I really need to stay off eBay.

I just bought a new guitar. I wanted to go back to something simple, with no Floyd Rose tremolo. I bought this cool Ibanez guitar that is red and has 2 humbuckers in it. It sounds ok. I have already ordered new pickups for it which should be here today. I am also going back to an all tube amp. I have a Peavey Valveking 112. It is a great amp. You can switch between Class A and Class B amp types. I had been using this Digitech GNX 3000 which is an all digital effects unit. It was cool but I missed glowing tubes and the feel of analog pedals. I have an old DOD Grunge pedal which is a bit much over the top. It is real gritty. There are a few mods you can do to it to clean it up. I would consider trying one or two out.

I am on eBay and I found a Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9 pedal on eBay. I start bidding on it with another guy. I end up snagging it for about $70. They normally go for $99 new. I do not really need a new overdrive pedal; but, I figure what the heck? It finally shows up today around 2pm. I plug in my guitar, fire up my tube up and try it first on the clean channel. The overdrive is a little weak for my tastes. I like things a little meatier. I had seen in Guitar Magazines where guitar players have this pedal in their pedal board. Many folks like to use this pedal as a clean boost. I move over to the overdrive section of my tube amp. I put the distortion on about 50% and start playing some riffs. I fire up the Tube Screamer and there is a poof and a little grittier distortion. It is not "in your face/over the top" but still nice. I can hear the notes I am playing instead of hearing a bunch of fuzz. I did toy around with the gain, level and tone controls. I got a great sound with the knobs all at 12 0'clock. You could max the level and gain and would still get useable tone. I even tried it with the gain set at zero. I got a great clean boost. I am definitely starting to see what all the range is with these Tube Screamers. I may not mod this one. I would consider IndyGuitarist's "Tube Screamer on Steroids" mod, especially if I could keep the characteristics of the original pedal and boost it when I need to. I need to spend more time with it to see what kinds of tones I can get. I did manage to score a Boss MD-2 Mega Distortion. The only reason I got that was because in Guitar World Magazine they list a setting for Van Halen's "Somebody get me a doctor" in it and I love Eddie's old tone when it was gritter.

I definately need to stay off eBay because I also picked up a Pioneer INNO to replace my XM Roadie from a guy in Houston that was selling them for like $60. I will probably unload this Jackson Guitar and Kustom Tube 12A amp on eBay to try and recoup some of my costs. I also have some pedals that I need to unload on eBay too. Until the next eBay adventure.