Ibanez TS9 TAMURA-MOD Tube Screamer TS9TM
TS9-TM TAMURA-MOD TUBE SCREAMER
Who better to mod a pedal than the engineer who invented it?
In his endless quest for the perfect TS-tone, legendary engineer Susumu Tamura has developed a new, tonally awesome variation on his iconic Tube Screamer mod.
Using the Ibanez TS-9 as its foundation, the new TS9-TM Tamura-MOD offers a slightly different tonal palette where the midrange has been shifted to a higher frequency range.
This subtle yet perceptible change accentuates a player’s pick attack, helping to articulate individual notes even with complex chord structures.
The TS9-TM also passes a bit more clean signal, adding additional clarity to notes.
The TS9-TM features the same “Magic” IC found in Mr. Tamura’s TS808-TM mod.
After spending three years testing hundreds of different 808 variants, Mr. T determined that this OpAmp is the secret ingredient to the clearest, most authentic TS-tone possible.
With the Magic IC at its core, Mr. T further fine-tuned the TS9-TM circuit by replacing specific components with higher quality, low-tolerance alternatives. ELNA bi-polar capacitors, KEMET tantalum capacitors and KOA/Speer resistors are used in key positions of the audio circuit to precisely sculpt the tone.
In addition, Vishay 1N914 diodes were used in the pedal’s clipping stage. These current-production diodes offer an alternate drive signature to either the stock TS9 or the TS808-TM mod.
Lastly, a key resistor in the output stage of the pedal was changed to provide a more even frequency response and less coloration when the pedal is bypassed.
The TS9-TM is another testament to the versatility of the Tubescreamer circuit as well as to the ingenuity of its designer.