Ibanez TSA (Tube Screamer Amplifer) Owners Club

[Jimbo5924]

I had purchased a Line 6 POD HD300 and had it for a couple of months but I just couldn't seem to find an amp that matched up to it very well. It sounded great through headphones but it seemed to me that any amp you used it with "colored" the sound too much. I tried it straight through to my PA system and still didn't like the sound, I knew a lot of people were just buying Mackie "Thumps"-powered Pa speakers and running their PODS into those but that sounded "tinny" to me (to say the least). So, I finally gave up and sent the POD HD300 back to where I bought it and traded it for the Ibanez TSA 15 Head and WOW!. I think that it was the best move that I ever made. I absolutely love this 'little' Monster of a Head. I run it into a Marshall 4X12 Cab that I had "sitting" around and can't get over it, it sounds fantastic. Especially in the Triode (5 watt) setting-it still rattles my windows and sounds great doing it. Every time I walk into the local music store, the first thing that I hear is "Did you bring your head?"-seems like everybody wants to play through it and they all love it. Funny, because they are an authorized Ibanez Dealer, but they only stock their guitars-they sell, primarily, Peavey Amps (no Peavey guitars tho). Really happy with this Ibanez, a 30watt head would be cool, but I just made a deal on a Fender Bassman LTD '59 ReIssue (which is 45/50 watts), so I'd have no real need for the 30watt TSA-I like the 15watt because it gives me plenty of volume when I want or need it, and sounds great without P.O.ing the neighbors....It's all Good.-Jim
P.S. I've had the TSA15 for about 8 months now. Just FYI.

 

[IM4Tone]

I bet it sounds amazing with that speaker combo! I havent heard any official talk yet on a TSA30H ,

I did get a chance to see and hear the TSA30 combo, its quite nice. though there are not as many speaker jacks as the TSA15H and no wattage selector. Hopefully a head version will have them as well as a adjustable boost feature. For the time being a boost pedal could work out for ya.
Good to hear yours has held up for a year, they have not been out to long but i haven't seen any real chatter about reliability issues which is encouraging.

Yes, it does sound great through that cab/speaker mix. I had a couple of small issues with the amp: 1) the standby switch 'froze up' and had to be replaced under warranty...done quickly @ no cost. 2) One of the fuses blew a week later. Took it to the same svc. cntr. and it was thoroughly checked out. Cost $15 since fuses are not covered by warranty. Did not find the cause of the blown fuse; perhaps it was weak, but have played the amp for months and months now with no recurrence.

I do use a boost pedal, actually an EQ with all freq's set neutral and the level adjusted up to required volume.....works great, but I'd prefer not to have to use an external boost. One less device to have to set up.

Still, I'm anxious to give the TSA30 a test What does the additional 'mid' tone stack do for tone, and what is the range of clean to dirty using the "gain" knob (without the TS engaged)?

 

[Allthesound]

I had purchased a Line 6 POD HD300 and had it for a couple of months but I just couldn't seem to find an amp that matched up to it very well. It sounded great through headphones but it seemed to me that any amp you used it with "colored" the sound too much. I tried it straight through to my PA system and still didn't like the sound, I knew a lot of people were just buying Mackie "Thumps"-powered Pa speakers and running their PODS into those but that sounded "tinny" to me (to say the least). So, I finally gave up and sent the POD HD300 back to where I bought it and traded it for the Ibanez TSA 15 Head and WOW!. I think that it was the best move that I ever made. I absolutely love this 'little' Monster of a Head. I run it into a Marshall 4X12 Cab that I had "sitting" around and can't get over it, it sounds fantastic. Especially in the Triode (5 watt) setting-it still rattles my windows and sounds great doing it. Every time I walk into the local music store, the first thing that I hear is "Did you bring your head?"-seems like everybody wants to play through it and they all love it. Funny, because they are an authorized Ibanez Dealer, but they only stock their guitars-they sell, primarily, Peavey Amps (no Peavey guitars tho). Really happy with this Ibanez, a 30watt head would be cool, but I just made a deal on a Fender Bassman LTD '59 ReIssue (which is 45/50 watts), so I'd have no real need for the 30watt TSA-I like the 15watt because it gives me plenty of volume when I want or need it, and sounds great without P.O.ing the neighbors....It's all Good.-Jim
P.S. I've had the TSA15 for about 8 months now. Just FYI.

Sweet Jim welcome to the forum! ,I'd love to hear a FBM59RI. Your a lucky guy!

 

[Jimbo5924]

Thanks Allthesound. The Fender '59 Bassman LTD Reissues are still available at several places-Sweetwater and Musician's Friend have them new for $1399.99 MF has a used one in Condition 1 (like new) foe $1199 and Elderly's here in Lansing Michigan has a used one in Exc. Cond. (I've seen it) for $925-they also have a Fender Blues Deville 60 watt 4X10" all tube tweed reissue in excellent condition for $625, but they no longer ship used items for some reason-cash and carry only. The one I grabbed has really seen some abuse-the tolex on all four bottom corners are ripped and worn and the thing is so dirty that it has a purple hue to it, but I traded a Crate Flexwave 120/212 and a Dean Exotica Acoustic Electric for it-so I figure it at about $500. I got it from a local music store that went through it and replaced tubes, power cord and dog-bone handle-I'll put some chrome corner protectors on those bottom corners to make it look better, but it really does sound sweet and that's really what it's all about. Neighbors probably aren't too happy because you really have to CRANK it to get it to break up and this baby is LOUD! I'm digging it. I tried a little "Tough Stuff" cleaner on a small section of the tweed tolex and it cleaned right up nicely, but not sure if I really want to try and "clean" it-I figure the dampness from the cleaning product may damage the tolex as it dries-I figure that the dirt adds to the character. Thanks-Jim

 

[IM4Tone]

I've searched and searched, but can't find any video or even audio demos of the new TSA30.
If anyone has seen one, would you please post a link

 

[Bartholomew3]

Find the speaker a bit harsh and peaky but have a vintage JBL K120 from 1970 doing nothing so may try that and also have a couple of Jensens from 69.

Love what it looks like plus it's silent-running, reminds me of my old blond 63 tremolux, does seem to mark easily.

Am duplicating this post elsewhere - anyone try a different speaker in it aside from the Texas Heat in a post prior ?

 

[guitarmikey]

I have the TSA-5 combo and love the sound of Celestion Tube contained, for jazz - mellow sound. For blues & rock I prefer to connect it to my Ragin' Cajun, more power, heavier sound. Check here the difference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqr5AWJ5o80

Is there a way to add Loop In/ Out, or, at least, Line Out? Maybe headphones out?
Love the sound, and little controller buttons (no mids...)

 

[bluescube]

I've found the Ibanez JD9 pedal works great for adding a classic rock sound to the TSA15

 

[Joe-Bob]

Has anyone tried the TSA30 yet?

I got one, and it sounds great, but has a pronounced white noise "hiss" that my TSA15 doesn't have. Anybody else experience this?

 

[waparker4]

Has anyone tried the TSA30 yet?

I got one, and it sounds great, but has a pronounced white noise "hiss" that my TSA15 doesn't have. Anybody else experience this?

Could be a bad tube

If the hiss occurs with no cable plugged in the input, you can try pulling preamp tubes until the hiss goes away

Does the hiss go away when the volume control is set to 0 ? Could be the first preamp tube.

http://www.geofex.com/ampdbug/ampdebug.htm

 

[Joe-Bob]

Could be a bad tube

If the hiss occurs with no cable plugged in the input, you can try pulling preamp tubes until the hiss goes away

Does the hiss go away when the volume control is set to 0 ? Could be the first preamp tube.

Yes, it happens with nothing plugged in, and yes, I've swapped the preamp tubes one at a time.

I know that some amps make more noise than others, I'm trying to find out if it's normal for the TSA30, my TSA15 is very quiet, but it's a different circuit.

 

[Bartholomew3]

TSA15 Head - am unable to get the back off to replace the tubes - anybody know what the trick is ?

Found it - take off the chrome corners.

 

[Jimmyspaz]

I went to Tri City Music this morning and came home with this. Guess I'm a member of the TSA30 owners club now,,,,

 

[Bartholomew3]

TSA15 Head - am unable to get the back off to replace the tubes - anybody know what the trick is ?

Found it - take off the chrome corners.

That didn't work - will have to cut the metal grill out to get my hand inside and pull it off or will ruin the finish trying to pry the back open. Didn't need the grill anyways.

 

[tholt34]

On mine, the cloth was stuck and not letting the back come off. Had to just gently pry it out b/c the cloth was keeping it stuck to the amp.

 

[bluescube]

On mine, the cloth was stuck and not letting the back come off. Had to just gently pry it out b/c the cloth was keeping it stuck to the amp.

yup, tight fit on mine. Just have to pry the back out. You may have to remove chassis to change power tubes. I went back to the stock pfreamp tubes after my year old JJ's starting getting microphonic and making phantom noises.

 

[Bartholomew3]

Got the back off the head by wrapping a piece of thin plastic covered wire around the grate and pulling it out one side at a time. Also put in a Greenback clone --- Eminence Legend GB128.

Definite improvement in clean and OD sound, the farting bottom end is gone plus it has better tone everywhere.

Next...have to install a couple of JJ 6V6 that I bought to get more power plus a couple of vintage RCA or other preamp tubes which should upgrade the sound even more. May use a Telefunken 12AX7 from 1971 on the tube screamer V2 position just to check it out. Was saving a few oldies for a new project.

 

[tele advocate]

Just picked up a used tsa15 head, matching cabinet, along with the footswitch for 3 bills.

Had to abandon it at home to go take care of a few other things...looking forward to a long jam session with it a little later. The guy I bought it from had the following done to it after one of the stock tubes blew.

"Had an amp tech replace the tubes with tung sol 6V6s when one of the stock ones had gone out. He had found at the time that a capacitor was putting out too much voltage and caused it to blow, so he'd replaced that then too"

Anyone else ever come across this voltage issue with the capacitor? Also anyone know whether changing tubes on these heads would require a bias adjustment?

Thanks in advance and I'll check back in after my jam session with it.

 

[guitarmikey]

YES! Because hat the 5W, just got a good offer for the TSA15H that I took in a wink! Now the little bro will leave, just because I use the head with my Ragin' Cajun in my pine DIY cab, or with a 15" Eminence. Should I try both in the same moment?

 

[bastonge]

Is the tsa30 worth it? im about to accept one as part of a trade and it scares me to see that the last post on this group is like 2 years ago