I suddenly don’t like my Tubescreamer anymore

Try a Rat style. I like the Mudhoney by T-Rex. There are others.

Or a Klon Clone. I like the MXR Sugar Drive. There are others.

Or plug into the Top Boost Channel and crank it? See immediately above.

Those are all likely to get better results into a Vox than a TS.

I only use a TS style pedal into a Vox style amp when I've already got the Mudhoney on and I want to go for more distortion.

 

And I wouldn't tell you not to get a Timmy. Lots of people who have Vox amps love them.

 

Vote for Timmy or Nobels ODR

 

I never liked the TS.
I use tweed amps and probably get enough mids, but...
When I put a clean boost after it (I love my cheapie E-H LPB-1), it sounds killer.

 

The treble booster suggestion is a good one. They really sound great with Vox style amps.

 

It’s the Brian May Rory Gallagher sound.


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I absolutely agree with your premise. In my experience a TS9 works best with a Strat into a blackface Fender amp. I would think the pedal was designed with Strat pickups and Fender blackface amps in mind. I actually prefer the Super Tube Screamer(ST-01) over a TS9. The ST-01 has a sweepable mid control that really makes the pedal more useful. It actually works great with humbuckers. The original 9 series from the early 80's(Ibanez ST-9) is now a collectors item, but the late 80's/early 90's Maxon version is often found for under $100. It's a favorite of Analogman. Killer overdrive pedal that should have been the actual TS9. It should be said that the TS9 really works best with a cranked amp. The mid hump is more useful as the amp gets more spongy sounding.



A demo with a Telecaster:

I would suggest getting a Rangemaster type treble booster. For whatever reason treble boosters into a Vox amp is just magical(think Brian May with his Rangemaster and Vox AC30-great lead tone). A treble booster can be limited and are often too expensive, but they hit the Vox front end and EL84 tubes just perfectly.

An EQ pedal can also work great for clean boosting and overdrive. I prefer the graphic eq, but a parametric eq can also work great. Bunch of choices in this range. Sometimes for dirt cheap.

I have never used one with a Vox AC-30, but the Bogner Wessex is one of the best low gain overdrive pedals I have ever used. It almost seems amplike. Great top end. I bought mine used for a bit over $100 and I have seen them go for less.

The Xotic RC might be exactly what you are looking as well. I am more familiar with the BB(high gain) and AC(mid gain) pedals, but the RC does low gain distortion quite well. They have issued a newer version with boost that looks really useful which means the market has dropped on the originals.

 

Before you spend lots of money you may want to try the humble Donner Boost Killer (~£20). It's an Xotic RC clone with a powerful bass and treble. I run mine into a Caline Highway Man (~£26) which is a Timmy clone - as is the Caline Pure Sky. Both are very responsive to the guitar volume knob.

 

Plus 1 on this. I bought one of these because I saw it cheap on Facebook marketplace. I bought it with almost no expectations. Then I tried it out. It knocked my tubescreamer out of a job. The three band eq is big feature. Overall it’s just a better pedal.


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Another +1 on the 805. The active 3 band EQ controls add the 'missing' bass and can tame the mids. An overdrive with no mid hump at all and equal drive across all frequencies would be the Forza.

 

One more time...
Rat or
Timmy or
Hot Cake

*sigh*

 

Mine is the Surf Green model from Humbucker Music.
https://www.humbuckermusic.com/products/paul-cochrane-timmy-pedal-surf-green
I understand that the 15th anniversary edition is about to be released. Sounds like it has been changed a bit from previous versions...https://www.humbuckermusic.com/products/paul-cochrane-timmy-15th-anniversary-overdrive-pedal

 

I use an Ac15 and a Tele too and I can only confirm the positive things about the Timmy, the RAT (I prefer the Turbo version in this case) and the treble booster (I suppose that anyone is good).
I also add another cheap solution the DOD 250, it works wonderfully with this rig too IMHO.
Note: I use those pedals set up as boosts and not as ODs for this application (high vol, low gain)

 

Five pages in, and nobody has suggested the Boss Metal Zone?

 

It’s the nature of pedals. I know longer like my Timmy any longer.
Then again the TS does not play well with all amps as someone previously pointed out.

 

Perhaps the Brunetti Mercury box is a good choice for you.

 

Unless you want it to. Gotta love the 3 band eq!