Ibanez amp

[gush]

I saw an Ibanez TSA 15 head for sale in my area.

Never heard of this amp. Just curious if anybody has played one?

I thought it was a vintage thing but I think it's fairly new.

 

[WEDGE]

Cool to have a built in tube screamer. Never heard one but like the premise.

 

[CandidPicker]

Ibanez' are relatively inexpensive amps, mostly solid-state. I'd say a notch below Peavey. They used to be plentiful in the 80's and 90's when Ibanez was already well established with their effects line. Ibanez branched out into amps, but didn't find that much of a market for their amps, already occupied by other big-name companies. Ibanez does not have a Wikipedia listing for the music gear itself, though sub-articles detailing various facets of Ibanez gear are found.

Several big-name players such as Tobin Abasi, Paul Gilbert, George Benson, Marty Friedman, Pat Metheny, Mike Mushok, John Petrucci, Joe Satriani, John Schofield, Alex Skolnick, Nita Strauss, Andy Timmons are all but a few of the more prominent Ibanez guitar players...if not the amp...

 

[gush]

Ibanez' are relatively inexpensive amps, mostly solid-state. I'd say a notch below Peavey. They used to be plentiful in the 80's and 90's when Ibanez was already well established with their effects line. Ibanez branched out into amps, but didn't find that much of a market for their amps, already occupied by other big-name companies. Ibanez does not have a Wikipedia listing for the music gear itself, though sub-articles detailing various facets of Ibanez gear are found.

Several big-name players such as Tobin Abasi, Paul Gilbert, George Benson, Marty Friedman, Pat Metheny, Mike Mushok, John Petrucci, Joe Satriani, John Schofield, Alex Skolnick, Nita Strauss, Andy Timmons are all but a few of the more prominent Ibanez guitar players...if not the amp...

This is a tube head but it's got tube screamer circuitry built into it.

 

[gush]

I'm not really interested in buying the thing but I was curious what it was like to play.

I could you tube it but I thought I'd ask real honest guys like what we have on this forum.

 

[CandidPicker]

This is a tube head but it's got tube screamer circuitry built into it.

Ibanez didn't make many high wattage tube amps, mostly lower wattage ones for smaller rooms. The TS9 circuitry is indeed a cool feature either as an effect or gain stage...I've personally only seen solid-state ones in 2nd-hand stores...a lot of what remains are unanswered questions as to why these amps really didn't find much of a market niche...

 

[andy474x]

They came out 10-ish years ago. Basically a low wattage all-tube amp with a tubescreamer boost built in. I never heard a lot of chatter about them, good or bad.

 

[markd21]

I played one when they first came out. I remember not liking it very much, but I was still very much a metal player at the time - and that amp is not a metal amp. I'd be curious to play it now because I have a feeling it would fit my style more at this point. It didn't sound BAD, it just wasn't METAL!!!!

 

[xjbebop]

I've been tempted to get one of these for some time.... just for the cool factor.

 

[Deli6505]

I like the fact that it's got wooden legs.

 

[dmatthews]

... but I thought I'd ask real honest guys like what we have on this forum.

Whaaa???
We have those here?

 

[Ult1mat3X]

I did. They aren't that loud, but they sound decent. It really does sound like a tube screamer. It's not going to sparkle like a Blues Junior, or roar like a Marshall, but for a little home/practice amp, it's pretty good.

 

[BMiller]

As I recall, it was basically just a small single channel tube amp with a switchable Tube Screamer built in. I never heard much chatter about them either and never had a need for something like that. I wouldn't mind playing around with one though just to check it out.

 

[JJJ]

they're just cheap tube amps with a tubescreamer in the circuit from what I recall, I see a few where I live pop up now and again and I think some stores even have new old stock on hand. I'd be tempted to try one if it was super, super cheap

 

[Alnus Rubra]

That amps looks like a pre-war radio!

The little Ibanez amp sounds like it could be fun!

 

[shimmilou]

I have the TSA 15 combo (1x12), and the TSA 30 head, both are all tube, awesome little amps, with built in tube screamer and clean boost (switchable with or without footswitch).

The 15 watt combo has two 6V6 output tubes, and when dialed in clean, has a nice sparkle and chime, a very vintage sound that can be easily pushed into classic breakup (very DR-ish, but not as loud). With the TS and boost engaged it sounds very much like a cranked DR with a TS. The stock Celestion Seventy-80 speaker sounds really sweet with this amp, and I really like it a lot.

The 30 watt head has two 6L6 output tubes, a louder, cleaner, more solid, punchy, modern sound, which can stay very clean and clear at higher volume. Engaging the TS and boost kicks the amp into hard rock territory. This head works very well with every speaker cab I tried, 1x12, 2x12, 4x12, 1x10, 2x10, all sound great and each has its own unique flavor.

I really like these two amps a lot, but I use the 15 watt combo more, great for grab and go, and it is loud enough for band use (I've used it several times in a band). The 30 watt head is more than loud enough to use with a band. Both amps are reasonably priced, and punch way above their cost, great value.