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Ibanez Tube Screamer


dunning-kruger

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So I am about to purchase the Ibanez Tube Screamer. This one happens to be a 90's Re-Issue.

 

I am glad because this one comes with the TA5558P chip. I was going to upgrade it down the road and send it to Keeley but I started reading up on history.

 

I was going to send it to Keeley to get the TA5558P switched out for one of the JRC chips but I found out later that only TS808's came with the revered JRC chip. Later I found that original (1982 until 1985 when they were discontinued)  TS9's came with the TA5558P chip.

 

If the TS9 came out in 82 and for the most part most of SRV's career he used the TS9 why the hell are so many people sending in their TS9's to get the JRC chip. The TS9 came out in 82 with the TA5558P Toshiba chip and by 1983 SRV debuted lets dance with David Bowie. I was totally down to take in my Tube Screamer to Keeley down the road but seeing the facts I cant help but think the old fart is pedaling snake oil in this case.

 

Should I take it to Keeley?

 

Also whats the difference between this 90's Re-Issue the orignal from 82-85 and the current one in stock we all enjoy?

 

Thanks alot for the input any Tube Screamer fans.

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Ok that is kind of odd that the 30th anniversary Re-Issue has the JRC chip instead of the TA5558P. I have read several times it being mentioned that the 808 came with the JRC chip and not the TS9, the TS9 came with the TA5558P. So again if your pedal has the TA5558P why would you want to take it in to get the JRC chip. I am pretty sure SRV did not take in his TS9 pedal with 5558P to get replaced with the JRC chip. Why would he? that is how the pedal came stock? So why is it that even the 30th anniversary Re-issue ts9 carries the JRC texas intruments chip that is originally found on the 808, why does it not carry the TA5558P motorolla like the 90's reissue i am going to purchase. All I am saying is that the JRC chip as far as history goes is only available on the 808, 5558P with out a doubt where found on all of the TS9's from 82-85.

 

 

What I am trying to say is that if SRV did own a TS9 you are as sure as hell going to bet that he did not send his in to Keeley to get "modded".  All I am saying is if you are modding your TS9 pedal to get the JRC or if your ts9 already has the JRC then it is more a 808 than a TS9. All those years SRV was playing for the most part he was playing the Ts9 with the TA5558P and he never sent his in to Keeley or modded it or any of that nonsene.

 

So why do people seek to have a JRC chip in their TS9's and effectlively turn it into a 808?

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Well I just want an authentic TS9 sound. To my knowledge and personal research most TS9's came with the TA5558P  chip. I assumed in the begening that most TS9's came with the JRC chip.

 

Point is I believe that any TS9 reissue or current stock with the TA5558P is going to have a more faithful sound to the original TS9 sound. Since I assumed that most Ts9's came with JRC chips I was down to send it to Keeley some time in the future because I want that original TS9 sound. To me 100$ or 50$ mod aint any objection to getting that sound. Question is what is that original TS9 sound? the JRC or the TA chip.

 

 

For the most part as I have stated alot of the original TS9's came with TA  chips. If it were otherwise I would be down to get the JRC chip, the only reason I see myself getting the JRC chip is if I want the 808 sound. But through inductive reasoning I have concluded that most probably the original TS9 sound is associated with the TA5558P chip since most original TS9's came with that motorolla chip.

 

 

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Well I was going to get the TS9 regardless. I even went to GC to test it out before I bought the used one on craigslist. I wanted to get the TS9 on C-list because the seller claimed it was from the 90's so I assumed it was the Ibanez Reissue that was still being made by Maxon at the time. So I bought it for 50 dollars and tested it through an old tube fender bassman from the 70s.

 

When I brought it home I unscrewed the casing to see the circuitry. Sure enough it had the TA5558P and the circuit board was labeled Maxon. Friggin awesome steal for 50 bucks( thats how much bad monkeys cost).

 

I already have a Green Rhino and a vintage BOSS 1984 DS-1. The Green Rhino has more gain and is grainier in a good way. The ts9 reissue had less gain and has much more subtle OD when activated, it is almost transparent aside from the obvios mid hump.

 

The Green Rhino can be as smooth as the TS9 but is not as subtle. The TS9 Reissue definitely is more transparent than the Green Rhino and has a certain quality to its boost that is quite unique and can not be so easily achived by the Green Rhino.

 

I am loving the 90's TS9 Reissue.

 

 

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The current TS9 is similar to the Reissue from the 90's but also different in some distincy ways. The only difference between the 90's ReIssue tS9 and the current TS9 is that the current one has a little more gain that the ReIssue and the top end is more agressive compare to the more relaxed top end of the ReIssue.

 

The ReIssue also seems to be a tad more transparent than then current TS9 as well. Maybe its because my ReIssue is Maxon and the new ones are now made by Ibanez?

 

I am glad I found one of these old ReIssues from the 90's that were made by Maxon just like the originsls from the 80's.

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