Guitar Pedals · owner-verdict comparison

Boss BD-2 Blues Driver vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: 73% of 52 owners recommend it, vs 64% of 167 for the Boss BD-2 Blues Driver.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Boss BD-2 Blues Driver

64%of 167 owners recommend

64% recommend · 19% neutral · 17% don't

Owners praise

Extremely versatile, one pedal covers clean boost, gritty low-gain drive, and near-fuzz distortion depending on gain setting
Becomes a permanent board staple, often the owner's first pedal and stays on the board for years or decades without getting swapped out
Touch-sensitive and dynamic, cleaning up nicely with the guitar's volume knob

Owners complain about

Produces an audible crackle or fizz on the decay when the gain is set low
Can sound thin, shrill, or brittle in the highs, with some owners citing excess treble or an artificial mid scoop
Not every owner bonds with it despite the hype, some sold theirs or never warmed up to the tone even after years of trying

Full owner report →

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

73%of 52 owners recommend

73% recommend · 14% neutral · 13% don't

Owners praise

Classic, great-sounding overdrive tone
Excellent boost to overdrive a tube amp
Popular, reputable industry-standard pedal

Owners complain about

Mid-heavy voicing that cuts low-end and suits some styles more than others

Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Boss BD-2 Blues Driver if

✓Blues and rock players wanting a versatile always-on drive
✓Guitarists who clean up with their volume knob
✓Pedal stackers using it as a boost or dirt layer
✓Beginners seeking an affordable, durable first overdrive

Skip it if

Players bothered by crackle and fizzy decay at low gain
Anyone wanting a smooth, warm, mid-forward transparent tone

Get the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer if

✓Tube amp owners wanting to push their amp
✓Blues and classic-rock players
✓Fender Strat and Tele guitarists
✓Anyone needing a lead boost or overdrive platform

Skip it if

Players running hot, modern high-output pickups
Those who dislike a mid-forward tone

What Boss BD-2 Blues Driver owners say

“the Blues Driver beat all of them. The most organic drive I've heard in a pedal.”
— @jonny1251 on YouTube

“LOVED my bd-2 and ds-1 when i was in high school”
— @jonwanrocks on YouTube

“Mehhh. I have the Waza version, and I can hear the same fizziness - which some may like but I don't.”
— @RPSartre01 on YouTube

What Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer owners say

“I love my TS9 that I've had since the 90s, but I have an EQ pedal after it, which has made all the difference.”
— @DonaldMerand on YouTube

“This really is the greatest distortion pedal I’ve ever owned.”
— @TheDCGuitar13 on YouTube

“Only thing I’d change is the TS for a DS1 or a Boss Super Distortion or an MXR distortion. I was never a fan of the Tube Screamer.”
— _1JackMove on Reddit

Boss BD-2 Blues Driver vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: frequently asked questions

Is the Boss BD-2 Blues Driver or the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer better?

Real owners lean toward the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: 73% of 52 owners recommend it, vs 64% of 167 for the Boss BD-2 Blues Driver.

Who should get the Boss BD-2 Blues Driver?

Owners point the Boss BD-2 Blues Driver at blues and rock players wanting a versatile always-on drive, and guitarists who clean up with their volume knob.

Who should get the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer?

Owners point the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer at tube amp owners wanting to push their amp, and blues and classic-rock players.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Boss BD-2 Blues Driver is produces an audible crackle or fizz on the decay when the gain is set low. For the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, it's mid-heavy voicing that cuts low-end and suits some styles more than others.