Guitar Pedals · owner-verdict comparison
Darkglass B3K V2 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 55% of 60 for the Darkglass B3K V2.
Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score
55%of 60 owners recommend
55% recommend · 20% neutral · 25% don't
Owners praise
- Aggressive, articulate grindy overdrive like nothing else
- Outright favorite drive after trying many
- Great for mild, always-on grit
Owners complain about
- Disappears or gets lost in a full-band mix
- Too mid-scooped and polite sounding
- Hard to dial in a usable tone
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
What Darkglass B3K V2 owners say
“Differentiated pedal, very cool!”— @petronius_r6719 on
YouTube
“I have the B7k ultra v2 and the B3kv2. Both have the same drive circuit as yours. The versatility of these pedals is amazing.”
“I just can't use them. I've tried a lot of them. They all have a baked in mid scoop that's almost impossible to eq out.”
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.”