The Cusack Music Screamer is a Cusack Music overdrive pedal. Close alternatives include the JAM Pedals Double Dreamer and the DigiTech Badder Monkey Tube Overdrive. It pairs well with the Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-115 Combo Bass Amp and the Ampeg RB-110.
Cusack Music Screamer
Cusack Music · pedal
The Cusack Music Scream is a Tube Screamer-inspired overdrive pedal from the American boutique builder, delivering warm, mid-forward overdrive character in the TS tradition with refined control and circuit execution. The Scream provides the familiar soft-clipping mid-hump overdrive character of classic Tube Screamer designs while offering the improved component quality and construction associated with Cusack boutique builds. Suited for blues, rock, and country players who want a premium TS-style overdrive with reliable boutique construction.
What stands out
“Suited for blues, rock, and country players who want a premium TS-style overdrive with reliable boutique construction”
— from the listing
“The mid-forward character is warm and musical, well-suited to blues and country lead work”
— from the reviews
“The Scream provides the familiar soft-clipping mid-hump overdrive character of classic Tube Screamer designs while offering the improved component quality and construction associated with Cusack boutique builds”
— from the listing
“the cusack music scream is a tube screamer-inspired overdrive pedal from the american boutique builder”
— from the listing
“Tube Screamer-inspired overdrive delivering the classic mid-forward TS808 character with warm midrange presence and smooth harmonic saturation in a boutique US quality package”
— from the community notes
Trade-offs
“the inherent tube screamer mid-hump is a defining characteristic that limits versatility for players who prefer flatter or scooped overdrive voicings”
— from the reviews
- ts
- mid forward
- overdrive
- country
- boutique
- american
- clipping
- mid hump
Genres the Cusack Music Screamer is commonly used in
Amps that pair well with the Cusack Music Screamer
Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-115 Combo Bass Amp
Ampeg
37% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)
Cusack Music Screamer takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Ampeg RB-110
Ampeg
36% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)
What Cusack Music Screamer brings here leans toward mid-forward — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes later in the signal chain
Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head
Revv
26% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Comes later in the signal chain
EVH 5150 Iconic 60W 212
Evh
21% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Feed a high gain signal into Cusack Music Screamer and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Blackstar HT 5RH Head
Blackstar
20% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)
Cusack Music Screamer's own mid-forward character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Pignose 7-100
amplifier
20% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → mid-forward)
Feed a crunchy signal into Cusack Music Screamer and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Peavey JSX Joe Satriani Signature Head
Peavey
19% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Feed a high gain signal into Cusack Music Screamer and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Traynor YCV40/50 20th Anniversary Combo
Traynor
18% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → mid-forward)
Cusack Music Screamer pushes a crunchy tone toward mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Pedals that stack with the Cusack Music Screamer
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
Electro-Harmonix
38% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)
Feed a scooped signal into Cusack Music Screamer and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal
Boss
31% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)
Cusack Music Screamer takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Wren and Cuff Box of War Small Foot Fuzz
Wren And Cuff
29% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Stack the Box of War's clear, sustaining Muff-style fuzz with the Screamer's own TS-voiced, bluesy drive for two distinct low-gain textures.
Comes later in the signal chain
Fjord Fuzz Odin
Fjord Fuzz
28% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Put Fjord Fuzz Odin in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi
Electro-Harmonix
27% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)
Cusack Music Screamer pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Creation Audio Labs Funkulator
Creation Audio Labs
26% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)
Cusack Music Screamer pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Aria Lil' RAT Distortion
Aria
26% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → mid-forward)
Cusack Music Screamer pushes a crunchy tone toward mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Nano Metal Muff
Electro-Harmonix
26% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)
Cusack Music Screamer pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
See all 51 pedals that pair with the Cusack Music Screamer →
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
JAM Pedals Double Dreamer
Jam Pedals
66% similarityShared character: lead, overdrive
DigiTech Badder Monkey Tube Overdrive
Digitech
66% similarityShared character: smooth, overdrive
Cornerstone Antique v2
Cornerstone
66% similarityShared character: alternative, response, overdrive
Cornerstone CST-Ant
Cornerstone
65% similarityShared character: overdrive
Cornerstone Cio-Ant
Cornerstone
64% similarityShared character: natural, warm, overdrive
J. Rockett The Dude
J Rockett
63% similarityShared character: alternative, classic rock, overdrive
JAM Pedals TubeDreamer MK2
Jam Pedals
62% similarityShared character: smooth, response, warm
Browne Amplification Gritador Classic Overdrive
Browne Amplification
60% similarityShared character: bass, classic rock, lead
JAM Pedals Tubedreamer
Jam Pedals
60% similarityShared character: alternative
Maxon OD-9 Pro+
Maxon
59% similarityShared character: bass, smooth, response
Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer
Ibanez
58% similarityShared character: bass, smooth, response
Mooer Demonfx TS Green
Mooer
57% similarityShared character: alternative, warm, overdrive
See all alternatives to the Cusack Music Screamer (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Cusack Music Screamer?+
The closest matches in character are the JAM Pedals Double Dreamer, the DigiTech Badder Monkey Tube Overdrive, the Cornerstone Antique v2.
What pairs well with the Cusack Music Screamer?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-115 Combo Bass Amp, Ampeg RB-110, Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head — Cusack Music Screamer takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward.