Oh, forgot to add, the VS route 808 is really cheap compared to the Maxon/Ibanez pedals. I know Agent Orange knows this, but for the OP's info, buffers in a chain are not a bad thing, it's all about context. Thats why i like the VS stuff so much. The Maxon 0D808 is often compared to the slightly higher priced Ibanez TS808, as they are quite similar to each other in many aspects. I found the Maxon was less harsh on the mid-range and featured more tonal control. Furthermore, thereis a general consensus online that the Maxon is the superior overdrive pedal overall, which I am inclined to agree with. In real terms the 9 is a touch, and i really mean vaguely, more aggressive, the 808 is more open and smooth. but theese are minute differences. There's no real "mid hump" differences between them. When Ibanez reissued its TS-9 Tube Screamer in 1996 (circuit still manufactured by Maxon), some wondered why they didn’t choose to reissue its TS-808 model instead. Thankfully though, modifications were easy enough to perform to turn the TS-9 reissue into a genuine TS-808 and many offer that service today. Different pedals work well for different amps. i have never understood the use of a tubescreamer to boost a marshall or 5150 etc. Maybe because they're known as a boost pedal, primarily because of SRV. But here's the thing. SRV was Fender user, and LOTS of country players use TS's. and they generally use Fenders. Why does this combo sound so good? because fenders are typically amps with a scooped character. the TS adds in what isn't there.

It turned out that the reason for the super-bright brittleness was the worn out ten year old valves in my Bad Cat Cub! It all disappeared with new valves. While all of these pedals are great, they all have different qualities which make some more suitable than others. Do I want something traditional or modern? As far as Tube Screamer clones go, the Hudson Sidecar takes care of a slightly different end of the market. The Sidecar isn’t green, and it’s got more than three knobs, for a start – but tonally, the Sidecar just does more. If you like a slightly less than traditional approach to your Tube Screamers, then the Sidecar could be for you. Maxon play off being the original makers and charge lots of money, and Ibanez are the original brand. and charge lots of money. and a million and one other makers make clones at varying levels of price. The most outrageous of the standard production ones is the TS808HW (handwired). they don't use "premium" or "hand selected" components, they use the same bog standard stuff out of the same parts bins as the other pedals. To be fair i shouldn't really damn keeley and Aman modded pedals. it's just the mods they make the most of (the chip change) are pure and utter nonsense. the mods they hype the least (eq modification etc) are the ones that make the most difference. but then modding a TS to remove the mid hump is making the pedal "not" a TS anymore.There are so many factors that come into play when you decide to buy a clone over the original pedal. difference between them is easily summed up as "not an awful lot". in physical terms you're talking a couple of output resistors (forget the chip mojo, the chip has nothing to do with clipping in the circuit). You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

The build quality is impeccable. The pedal has a nice weight to it, and I predict it will still be working perfectly long after I'm gone! Turns out that the OD808’s mild compression and slight low-end cut are perfect for tightening up high-gain amps; allowing fast note runs to stand out with clarity while making rhythms tight and punchy. Just listen to any recording by Grammy-award winning Producer/Killswitch Engage founder Adam Dutkiewicz to hear how the OD808 has become the voice of a whole new generation of metal guitarists.Can a pedal be considered a clone if it’s made by the company that made the original?!? Maxon designed the original OD808 overdrive circuit in the late 1970’s – they then rebranded this pedal for Ibanez as the TS808 Tubescreamer, and the rest is history...

In recent years the OD808 has been adopted as the overdrive of choice by a generation of guitarists in a most unlikely musical genre – metal. saying that.. if you want it to TB something without modding the case, get it, if you get it because you want to improve your buffered tone, don't. I don't know where all this snake oil about Boss and Ibby pedals having cr@ppy buffers arose from. Maybe someone would say that's bull because they're both just tubescreamers, blah blah blah. I've heard all that before and I still disagree. Let your ears determine what sounds good. All I can tell you is I've been through all those and I told you what I prefer and why. Another thing to consider is whether you'd like a more traditional pedal over something more modern-sounding, or vice versa.

Tube Screamer Shootout Videos

The first thing to decide on is how close you'd like the clone to be to a Tube Screamer. After all, most originals are buffered, so if you want a true bypass Tube Screamer, then an otherwise faithful clone might be your best bet. There's a broad spectrum of clones, from those that are more 'inspired' by the pedal than direct clones, to ones that are a part-perfect recreation of a particular era of the pedal. You need to decide where on this spectrum your tastes lie, and how flexible you need it to be. If in doubt, as always, let your ears be your guide. Basically Maxon are the people who designed and built the TS's for ibanez up until about the mid to late 90's. Even early maxon made TS9 Ri's are going for silly money.. It's kind of like Swiss army knives. Victorinox make the "original" swiss army knife and Wenger make the " Genuine" swiss army knife, but they're both swiss army knives. When a product reaches this level of popularity (or even a much lesser level, for that matter!), it’s only normal for the industry to take note and try to “join the revenue party.” That’s why the Tube Screamer has become one of the most cloned and referenced pedals of all time. For those who want only the very best overdrive tones emanating from their 'board, Ibanez has produced (and continues to produce) hand-wired versions of the TS808. The limited edition Ibanez TS808HW – whilst also acting as an investment for players who want to see their money put to good use – provides an impressive tone which delivers on all of the TS808-sounding promises. Whether it sounds that much better we'll never know – but it's worth getting hold of one if your bank account will allow.