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.
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.
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.
5/5
Blues Driver
5/5
Tube Screamer
Power Supply: 9V Battery or AC adapter
Power Supply: 9V Battery or AC adapter
Size: 5 1/8" (129 mm) x 2 7/8" (73 mm) x 2 3/8" (59 mm)
Size: 4.9" (124 mm) x 3" (74 mm) x 2" (53mm)
Weight: 360 grams (13 oz)
Weight:
570 grams (1.3 lbs)
Input Impedance:
1 M ohm
Input Impedance: 500k ohms
Output Impedance: 1 k ohm
Output Impedance: 10k ohms
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.
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The legend, the icon, the Fender Stratocaster. What can we say? We love it.
The Strat was introduced in 1954 but didn’t but didn’t gain popularity until Buddy Holly played one while on Ed Sullivan in 1957. The Strat went on to become one of Fenders top producers.
The traditional Strat has been known to have three single-coil pickups. The configuration hasn’t changed much since 1954. But the technology and evolution of single-coil pickups definitely has.
We reviewed some of the best Strat pickups and we found the Fender Hot Noiseless pickups to be our favorite. We came to this conclusion due to a combination of that classic Fender sound with no hum that single coils commonly have. The full review is below.
When it comes to guitar pickups, there are tons of different types and styles out there – some better than others. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 10 best Strat pickups for you to consider upgrading with.
Why do these make our list of the best strat pickups?
Polysol-coated magnet wire
Ceramic magnets deliver scorching output
Flush-mount pole pieces for even string
Vinyl-coated output wire and plastic bobbin
Included on Fender Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster guitars. Fender strat hot noiseless pickups provide a blues style warm tone with high-gain.
Quality and tone without the hum.
Fender Hot Noiseless pickups provide warmth, clarity and dynamic response with almost no hum, meaning you can play clean for hours without hearing any sympathetic vibrations.
These pickups not only deliver that legendary single coil sound, they’re free of any pesky hum. Which means your clean, full sound won’t turn into a fuzzy mess when you crank up the volume. So go ahead and blast away.
Why do these make our list of the best strat pickups?
Hotter output bridge pickup than vintage-style pickups
Highly dynamic, balanced output
Alnico 3 and alnico 5 magnets
Reverse-wound middle pickup to eliminate hum
When Eric Johnson was getting his start in the ‘80s, he didn’t want to use regular pickups because he wanted something that would match his style. He also wanted something that sounded like it could deliver when called upon in any given situation.
The Fender Eric Johnson Strat pickups are meticulously created to preserve EJ’s singular tone. The single coil, vintage style pickups produce the clear, full-bodied sound that musicians need for any genre of music. With these pickups installed, you have total clarity through the strings and all octaves–resulting in a tone unlike anything else out there.
The neck pickup is based on a ’54 strat. The middle pickup is based on a ’63 Strat. The bridge pickup is voiced hotter without sacrificing top end.
These single coil pickups offer increased output, sparkling highs and an attention grabbing warm tone that will make your Fender Strat sound better than ever.
They offer this while still preserving the classic characteristics of a vintage Fender Stratocaster, so you can play everything from country to metal.
With their versatility these pickups were made for players who don’t want to sacrifice any tonal qualities when adding new parts to their guitar rig.
Why do these make our list of the best strat pickups?
Enamel-coated magnet wire for warm vintage tone
Staggered pole pieces for balanced output
Alnico 5 magnets for more focus and enhanced dynamics
Reverse-wound middle pickup to eliminate hum
Overwound calibrated pickups for scorching output
Period-correct cloth wire and fiber bobbin
This pickup set gives you a sound designed to imitate the classic Texas blues. These pickups have a higher output and more midrange than traditional Stratocasters.
The increased over-winding creates hotter pitch levels too, so they work great in small clubs or studio recordings. You can get all that signature Texas blues electric guitarist sound with these Custom Shop Fender Stratocaster Pickups.
These pickups take the edge off of your clean sound while giving you a top-end punch that will knock you out with crystalline highs and tight bass.
Why do these make ourlist of the best strat pickups?
Polysol-coated magnet wire
Staggered hand-beveled polepieces for smooth, balanced tone
Alnico 2 magnets
Vinyl-coated output wire and plastic bobbin
The same pickups that are on the Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster guitars.
The custom-wound Alnico V magnetic pickups are beautifully clear and articulate. Made from the same material that powered Clapton’s most influential tones throughout his illustrious career.
These Fender Vintage noiseless pickups retain attack and clarity of notes even at their highest peaks without generating unwanted noise or hums–perfect for any amp style from clean jazz to high-gain metal.
Why do these make our list of the best strat pickups?
Alnico 5 rod magnets
PVC lead wire
Authentic chime and bell tone
Staggered pole pieces
Seymour Duncan pickups are hand-wound and tested for superb performance. The vintage Strat pickups work to obscure feedback and give your tone a full, clean sound.
Seymour Duncan California ’50s Strat Pickups are perfect for the guitarist who wishes to play with a vintage sound without compromising on tone. They have all of the classic in-your-face chime so desired by old school Strat players.
It’s bright and clear and doesn’t skimp on warmth.
Why do these make our list of the best strat pickups?
Medium-output
Overwound single-coil
Delivers big, fat chords
Single notes are bold and loud
David Gilmour inspired as he needed a special sound for his Black Strat.
This Seymour Duncan Strat pickup provides an aggressive, in-your-face tone with lots of sustain. Its “Stagger Magnet” design ensures ideal string balance and output for the bridge position single-coil in your Strat guitar.
These overwound medium-output pickups (SSL-5) give you an uncompromising tone. The SSL is currently used in Gilmour’s signature Fender Stratocaster and with good reason; Seymour Duncan has taken this high end, rare pickup design and beefed it up to work superbly with all kinds of guitar setups
Why do these make our list of the best strat pickups?
Warm, smooth and defined tone
Slightly stronger treble emphasis
Single coil sized humbucker
4-conductor lead wire
Ceramic magnets
Seymour Duncan Little ’59 Strat pickup bridges the gap from Strat to Les Paul. This humbucker will act like an LP in your Stratocaster, adding true Les Paul tone.
It looks like a normal strat pickup with three wire connections (for both coils). It sounds like a standard strat, but it has much more midrange punch and output.
These pickups are hand built in Santa Barbara, CA.
Why do these make our list of the best strat pickups?
Passive
Set of 3, including Blue, Silver and Red (hottest)
Virtually no hum
Warm low end, blues sound
The Lace Sensor pickup set includes three separate pickups. The blue produces a warm 50’s humbucker sound. The silver gives a 70’s single coil sound with more midrange and output. The red is the hottest of the three and provides a nice punch.
These are noiseless pickups and they do a great job of eliminating that pesky hum.
Fender used Lake Sensor pickups from 1987 to 1996.
Buying Guide For Strat Pickups
If you looking for the best strat pickups, there are a few things to consider.
Pickup Types
There are three main types of pickup categories. Single-coil, humbucker and P90.
Single Coil Pickups
The single coil pickup is found on many guitars but it was made famous by the Fender Stratocaster. Its single coil works by sensing the vibrations of steel strings and converting these vibrations to an electronic signal.
The most common downside is that due to the single coil configuration there is that common single coil hum we’re all used to.
However, as seen in the products above. Technology has come a long way and they are now able to produce noiseless single coil pickups.
P90 Pickups
The Gibson style single coil. They produce a warmer tone than the Fender single coil.
Although in their original form they do not fit Strats, we wanted to make sure to mention them here. People have been known to rout out and fit P90s into Strats instead of the normal single coil.
From 2003-2007 Fender produced the Fender Strat-o-Sonic which was a Fender Strat with P90 pickups.
Humbucker Pickups
Humbucker pickups utilize two single coils to cancel out the hum common to a single coil. As shown above in our recommendations, there are humbucker style options for your Strat.
Pickup Magnets
Ceramic
Economical to produce with bright upper mids and punchy bass.
Alnico 2
Second weakest magnetic string pull of the Alnico magnets. Enhanced mid-range and softer highs than the Alnico 3.
Alinco 3
Weakest magnetic string pull of all the Alnicos. Warm mids, glassy highs.
Alnico 4
Balanced mid-range, tighter bass than the Alnico 2.
Alnico 5
Sharp attack, bright top end. Provides a more traditional Fender tone.
Alnico 8
Strongest magnetic string pull of the Alnicos. Closest tone to the ceramic magnets.
How To Change Strat Pickups
Changing your pickups is not very difficult. This video will help make sure you have no issues.
If you want to swap your single coils to humbucker pickups you can check out this video by Fender on how to install humbucker pickups in a Strat :
FAQ
How do guitar pickups work?
Magnets are wound with a conductive wire and pickup and translate the vibrations of the strings to an electronic signal. This signal is sent to the amp to produce the noise you hear,
Why are Strat pickups angled?
The bridge pickup on a Strat is angled to provide more treble. The closer the pickup is to the bridge, the more treble punch. This is why the lower part of the pickup, near the highest strings, is angled towards the bridge.
How to adjust pole pieces on Strat pickups?
Many Fender style pickups are non-adjustable. The only pole pieces you should try to adjust are the ones with screw/hex slots.
However, you’ll want to make sure your pickups are adjusted to the correct height for optimal tone.
How to clean guitar pickups?
Use a clean cloth to wipe off the dust and debris that is easily removable. For any more stubborn dirt/grime you can use a soft cloth, dampened with a gentle soap to scrub them clean. Wipe them down again, make sure they are completely dry.
How to test guitar pickups?
You can test guitar pickups by measuring the Ohm resistance from the output jack. Touch one of your multimeter leads to the cables free end (one end should be plugged into the guitar). Touch the other multimeter lead to the sleeve of the free end of the guitar cable.
Compare the measured Ohm resistance to what your pickup is rated for.
How do I know if my guitar has active or passive pickups?
Active pickups require an additional power source, passive pickups do not. If your pickups do not have batteries or something else providing power, they are passive.
What guage wire for guitar pickups?
Most common is 22awg but 24awg is also used, especially in four conductor setups.
Our Verdict
Guitar players typically have a preference for the type of pickup they use. This can be due to individual taste, or it could depend on what genre of music you play. There are many different pickups with many different tones.
That being said, we like the Fender Hot Noiseless pickups as our choice for best Strat pickups. The set includes all three pickups, has that classic Fender sound and has virtually no hum. What more could we want?
Whichever pickups you choose, make sure they are from a reliable brand and you can’t really go wrong.
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