Question about the Maxon OD808, Ibanez TS9, and other tubescreamers

[Rex Rocker]

Hey!

So I was wondering if you guys have this "issue" as well.

With my MXR overdrive I set it up by switching to a clean sound and then adjusting the Output knob until I get roughtly around the same volume with the pedal on or off.

A friend of mine just bought an EHX East River Drive which I was considering on purchasing as well as a cheap Tubescreamer alternative for the added mids compared to my MXR. However, when I try to set it up the way I use my MXR, I have to crank the output on the EHX and even then, the pedal still sucks some volume compared to it bypassed. I'm not really using super high-output pickups. Just the standard Duncan JB and DiMarzio Dominion (which has a very similar output level to the JB).

This isn't an issue if I'm using the pedal in front of a heavily driven amp, but if I ever intend to use the pedal in front of a clean amp to switch back and forth an overdriven and a clean sound, it won't work the way I'd want it to.

Do other Tubescreammers have this kind of "issue" too or is it just the EHX because it's cheap? Do you guys ever run into this as well?

 

[nezvers]

I have GFS Classic Greenie and I love it. It has no problem to have same volume and has plenty more.
If you want cheap TS best bang for buck, go get GFS Classic Greenie. Plus it has some modes (my guessing some popular TS mods or something)
50$ it's a steal! I'm thinking to get some more pedals from them.

 

[Trevoire520]

I've found a similar thing with the boss SD1, pretty low output compared to my other pedals (TS7, OD808, Mooer Green Mile)

 

[Rex Rocker]

Thank you for the replies, dudes!

I have GFS Classic Greenie and I love it. It has no problem to have same volume and has plenty more.

Will look into it. Thanks! What kind of pickups are you using with it?

I've found a similar thing with the boss SD1, pretty low output compared to my other pedals (TS7, OD808, Mooer Green Mile)

So do you not have this issue with your Maxon or Ibanez?

I know the MXR has a pretty hefty output, but still. If I switch to Zakk Wylde mode instead of GT-OD inside the pedal, it drops the output, but I can still manage it with not-over-the-top pickups like my JB. I found it weird that the Electro Harmonix behaved this way.

 

[Manicompression]

My SD-1, SD-1w, Maxon OD820 and MXR badass all respond with pretty normal unity gain and can boost over unity if needed. My old Memory Man with Hazari delay from EHX did drop some signal though. I think all of EHX stuff is true bybass, so maybe its a true bypass related issue

 

[Rex Rocker]

Thanks!

My EHX Black Finger has no issue with output level whatsoever!

 

[nezvers]

Thank you for the replies, dudes!
Will look into it. Thanks! What kind of pickups are you using with it?

I doubt that matters, because that doesn't change how pedal is working.
But since you asked - mostly EMG 81-7/85-7 and Seymour Duncan Blackout 8/ Agile Cepheus 8

 

[Trevoire520]

So do you not have this issue with your Maxon or Ibanez?

Yeah Maxon and Ibanez both give me a pretty decent amount of boost really.

 

[Rex Rocker]

Awesome. Thank you, dudes!

I tried a TS9 yesterday, and yup, no problems reaching unity gain whatsoever. You get what you pay for, I guess.