Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer — Complete Guide
The Tube Screamer may be the most influential guitar pedal ever made. Since the original TS808 appeared in 1979, it has been used by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, Carlos Santana, John Mayer, Joe Bonamassa, Brad Paisley, and generations of blues, rock, and country guitarists.
The Tube Screamer's distinctive mid-boost and soft-clipping overdrive character changed the vocabulary of electric guitar tone. Before the Tube Screamer, guitarists relied primarily on cranked tube amps for their overdrive. After the TS808 and TS9, the concept of "amp boost" via an overdrive pedal became standard practice.
What the Tube Screamer Actually Does
The Tube Screamer is a soft-clipping overdrive. It clips the audio signal using diodes in the feedback path of an op-amp, producing a smooth, musical overdrive character that retains more of the guitar's natural dynamics than a hard-clipping distortion pedal.
The two defining characteristics:
Midrange boost: The Tube Screamer inherently boosts the midrange frequencies (roughly 500Hz–1kHz) while cutting some bass and high frequencies. This creates the characteristic "honk" of the TS sound — forward, present, vocal.
Soft clipping: The smooth overdrive character means picking dynamics are retained at low-to-moderate gain settings. Picking harder produces more drive; picking softer produces a cleaner tone. This dynamic response is the reason the TS is used by so many bluesy, expressive players.
The Three Controls
OVERDRIVE: Controls the amount of gain and clipping. At low settings (1–4), the TS9 produces a light, dynamic overdrive that barely colors the signal. At medium settings (5–7), it's a full blues/rock overdrive. At high settings (8–10), the soft clipping becomes compressed and the dynamics are reduced. Most players use 2–6.
TONE: A high-frequency shelving filter. Counterclockwise = darker. Clockwise = brighter. The TS9 Tone control affects a different frequency range than the TS808 Tone control (the TS9 clips slightly differently in the Tone circuit) — this is one source of the audible difference between the two pedals. Sweet spot is typically 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock.
LEVEL: Output volume. When using the Tube Screamer as an amp boost (low Overdrive, high Level), the Level is the primary active control. To push an amp harder without adding obvious pedal overdrive, raise the Level while keeping Overdrive low.
SRV's Famous Settings (and What They Mean)
Stevie Ray Vaughan's Tube Screamer settings are widely documented and often emulated:
- Drive (Overdrive): 3
- Tone: 12 o'clock (noon)
- Level (Volume): 7
This is a low-overdrive, high-volume configuration. SRV used the Tube Screamer as a boost to push his already-dirty Fender Super Reverb or Dumble amplifier harder, not as a standalone distortion source. The high Level setting increased the signal going into the amp's input stage, causing the amp to distort more heavily and compress more naturally.
The result: more sustain, more harmonic richness, more amp-driven saturation — without the pedal adding significant coloring of its own. This "amp boost" approach is one of the most useful ways to use a Tube Screamer.
Best Settings for Different Styles
Blues Boost (SRV, Eric Clapton, Gary Moore approach)
- Overdrive: 2–4
- Tone: 11 o'clock – noon
- Level: 6–8 (boost the amp)
- Amp: Slightly dirty (Fender, Dumble, or Marshall at moderate gain)
Low overdrive, high level — pushing the amp. The TS's midrange character adds vocal presence to the leads without significantly changing the amp's natural tone. This is how most professional blues guitarists use the pedal.
Full Overdrive (John Mayer, Joe Bonamassa later setting)
- Overdrive: 5–7
- Tone: noon
- Level: 5–6
- Amp: Clean (Fender Twin or Deluxe)
The Tube Screamer as the primary distortion source into a clean amp. At Overdrive 5–7, the TS9 produces a musical full overdrive with enough gain for melodic leads and rhythm crunch. The mid-boost character is more pronounced at these settings because the amp's own distortion isn't contributing.
Country Lead Boost (Brad Paisley, Vince Gill)
- Overdrive: 2–3
- Tone: 1–2 o'clock (slightly bright)
- Level: 7
- Amp: Fender Twin Reverb clean
Country players use the TS for chicken-pickin' leads — the slight Tone boost adds sparkle and cut to the Telecaster's single-coil tone. The low Overdrive preserves the note definition required for fast country picking.
Rock Lead Tone (Santana, Carlos into Mesa Boogie)
- Overdrive: 5–6
- Tone: 12 o'clock
- Level: 6
- Amp: Mesa Boogie (already at moderate gain)
Carlos Santana uses the TS808 (original version) into an already-moderate Mesa Boogie amp to create his singing, piano-like lead tone. The combination of TS808 mid-boost + Mesa's natural warmth + Santana's note choice creates the specific vocal quality. Pushing an already warm amp with the TS808 is a key element of the "Santana tone."
Metal Boost (Metallica, early era)
- Overdrive: 2–3
- Tone: 1 o'clock
- Level: 8
- Amp: Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier (high gain)
Metallica used the TS (or equivalent) as a boost pedal before their Mesa Boogies to tighten the low end and increase cut. At high gain amp settings, the TS's bass cut reduces the "boominess" that high-gain amps can produce, while the Level boost increases the overall signal into the amp for more saturation. This is the "metal boost" application — the TS is not adding drive, it's tightening and boosting the amp.
Tube Screamer as an Amp Boost: The Most Important Technique
The single most important Tube Screamer technique is using it as a boost rather than a distortion:
The setup:
- Amp: Set to the point of light breakup or slight crunch
- Tube Screamer: Overdrive at 1–4 (low), Level at 6–8 (high)
- Result: Stepping on the TS increases the signal hitting the amp's input stage, causing more amp distortion and compression
What this achieves:
- More sustain without losing the amp's natural character
- Louder solos without a dramatic tonal change
- More harmonics and "singing" quality on sustained notes
- The amp's character remains primary; the TS is secondary
This approach is used by SRV, John Mayer, Eric Johnson, Joe Bonamassa, and most "amp guy" guitar players who care about tone. The pedal enhances the amp rather than replacing it.
TS808 vs. TS9: The Actual Differences
The TS808 (1979–1982) and TS9 (1982–present) are built on the same fundamental circuit but differ in three areas:
1. Output buffer circuit The TS808 uses a different output stage (a simpler, more passive buffer) compared to the TS9's slightly more aggressive output buffer. This changes the output character subtly — the TS808's output is warmer and more "organic."
2. Clipping diode type Original TS808s used asymmetric silicon diodes in the clipping stage. Later TS9s use symmetric silicon diodes. The asymmetric clipping of the TS808 produces slightly more even harmonics, contributing to its warmer, less aggressive character.
3. Tone circuit The Tone section was slightly modified for the TS9. The TS9 Tone control has a slightly brighter, more cutting top end compared to the TS808.
In practice: The differences are subtle — experienced players can tell them apart in a controlled comparison, but in a live mix, the two are largely indistinguishable. The TS808 commands premium prices (original units sell for $300–500+) for relatively minor tonal improvements. The TS9 is the practical choice at under $100 new.
The Ibanez TS808 Reissue (current production): Ibanez reissued the TS808 with the correct components for approximately $150. It captures the original character more closely than the TS9. If the TS808 sound matters to you, the reissue is significantly cheaper than a vintage original.
Tube Screamer Alternatives
Maxon OD808
Maxon (the original manufacturer of the Tube Screamer circuit before Ibanez branded it) makes the OD808, which is closer to the original TS808 circuit than the current Ibanez TS808 reissue. Considered by many to be the definitive "Tube Screamer original" — available for $100–150.
Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
A soft-clipping overdrive with similar character to the Tube Screamer but different clipping topology. Slightly brighter, less mid-forward than the TS. Available for $60. Not a perfect substitute but a useful alternative.
Way Huge Green Rhino
A Tube Screamer variant with added tone controls (Bass knob, 100Hz boost control). More flexible than a standard TS — useful for players who find the TS too mid-heavy on their specific setup.
Fulltone OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Drive)
A harder-clipping overdrive/distortion that sits between a Tube Screamer and a distortion pedal. More gain available, harder edge to the clipping, good for rock players who find the TS too smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between the TS808 and TS9? The TS808 has a slightly warmer, less compressed character due to differences in the clipping diodes and output buffer. The difference is real but subtle. Original TS808s are expensive collector items; the Maxon OD808 or Ibanez TS808 Reissue captures the character at much lower cost.
Should I use the Tube Screamer into a clean amp or a dirty amp? Both work, for different reasons. Into a clean amp: the TS provides all the overdrive and its mid-boost character comes through fully. Into a slightly dirty amp: the TS acts as a boost, pushing the amp harder while its own character recedes. The boost-into-dirty-amp approach (SRV style) is generally preferred by experienced players for its amp-driven warmth.
Can I use a Tube Screamer for metal? As a boost into a high-gain amp (Mesa Boogie, 5150, Dual Rectifier), yes — this is standard practice. The TS tightens the low end and increases the amp's gain. As the sole distortion source into a clean amp, the TS is not aggressive enough for most metal applications.
What's the best Tube Screamer for the money? The Ibanez TS9 at under $100 new is the most practical choice. For the closest approximation of the vintage TS808, the Maxon OD808 is the recommendation. For maximum flexibility, the Way Huge Green Rhino or similar Tube Screamer variant with additional tone controls.
Does the Tube Screamer work for bass? Better than many overdrives because its bass cut (which is a limitation for guitar) becomes less of an issue when the bass has abundant low frequency content to begin with. However, bass-specific overdrives (MXR Bass Overdrive, Tech 21 Bass Driver DI) are usually preferred for bass applications.
What guitars work best with the Tube Screamer? The TS pairs particularly well with single-coil guitars (Stratocaster, Telecaster) because its mid-boost compensates for single-coils' natural mid-scoop. With humbuckers, the combination can become mid-heavy — reduce the Tone control slightly. Both work; single-coils often benefit more from the TS's specific character.