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Ask ten guitarists which overdrive pedal to buy and three names will dominate the answers: the Boss Blues Driver, the Ibanez Tube Screamer and the Klon Centaur. Each has decades of records behind it, each has been copied endlessly, and each does something genuinely different to your sound. That last point gets lost in most arguments. These are not three versions of the same pedal. They are three different tools.
I am a songwriter, and I build FencyGuitar, a guitar learning app, so I think about overdrive in terms of what it does for a song: whether it helps a riff hit harder, keeps chords clear, or lifts a solo above the band. This comparison explains what each pedal does, which versions to buy at each budget, and who should skip all three. Prices are UK prices checked on 25 October 2026.
The Short Answer
Pick the Tube Screamer if you want to tighten up an amp that is already breaking up, or cut through a band mix. Pick the Blues Driver if you want a pedal that sounds like a small valve amp turning up, on its own or into a clean amp. Pick a Klon style pedal if you want your own amp to sound like itself, only bigger and louder.
| Pedal | UK price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer | £129 | Tightening a driven amp, solos that cut, rock and metal boosts |
| Boss BD-2 Blues Driver | £105 | Amp like breakup into a clean amp, blues, indie, roots |
| Wampler Tumnus V2 | £135 | Klon style transparent boost and drive on a small board |
If you only want one answer: the Blues Driver is the most versatile on its own, the Tube Screamer is the best team player with a driven amp, and a Klon style pedal is the best "always on" sweetener.
Three Pedals, Three Origin Stories
Ibanez Tube Screamer
The Tube Screamer appeared in the late 1970s. The TS808 came first, built for Ibanez by the Japanese company Maxon, and the TS9 followed a few years later with a slightly different output stage that many players describe as brighter. Both became famous for a strong midrange push that helps a guitar sit forward in a mix. Stevie Ray Vaughan is the name most often linked to it, and its use as a boost in front of high gain amps made it a staple of rock and metal too.
Boss Blues Driver
The Boss BD-2 Blues Driver arrived in the mid 1990s. Boss designed it to behave like a small valve amp being pushed: clean and sparkly at low gain, crunchy as you turn up, and very responsive to how hard you pick and where your guitar's volume knob sits. It has stayed in Boss's catalogue ever since, and it has been used by players across blues, indie and alternative rock.
Klon Centaur
The Klon Centaur was designed by Bill Finnegan in Boston and released in the mid 1990s. It was built in small numbers, sold for modest money at first, and then became one of the most collected pedals in history once production ended. Original units now sell for thousands. Finnegan later released the Klon KTR, a smaller version of the same circuit, and countless other makers produce their own "Klon style" pedals, sometimes called klones, at a fraction of the cost.
The legend around the Klon is partly about rarity. The circuit itself is about a particular kind of overdrive: one that mixes clean signal with driven signal, so your amp's character stays intact.
What Each Pedal Actually Does to Your Sound
The Tube Screamer's mid hump. The Tube Screamer cuts some low end and boosts the midrange before it clips. The result is a focused, slightly compressed sound with a pronounced mid bump. In a bedroom on its own, it can sound a bit nasal. In a band, that same mid bump is exactly what lets your guitar cut through bass and drums. It also tightens the low end of a high gain amp, which is why metal players often run one with the drive at zero and the level high.
The Blues Driver's amp in a box character. The Blues Driver keeps more of the low end and has a wider frequency response. It sounds more like an amp breaking up than a pedal clipping. At low gain it is sparkly and touch sensitive; at high gain it gets close to fuzz territory. It cleans up beautifully when you play lightly or roll back your guitar's volume. Some players find the treble a little sharp, which a touch less tone on the pedal usually fixes.
The Klon's clean blend. A Klon style pedal blends clean signal with clipped signal. At low gain it acts as a clean boost with a slight lift in the upper mids. As you turn up the gain, more of the driven signal comes in, but you never lose the clarity of the clean part. That is why people call it transparent. It is less coloured than a Tube Screamer and less amp like on its own than a Blues Driver, but it makes almost any amp sound bigger.
If you are still choosing an amp, our Boss Katana vs Positive Grid Spark comparison explains how each modelling amp handles drive pedals.
Matching the Pedal to Your Amp
The amp matters as much as the pedal. Here is how each one tends to behave.
Into a clean amp. The Blues Driver is the strongest here, because it supplies its own amp like breakup. A Klon style pedal also works well into a clean amp with plenty of headroom, giving a fuller boost. The Tube Screamer into a very clean amp can sound thin and mid heavy on its own.
Into an amp that is already breaking up. This is the Tube Screamer's home. With the drive low and the level up, it pushes the amp harder, tightens the bass and adds sustain. A Klon style pedal does the same with less colour. The Blues Driver can get a bit busy stacked on a crunchy amp.
Into a small valve amp. All three work, and this is where you will hear their differences most clearly. Our Blues Junior vs Princeton Reverb comparison looks at two of the most popular small valve combos for pedals.
Into a modelling amp or multi effects unit. Use a clean amp model and treat the pedal as your drive. Many multi effects units also include models of all three circuits, so you may already own a decent version. See our Valeton GP-50 vs Boss GT-1 vs Zoom G1X Four comparison.
Matching the Pedal to Your Guitar
Pickups change how each pedal responds.
Single coils. Strats and Teles pair beautifully with the Blues Driver and with Klon style pedals, which keep their sparkle. The Tube Screamer on single coils is the classic Texas blues sound, but it can thin out the low end. If your guitar is bright, keep the tone control on any of these below halfway.
Humbuckers. Les Pauls and SGs already have plenty of low mids. A Tube Screamer's bass cut helps them stay clear under drive, which is why it is such a common partner for humbucker rock. If you are choosing a Les Paul to pair with one, see our Gibson vs Epiphone Les Paul comparison. The Blues Driver can sound a little thick with hot humbuckers, while a Klon style pedal adds clarity.
P90s. Somewhere in between, and great with all three.
Our Squier vs Epiphone comparison covers guitars with each type.
Starting Settings for Each Pedal
Dialling in an overdrive is quicker when you start from a sensible place. Set your amp to a clean or slightly crunchy sound you already like, then try these starting points and adjust by ear.
Tube Screamer as a boost. Drive at about nine o'clock, tone at noon, level at two or three o'clock. This pushes the amp without adding much of the pedal's own grit. Turn the drive up gradually for more sustain.
Tube Screamer as an overdrive. Drive at noon to two o'clock, tone at eleven, level at noon. If it sounds honky on its own, that is normal; listen again with a backing track or the band.
Blues Driver for light crunch. Gain at ten o'clock, tone at ten or eleven, level at noon. Pick lightly for near clean tones and dig in for crunch. Roll your guitar's volume back to clean up.
Blues Driver for rhythm and leads. Gain at one o'clock or beyond, tone at ten, level to taste. The tone control is sensitive, so move it in small steps.
Klon style as a clean boost. Gain at minimum, treble at noon, output at two o'clock. Your amp should sound bigger and louder but still recognisably itself.
Klon style as a light overdrive. Gain at noon, treble at eleven, output at one o'clock. As the gain goes up you will hear more of the pedal's own clipping while the clean part keeps notes clear.
A useful habit for any drive pedal: match the volume of the pedal on and off before judging it. Louder almost always sounds better to our ears, so a fair comparison needs equal volume. If you record ideas at home, it is worth saving a short clip of each setting.
The Budget Versions
You do not need to spend much to hear what these circuits do.
Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini
The Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini was £49 at guitarguitar. It has the classic Tube Screamer voicing in a tiny enclosure with just drive, tone and level. It is the cheapest proper Tube Screamer you can buy and takes up very little pedalboard space.
Who should skip this: players who want true bypass alternatives or extra controls.
Electro Harmonix Soul Food
The Electro Harmonix Soul Food was £79 and is the best known budget Klon style pedal. It gives you the transparent boost and drive character for well under £100, with a buffered or true bypass switch inside.
Who should skip this: anyone after the exact feel of an original Klon. It is close in spirit rather than identical.
Electro Harmonix East River
The Blues Driver has fewer direct budget alternatives, because the real thing is already affordable. The Electro Harmonix East River, at £69, is a compact overdrive in a similar amp like spirit.
The Standard Versions
Boss BD-2 Blues Driver
At £105, the Boss BD-2 Blues Driver is the cheapest of the three originals, and that makes it remarkable value. It has level, tone and gain controls, Boss's tough metal enclosure and a buffered bypass that helps with long cable runs. If you can only afford one drive pedal and do not know yet what you like, this is the one I would suggest.
Who should skip this: players who already run a crunchy amp and only want a boost.
Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
At £129, the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer is the standard choice. It is bright, focused and easy to dial in, and it pushes a driven amp brilliantly. The Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer, at £149, adds extra modes with more gain and output.
Who should skip this: players with a very clean amp who want a standalone overdrive.
Wampler Tumnus V2
The Wampler Tumnus V2 was £135 at guitarguitar and is one of the most respected small Klon style pedals. It is compact, built well and voiced to capture the clean blend that makes the circuit special. The MXR Sugar Drive, at £129, is a strong alternative with a switchable buffer.
Who should skip this: players who want a pedal to supply all their dirt from a clean amp at higher gain.
The Premium Versions
Ibanez TS808 Reissue
The Ibanez TS808 Reissue, at £179, recreates the original 1970s pedal. Many players hear it as slightly smoother and warmer than the TS9. Whether that difference is worth £50 depends on your ears, and on how much you value the history.
Boss BD-2W Waza Craft Blues Driver
The Boss BD-2W Waza Craft Blues Driver, at £165, is Boss's upgraded version. It adds a switch between a standard mode, close to the original, and a custom mode with a fuller, smoother voice. If you find the standard BD-2 a little sharp in the treble, the custom mode is the fix.
RYRA The Klone and the Klon KTR
For the closest experience to an original Centaur, boutique builders make careful recreations. The RYRA The Klone was £169 at guitarguitar, and the J.Rockett Archer, £199, is another well known option. The official Klon KTR from Bill Finnegan exists too, but it is hard to find in UK shops, so check the used market and buy only from trusted sellers.
Who should skip these: anyone on a tight budget. The Soul Food and Tumnus get you most of the way for less.
Quick Comparison Table
| Tube Screamer | Blues Driver | Klon style | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core character | Mid hump, tight, compressed | Amp like breakup, wide range | Transparent, clean blend |
| Best into | An amp already breaking up | A clean amp | Almost any amp |
| Gain range | Low to medium | Low to near fuzz | Clean boost to medium |
| Best with | Humbuckers, high gain boosts | Single coils, P90s | Everything |
| Budget option | Tube Screamer Mini, £49 | East River, £69 | Soul Food, £79 |
| Standard option | TS9, £129 | BD-2, £105 | Tumnus V2, £135 |
| Premium option | TS808, £179 | BD-2W, £165 | Klone, Archer, £169 to £199 |
What I Don't Like About Each One
Tube Screamer. On its own into a clean amp it can sound thin and nasal. It cuts bass that some players want to keep. And it never fully cleans up, even with the drive turned all the way down.
Blues Driver. The treble can be sharp, especially with bright single coils. It can get busy when stacked on a crunchy amp. And the standard BD-2's tone control is very sensitive, so small changes make a big difference.
Klon style. The hype is enormous, and most players will not hear a dramatic change on their own. At low gain it can feel like "just a boost". And genuine originals are priced as collector's items rather than tools.
All three. None of them replaces a good amp. A drive pedal makes a good amp sound different; it does not make a bad amp sound good.
Who Should Skip All Three
High gain metal players with a dedicated metal amp. You may need only a Tube Screamer as a boost, or nothing at all.
Players who mostly use headphones and a multi effects unit. You likely have models of all three already.
Fuzz lovers. These are overdrives. If you want the sound of a Big Muff or Fuzz Face, you need a fuzz pedal.
Players with a very limited budget for everything. Spend on a better amp first; see our best practice amps roundup.
Buying Used in the UK
Overdrive pedals are among the safest things to buy used. They are simple, tough and hold their value. A few checks are still worth doing:
Pots and switch. Turn every knob and click the footswitch many times, listening for crackles or cut outs.
Jacks. Wiggle the cables in the input and output.
Power. Try it on a power supply and, if it takes one, a battery.
Fakes. Copies of collectable pedals, especially Klons and older Tube Screamers, do circulate. If a deal looks too good, ask for internal photos and buy from a seller with a returns policy.
So, Which Overdrive Should You Buy?
Your first drive pedal, into a clean amp. The Boss BD-2 Blues Driver. It is the cheapest of the originals and the most useful on its own.
You already have a crunchy amp and want more push. The Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, or the Tube Screamer Mini if space and money are tight.
You love your amp and want more of it. A Klon style pedal, starting with the Electro Harmonix Soul Food or the Wampler Tumnus V2.
You want two. A Klon style pedal into a Blues Driver, or a Tube Screamer into a Klon style pedal, are both classic stacks.
Why Liverpool Music
Liverpool Music is run by Zhong Gu, a songwriter who also builds FencyGuitar, a guitar learning app. We think about gear in terms of what it does for a song and for a player's progress, and that is the lens we use here.
We checked prices against UK retailers on 25 October 2026, mainly guitarguitar. We cross checked history and circuit details against manufacturer information and long standing published sources, and when a point is a widely reported impression rather than our own hands on testing, we say so. We do not currently earn commission from any retailer we mention. If a price or detail has changed, tell us and we will correct it.
FAQ
Is the Blues Driver better than the Tube Screamer?
Neither is better overall; they do different jobs. The Blues Driver is better as a standalone overdrive into a clean amp, because it sounds like an amp breaking up. The Tube Screamer is better for pushing an amp that is already driven, thanks to its tight low end and mid boost.
Is a Klon worth the money?
An original Klon Centaur is not worth collector prices for most players, because the sound is available far more cheaply. Klon style pedals such as the Electro Harmonix Soul Food and Wampler Tumnus capture the transparent, clean blended character for under £150. Buy an original only if you value it as a collectable.
Should I get the TS9 or the TS808?
Get the TS9 if you want the standard Tube Screamer sound for less money; at £129 it is £50 cheaper. Get the TS808 if you prefer a slightly smoother, warmer voice and like owning the original design. In a band mix, most listeners will struggle to hear the difference.
Can I use these pedals with a modelling amp?
Yes, all three work well with modelling amps such as the Boss Katana or Positive Grid Spark. Choose a clean amp model and let the pedal provide the drive, or use a lightly crunchy model and the pedal as a boost. Avoid stacking a pedal into a very high gain model.
Which overdrive is best for beginners?
The Boss Blues Driver is the best overdrive for most beginners. It costs about £105, it is very tough, and it sounds good into almost any clean amp, from small valve combos to practice amps. It also teaches you how picking strength and guitar volume shape your sound.
The Bottom End
The Blues Driver, the Tube Screamer and the Klon have survived decades of hype because each one solves a real problem. The Tube Screamer makes a driven amp tighter and louder in a mix. The Blues Driver turns a clean amp into a pushed one. The Klon makes your amp sound like the best version of itself. Choose by your amp and your music, not by the legend, and you will be happy with any of them. And if you are still undecided, the Blues Driver is the safest first step onto a pedalboard.
