Kevin W. Lee

GREEN Machine
Mid-hump overdriveIbanez TS9 Tube Screamer · Pedal Zines № 06

Issue06
TS9 (n.) Ibanez's green Tube Screamer: a mid-boosting overdrive with three knobs and one big switch.
§ 01 · What it isRead me first

OVERDRIVE = how much dirt, TONE = how bright, LEVEL = how loud. Input on the right, output on the left.

Drive low, level up
§ 02Where everything lives

The Map

Three knobs and one big stomp. OVERDRIVE and LEVEL are the big ones; TONE is the little one between them, under the LED.

Stylized top view of the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer Green pedal. Top: OVERDRIVE knob (1) left, LEVEL knob (3) right, small TONE knob (2) between them with the red LED. Big rectangular footswitch (4). Input jack on the right side, output on the left (5), DC 9 V jack on the top edge (6). DC 9V OUTIN OVERDRIVE LEVEL TONE TS9 Tube Screamer 1 2 3 4 5 6
Drawn from the TS9 layout · knob pointers are decoration
  1. 1OVERDRIVEHow much dirt. Low = a nudge, high = thick, singing overdrive. Ibanez lists max gain around 30 dB (manual).
  2. 2TONEBrightness. Clockwise = more highs, counterclockwise = darker.
  3. 3LEVELOutput volume when it's on. Match it to bypass, or push it to hit the next thing harder.
  4. 4FootswitchOn/off. The red LED lights when the effect is on.
  5. 5JacksInput on the right side, output on the left side (guitar in on the right).
  6. 6DC 9VAdapter jack, 9 V DC center-negative. Or a 9 V battery inside.
✓ First sessionTap each one when done · saves on this device

First Session

0 / 5 done GREEN LIGHT.
§ 03Starting points, not gospel

Quick Recipes

Starting knob spots (clock positions), not factory presets. Set it, play, then nudge by ear: guitar, pickups and amp all change the answer.

Push the amp

CLEAN BOOST

  • OVERDRIVE: off to 9 o'clock
  • TONE: noon
  • LEVEL: 1 to 3 o'clock

Mostly volume and mid push, very little added dirt.

On its own

CLASSIC CRUNCH

  • OVERDRIVE: noon
  • TONE: noon
  • LEVEL: noon, match bypass

The middle of every knob. Start here, then season.

Solo time

LEAD SING

  • OVERDRIVE: 2 to 3 o'clock
  • TONE: 1 o'clock
  • LEVEL: a hair above bypass

More sustain; nudge TONE back if it gets fizzy.

§ 04Juice and jacks

Power & Specs

POWER
  • 9 V DC, center negative adapter, or one 9 V battery (006P).
  • Draws about 8 mA at 9 V (Ibanez spec): any normal board brick is fine.
  • Plugging into INPUT powers it up on battery: unplug when done.
THE BOX
  • OVERDRIVE · TONE · LEVEL, one footswitch, red status LED.
  • Mono ¼" in (right side) and out (left side).
  • Manual specs: input impedance 500 kΩ, output 10 kΩ, max output 0 dBm.
§ 05Off the board, on call

In My Rig

My TS9 lives off the board (windowsill duty). It's the classic mid-hump overdrive, the same family of job as the SD-1 already in my chain.

NotaklonboardSD-1boardRATboardPhase 90board
NotaklonideaTS9swap for SD-1?RATboardPhase 90board
IDEA 1

SD-1 swap

Both are mid-forward overdrives. A/B them in the SD-1 slot and keep the one you like.

IDEA 2

Boost the RAT

Low OVERDRIVE, LEVEL up, in front of the RAT: tighter, louder distortion. A starting point, not a rule.

IDEA 3

Same power

9 V center negative like the rest of the board; it sips about 8 mA.