pedals are virtually the same on the inside, outer cosmetics changed to include a larger foot switch, a new chassis and slightly bigger knobs. This is certainly one of the more gentle overdrives on the market but the best for allowing the guitar’s true voice and character to come through. The sound is open, valvey, and smooth with just enough warm bite to excite timid amplifiers. The magic of Tube Screamer is its ability to blend with your signal to let notes and chords shine through. A common complaint with the Tube Screamer is its ever present mid-range hump. Strangely enough, this complaint is also what causes just as many to champion it. We happen to love that extra bite of frequency, since it allows leads to cut through the mix in a very musical way.  That classic TS-9 sound can be found in the music of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepard, and countless others. The original TS-9 enjoyed an initial production run from 1982 to around 1988 and was wisely reissued in 1996. The newer models sound identical to the original, at least to our picky ears. As expected, there are a TON of after-market mods for the TS-9 that can squeeze even more tone from this amazing overdrive.

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    About the Reviewer

    GuitarGeek

    Adam Cooper's award winning GuitarGeek rig illustrations have appeared in GuitarPlayer, Total Guitar UK, Guitarist, Alternative Press, History of Marshall Amplifiers, Roland/Boss User Guides, Ibanez Steve Vai Jemini & Paul Gilbert Airplane Flanger Instruction Manuals, Swervedriver's "Juggernaut Rides" CD as well as the longest running monthly column in Guitar World Magazine's history: Vulgar Display of Power. Before launching GuitarGeek.Com, Adam published the highly respected music zine, Whirlpool, which was distributed worldwide via major record store chains. As a guitarist and songwriter, he formed the band Alison's Halo which released two critically acclaimed records and secured coveted slots with bands like The Verve, Ultra Vivid Scene, Curve, Jimmy Eat World, Of Montreal, Butterfly Child, The Apples In Stereo, The Boo Radleys, Stereophonics, Medicine, Lovesliescrushing, Bailter Space and many others.


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