Ibanez · Overdrive

Ibanez Tube Screamer

TGP Staff Pick

The TGP take

Not really a distortion — a midrange lens. Set the drive low, the level high, and it turns a decent amp into a focused one. Half the blues and metal tones you love have one in front of the amp.

The cheapest meaningful upgrade to almost any amp you already own.

Best for

BluesMetal boostLead tone

Tone character

Mid-forwardCompressedFocused

Players associated with it

Often used alongside

The standard

Fender Stratocaster

The most adaptable electric guitar ever designed. Three single coils, a five-way switch and a vibrato that rewards a light touch — it covers Hendrix, Gilmour, SRV and Mayer without ever pretending to be more than a plank, a neck and some wire.

GlassyArticulateVintage
Combo

Fender Deluxe Reverb

The most recorded clean amp on earth and a pedal platform that flatters almost everything you put in front of it. Breaks up early enough to be musical, loud enough to be a problem.

CleanChimeyWarm

More from the Pedal Case

Modulation

MXR Phase 90

One knob, one job, instantly recognisable. Sitting after the gain it adds that swirling movement to a rhythm part that flat DI-style tones never get.

SwirlingVintageAnimated
Time

Analog Delay

Dark, degrading repeats that sit behind the note instead of on top of it. Set short for slapback thickness, long for atmosphere, and never louder than the dry signal.

WarmDegradedSpacious