Maxon ST9 Pro+

SUMMER 2018 TOTAL GUITAR
The Tube Screamer is the most successful overdrive of all time.
Is there still innovation possible with this classic design? We find out...
105
W
hen he devised the TS808, Susumu
Tamura was working for Maxon, the
OEM manufacturer that built the Tube
Screamer for Ibanez until 2002. Since the split
with Ibanez, Maxon has capitalised on the
popularity of the TS with a TS808 and TS9
reissue, while the ST9 is an ‘updated reissue’
of the 80s Super Tube Screamer model. The
additions are an ability to switch up to
higher-headroom 18V operation, and a
dedicated mids pot. The fl exibility is a plus,
but changing the headroom involves a shift in
the character of the pedal’s compression. It’s
spiky, but tameable with your tone knob.
I
ncorporating the classic TS808 and TS9,
the TS10 favoured by John Mayer and six
other TS variants, including the famous
Robert Keeley mod, the Bonsai is a
smorgasbord of drive tones. Saturated, rich
leads are found the easiest with single coils
and one of the classic settings, whereas
rhythm sounds with humbuckers lend
themselves towards the Keeley mod setting,
whether it’s blues, grunge or metal you’re
playing. Funnily enough, we found ourselves
mainly sticking to the 808 or Keeley settings
despite all the options, but that’s probably just
a testament to how good the original circuit is.
Maxon
ST9 Pro+
KEEPING IT REAL
JHS
Bonsai
CHOOSE YOUR BLUES
BYPASS
All true bypass
POWER
Ibanez: 9-18V DC; KHDK,
Maxon, JHS
CONTACT
Ibanez: Headstock
Distribution 0121 508 6666
headstockdistribution.com
KHDK: Zoom UK +44 8432
080999 - zoom-uk.com
Maxon: Audio Distribution
Group - [phone] -
audiodistributiongroup.com
JHS: Gear4music: 0330 365
4444 - gear4music.com
AT A GLANCE
£175
£219
PEDAL ROUND-UP
FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
USABILITY
OVERALL RATING
SUMMARY
FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
USABILITY
OVERALL RATING
SUMMARY
TGR309.gear_pedals.indd 105 7/18/18 5:21 PM