Question about Ts9 x2

[picture_of_nectar]

Hey guys, I just picked up a second Ts9  which is actually a Analogman modded Maxon OD9.

I'm curious how you guys with double Ts9s (or how Trey) runs the settings.

Right now I have the first Ts9 Silver with Drive at 8o'clock and the level at 3o'clock. The second one I have the Drive at about 2o'clock and Level down to about 9o'clock.

Theory being that the first will be a clean boost that is on most of the time while the 2nd (OD9) will be used when I need more distortion.

Does this sound right? I know it's a matter of playing with it and finding your taste/tone, but what do you guys do?

Sorry if this is a repeat thread.

Cheers

[cactuskeeb]

The best thing you could do would be to use the search bar uptop and key in various tube screamer monikers (e.g. ts9, ts-9, etc).  Read everything; it should take an hour or two but afterwards you will have an expanded understanding of the ts9 qua trey's use of it.

[picture_of_nectar]

yeah, thanks. I'm just taking the lazy route as usuall. Not necesarily looking for exactly what Trey does.

Matt

[cactuskeeb]

I'm sorry, I thought this was a forum about trey.  By bad.

[picture_of_nectar]

Ummmm well there is a Trey's Rig section. But I posted in the Guitar Effects forum.

Anyway, you were right a quick search yeilded this:

Okay, I have been seeing alot of different posts and I think I can shed some light and clear up some misconceptions.

If you are after Trey's tone from the early 90's up to the 2004 hiatus you want to find TS808 modded Tube Screamers (TS9). You want the Japanese TS9 version made in the late 80's through about 95'. These all used the same circuit and by TS808 modding it you get that trey sound.... well almost. TS9's made post 95' are about the same but with afew circuiit changes, nothing major but if you want to authentic tone the japanese versions are the ones you want. Trey had boxes and boxes of these pedals as backups, as they were old to begin with and required frequent swapping, especially for as much tour the boys did back then. If you want that 90's tone you want the analogman standard TS808 mod (not the silver or brown mod) Here is why:

-The SILVER mod removes some of that mid hump that trey's 90's tone was focused around.
-The BROWN mod adds more crunch, which is good if you want that Van Halen tone, but not the Phish tone.

Well, I said this will "almost" get his tone, you also need to buy a second standard TS808 modded TS9.

The first TS9 set with the overdrive at 10 o'clock, the second set with the overdrive to about 4 o'clock. Both have the tone set to 11 or 12 o'clock, and volume on both set to max. Why max volume? keep reading..............

The next item you need is a compressor. A good Compressor.  From 1991 to about 2007 Trey used a Ross Compressor, these go for about $300-$400 on ebay. It is not necessary to spend that much. A bunch of boutique pedal makers make clones of the Ross  including Analogman, Keeley, or my personal favorite CMATMODS. They all are about about the same, but CMATMODS compressor costs the least. (about $120) Chad Matthew at CMATMODS does the custom pedal work for Monte Allums, and decided to make his own company. www.cmatmods.com

-Do not buy the Signa Comp (or Deluxe) they are more versatile but are not clones of the Ross Compressor and do not handle overdrive as well. They are better for cleaner playing.

Well, you want to put that compressor after the two TS9's. This will compensate for the the TS9's having their volumes set to the max. Trey did this to give him the ability to control the amount of overdrive with his volume knob rather than the pedal knobs. So when playing mellower stuff would use the first TS9 (overdrive at 10 o;clock) and would kick in the second TS9 (overdrive at 4 o'clock) for stuff like Chalk Dust Torture but keeping his guitar volume knob at 75%, and at the break away solo part would open the volume knob all the way.

Also, the reason the compressor is at the end to control overall volume. It will keep clean (no overdrive) playing the same volume as the overdriven volume for even sound, and to ensure the intrique picking evenly level so you hear the nuances of his playing.  

As you could imagine I am a huge Phish fan, have been since my first show in 1993, and my most recent show at Alpine 6/21/09. I have been able to replicate his 90's tone exactly.

Did I mention to replicate his tone you need a good guitar as well. A hollowbody works best (I use a Raven RP-450 with Schaller Super Golden 50's in it, and a Cort CL-1400 (Seymounr Duncan JB/59 set) & CL-1500 (Schaller Golden 50's set), but most of all you need practice scales, over and over then once more for good measure.

Also for that Trey solo sounds, he likes to start playing at about half way through the scale to give him that floating over the music effect, then going over the top hitting that note (if you have seen phish live you know the note I am talking about)

Pretty darn comprehensive as far as Treys settings.

But what about yours? Try different things?
Thx

[Walker done done]

Without looking at my gear.....

I know for sure I have my TS808 cranked all the way on the drive (just a hair under all the way, actually), and the volume is either a.) around 10 o'clock, or b.) if I'm keeping my Keeley 4-knob comp on all the time, I have the volume on both the 808 & TS9 cranked all the way too.  I was fooling with this setting a few weeks ago and liked it, it's an interesting thing to mess around with. 

My other TS9 has the drive at appx 10-11 o'clock, I believe...but again, can't be 100% sure without looking.  This one also has the tone knob fairly high too, around 3 o'clock if I remember right.  Comparitavely, the 808's tone is not as high....my guess is around 11-12 o'clock.

[picture_of_nectar]

so I was trying both TS9s with leverl cranked and it seems there is a big volume jump when I enage the second one, even with the comp on. Maybe it's because one is a Ts9 and one is an OD9???

[Poster]

  thatll happen when you use 2 overdrives at once lol

[cactuskeeb]

Yes, I agree, that will happen...
As an example, not a rule, we could use the example of trey - you would be hard-pressed to find another guitarist in history who uses two tubescreamers on at once, and it kind of defines his sound and that influence will show no matter how "dynamic" we get with this setup.  Anyway, trey hardly ever has both on at once, 95 percent of the time, he's switching one off to turn the other one on, rather than turning one on without first turning off the other.  The volume jump you hear serves as a great means to suddenly cut through the mix a little more than you may have been cutting through before; it is good for suddenly transitioning from rhythm or comping to searing solo.

[Walker done done]

you would be hard-pressed to find another guitarist in history who uses two tubescreamers on at once

SRV comes to mind.  Isn't that where Trey got the idea in the first place?

[picture_of_nectar]

Anyway, trey hardly ever has both on at once, 95 percent of the time, he's switching one off to turn the other one on, rather than turning one on without first turning off the other.  

hmm cool

so basicaly hes got one as a clean boost and one dirtier...and uses two if he feels like melting our faces off. got it

[cactuskeeb]

Chalkdust torture used to be the one song where you always heard both on at once, throughout the entire piece.  And of course the ending to Down With Disease and subsequent, sometimes heavily structured, jamming out of that song.  Now, as far as the rest of their live repertoire is concerned, watch videos and look for the "trademark" tap (off), lift, stretch, tap (on) one-legged dance.  

[cactuskeeb]

you would be hard-pressed to find another guitarist in history who uses two tubescreamers on at once

SRV comes to mind.  Isn't that where Trey got the idea in the first place?

The key phrase here is "at once."  You can't do that without the compressor following the equation.  Trey did not invent this idea (of compressing multiple waves of overdrive into a single, uni-volume, sound).  The Rockman Sustainer -- I used one once -- does the same thing as a ross, basically, when you run two turned-on tube screamers into it. 

[Walker done done]

you would be hard-pressed to find another guitarist in history who uses two tubescreamers on at once

SRV comes to mind.  Isn't that where Trey got the idea in the first place?

You can't do that without the compressor following the equation

But I do it all the time!  Granted, not with them maxed out on volume, but frequently when soloing I'll have both turned on.  Take a listen to our Phish project "Tagliaboo Radley" in the "Your Band" section.  I know for sure that I did this on the solos of Ocelot, Julius, Slave, & Chalkdust.  During the Divided Sky solo, I had both TS's as well as the overdrive channel on my HRD and my Keely Comp going at once.  Mmmm mmmm mmm tasty!  As you can hear, the feedback is sometimes difficult to control with the Hollowbody, but it's fun as hell to ride that wild horse!

[cactuskeeb]

You have the keeley comp on...

So, what is it you're disagreeing with me on, again?


Edit: lol, how many sheets to the wind are you with that post, my friend.  Admit it.