Guitar Pedals · owner-verdict comparison

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer vs Morning Glory V4: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: 73% of 52 owners recommend it, vs 45% of 53 for the Morning Glory V4.

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

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 →

Morning Glory V4

45%of 53 owners recommend

45% recommend · 34% neutral · 21% don't

Owners praise

Holds up as an always-on low-gain drive that owners leave on the board for years
Adds clarity and edge-of-breakup without covering up the amp's character
Stacks well in front of or behind other overdrives, fuzz and boosts

Owners complain about

Bright and treble-forward, and the higher gain side can turn shrill
Thins out the low end, which shows up most on bass and on already-lean rigs
Not the Marshall Bluesbreaker voice some buyers expect from the circuit

Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

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

Get the Morning Glory V4 if

✓Players who want one always-on low-gain drive that lives on the board
✓Single coils into Fender-style clean amps, Strat into a Deluxe Reverb territory
✓Boards where the overdrive has to stack with other dirt pedals or feed a fuzz
✓Clean-to-breakup jangle and power pop, where a bit of extra sparkle helps

Skip it if

Anyone chasing a warm, dark, mid-heavy overdrive
Already-bright rigs, or humbuckers into a scooped amp where owners lose it in the mix

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

What Morning Glory V4 owners say

“Morning Glory is great as a low gain always on. I forced myself to take it off my board because it was keeping me from learning how to use my other boost/tone-shaping pedals lol.”
— Professional-Net6454 on Reddit

“I've got both and right now the MG is on the board. I love them both dearly, but the MG sounds a bit gnarlier to my ear, just a touch more breakup, which is what I want right now.”
— cromulentwrd on Reddit

“I find the MG too bright, so I end up using only a small fraction of the tone control’s range.”
— LaOnionLaUnion on Reddit

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer vs Morning Glory V4: frequently asked questions

Is the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer or the Morning Glory V4 better?

Real owners lean toward the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: 73% of 52 owners recommend it, vs 45% of 53 for the Morning Glory V4.

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.

Who should get the Morning Glory V4?

Owners point the Morning Glory V4 at players who want one always-on low-gain drive that lives on the board, and single coils into Fender-style clean amps, Strat into a Deluxe Reverb territory.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer is mid-heavy voicing that cuts low-end and suits some styles more than others. For the Morning Glory V4, it's bright and treble-forward, and the higher gain side can turn shrill.