New Non-BOSS Pedals

[zentropa]

Interesting! But the headroom of the distortion + is really just enough for me and my Stratocaster.

Yeah. Doesn’t do quite as well with my les pauls, sadly.

[Pepe]

Here are finally a few pictures of the MXR distortion +. The potentiometers are from Dec '79 and Jan '80, so I think it's been made in 1980. The original blue tantals were replaced by new ones. I used thin foam rubber to isolate the electronic parts and a thick layer of soft foam for the place where the battery goes. Is there any replacement for the bottom rubber? It is by no means skidproof anymore.

Since it's a keeper I'll tell you what I paid for it. The seller put up an ad and he wanted 20 EUR for local pickup in North Germany. I immediately offered him 40 EUR including shipping and he was okay with it. He repeatedly wrote me that it was broken and asked me if I really wanted to buy it. Well, certainly! He wished me good luck with the repair - and you see how it went. Easy fix!

I'm still amazed how many good sounds are inside this little beast!

[laurie]

That is a really (really) nice old pedal. Congrats on the purchase, and congrats on the clean-up!

[Pepe]

Yes, I'm really happy with it, especially at that price.

Another bargain made it to me in the last weeks. An Ibanez Soundtank TS5 Tubescreamer for 14 EUR including shipping. I had to order a new switch (under 2 EUR), because it was faulty. Back to full life again!

When I tested it against my brother's TS-808 (reissue) I was surprised to hear only very small differences between these two pedals. To be honest I couldn't tell them apart without looking, but my brother (21 years younger than me!) always heard which one was activated. The TS-808 has a bit more low-end and he thinks it has a bit more punch. Well, I can live with the small difference.

Normally I'm not a huge fan of the Tube Screamer, no matter which version I've tried, but for a total sum of under 16 EUR this one is another keeper! It doesn't hurt having some legendary tones available. This unit is quite clean and without severe scratches. Too bad that the TS5 doesn't belong to the models that had a metal chassis in the first edition.

[laurie]

Yes, I'm really happy with it, especially at that price.

Another bargain made it to me in the last weeks. An Ibanez Soundtank TS5 Tubescreamer for 14 EUR including shipping. I had to order a new switch (under 2 EUR), because it was faulty. Back to full life again!

When I tested it against my brother's TS-808 (reissue) I was surprised to hear only very small differences between these two pedals. To be honest I couldn't tell them apart without looking, but my brother (21 years younger than me!) always heard which one was activated. The TS-808 has a bit more low-end and he thinks it has a bit more punch. Well, I can live with the small difference.

Normally I'm not a huge fan of the Tube Screamer, no matter which version I've tried, but for a total sum of under 16 EUR this one is another keeper! It doesn't hurt having some legendary tones available. This unit is quite clean and without severe scratches. Too bad that the TS5 doesn't belong to the models that had a metal chassis in the first edition.

Thumbs.jpg (7.58 KiB) Viewed 10096 times

[Dirk]

Awesome scores, Pepe

[zentropa]

Too bad that the TS5 doesn't belong to the models that had a metal chassis in the first edition.

People stepping on and cracking the battery cover was sort of the main design flaw on those, but from my experiences, they actually hold up a bit better than the metal chassis 10 series did. I believe the jacks were a bit more stable and if I remember correctly, the pot shafts weren't the toothpick diameter plastic shafts they used on the 10s.

I haven't played one in like 15+ years, but I remember thinking the TS5 is a bit closer to the TS9 and TS10 than TS808.

[fuzzbuzzfuzz]

Here are finally a few pictures of the MXR distortion +. The potentiometers are from Dec '79 and Jan '80, so I think it's been made in 1980. The original blue tantals were replaced by new ones. I used thin foam rubber to isolate the electronic parts and a thick layer of soft foam for the place where the battery goes. Is there any replacement for the bottom rubber? It is by no means skidproof anymore.

Since it's a keeper I'll tell you what I paid for it. The seller put up an ad and he wanted 20 EUR for local pickup in North Germany. I immediately offered him 40 EUR including shipping and he was okay with it. He repeatedly wrote me that it was broken and asked me if I really wanted to buy it. Well, certainly! He wished me good luck with the repair - and you see how it went. Easy fix!

I'm still amazed how many good sounds are inside this little beast!

Wow Pepe, you’re on a roll here!!

They are up to ¥20000 here so that was a score indeed.

[fuzzbuzzfuzz]

Yes, I'm really happy with it, especially at that price.

Another bargain made it to me in the last weeks. An Ibanez Soundtank TS5 Tubescreamer for 14 EUR including shipping. I had to order a new switch (under 2 EUR), because it was faulty. Back to full life again!

When I tested it against my brother's TS-808 (reissue) I was surprised to hear only very small differences between these two pedals. To be honest I couldn't tell them apart without looking, but my brother (21 years younger than me!) always heard which one was activated. The TS-808 has a bit more low-end and he thinks it has a bit more punch. Well, I can live with the small difference.

Normally I'm not a huge fan of the Tube Screamer, no matter which version I've tried, but for a total sum of under 16 EUR this one is another keeper! It doesn't hurt having some legendary tones available. This unit is quite clean and without severe scratches. Too bad that the TS5 doesn't belong to the models that had a metal chassis in the first edition.

Thumbs.jpg

Wonderful! Those bug shapes and related Ibanez and Amazon’s have that same switch problem, the little cap needs changing to something larger. Personally I feel if SRV had picked up a TS5 instead of the TS10 we’d be seeing seeing those at the insane value levels! Great score. Here they hover at between ¥8500-¥11000 at the moment.

[Pepe]

After seeing a PL5 Powerlead for 15 EUR in a second hand shop after purchasing the TS5 I thought that the 14 EUR for the Tubescreamer might have been an average price. They also have a Thrashmetal for 49 EUR. I suppose it is from the first series with a metal chassis.

Is the Powerlead useful? Should I buy it if it is still there? I think it comes with the box, also.

And I'm still very happy about the cheap MXR distortion +!