TS9 mods

[Instrospection]

I modded my TS9 last night, and it sounds great! Stock (the new ones have the JRC4558D chip) sounds quite good, but I did a couple of mods that Keeley suggested here:

 

http://www.musicianshotline.com/archive/monthly/pedal_power/0603.htm

 

I did the .047 uf to .1 uf cap mod, and the 4.7k to 2.2k resistor change. My own mod that I did was that I also changed the diodes to LED's--a big red LED on the upper one, a big green one on the lower one (these are almost directly below the IC chip, be careful so you don't overheat the IC chip and fry it). The LED's make the sound more fuller, a tad less compressed sounding when you turn up the gain knob, and other mods like removing the bottom diode entirely will get you a more open, even fuller sound than the LED with more attack, but at the expense of sustain. Germanium 1N34A's make it much more ruder, almost like a fuzz, but with clipped, erroneous sustain, and 1N4001/1N4002/1N4007's seem to introduce more harmonics, but compress it even more than the stock clipping diodes (the TS circuits tend to be too compressed at times for me).

 

I tried the IndyGuitarist book TS-808 mods (two resistors on the right hand side). I don't advise it, it makes the distortion a bit grainier, and I changed mine back.

 

The result is an amazing sound! The overdrive has a more natural sound when turned up and a more usual useable range over the course of it's whole sweep--sounding great when the gain knob is dimed (it was too grainy past the 9-11 o'clock range) and the bass response is improved.

[grayeyes777]

i'd love to hear some clips man... before and after would be best.

[IRG]

I had Keeley do mine from the beginning, so I wouldn't futz it up, lol. It is a very good sounding pedal though. I've been thinking about selling mine, only because I have a Skreddy Screwdriver now, and tonally they can both sound similar, but the SD has a lot more versatility overall. Not sure whether I need that, or just that classic od sound, but it is a good pedal to be sure. Even with the mod though, my SD has way more bass, and I like that.

[Brujo13]

i know this may sound crazy, but i've had at least 10 ts-9 and sd-1 and i preffer the sd-1 once its modded . but a moslty stock ts-9 reissue is the one for me

 

i find that for my playing style and choice of gear and set up, a reissue ts-9 with a less-drive mod sounds best. for ic i prefer a tl072 or stacked jrc4558d, and like to run 12v into my ts-9 for more head room

 

before you open the pedal and start modding try runnig 12v into the pedal you might find that the pedal doesnt need that many mods. to make it sound great. but then i again i prefer a ts-9 with more headroom withc seem to open up the bottom end and pring out lil more sparkle with out getting icepicky