# Tube screamer or zakk wylde overdrive???



## bklixuz (Jul 8, 2010)

hey guys how you doing? new here...
I just bought a 5150 used for $500 local and wondering what pedal will plug into this baby...
which of these two can you suggest guys the tube screamer ts9 or the zw-44 overdrive?

cabs are 2x12 g12L's and ibby with bare knuckle's MM (thought that this matters)


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## Leuchty (Jul 8, 2010)

First, welcome  and congrats.

Second, 

Third, imo the TS cuts a littl bass which a 5150 doesnt NEED. A recto on the other hand really benefits from a TS.

I say ZW-44.


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## bklixuz (Jul 8, 2010)

haha thanks man! will post pics soon...
yeah I figured since my cab has that fat low sound (g12l's) might as go with the ZW but will be changing to v30's soon. I would love to hear from other peoples opinions, suggestions?


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## Ishan (Jul 8, 2010)

The ZW is a TS clone so it's almost the same effect really. I'd get something you can boost/cut treble and bass, Like a Hardwire CM-2.


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## TMM (Jul 8, 2010)

Ishan said:


> The ZW is a TS clone so it's almost the same effect really.



It's not really a TS clone though, and they sound significantly different. The ZW-44 doesn't have the upper-midrange spike that the TS does, and in general has a more full tone. And it has more output on tap. I personally hate TS's for boosting, and love the ZW-44, so I'd vote ZW-44. Though if you want the ultimate in OD boosts, check out either the Bodenhamer Bloody Murder, Hermida Mosferatu, or Bodenhamer Leviathan (in backward order, actually).


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## Konfyouzd (Jul 8, 2010)

i've only used the TS and from my experiences *i* think it sounds really cool, and i think that it's certainly worth a look. check out some youtube vids of it. maybe someone here will be nice enough to make a vid.


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## bklixuz (Jul 8, 2010)

I actually saw dime on young guitar using the ZW for his leads and sustain... and for the TS I wish I could find a cheap sale. will try to go to the shop tomorrow and try both... anyways keep 'em coming those comments


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## cow 7 sig (Jul 8, 2010)

big thumbs up for the ZW44 here.i love mine to death.i have ts7- 9 and 808 but i come back to the ZW44 every time.


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## Konfyouzd (Jul 8, 2010)

bklixuz said:


> I actually saw dime on young guitar using the ZW for his leads and sustain... and for the TS I wish I could find a cheap sale. will try to go to the shop tomorrow and try both... anyways keep 'em coming those comments


 
I got mine on ebay for $40


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## cow 7 sig (Jul 8, 2010)

as an alternative and its cheap,digitech bad monkey.great bang for buck.


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## asmegin_slayer (Jul 8, 2010)

The best suggesting that I can give is to take your rig to Guitar Center, have them let you test out a bunch of pedals with your amp (they'll be glad to do it!) and test it out which one is the best.

For my roadster, I noticed that I benefited more from the Fulltone Fulldrive 2 MOSFET and the Ibanez ts808.


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## ArtDecade (Jul 8, 2010)

With a 5150, I have always preferred boost pedals with a flatter EQ. The 5150 is already pretty mid heavy and TS circuit adds more mids to an already thick signal. Of course, you can always set up your amp any way you choose!  That being said, I prefer the Zvex SHO or a TC Electronic Booster just to goose the front end a bit more. Both of those pedals are pretty open sounding and just throttle up my guitar's signal for solos.


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## bklixuz (Jul 8, 2010)

im only interested on those two pedals but thanks anyway for the inputs guys...


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## Necky379 (Jul 8, 2010)

between those two, get the zw. 

just consider buying an mxr gt-od off ebay though. it's a tweaked zw and imo it sounds better. there is a toggle switch inside it that allows you to switch between the zw and gt-od so you basically have two pedals. just another option for you.

i own a 5150 and i use the gt-od with it after trying/owning most other od pedals.


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## warlock7strEMG (Jul 8, 2010)

cow 7 sig said:


> as an alternative and its cheap,digitech bad monkey.great bang for buck.



^ this. theyre super cheap and really do work great as boosts. sounds alot like a TS808 but without as much midrange hump, but still tightens up ur tone. also has seperate bass and treble controls rather than a single tone knob, so u get more EQ flexibility.


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## Forced Chaos (Jul 8, 2010)

TMM said:


> It's not really a TS clone though, and they sound significantly different. The ZW-44 doesn't have the upper-midrange spike that the TS does, and in general has a more full tone. And it has more output on tap. I personally hate TS's for boosting, and love the ZW-44, so I'd vote ZW-44. Though if you want the ultimate in OD boosts, check out either the Bodenhamer Bloody Murder, Hermida Mosferatu, or Bodenhamer Leviathan (in backward order, actually).


 

This....the ZW OD is based on the SD-1 actually and they are a little different than a normal tube screamer. They have a little more gain and don't affect the mids as mentioned above. I would also check out the Maxon 808 or OD9 pedals, they work great with the 5150 series amps.


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## Mop (Jul 8, 2010)

I had both a maxon od808 (TS) and zw44 for a few days, I definitely preferred the 808 with my 5150.


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## Dirtdog (Jul 8, 2010)

The ZW overdrive is based on the old MXR distortion + that Rhodes used. I love my ZW pedal more than my TS9. It was the better one IMO. It has more distortion and it has uneven clipping due to double diodes on one side of the clipping circuit.


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## geofreesun (Jul 8, 2010)

i had both, and i kept my ts9. i just felt the zw44 was too fizzy and ts9 gives a smoother tone overall. plus i like mids. but it's been a while, if i were to compare them now, i might end up with a different one?


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## widdlywhaa (Jul 8, 2010)

I second the idea that you check out the GT-OD from MXR. I have one, and absolutely love it. 

I've tried it against the TS9, TS-9DX, SD-1, OCD and ZW-44, and for what I want it's just perfect.

i acutally got to try it last night with My Ampeg VH-150 and while that amp is SS and is pretty tight it still added a little bit of extra saturation and girth that just made my amp destroy.


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## AeonSolus (Jul 9, 2010)

I'd get one of these

Greenie Classic Distortion- Classic 4558 "Tube Screamer" tones

I own one, Best of all worlds really, When i want to blues it out, i turn it to classic and do my chops, when i want thick singing leads, the Fat mode is the way to go, but for modern stuff...Tight is of course the choice, slightly reminds me of a TS9DX Turbo


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## Bekanor (Jul 10, 2010)

Get the MXR GT-OD it's the ZW-44 in a different casing for less money.


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