January 2002 Issue - Ibanez's Vintage TS-808 Tube Screamer, TS9 Mods and SRV
By Larry Meiners
Ibanez's Overdrive Pro TS-808 Tube Screamer is perhaps the most sought-after vintage overdrive/distortion type effect pedal on the market today. The TS-808 was introduced in 1980 replacing several models of overdrive pedals that were sold by Ibanez since the mid-1970s. During 1982 the TS9 model replaced the TS-808. Some players say the TS9 is not as smooth sounding as the TS-808 and more inconsistent sound-wise from unit to unit. Buyers of vintage TS-808 pedals are paying over ten times their original $50.00 list price for this pea-green metal box. Much of this demand was, and still is created by the legendary greatness of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan.
SRV's combination of guitar playing genius, slab of old wood and heap of old transistors produced a riveting mass of wall-to-wall blistering blues power. Although Stevie used both the TS-808 and TS9 units with his trademark beat-to-heck Fender Stratocaster and old Fender amps, the earlier unit gets most of the attention. Now add a little human nature that dictates people must possess what they can't readily have, what is considered rare, what the great ones used, what everyone else wants, and you have mighty and righteous market demand... and elevated Tube Screamer prices.
Ibanez pedals were made in Japan and were competing in the USA against DOD, MXR, Boss, Electro-Harmonix and others. TS-808 control knobs are listed as OVERDRIVE, TONE and LEVEL. The early TS-808 production units have a registered trademark symbol ® after the Ibanez logo and the bottom of the unit. Other earlier Ibanez effect units have the ® symbol as well. A 9-volt battery or an AC unit powers these effects.
TS-808 and TS9 pedals as used by SRV and others were meant to enhance the guitars sound signature and drive the amp, not for pure distortion. A driving mid-range boost can be achieved with single-coil Strat type pickups too. With more powerful amps, less OVERDRIVE is required to produce the classic SRV tone.
The TS9 was discontinued in 1984 and replaced with the TS10. After several other Overdrive models came and went, Ibanez reissued the TS9 in 1996. The TS-808 was not reissued however. The latest TS9 list price is around $170.00 and sells for around $100.00 at several of the discount music and Internet distributors.
For a period of four years, Ibanez manufactured these two vintage pedals. Since demand is high and supply fixed, many pedal aficionados and effects technicians offer players an opportunity to modify a new or used Ibanez Overdrive pedal to original TS-808 specifications. By replacing operational amplifier chips and resistors, these specialists advertise a near-perfect duplicate of the original sound envelope. The going rate for the changeover is about $50.00 or less. For the cost of a new or used TS9 pedal and TS-808 modification, you are at about 1/3 the price of the original.
As with original Tube Screamers, Gibson PAF pickups and other vintage gear, you can buy reissue models and other sound-alike products. They often get you most of the way home, say 80%-90%, for a fraction of the price of the original. That is sufficient for most people, for most situations. However, there is nothing like the real deal. That's why people seek out vintage gear and pay a dear price. Most of the time, you do get what you pay for. Just think, you can almost touch greatness for $500.00 or so. Sounds awfully cheap to me.
Thanks to Mike at analogman.com for Tube Screamer information and fair deals.
2002 © Larry Meiners All Rights Reserved