Citizen x Ibanez Drop Ultra-Limited “Tube Screamer” Tsuno Chrono Watch

The iconic green overdrive pedal leaves the pedalboard and hits your wrist in a highly specific, 500-piece Japan-exclusive collaboration.

Watch brands are no strangers to the music world. In recent years, we’ve seen various Casio x Boss gear crossovers, and Seiko celebrated Fender’s 70th Anniversary with a vibrant trio of Stratocaster-inspired watches.

Now, Citizen is stepping into the arena, teaming up with legendary guitar manufacturer Ibanez to release a time-telling tribute to one of the most important guitar effects ever made: the Citizen Tsuno Chrono Custom Tube Screamer Limited Edition (Model TSTCC808).

Setting Your Watch to Pure Overdrive Tone

For the uninitiated, the Ibanez Tube Screamer is essentially the blueprint for modern guitar overdrive. Introduced in the late 1970s, its mid-range boost became the secret sonic weapon for legendary players like Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Mayer.

If you have a drive pedal on your board today, there is a massive chance its DNA traces back to this green machine.

Instead of the standard bright green enclosure, Citizen took direct inspiration from the TS808HWV2—a premium, hand-wired, darker-toned version of the flagship pedal that Ibanez launched in 2024.

The aesthetic translation onto the watch face is remarkably well-executed without feeling gimmicky:

• The Dial: A spot-on, deep metallic forest green that perfectly mirrors the TS808HWV2 finish.

• The Sub-Dials: The three chronograph subsidiary dials are deliberately labeled Drive, Tone, and Level, mirroring the exact configuration of the pedal’s famous three-knob control layout.

• The Caseback: The flip side features an engraved Ibanez logo alongside “Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro” text and “Input/Output” orientation markings where the pedal jacks would normally sit.

Affordable Specs in a Classic Bullhead Silhouette

The watch utilizes Citizen’s vintage-inspired Tsuno Chrono platform—affectionately known by collectors as the “Bullhead” because the chronograph pushers and crown sit at the top of the case rather than the side.

Because this model belongs to Citizen’s budget-friendly fashion line, it swaps out mechanical movements for a reliable, hassle-free quartz calibre.

Citizen x Ibanez Tube Screamer Specifications

To complete the collector experience, the timepiece ships inside a custom, special-edition presentation box styled exactly like the packaging of the hand-wired TS808HWV2 pedal.

The Catch: How to Get One

As with many of the coolest watch-meets-gear collaborations, there is a substantial hurdle for global buyers.

The Citizen Tsuno Chrono Custom Tube Screamer is strictly limited to just 500 pieces worldwide. It is priced at a very accessible ¥44,000 (approximately $277 USD), but it is a Japan-exclusive release, sold strictly through domestic Japanese music instrument retailers and the official online Ibanez Lifestyle store.

Neither brand has indicated whether an international allocation will open up down the road.

For now, if you want this piece of rock-and-roll wristwear, it’s time to call a friend in Japan or start hunting down reputable proxy shipping services before these 500 units vanish into the wild.