The Ibanez TS9-TM Tamura-Mod Tube Screamer is a modified version of the Ibanez TS-9, the Ibanez overdrive that sits at the center of the Tube Screamer family. Rather than a stock reissue, it is a boutique upgrade to the legendary overdrive, meticulously crafted by Susumu Tamura himself, according to the maker's product page1. Tamura is credited there as the Tube Screamer designer, and the pedal carries his name in its model designation2.
What the mod changes
Using the Ibanez TS-9 as its foundation, the TS9-TM Tamura-MOD offers a slightly different tonal palette. The maker describes the changes as a midrange shifted to a higher frequency range, accentuated pick attack, additional note clarity, and slightly more clean signal coming through2. For a player, that reads as a Tube Screamer voice with the famous mid hump moved up in frequency and a bit more of the guitar's own tone left intact.
Two circuit details set it apart from a stock TS-9:
- Vishay 1N914 diodes were used in the pedal's clipping stage, offering an alternate drive signature2.
- The TS9-TM features the same "Magic" IC found in Mr. Tamura's TS808-TM mod, which the maker credits with improved tone and clarity2.
"Using the Ibanez TS-9 as its foundation, the new TS9-TM Tamura-MOD offers a slightly different tonal palette."
Standard and Level Boost versions
The Tamura-Mod TS9 came in two variants, listed by the maker as the Tamura-Mod TS9 Tube Screamer and the Tamura-Mod TS9 Tube Screamer with +6dB Level BOOST MOD1. The Level Boost version, sold under the model name TS9TMB, adds a +6dB Level Boost mod for increased output level on top of the standard mod3.
| Version | Model | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Tamura-Mod TS9 Tube Screamer | TS9-TM | Tamura mod circuit, Vishay 1N914 clipping diodes, "Magic" IC2 |
| Tamura-Mod TS9 Tube Screamer (w/ +6dB Level BOOST MOD) | TS9TMB | Same mod plus a +6dB Level Boost for increased output level31 |
The Level Boost version is listed on both the Godlyke and Maxon product pages as an Ibanez pedal built on the Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer circuit3.
Availability
Both versions of the pedal were listed as sold out on the maker's product pages, the standard TS9-TM on 26 October 20262 and the Tamura-Mod TS9 listing on 25 October 20261. The unmodified Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer remains in production and re-issued, with availability listed as good by the reference site TONEHOME4.
The TS9-TM is a limited, modified pedal rather than a standard catalog item, and both variants were shown as sold out as of late October 2026. Players looking for a current-production Tube Screamer may consider the stock TS9, the TS808, or the TS808TM2 Tamura-Mod v2 Tube Screamer, which shares the Tamura "Magic" IC approach.
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Questions
Who is Susumu Tamura?
Susumu Tamura is the designer credited on the maker's product pages as the Tube Screamer designer. The TS9-TM is described as a new mod by Tamura himself, and the pedal carries his name in its model designation. He is also behind the TS808-TM mod, whose "Magic" IC the TS9-TM shares.
What diodes does the Ibanez TS9-TM use?
According to the maker's product page, Vishay 1N914 diodes were used in the pedal's clipping stage, giving the modified TS-9 an alternate drive signature compared with the standard pedal.
What does the +6dB Level Boost mod do?
The Level Boost version, sold as the TS9TMB, adds a +6dB Level Boost mod for increased output level on top of the standard Tamura-Mod circuit changes.
How is the TS9-TM different from a standard TS-9?
The TS9-TM uses the Ibanez TS-9 as its foundation but offers a slightly different tonal palette: the midrange is shifted to a higher frequency range, pick attack is accentuated, note clarity is improved, and slightly more clean signal comes through. It also carries the same "Magic" IC found in Tamura's TS808-TM mod.
Is the Ibanez TS9-TM still available?
No. Both the standard Tamura-Mod TS9 and the Level Boost version were listed as sold out on the maker's product pages as of late October 2026.
Sources (4)
- Ibanez TS9 Tamura-Mod, maxonfx.com (Godlyke, Inc.)
- Ibanez TS9 Tamura-Mod, Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- TAMURA-MOD LEVEL BOOST TS9 Tube Screamer (TS9TMB), Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME
