Discussion: Not using a tubescreamer

[Axonic Rot]

I would like to hear from you guys who have a lot experience, do you ever prefer to skip the green box?

For me there's no doubt the TS makes it sound better for palm muting and just straight up makes it sound better most of the time for metal.

I'm getting a feeling like the texture of single notes is fuller without it, and it sounds slightly nastier, faster and more dynamic. It's like the transients improve without it.

Also in standard tuning, I like it without it 100% of the time.

 

[bryan_kilco]

Depends on the amp you're using too. I will agree that the transients seem smeared more with the TS on, though certain amps like the 5150 just seem to sound nastier and I prefer this amp with the TS 99% of the time. I toyed around with the TS in front of my Mark IV and it didn't seem to like it as much.

 

[HCL]

Before I put an 81 in my Jackson JSX it needed one, now it doesn't. Mainly a higher tuning thing too, lower stuff is gonna benefit much more from a screamer.

 

[egan.]

It's just a taste thing. I generally see if the shortest path gets me where I want to be and if not I add the pedal. For fast stuff on a DR you're probably going to want one but hard and fast rules are counterproductive.

 

[crillemannen]

Depends on the amp. I rarely use one. My to go amp is a Peavey JSX which really is super tight as it is without the TS. It almost make it sound nasal with a TS.

 

[JeffTD]

Depends on the amp ofc, but I generally shoot out between using an eq to boost the signal/cut out lows a little or using an OD for the same effect + the OD texture/smear.

 

[Jan___]

For years I never knew about the tube screamer thing and actually sold a Dual Rectifier once because it wasn't tight enough... and I was thinking like damn why does everyone like these?? Haha. Anyways, I've jumped on the OD train a few years ago and liked it for some amps and not for others. I like a pretty tight tone in general but (as the others mentioned) it doesn't work the same way with all amps.

ENGL Savage 120: NOPE
Diezel VH4: Works better than I thought but really doesn't NEED it... still, pretty cool, especially for metalcore type tones and down-tuned stuff.
Mesa Dual Rectifier: YES
Peavey 6505: YES but. It doesn't NEED it for most styles except the very tightest tones but I still like what it does to the feel. Depends on taste I guess.
Marshall JCM800: Kinda cool, I find an OD is more or less needed for real heavy tones, but for in-between stuff it's cool either way.

... and so on. I LOVE what ODs do for the pick attack but with some amps it doesn't work as well as with others. And, usually, the lower you tune, the more likely you will want an OD to keep a tight enough feel.

 

[ArsMemoria]

Depends on the amp for me. For metal out of my micro terror, it's definitely needed. When I start picking up more amps, I definitely want to find a couple that can get a tight, mid-focused tone, but without the TS in front. I'd rather have less cables & pedals on the floor.

 

[Delitzsch]

I definitely want to find a couple that can get a tight, mid-focused tone, but without the TS in front. I'd rather have less cables & pedals on the floor.

Check out a Bogner Ubershall. IMHO, no boost needed.

 

[RedDog]

Different OD's for different flavors. So far, it's been ts9, but I've got a Zakk Wylde now that I'm going to mod for more lows because I think it's a hair thinner than the TS while being just as pissed in a symmetrical clipping way. Got a Michael Angelo Batio OD coming in soon enough as well. I feel like it's more amp and player dependant on whether or not it *needs* the overdrive.

 

[Terminus]

Don't like boosts for leads but I regularly use a Ts for rhythms.

 

[ArsMemoria]

Check out a Bogner Ubershall. IMHO, no boost needed.

Either that or I've had the ENGL Savage on my radar for a while. I've never had the chance to try the Bogner, either.

 

[Jan___]

Either that or I've had the ENGL Savage on my radar for a while. I've never had the chance to try the Bogner, either.

Yeah the savage works without an OD in front, no doubt. And it's a great amp, was my main amp for almost ten years in multiple bands (metal / death metal). Played it in C and even B and it was tight enough.

 

[4Eyes]

depends on amp, music style and tuning. the heavier, low tuned stuff will benefit from using TS. there are also some amp + TS combinations that works well and there is no need to change it - DR, 5150 style amps. I found out that even when you mod amps like DR or 5150 to make it tighter on their own, they'll start to sound thinner at some point and won't sound better than using TS in front of them, it just works great, deal with it.

 

[HCL]

The 6505+ is a totally different animal to the 6505 as far as boosts go, too.

 

[newamerikangospel]

It depends on the amp, but I tend to prefer a boost. I find it generally feels more dynamic since I can keep the gain on the amp low, and it has more compression over "dirty gain".

 

[J.Lindmann]

I play a 6505 in two bands with the exact same setup except for the guitar and the Tubescreamer.

The first band is in Drop A tuning which benefits a lot from the tubescreamer.
Much tighter and edgier but still enough low end

The second band is in Drop D tuning which sounds thin, weak and hollow if played with a tubescreamer.
Without the tubescreamer it sound much fuller and punchier.

So....same amp, same cab, but once with TS once without.

 

[greyskull]

I need to switch from my Maxon to a Less Middy Boost since mellowing the music I play. Still want that front end punch you get though.

The EHX soul food looks a likely contender.

 

[Delitzsch]

I need to switch from my Maxon to a Less Middy Boost since mellowing the music I play. Still want that front end punch you get though.

The EHX soul food looks a likely contender.

I've tried a lot of drive pedals and the ones I liked to use when I wasn't wanting that tubescreamer mid thing were the Xotic RC Booster and believe it or not the Boss SD-1.

 

[JeffTD]

If I were still using real amps I'd probably get the VFE focus - it's a hipass+lowpass with adjustable slopes and level control; you control how much of the low end you want out, high end you want smoothened out, and how hard you hit the front end.