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xbassman_K « Well, there monkeys on it, but ... »
Published on 04/12/13 at 05:36What is it? From a green overdrive Harley Benton (the house brand at Thomann!) And I bought it specifically to replace a famous green overdrive early 80s (a TS9 for those who follow it) is burnt out after years of good and loyal service (really rinsed in fact). So that's how I was expecting to turn this replacement! Even though for 29 €, I was not a big risk ... Unpacking, we are surprised by the quality feel of the thing which uses the same aluminum housing the pedals "boutique" but with a battery compartment accessible directly, a true bypass switch that inspires confidence and knobs certainly a bit soft for my taste, which have the correct air and equipped with quality buttons. Good screen printing is also nickel, but they could happen monkeys, marked "Vintage Overdrive" would have been enough ... In the controls, it is not out of place since they are identical and in the same order as the TS9, namely Drive, Tone and Level.
UTILIZATION
The use is quite clear, no need for a manual (even if there is one provided). Drive is the growling, the tone changes the tone of the effect, and the Level handles output level. And switch, bah it is true bypass, which means that the input signal is routed directly to the output when the pedal is inactive, not as a boss for example. Extremely simple and effective.
SOUND QUALITY
Needless to beat around the bush, this pedal does exactly what is expected of her: Tube Screamer! At the Drive we are very, very close to the grain of the TS9 is to be mistaken, but it seems it does not go so far in a real TS9 distortion, but for my purpose it is enough because I do not use the overdrive in a range between 10 and 3am on the Drive, if I want more then I use distortion or even a fuzz. The tone control does his job properly, as a TS9 and sufficiently progressive so that RAS side. In contrast to the level setting out, I again felt like my TS9 came out a bit more, but it is more than enough anyway. And I would say that the most important lies mainly at the grain this pedal is capable of delivering and there is really no quality problem (like breath), with the icing on the cake, a true bypass with my TS9 was not equipped, but this chapter you should know that such a switch failure of its qualities, it can generate a small "poc" audible when switching the effect, so be careful when one engages in White better be synchronized on a note.
I tested it on a Fender Deluxe (recent) with all kinds of guitars: Tele, Strat, SG, LP, and 335, no problem, it is equally at home on a simple shovel equipped with the humbuckers. I even tested with a bass! She is at home everywhere, I tell you! To complete the experience, I also did a test that is silly to try on with my Tele Bass 20W transistor son! Well it came out with flying colors, so much so that sounded like a small 5W tube ... Okay I'm exaggerating a bit, but it was still surprising. Well, not so surprising that it in fact, if we consider that for which were invented the Tube Screamers in the late 70's: just to give a grain lamp amps "full transistors" that had flooded the market in the time and in the next decade!
OVERALL OPINION
The conclusion is simple: why spend more? As for me and after trying a lot of different brands of overdrive and varied (some up to 10x more expensive!), I adopt a pragmatic stance: an overdrive 5x more expensive is it 5x better ? No! And we are far from elsewhere, because it is sometimes the opposite! So in these times of rigor and for the difficult months, I paid the luxury of buying without trying because it is available by mail order on the Thomann site! At this price, I was not a big risk, especially as the practice site "money back" so that I would have returned without any ulterior me if it had not rained, but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by what I got in terms of sound quality and workmanship. If it again, I would do without hesitation! I also started to seriously squint other pedals € 29 range HB in Thotho ...
UTILIZATION
The use is quite clear, no need for a manual (even if there is one provided). Drive is the growling, the tone changes the tone of the effect, and the Level handles output level. And switch, bah it is true bypass, which means that the input signal is routed directly to the output when the pedal is inactive, not as a boss for example. Extremely simple and effective.
SOUND QUALITY
Needless to beat around the bush, this pedal does exactly what is expected of her: Tube Screamer! At the Drive we are very, very close to the grain of the TS9 is to be mistaken, but it seems it does not go so far in a real TS9 distortion, but for my purpose it is enough because I do not use the overdrive in a range between 10 and 3am on the Drive, if I want more then I use distortion or even a fuzz. The tone control does his job properly, as a TS9 and sufficiently progressive so that RAS side. In contrast to the level setting out, I again felt like my TS9 came out a bit more, but it is more than enough anyway. And I would say that the most important lies mainly at the grain this pedal is capable of delivering and there is really no quality problem (like breath), with the icing on the cake, a true bypass with my TS9 was not equipped, but this chapter you should know that such a switch failure of its qualities, it can generate a small "poc" audible when switching the effect, so be careful when one engages in White better be synchronized on a note.
I tested it on a Fender Deluxe (recent) with all kinds of guitars: Tele, Strat, SG, LP, and 335, no problem, it is equally at home on a simple shovel equipped with the humbuckers. I even tested with a bass! She is at home everywhere, I tell you! To complete the experience, I also did a test that is silly to try on with my Tele Bass 20W transistor son! Well it came out with flying colors, so much so that sounded like a small 5W tube ... Okay I'm exaggerating a bit, but it was still surprising. Well, not so surprising that it in fact, if we consider that for which were invented the Tube Screamers in the late 70's: just to give a grain lamp amps "full transistors" that had flooded the market in the time and in the next decade!
OVERALL OPINION
The conclusion is simple: why spend more? As for me and after trying a lot of different brands of overdrive and varied (some up to 10x more expensive!), I adopt a pragmatic stance: an overdrive 5x more expensive is it 5x better ? No! And we are far from elsewhere, because it is sometimes the opposite! So in these times of rigor and for the difficult months, I paid the luxury of buying without trying because it is available by mail order on the Thomann site! At this price, I was not a big risk, especially as the practice site "money back" so that I would have returned without any ulterior me if it had not rained, but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by what I got in terms of sound quality and workmanship. If it again, I would do without hesitation! I also started to seriously squint other pedals € 29 range HB in Thotho ...