after purchasing a mesa roadster.. i dont think ill need this TS808 for tightening up my distortion tone anymore being a metal player. however im sure it can still be useful for tightening up some solo work or sweep picking. what kind of settings do you guys use or would recommend for doing so? tone/drive/level.
I dont have the TS8 but I do have tubrscreamers. when I used the older TS9 it was mainly for an overdriven dirty tone.
I knew it was capable of those metal distortions. one thing that may help you is the settings I used. I always backed off a bit, the drive, from full on. I keep the output at noon and the tone dial almost full treble. m7y tube amp usually had the reble dialed back.
you could use your tubescreamer as a lead boost. with you metal gear it could be nice. the settings would be to have the output a bit higher than when the pedal is off. then when you step out to lead you use the pedal andthe volume will boost. the drive setting then can be to taste. etc.for added sonic feelings.
Lots of Heavy Metal players use Tubescreamers to push their amp over the top. It's hard to say what settings you would like, that's a personal thing. Many players keep Drive very low, primarily using the TS to thicken up their tone. But if you are into heavier tones, you would probably want to turn Drive (Gain) quite high. As far as tone, adjust to taste. And Level, well, it depends on what you are using it for. If you just want to use the TS for a volume boost for solos, then crank it up. If you just want to push your distortion for rhythm, using a boost on your amp or another pedal for a solo boost, then you would probably keep level at about half.
So, nobody can really give you an answer here, you just have to experiment for yourself until you find something you like. :D
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
all the tube screamer info you could ever want:
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/production-tips/346068-tube-screamer-faq-version-1-a.html
I think it is a personal taste issue as well, but sounds as if you want more drive, and then... as much level or "effect" as possible? Tube Screamers produce only mild distortion IMO, compared to heavy metal stomps.
Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
I agree 100 %. you can't get the metal with a Tubescreamer.
you can get fantastic overdrive at lower settings.
you might not have the mind bending sustain but you will have great gravelly blues tones.
I've said it here before, but I use my Tube Screamer to drive the preamp tubes in my amp harder to get the tone I like. Actually my Tube Screamer was the TS10 or something. Not one of the better encarnations, but now I use my Bad Monkey Overdrive which essentially does the same thing. The Tube Screamer is in it's box. It sounds great but the foot switch is iffy. It's plastic ... see.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
