Tube Screamer vs. DS-1 to the Untrained Ear

[ElCamino]

Am playing a Boss DS-1 through my new Fender 68 Custom Princeton Reverb. (Super sounding amp, by the way. Wish I could crank it to break-up volume on it's own, but I live in an apartment.) Suddenly, however, I'm GASsing for a Tube Screamer and find myself reading about all the subtleties between the TS9 and the TS808 and the original Screamers at better than $800, etc.

Then it occurs to me: Sometimes I don't even hear a whole lot of difference between the neck and bridge pups on certain guitars, let alone the subtleties of a chip modification in a distortion pedal.

Now don't get me wrong. I can discern that my Princeton amp sounds WAY better than my Orange Crush 20 (thank god, at 4 or 5 times the price, tube vs. solid state, etc.) but that's an extreme comparison.

Should this relatively untrained ear part with my 80 bucks, or $140 depending on which Screamer, to buy an additional distortion pedal or am I kidding myself?

Thanks

 

[wildschwein]

Tubescreamers roll off bass and emphasise mids. The DS-1 is more gained out and a little more scooped in the mids. Both good but different. I like to keep the tone on zero on my DS-1 and crank the level and the distortion -- creates an awesome, distorted, saggy tone that sounds like tubes working really, really hard.

There are plenty of affordable Tubescreamer clones out there. The Biyang Baby Boom Mad Driver is a great buy and has a switch to give you a lot of sounds:

[ame="www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_gciR-6VjE"]www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_gciR-6VjE[/ame]

 

[ElCamino]

Tubescreamers rolls off bass and emphasise mids. The DS-1 is more gained out and a little more scooped in the mids. Both good but different. I like to keep the tone on zero on my DS-1 and crank the level and the distortion -- creates an awesome, distorted, saggy tone that sounds like tubes working really, really hard.

There are plenty of affordable Tubescreamer clones out there. The Biyang Baby Boom Mad Driver is a great buy and has a switch to give you a lot of sounds:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_gciR-6VjE

Cool. Thank you. Just dialed up a new Baby Boom on Reverb for $47 shipped. Unless somebody vehemently disagrees, I might just save a few dollars and grab it, since at my level I'm likely not to appreciate the difference, yes?

 

[hbucker]

A Digitech Bad Monkey pedal is a good possibility. Very inexpensive and quite good. It's worth looking at

As for your original question, Tube Screamers sound completely different than a DS-1. Frankly, I don't like DS-1's. They're too fuzzy, compressed, and generic sounding to my ear.

Tube Screamers are an overdrive (instead of distortion) and sound more natural. As was said earlier, they roll off low end, though. That's a drawback. But many players better than me love them and make them sound great.

There are lots of TS - like options out there. Take a look at all of them. There is no need to break the bank for a pedal like this.

 

[jimmyjames]

Electro-Harmonix Soul Food may be worth checking out for your needs, more balanced OD than a 'screamer.

 

[DavidRamey]

Are you comparing a DS-1 (distortion pedal) or a SD-1(overdrive pedal) to a tube screamer?

 

[ElCamino]

Are you comparing a DS-1 (distortion pedal) or a SD-1(overdrive pedal) to a tube screamer?

I have a DS-1 distortion pedal (the orange one) if what you're asking is am I mixing it up with the SD-1 (yellow one).

I'm not really comparing it to the Tube Screamer. I should've been clearer with my question, which is: I'm a noob when it comes to pedals. Should I just stop worrying about buying a TS for a while because I'm probably not going to appreciate the difference anyway at my level? Or, by all means splurge as every guitarist should own a TS and even the most unsophisticated audiofile will hear a big difference?

I do understand now that one is a distortion pedal and one is an overdrive, and so am thinking that even I'll appreciate the difference. But I'm leaning toward maybe getting a cheaper TS clone to save money on what are likely subtleties between it and an authentic that I won't perceive. (Oh and FYI I'm not even considering an original TS for 8+ bills or whatever it is they sell for now.)

 

[ARandall]

The clipping is different on the DS-1 to a TS pedal.

And its your ears that will notice the difference.

But it costs very little to go to a shop and try the two back to back

 

[cybermgk]

Tubescreamers rolls off bass and emphasise mids. The DS-1 is more gained out and a little more scooped in the mids. Both good but different. I like to keep the tone on zero on my DS-1 and crank the level and the distortion -- creates an awesome, distorted, saggy tone that sounds like tubes working really, really hard.

There are plenty of affordable Tubescreamer clones out there. The Biyang Baby Boom Mad Driver is a great buy and has a switch to give you a lot of sounds:

This.

No need to spend 140 on a TS.

Look at the EHX East River. EH called in AnalogMan (famed for Tube Screamer mods and improvements) to consult. They went with a straight forward, vintage correct TS 808, including the JRC4558d chip. Analogman assisted and consulted on parts sourcing and selecting.

And new, you can get these for $60-65 all day all over.

 

[ARandall]

^ Or the Joyo vintage OD at about $35 or $40.

 

[cybermgk]

^ Or the Joyo vintage OD at about $35 or $40.

I compared them. Joyo, is noisier, to start with. Analogman sourced top quality parts for EHX and it made a big difference.

 

[ElCamino]

I compared them. Joyo, is noisier, to start with. Analogman sourced top quality parts for EHX and it made a big difference.

Any experience with the Biyang Baby Boom Mad Driver referenced above? There's a side-by-side comparison vid online with it and the TS and, for my ears, they sound almost identical. Plus the Mad Driver has some other sound options.

 

[wildschwein]

Any experience with the Biyang Baby Boom Mad Driver referenced above? There's a side-by-side comparison vid online with it and the TS and, for my ears, they sound almost identical. Plus the Mad Driver has some other sound options.

I had one on my board for a couple of years. Works awesome at stage volume -- lets your leads be heard. They don't have a load of gain but can push the front end of you amp into overdrive, or can just be set as a volume/mid boost. These days I use a DS-1 as my main drive pedal -- just 'cause it works with my Boogie. You should be happy with the Biyang -- it's a killer deal. Other known good ones are the Bad Monkey but you're really splitting hairs -- the circuitry between all the clones is largely the same. The Biyang has all the popular mods on a switch so it represents extra value for money.

 

[ARandall]

I compared them. Joyo, is noisier, to start with. Analogman sourced top quality parts for EHX and it made a big difference.

Needless to say, if you want to try a TS clone and you don't want to spend the $$$, then this still remains an option. Noise doesn't mean that it is automatically eliminated as a way of getting to try something out without big outlay.

 

[ElCamino]

I had one on my board for a couple of years. Works awesome at stage volume -- lets your leads be heard. They don't have a load of gain but can push the front end of you amp into overdrive, or can just be set as a volume/mid boost. These days I use a DS-1 as my main drive pedal -- just 'cause it works with my Boogie. You should be happy with the Biyang -- it's a killer deal. Other known good ones are the Bad Monkey but you're really splitting hairs -- the circuitry between all the clones is largely the same. The Biyang has all the popular mods on a switch so it represents extra value for money.

Sounds like the Biyang is my pick. 47 bucks on Reverb. Endorsements here from folks I trust, decent random online feedback, and most importantly it's a really cool color! Thanks everybody. This forum rocks!

 

[roeg]

The variations in tubescreamers is mind-boggling.

I use vintage Boss OD1 and SD1's.

I also use vintage(well...more than 20 yrs old )Tubescreamers and recently have re-discovered a gem,a 1989 Tubescreamer classic(TS10):



I have a couple,and find this variation does a stellar job of eliminating that sometimes annoying treble high end spike so many sreamers can have.Rolloff.Fat and warm,and at volume,the treble control can give just the right amount at 3/4 on the dial.

 

[Ermghoti]

Then it occurs to me: Sometimes I don't even hear a whole lot of difference between the neck and bridge pups on certain guitars, let alone the subtleties of a chip modification in a distortion pedal.

We've all been there. Back in 1989, with no Internet, I didn't know what the pickup selector did for a couple months.

So, less eBay and more Mel Bay for you, young man.

Or get a Bad Monkey. They're practically free, and quite serviceable, a good introduction to all things tubescreamery.

 

[ElCamino]

Or get a Bad Monkey. They're practically free, and quite serviceable, a good introduction to all things tubescreamery.

Crap! Already got a Biyang Mad Driver. Was pretty cheap. I like it. But I like my DS-1 too and my Joyo Ultimate Something or Other. They all sound different, but good-different. I just sorta plug one in and dabble based on my mood. I'm not chasing any specific sound.

Should I get a Bad Monkey too?

(While GASsing for pedals is a heck of a lot cheaper than my guitar-buying addiction, recently cured by poverty, I can see the relative low cost of pedals fueling the fire. "Oh it's just 60 bucks" times X adds up fast!)

 

[SWeAT hOg]

Crap! Already got a Biyang Mad Driver. Was pretty cheap. I like it. But I like my DS-1 too and my Joyo Ultimate Something or Other. They all sound different, but good-different. I just sorta plug one in and dabble based on my mood. I'm not chasing any specific sound.

Should I get a Bad Monkey too?

(While GASsing for pedals is a heck of a lot cheaper than my guitar-buying addiction, recently cured by poverty, I can see the relative low cost of pedals fueling the fire. "Oh it's just 60 bucks" times X adds up fast!)

If the Biyang pedal is a TS clone, you might have no 'need' for the Bad Monkey. However, they are stupid-silly cheap when they show up used. Member Batman hooked me a mint one from an East coast shop for $40, there are no doubt even cheaper in the US. Sounds great, low and high tone controls are sweet. Built to withstand a nuke, much like a BOSS.

But even if you don't like it, someone will gobble it up and you wont lose any dough. Weird thing about the Monkey is it has (IMO) a cult-like status, but they are always cheap. Mine quickly became permanent and is my most used pedal. Heavenly crunch with my Tiny Terror.

 

[Ermghoti]

Joyo Ultimate Something or Other.

Ultimate Overdrive? That's a very good clone of the OCD. Very nice arrow to have in the quiver, and you get to openly mock TGP people.

Should I get a Bad Monkey too?

Probably not necessary, but they are also great performers. As mentioned, if you get one used, you can move it at no loss to yourself. I find they make a terrific bass overdrive, which is counter-intuitive considering TS circuits cut bass.

OTOH, the OCD is a TS variant, so there's something to be said for having variations on a theme. If you wanted to spread out, you might want to think about something with a Rat lineage, and/or a Marshall-in-a-Box/Guv'nor circuit.

(While GASsing for pedals is a heck of a lot cheaper than my guitar-buying addiction, recently cured by poverty, I can see the relative low cost of pedals fueling the fire. "Oh it's just 60 bucks" times X adds up fast!)

It is dangerous. I had about 40 pedals at one point, over half were gain pedals.