What are the differences between the TS808 and TS9 pedals?

gibson slave · Jul 25, 2005

Looking at getting one for my 59slp reissue, but havent tried one and dont have access to one.

I know the claims about the different chips, but how exactly do they compare to each other tone-wise? There must be a difference in the 808, besides costing $70 more.

Theres lots of them on ebay, but Id like to make an informed "guess", rather than a stab in the dark. Thanks for any info guys.

Smitty

jwalker · Jul 25, 2005

I personally don't get the Tube Screamer thing. I think they are tone suckers. There are better choices out there to drive an amp.

59Vampire · Jul 25, 2005

Im a tube screamer type with my strats dont use it much with my lester. But, the deal is with the reissues TS808, you are paying for the hype. Find a used ts9 that was doone by analog mike to have the "proper" chip and you will do fine. They sound ever so slightly different but unless you are Eric Johnson, it really doesnt matter. Tube screamer equals mid boost for most strat players. However, with my lester, I use it as a clean boost to warm up a marshall combo at lower volumes.

gibson slave · Jul 25, 2005

jwalker said:
I personally don't get the Tube Screamer thing. I think they are tone suckers. There are better choices out there to drive an amp.

Well, if your going to bash the tubescreamer idea, you could at least offer some opinions as to what you think works better. I could have asked "what is the best distortion pedal for a Marshall", but that has ARGUMENT written all over it.

Im not going for a metal sound, just want to give it a little more aggresiveness when needed on certain songs.

Smitty

gibson slave · Jul 25, 2005

59Vampire said:
Im a tube screamer type with my strats dont use it much with my lester. But, the deal is with the reissues TS808, you are paying for the hype. Find a used ts9 that was doone by analog mike to have the "proper" chip and you will do fine. They sound ever so slightly different but unless you are Eric Johnson, it really doesnt matter. Tube screamer equals mid boost for most strat players. However, with my lester, I use it as a clean boost to warm up a marshall combo at lower volumes.

Thanks, thats partly what was confusing me, all the different mods on different models.

Im not sure I like the statement "Tubescreamer equals mid boost for most strat players." I dont want more mid boost, I have it at 0 now. I wonder if my Lester would react the same way? I love the tone now, I just want a LITTLE more distortion on certain songs.

Thanks,
Smitty

surfreak · Jul 25, 2005

I have owned 2 original TS808, a stock TS9 and now a TS808 reissue.
I sold the originals for a fairly obscene amount of money (one was a player, the other one, a backup, was basically mint), and I have A/B'd the TS9 and the TS808 reissue for about a month before selling the TS9.

My personal conclusions were:

1. The TS808 reissue sounds exactly like the originals. I am sorry for analogmike and all the other fine builders who base part of their business on modding pedals to TS808 specs, but honestly, tone-wise, they sound the same.
Overdrive pedals are built with cheap, easy to find components,and they don't "age". They have about as much "mojo" as a Kmart transistor radio.

The hype about "vintage" pedals to me is simpy ridiculous, when they can be easily replicated by any hobbyist electrician with a basement.

2. If you need a fairly natural sounding overdrive, to push your amp rather than add its own distortion, the TS808 sounds better than the TS9. The overdrive is smoother, with a "finer grain" than the TS9, and it doesn't color your tone as much.
Comparing the two with a parallel effect loop into the amp, the TS9 shows a pronounced mid-high bump, has a little more gain, and less bottom end.

3. In my typical band situation, i.e. casual low profile gigging, some weekday rehearsals etc., the TS9 is probably more suitable, as it helps your tone cut through the mix better.
In a bedroom situation, or for people who have or claim to have finer ears, the TS808 sounds better, as it brings out the "wood" in your tone.

4. The stereotype TS808 --> Strat --> SRV is cliche and very limiting. I personally like my TS808 the best with my R9 into a Marshall Bluesbreaker.

All in all, I think the TS808 is a good pedal. It is not absurdly overpriced as some of the boutique pedals, it is nearly ubiquitous, and therefore easily replaceable in case something goes wrong.
Two years ago, out of frustration mostly, I took out most of the "goo" in a Klon Centaur Professional Super Boutique Overdrive. See, to me it simply didnt do anything that any other mild overdrive / booster couldn't do, so I wanted to know that at least my bloody $ 350 went into some ultra high tolerance vibranium resistors, caps assembled by T.A. edison himself etc...
What I found was just a bunch of regular otc resistors and caps, a small amateurish looking etched circuit board and some wires. Disappointing, to say the least.

Anyway, sorry for the digression. I'd say go with the TS808.

gibson slave · Jul 25, 2005

surfreak said:
I have owned 2 original TS808, a stock TS9 and now a TS808 reissue.
I sold the originals for a fairly obscene amount of money (one was a player, the other one, a backup, was basically mint), and I have A/B'd the TS9 and the TS808 reissue for about a month before selling the TS9.

Thanks surfreak. Thats exactly what I was wanting to know.
Smitty

Bradster · Jul 25, 2005

If one looks at the schematics, they are nearly identical circuits, there are only like 3 small parts different in the TS9 than the TS808 (808 is the older one like SRV used).

In the stompbox forums the most frequent TS mod is to add a switch that allows you to switch betweeen the two. Any TS9 can be changed to a TS808 and vis-versa.

Scott Cioe · Jul 25, 2005

I tried a bunch to add a bit more "hair" to my current rig (LP/335 in VHT super 30).

I ended up with the TS-808 - for my needs it KILLED the TS-9 sonically, with my rig.

erksin · Jul 25, 2005

If you don't want additional mids, just more grit - look at a Timmy OD from Paul Cochrane (do a search - his info is here somewhere)...

Don · Jul 25, 2005

surfreak said:
Overdrive pedals are built with cheap, easy to find components,and they don't "age". They have about as much "mojo" as a Kmart transistor radio.

The hype about "vintage" pedals to me is simpy ridiculous, when they can be easily replicated by any hobbyist electrician with a basement.

I couldn't agree more.

I replaced my 20+ year old TS-9 with an $80 TS-808 clone kit.

It was fun to build, sounds better than the original and has a hard wired bypass.

I kinda felt bad for the guy who paid too much for my old TS-9, but he wanted an original.

I have no use for vintage pedals at all if new ones sound as good or better and cost less.

I like this pedal best with my Les Paul Junior into my Princeton Reverb.

59Vampire · Jul 26, 2005

One problem with the ts overdrives I have found is that they have a very boxy compressed sound with some amps(my ac15) but with others they are very nice. Why not check out the Fulldrive 2. I had one and thought it was much more versatile and now you can get one not only with the comp cut but a flat mids switch as well.

Loves_LPs · Jul 26, 2005

This thread is a perfect example of why I keep coming to this forum: knowledgeable people giving honest, unbiased, and informed information. I really want to thank guys like you who so generously share their knowledge. :salude

drewchowen · Jul 26, 2005

I've got a TS9 that was modded with an 808 chip by an engineer in Baton Rouge, I bought it off a guy for $100, came with a receipt for the mod charge. I've had it front of a couple of rigs, but with my current amp setup (heavily modded Laney VC30 - mock AC30) it's been amazing. I only use the dirty side of the amp, trim the gains on my guitars when I need to clean up the tone. Step on the little green monster, and this amp goes from hot Vox-y to Brit Monster, all without getting too saturated to the point of sounding like crap. Hard to decribe, but the modded TS9 matches this amp like they were soulmates or something. My only grievance - noise... My modded TS9 is NOT quiet, and turns my guitar into a receptor for lights, transformers, all kinds of electro magnetic interferences.

Lee_Moore · Jul 26, 2005

surfreak said:
Two years ago, out of frustration mostly, I took out most of the "goo" in a Klon Centaur Professional Super Boutique Overdrive. See, to me it simply didnt do anything that any other mild overdrive / booster couldn't do, so I wanted to know that at least my bloody $ 350 went into some ultra high tolerance vibranium resistors, caps assembled by T.A. edison himself etc...
What I found was just a bunch of regular otc resistors and caps, a small amateurish looking etched circuit board and some wires. Disappointing, to say the least.

Anyway, sorry for the digression. I'd say go with the TS808.

Thanks for the comments. Glad to hear that someone was finally successful in doing that. I've heard that same, but haven't chatted with anyone that knew anything substantive about electronics.

The Klon still is a good pedal and reproduces the tones of a few legends if used properly - Warren Haynes comes to mind. However, I've heard that the Xotic RC Booster does a MUCH better job of dialing-in or out how much gain and EQ you need with your signal. I've not tried one yet, but want to see if it works better than the Klon; which adds quite a bit of color in some settings.

sinner · Jul 26, 2005

I've got the Xotic RC ("Really Clean") Boost and use it in front of my Landgraff Dynamic Overdrive. You're right about the EQ & Gain functions of the clean boost: plenty of play-room to dial in a good sound, all with very little added color to your original tone (just louder and a bit more bite). Don't confuse the RC for the AC, which will add gain to your signal--the RC clean boost is great at notching up things without adding gain/distortion--I leave that to the Landgraff, either on its own or in combination with the RC for exciting the LDO even more--Great Stuff! I haven't tried the Klon, but heard good things about that one as well, but now I'm very happy where I am so my search is over for the time being.

bluesjuke · Jul 27, 2005

jwalker said:
I personally don't get the Tube Screamer thing. I think they are tone suckers. There are better choices out there to drive an amp.

Like a quality tube preamp perhaps?

DonR · Jul 31, 2005

If your going to use a tube screamer, then an analogman modded one is the way to go. If your driving a Lester though a Marshall then checl out either a drive2 or boost2 from www.s2amps.com. Point to point hand wired preamp with a quality tube in it - they both kick ass with a marshall. Save the tS for fender amps and strats.

DonR

fast ricky love · Jul 31, 2005

erksin said:
If you don't want additional mids, just more grit - look at a Timmy OD from Paul Cochrane (do a search - his info is here somewhere)...

I can't recommend the Timmy strongly enough. I A/B'ed it recently during my own personal pedal shoot-out with among MANY others an Analogman TS-9... To me there is no contest and the only other pedal that is up there with the Timmy is a $400 Landgraff!!! (The Timmy is $109, the best deal in guitar electronics period).

rays44 · Jul 31, 2005

surfreak said:
I have owned 2 original TS808, a stock TS9 and now a TS808 reissue.
I sold the originals for a fairly obscene amount of money (one was a player, the other one, a backup, was basically mint), and I have A/B'd the TS9 and the TS808 reissue for about a month before selling the TS9.

My personal conclusions were:

1. The TS808 reissue sounds exactly like the originals. I am sorry for analogmike and all the other fine builders who base part of their business on modding pedals to TS808 specs, but honestly, tone-wise, they sound the same.
Overdrive pedals are built with cheap, easy to find components,and they don't "age". They have about as much "mojo" as a Kmart transistor radio.

The hype about "vintage" pedals to me is simpy ridiculous, when they can be easily replicated by any hobbyist electrician with a basement.

2. If you need a fairly natural sounding overdrive, to push your amp rather than add its own distortion, the TS808 sounds better than the TS9. The overdrive is smoother, with a "finer grain" than the TS9, and it doesn't color your tone as much.
Comparing the two with a parallel effect loop into the amp, the TS9 shows a pronounced mid-high bump, has a little more gain, and less bottom end.

3. In my typical band situation, i.e. casual low profile gigging, some weekday rehearsals etc., the TS9 is probably more suitable, as it helps your tone cut through the mix better.
In a bedroom situation, or for people who have or claim to have finer ears, the TS808 sounds better, as it brings out the "wood" in your tone.

4. The stereotype TS808 --> Strat --> SRV is cliche and very limiting. I personally like my TS808 the best with my R9 into a Marshall Bluesbreaker.

All in all, I think the TS808 is a good pedal. It is not absurdly overpriced as some of the boutique pedals, it is nearly ubiquitous, and therefore easily replaceable in case something goes wrong.
Two years ago, out of frustration mostly, I took out most of the "goo" in a Klon Centaur Professional Super Boutique Overdrive. See, to me it simply didnt do anything that any other mild overdrive / booster couldn't do, so I wanted to know that at least my bloody $ 350 went into some ultra high tolerance vibranium resistors, caps assembled by T.A. edison himself etc...
What I found was just a bunch of regular otc resistors and caps, a small amateurish looking etched circuit board and some wires. Disappointing, to say the least.

Anyway, sorry for the digression. I'd say go with the TS808.

One of the best responces ever on the topic. Good job. :salude

What are the differences between the TS808 and TS9 pedals?

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