Ibanez TS808
If you were to trace the family tree of nearly every single overdrive pedal available on the market today, including the boutique and custom made examples, you would find most of them are directly related to the TS808 Tube Screamer, the earth mother of tone. |  |
| Fact is that most overdrive circuit designs have their origins in, and therefore owe their very existence to this classic. This example from the late 70's allows me to conjure up tones in 30 seconds that many guitarists spend their lifetime trying to achieve, and you quickly realise why this has become the most collectable overdrive in the world. However, before you join the throngs of disciples following the gourd with only blind faith to guide them, there are a few things you should be aware of.
The TS808 is by no means a cure all for bad tone; in fact it may well make matters worse. "What is he drunk?" I hear you say. That's for the courts to decide, but let me explain. The TS808 was designed to overload the input section, or pre-amp, of a valve amplifier whose power amp valves are already working quite hard and distorting naturally. It's not enough just to overload the pre-amp section because you'll only be doing half the job. Played like this the mid range can sound harsh and almost painful. You need to turn the master volume on your amp up, way up, till those glowing little tone bottles start working for a living. It's in this scenario that the tube screamer justifies its ridiculous price tag. Suddenly the painful mid range is transformed into a musical tone that will guarantee you're heard over even the deafest drummer.
TS808 Texan Tone
Many of us have spent a considerable amount of time and cash trying to emulate SRV's indefinable yet immediately identifiable tone. He used the TS808 model of Tube Screamer to incredible effect and in many photo's you can see its sickly green box on the floor next to his Vox wah. It's this combination that many have identified with being the definitive way to achieving that SRV tone, but I'm about to burst some bubbles. You see Ibanez superseded The TS808 in 81 with the still popular TS9, and then the TS10 got a quick look in from the mid 90's. Stevie Ray used all of them through out his career and with every single one he sounded just like himself. Funny that.
How much should I pay?
In recent years with so many quality TS808 clones becoming available these pedals have actually come down in price. A year ago you could pay up to £280 but now that figure is closer to £200.
Used the way it was intended the TS808 rocks, and even if you don't end up sounding like SRV, I can guarantee you a closer relationship with your neighbours.
|
|
|
Product registration
First time visitor?
U.S. Customers
Subscribe to our mailing list for the latest offers
Online Demo
Featured Product
UK store US Store
 |
