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Last Updated on July 24, 2023 by Guitarist Authority
The BOSS BD-2 and the Ibanez TS9 are both time tested legends in their own right. Both have found their sounds on top albums and both have enticed live crowds for multiple decades.
BOSS vs Ibanez, Blues Driver vs Tube Screamer. We’ll go over each product on it’s own as well as provide a comparison. We have included individual demo videos as well as a comparison video so you can hear some of what we’re talking about.
We chose the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer as our favorite. This is due to our preference with the vintage 80s sound it gives as well as the lesser rough overdrive compared to that of the Blues Driver.
BOSS BD-2 Blues Driver
Here we’ll go over the BOSS BD-2 in the Blues Driver vs Tube Screamer debate.
The BOSS BD-2 Blues Driver is a great pedal that can find it’s way onto any pedalboard. This pedal has a gritty sound that falls somewhere between overdrive and distortion.
The Blues Driver provides full, bold and dynamic tones. It’s crunchy and powerful with a lot of attitude. It really produces that vintage tube amp overdrive and distortion that we all love. It’s full and dynamic with great response.
The BD-2 has three knobs, level, tone and gain, as well as a foot pedal switch. It’s worth noting that many players get their favorite BD-2 tones by turning the level and drive knobs all the way up, and then backing off just enough to dial in a great tone. This is because different guitars and pickups will require more or less gain.
The Blues Driver has a ton of gain and volume. This can be a problem as this can cause feedback from your amp. A solution is to bring the gain down on the pedal, and then back it back off just enough so that you get that slight breakup/overdrive sound without getting too much feedback.
The BD-2 immediately produces a gritty overdrive tone with punchy lows and mids, but not as much as many other popular overdrive and distortion pedals.
The sound of the BD-2 is best described as bluesy and dirty, but can also be very convincing for classic rock, or even metal.
The Blues Driver can be found in many mainstream pedalboards, including those of Tom Morello, Billie Joe Armstrong and Prince.
For us, the Blues Driver feels like a lead guitar pedal, but can also very easily find its way into rhythm riffs. It’s important to note that the Blues Driver is not transparent at all. This means that it will color your tone in a significant way. So if you’re looking for a clean boost or simple overdrive, check out some other pedals.
Any Downside?
This pedal seems to have a lack of mid-range when playing notes with low gain. We also found that some people may find this pedal too rough.
Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
Here we’ll go over the Ibanez TS9 in the Blues Driver vs Tube Screamer debate.
The Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer has been altering tones of guitarists around the world since the 1980s. It brings to the table a quality, rounded sound.
The TS9 is warm and bright with smooth midrange. It produces a definitive 80s vintage tone and a nice, bluesy overdrive.
The Tube Screamer is an incredibly well-built pedal and seems like it can handle just about anything. There’s a good reason why this pedal has been used by so many artists over the decades: It sounds great and is reliable.
This is also a great pedal to boost another drive pedal. Some guitarists find this pedal too thin on it’s own, we disagree. It’s a great pedal on it’s own, but the Tube Screamer loves being pushed.
The Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer has three knobs, drive, tone and level as well as a foot pedal switch.
The TS9 is a reliable, vintage sounding drive pedal. It has been used by many guitarists including, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson and Kirk Hammett.
If you’re looking for a quality, great sounding drive pedal, the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer is a fantastic choice.
Any Downside?
Guitarists may not like the brighter sound, compared by some to the sound of a tin can. This pedal also seems to work better with single-coil pickups.
Blues Driver vs Tube Screamer Comparison
Blues Driver vs Tube Screamer comparison video. NOTE: These are both being played on a Fender Stratocaster through a VOX AC30 amp.
Blues Driver | Tube Screamer |
Power Supply: | Power Supply: |
Size: | Size: |
Weight: | Weight: 570 grams (1.3 lbs) |
Input Impedance: 1 M ohm | Input Impedance: |
Output Impedance: | Output Impedance: |
The easiest way to sum up the differences on these two would be to say that the Ibanez TS9 is like smooth peanut butter, whereas the BOSS BD-2 is the crunchy version.
They each have their place but we prefer the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer. We believe the lighter, less full tones don’t overpower and provide the perfect balance.
We do acknowledge that some guitarists believe the TS9 is not a stand-alone pedal. However, we believe with the right setup, the Tube Screamer doesn’t need its hand held. This is why we favor the TS9 in the Blues Driver vs Tube Screamer debate.
Final Thought
It all comes down to a matter of preference depending on your preferred genre, style and gear. We chose the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer. How would you answer the Blues Driver vs Tube Screamer question? Which would you choose and why? Thanks for reading.
