The Texas Screamer is an overdrive pedal from Big Joe Stomp Box Company, developed in collaboration with blues guitarist Johnny Winter. Big Joe describes it as a tube style overdrive that is simple to use and easy to get a great vintage, juicy rock tone from, built in a rugged, small footprint, 3-knob design1. The press announcements around its launch put the aim plainly: a pedal that could give Winter "that singing tone with punch and crunch that become the signature rockin' blues tone" he was famous for2.
The pedal carries the model number B-309, and a dedicated page covers the Big Joe B-309 Texas Screamer in full. Winter did not simply lend his name to it. According to the press release, he listened to more than 30 different pedals and prototypes before the design was finalized21, and Pedal of the Day's review reports the same process: "After listening to over 30 different prototypes, his tone was back and he was ready to rock!"3
What it does
The Texas Screamer is an overdrive, meaning it pushes the guitar signal into gentle clipping the way a tube amp does when turned up, rather than the heavier clipping of a distortion or fuzz pedal. Big Joe positions it as a straightforward vintage rock overdrive: with its three knobs it is, in the maker's words, "simple to use and easy to get a great vintage, juicy rock tone"1.
Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, characterized it as a moderate rather than a high-gain pedal, writing that it "will push your amp into blues heaven with ease"3. He found the Gain control spans a wide range, from a low, rumbling boost at one end to a great bluesy crunch when cranked up, and that the Tone knob has a good range curve, with the high end adding sparkle and shine while the lows stay clear of mud3.
Winter's own verdict, quoted in the launch announcements, was enthusiastic:
"I cannot believe how this pedal recreates my tone through any amp I play through!"
The controls
The pedal keeps to three knobs, the same basic layout found on many overdrives. Pedal of the Day noted that Gain, Tone and Level (the Output knob) "make up the controls here, as they do on a lot of overdrives"3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the drive amount, from a low, rumbling boost to a bluesy crunch when cranked up3 |
| Tone | Shapes the frequency balance; the highs add sparkle and shine, the lows stay clear3 |
| Output | Sets the overall level leaving the pedal1 |
Power and bypass
The Texas Screamer runs on a 9V battery or a 9V DC power supply, with polarity (-) inside, and the maker's product page notes the supply is not included1. It uses true bypass switching, so when the pedal is off the guitar signal passes through unprocessed1. The press announcements describe the circuit as 100% analog with true bypass circuitry2.
History: developed with Johnny Winter
Big Joe Stomp Box Company announced the Texas Screamer in December 2014 as a Johnny Winter signature overdrive4. Winter had worked with the company to create a pedal recreating his tone, and he auditioned more than 30 different pedals and prototypes before the final version was settled2. He also had a hand in the look of the pedal: the press release notes that "he also picked out the product graphic- the dragon tattoo he had on his chest"4, which is why the pedal carries a dragon graphic.
The pedal was set to debut at the 2015 NAMM show in Anaheim, California in January, with availability in music retailers across the United States by February 20154. Its list price at announcement was $129 MSRP4. Winter did not see the release: as Pedal of the Day's review records, he passed away in the summer of 2014, before the pedal reached the market3.
Videos
Big Joe Stomp Box Company
Pedal of the Day
Portal Gitarowy
Questions
Is the Big Joe Texas Screamer true bypass?
Yes. Both the maker's product page and the 2014 press announcements describe the Texas Screamer as having true bypass circuitry, so with the pedal switched off the signal passes through without processing.
Is the Big Joe Texas Screamer analog?
Yes. The Texas Screamer is described as 100% analog in the press announcements from Premier Guitar and Guitar Interactive Magazine, and the maker classifies it as a tube style overdrive.
What is the dragon graphic on the Texas Screamer?
The dragon artwork on the pedal is the dragon tattoo Johnny Winter had on his chest. According to the press announcements, Winter himself picked out that tattoo design as the product graphic.
Is the Texas Screamer a Tube Screamer clone?
No source describes it as a clone of the Ibanez Tube Screamer. The maker calls it a tube style overdrive, and the pedal was developed as a signature pedal for Johnny Winter rather than as a copy of another circuit.
Does the Texas Screamer run on a battery?
Yes. The maker's product page lists power as a 9V battery or a 9V DC power supply, with center negative polarity. The press announcements likewise say it runs on 9V batteries or a line-in power supply.
Sources (4)
- B-309 TEXAS SCREAMER, Big Joe Stomp Box Company
- Big Joe Stompbox Company Introduces the Texas Screamer, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-12-23
- Big Joe Stomp Box Co. B-309 Texas Screamer Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2015-05-01
- Big Joe Stompbox Unveils Texas Screamer & Empire, Premier Guitar, 2014-12-22
