Every guitarist remembers their first pedal. For me, it was a Tube Screamer. My dad had one, and like any kid let loose with a guitar and some volume, I plugged straight in and went searching for more gain. Eventually, I even bought the Tube Screamer Turbo—I wanted more. (I later realised what I probably needed was a Boss Metal Zone... but that’s for a different blog.)
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The Ibanez Tube Screamer is one of those rare pedals that feels like it’s always been part of the guitar world. It’s instantly recognisable—the green box, the three knobs, the smooth mid-pushed tone. Even most of the clones and alternatives are green, as if the colour itself is now shorthand for “Tube Screamer-style overdrive.”
Originally developed in the late '70s by Susumu Tamura, an engineer at Japanese electronics company Maxon (Nisshin Onpa), the Tube Screamer was manufactured by Maxon and sold globally under the Ibanez brand. Many people still associate the Tube Screamer solely with Ibanez, but it was Maxon who did the design and circuit work behind the scenes. Interestingly, Maxon would later go on to release its own branded versions of the pedal, which are often mistaken today as clones—when in fact, they’re the original creators. The Tube Screamer wasn’t necessarily revolutionary—it built on ideas from earlier overdrives like the Boss OD-1—but it refined the concept in a way that struck a chord with players. What makes it special is that signature midrange bump, smooth clipping, and touch responsiveness. It doesn’t squash your playing or drastically change your core tone. Instead, it enhances it, pushing your amp just the right way.
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That’s why it’s been a go-to pedal across so many genres. In blues, it’s almost sacred. Stevie Ray Vaughan helped cement its place in pedalboard history with his aggressive, expressive tone. But it’s not just for clean-ish tones. In metal, players use Tube Screamers in front of already high-gain amps—like Mesa/Boogies or 5150s—to tighten up the low end and sharpen the attack. It’s a trick that’s still used in studios and on stages everywhere.
And it’s not going anywhere. Whether it’s the TS9, the TS808, or one of the endless variations from other brands, the Tube Screamer continues to show up in the rigs of players from every corner of the guitar world. It’s also the first pedal we recommend to a lot of beginners here at Colemans Music. It’s simple, classic, and shows players how a pedal can shape their tone without completely overpowering it.
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It’s been a staple product in our cabinets for decades now, and for good reason. If someone walks into the store and says, “I want to try an overdrive pedal,” nine times out of ten we’ll hand them a Tube Screamer. It’s not the flashiest effect, but it’s dependable, musical, and deeply woven into guitar history.
Whether you’re chasing SRV’s searing blues leads or just trying to bring a bit more edge to your clean tone, there’s a reason the Tube Screamer is still one of the most loved and copied pedals ever made. That little green box still does the job—and probably always will.
