Over the weekend, news broke via Effects Database and Youtuber Remy Hansen of Ibanez’s latest overdrive pedal, the Nu Tubescreamer. Pairing the legendary tones and styling of the classic TS808 overdrive pedal with Nutube technology from Korg, the Nu Tubescreamer features true bypasss switching and the same drive, tone and level controls as the original. Where things get interesting is in that little window right above the footswitch. That’s where the Nutube is housed.
While it’s not immediately clear how much the Nutube will influence the Tube Screamer’s sound, the reactive LED shown in the demo has us abuzz that truly responsive tone might not be so far-fetched. Plus that new Clean/OD blend control shown on the pedal should open the door to some truly new tones that should, in theory, let your amp’s natural tone really shine through, if you like.
We’ve seen Nutube enhance Korg family products like the Vox MV series amps and more recently, their Continental keyboards. To our knowledge this is the first inter-brand use of the technology, so we look forward to seeing how Korg and Ibanez can take an already highly regarded classic into the modern age!
