Origins at Ibanez
Ibanez released the first Tube Screamer, the TS808, in 1979. Engineer Susumu Tamura designed the circuit around a JRC4558 op-amp to produce symmetric clipping with a focused midrange bump at approximately 500 Hz.
Model Evolution
The TS9 followed in 1981 with minor component changes that slightly altered the voicing. Production of both models ended by 1985, after which Ibanez issued the TS10 and later reissues including the TS808HW and the Mini Tube Screamer.
Notable Artists and Legacy
Stevie Ray Vaughan used a TS808 into a blackface amp for his Texas blues sound. Later adopters such as John Mayer on the Continuum album and Gary Clark Jr. on live rigs helped sustain demand for original 808 and 9 units on the vintage market.
