Ugly Guitar Truth: Ibanez NTS Nu Tube Screamer

I almost didn't believe it. I almost had to make sure that today wasn't April first and not January first because I saw something that absolutely did not make sense. Ibanez has leaked some information about a new pedal.The NTS or Nu Tube Screamer has been making the rounds. At first glance, it seems like a new color pallet for a vintage TS pedal, but new tech has made its way inside an old circuit.

It's Pretty

The first time I saw this pedal I thought it looked sharp. I dig the white and green. I like the colors so much I missed the addition of a new knob, gaping window, and odd power supply placement. For such classic design, the aesthetic was enough to pull me away from these glaring changes.

Mixing It Up

I'll admit. I love a Mix knob. I want every pedal I own to have a mix knob. I think it's a control thing. I don't like committing to one sound. I don't want a pedal to completely take over the sound of my guitar. With a Mix knob, I tell the pedal how much it can have. This is the reason I don't get along with most distortion pedals. It also might be the reason why I chase "transparent" overdrives.

NuTubes

I love the idea of compact vacuum tubes. I want to see more pedals and amps use them. I hope that technology is as impressive as I keep hearing that it is. So far Vox's line of super compact heads is the only implementation of these NuTubes that I know of. I've heard good things about those. Although I have yet to use a tube base overdrive, I look forward to doing so. I'd love to see how the TC Electronic Tube Pilot and Ibanez NTS stack up.

Conclusion

I'm excited. How could I not be? This is the first "New Tube Screamer" in over a decade. I've actually seen a site sell this pedal for about 240 BSP making it something like 300 USD. So, in short, it is a pedal a hundred dollar more than the price of a 50-watt head using the same tubes. I guess we'll have to wait and see when Ibanez rolls out the hard launch closer to NAMM.