JHS Pedals Screamer Settings Guide
The JHS Pedals Screamer is JHS's take on the classic Tube Screamer circuit, adding a three-way bass-boost toggle that addresses the most common criticism of the original Ibanez TS: its thin, bass-reduced character at high gain. The Screamer retains the TS's core mid-emphasis character while adding low-frequency content at the player's choice, making it more usable with single-coil guitars and modern high-output pickups than the original circuit. It targets players who want Tube Screamer dynamics with less of the characteristic "thin" quality.
The best JHS Pedals Screamer settings start with: Volume at 5/10, Drive at 4/10, Tone at 5/10, Bass at 0/10. Adjust from there based on your amp, guitar, and room volume. For Blues: Volume 6/10, Drive 3/10, Tone 5/10, Bass 0/10.
⚡ Start Here — Recommended Settings
| Control | Starting Position | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 5/10 | Silent → Loud |
| Drive | 4/10 | Clean → Full OD |
| Tone | 5/10 | Dark → Bright |
| Bass | 0/10 | TS (Thin) → Fat (Boosted) |
These are universal starting points. Adjust based on your amp, guitar, and room. Scroll down for genre-specific settings and artist-documented positions.
What Each Control Does
Recommended Starting Settings
Safe starting positions for any style. Adjust from here based on your amp and room.
All values on a 0–10 scale. These are starting points — fine-tune by ear.
Settings by Genre
Bass toggle in the TS position (middle) with low-to-moderate Drive captures the authentic Tube Screamer blues tone — the mid-emphasis that "pushes through" a mix, combined with natural dynamics. Drive at 3 leaves plenty of headroom for picking dynamics. This is the traditional application Stevie Ray Vaughan made famous.
Bass toggle in the + position with moderate Drive fills out the tone for classic rock single-note playing. The added bass makes the Screamer more appropriate for a full-band rock context where the original TS could sound too thin. Tone at 6 adds upper-mid presence.
Higher Drive with bass boost produces a thicker, more saturated overdrive for hard rock. The + bass toggle prevents the high Drive settings from becoming excessively thin. The Screamer at Drive 7 is at the limits of its overdrive range — for more saturation, pair it with a high-gain amp channel.
Bass toggle in the − position with very low Drive turns the Screamer into a bright, articulate clean boost with TS character. The reduced bass (− position) enhances the treble-heavy sparkle needed for chicken-picking and country licks. Tone at 6 adds further brightness.
The standard use of a Tube Screamer-style pedal in metal contexts: tight, mid-pushed overdrive used as a boost into a high-gain amp rather than as the primary distortion source. Bass in the TS position keeps the low end from getting loose. Drive at 6 adds some compression and mid-push.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- The most impactful use of a Screamer is as a boost into a high-gain amp, not as the primary distortion. Set Drive low and Volume high — the mid-push tightens the amp's distortion and adds definition to fast runs.
- The Bass toggle is the Screamer's primary differentiator from the original TS9. If you play single-coil guitars, the + setting is almost always better. If you play humbuckers with lots of natural low end, the TS position is more appropriate.
- The Screamer's tone character changes significantly at different Drive levels — it sounds almost clean at Drive 1 and genuinely saturated at Drive 8. Explore the full range before settling on a setting.
- The Screamer responds well to your guitar's volume knob — rolling the guitar volume back to 7–8 from a high Drive setting cleans up the tone significantly, allowing one pedal setting for both clean and driven tones.
FAQ
JHS Pedals Screamer — Common Questions
Best starting settings for JHS Pedals Screamer: Volume at 5/10, Drive at 4/10, Tone at 5/10, Bass at 0/10. Adjust from there based on your guitar, room, and playing style.
For Blues: Volume 6/10, Drive 3/10, Tone 5/10, Bass 0/10. Bass toggle in the TS position (middle) with low-to-moderate Drive captures the authentic Tube Screamer blues tone — the mid-emphasis that "pushes through" a mix, combined with natural dynamics. Drive at 3 leaves plenty of headroom for picking dynamics. This is the traditional application Stevie Ray Vaughan made famous.
For Classic Rock: Volume 6/10, Drive 5/10, Tone 6/10, Bass 1/10. Bass toggle in the + position with moderate Drive fills out the tone for classic rock single-note playing. The added bass makes the Screamer more appropriate for a full-band rock context where the original TS could sound too thin. Tone at 6 adds upper-mid presence.
Volume: Output level relative to bypass signal. (Silent to Loud). Drive: Input gain — the Screamer's drive range is similar to the original TS9 but with the bass enhancement toggle changing the overall character. (Clean to Full OD). Tone: High-frequency emphasis. The TS-style tone stack produces a smooth treble roll-off rather than a harsh shelving filter. (Dark to Bright). Bass: Three-position toggle switch (marked −, TS, +): TS = standard Tube Screamer bass response; − = reduced bass (thinner); + = boosted bass (fuller, more modern). The + position is the most popular with single-coil guitars. (TS (Thin) to Fat (Boosted))
The most impactful use of a Screamer is as a boost into a high-gain amp, not as the primary distortion. Set Drive low and Volume high — the mid-push tightens the amp's distortion and adds definition to fast runs. The Bass toggle is the Screamer's primary differentiator from the original TS9. If you play single-coil guitars, the + setting is almost always better. If you play humbuckers with lots of natural low end, the TS position is more appropriate. The Screamer's tone character changes significantly at different Drive levels — it sounds almost clean at Drive 1 and genuinely saturated at Drive 8. Explore the full range before settling on a setting. The Screamer responds well to your guitar's volume knob — rolling the guitar volume back to 7–8 from a high Drive setting cleans up the tone significantly, allowing one pedal setting for both clean and driven tones.
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