Build Your Own Clone Screamer Clone

Simple simon. No brainer. Slam dunk. Piece of cake.
Three knobs and a stomp on/off switch. It really dosen't get easier.

Built my pedal to the original TS-808 spec.
I am an engineer by trade and inspected the circuit design. Dead on 808 circuit. Put extreme care into putting it together. Kit was superb and easy to build.
Results: The undeniable sound of the famous ts-808 tube screamer.
No nonsense overdrive with exceptional tonal control.
Played with late model american strat and telecaster through a Fender
65 deluxe reverb reissue amp. Don't get fooled with the vintage hype.
Create one yourself exactly to the ts-808 spec. Take it from me, a circuit, is a circuit.

Bomb proof.
The sun rises in the east... this pedal works.

Never needed any.
Huge user group community on internet to help you through any issues.

Best pedal added to the collection in a long, long time.
Would replace it instantly if lost or stolen.
A staple effect for blues/rock.

Great job BYOC!

The pedal itself is easy to use with drive, volume, and tone controls. If you using the pedal itself to create overdrive in a clean channel use high setting of drive with volume and tone as required. Want to drive an already overdriven amp - use 9 -12 o'clock on the drive and 12 o'clock or better on the volume control.
The build instructions provided are excellent and cover many popular modifications you can make to customize you pedal to your own liking.

I have owned, played, modded (and have had modded) virtually the entire tube screamer range: TS5, TS10, vintage TS808, TS9, TS9 reissue, TS808 reissue, and the super tube. The screamer clone can easily hang with the very best of them. I feel it is superior in sound to the TS9 and TS808 reissues in that is has an overall warmer/thicker sound with improved transparancy (because of better quality componets over the Ibanez product). The "clone" works best when used with a quality tube amp. I don't think it would have the same luster with a solid state amp. I use my "clone" to push my already overdriven Budda Superdrive 30 and various Marshall tube models. Works great for creating liquid sustain. Add in the fact you can mod it to your hearts content by changing the gain, clipping, and IC chip, etc with the parts contained in the kit and you have a real winner. I also like the fact that this is true bypass (I don't mind a little click) when the TS series is not. The Ibanez TS are pretty good as a whole in not coloring the bypassed sound compared to many pedals on the market, yet they still tend to thin out the bypassed tone a little bit in my humble opinion. Overall the screamer clone exceeded my sonic expectations.

A lot of this depends on you! Self admittedly, I am probably not the neatest kit builder out there - yet the kit fired up fine and worked perfectly the first time I tried it out. I would think this unit would be as reliable as any commercial built Boss or Ibanez unit if you do a nice job building it. Build Your Own Clone provides a very high quality kit. I was particularly impressed with the quality of the circuit board. I felt it was of the highest quality I had seen in any electronic kit I had built.

Build Your Own Clone's service was excellent and the documentation for the kit was great. Their website offers further help in the event you have difficulties with your build.

I find this product to be very useful in pushing my already overdriven tube amps to create the liquid sustain I often need for lead blues-rock and rock. It also works well for creating a light overdriven sound through clean channels of tube amps. I think this model is a fantastic value if you are willing (and able) to construct it yourself. For under a $100 you can easily create a pedal that will sound as good or better than a Keeley, Analog Man, or Indyguitarist modified Ibanez Tube Screamer.

3 knobs, just like a TS.
one is gain/drive, one is level/volume, and one is tone.

i use this a as clean boost for on a high gain channel amp (level max,gain zero, tone to taste)

all the byoc pedals are true bypass.

excellent forum

ibuilt with following mod specs -
- less minimum gain
- 1uf metal film caps to help preserve quality of original tone
- .15 tantalum cap to make tone knob frequency response more guitar friendly
- Langraff mod (DPDT on/off/on switch with 2x Leds and 3x 1N914s)

i love it with the LEDS as i can keep the screamer on the whole time(when set as clean boost) and still have a CLEAN clean sound. and now i can get away with even LESS gain on the Cobra (crunch channel is on 10:00oclock and lead is just below 9:00oclock!!!)

theres a slight diffrence in tone with the switch with more diffrence as the gain goes up (the diode lift has an INSANE volume boost!)

im going to buy another one just to build to ts-9 specs

Easy to build...hard part is sorting out the parts (resistors/diodes etc) but once you know whats what its just a matter of following the instructions (downloaded from the website)

3 knobs as per the TS808 spec (VOL./TONE/Drive)
i set it as a "clean boost" to overdrive the input of a high gain channel (Volume near full, Drive/gain ZERO and adjust the tone knob to suit)

Easy to dial in an overdrive sound as well.

PRS CE24/Ibanez RG3120 prestige/Fat Strat/Jackson Professional EMG 81/85 into a Framus Cobra+Framus CS212 cab.

i originally wanted to build it to MAXON OD808 specs but to my surprise after googling for specs i found out that despite its name...the OD808 circuit is actually a TS-10 circuit!? ...so i went with the TS808 (JRC4558)
built with following mod specs -
- less minimum gain
- 1uf metal film caps to help preserve quality of original tone
- .15 tantalum cap to make tone knob frequency response more guitar friendly
- .1uf cap for slight increase in bass response.
- Langraff mod (DPDT on/off/on switch for the clipping section with 2x Leds (symetrical), diode lift and 3x 1N914s(2vs1 asymetrical)

i wanted to cram a rotary switch in there for more clipping options but decided not to as i essentially wanted this kit to be set and forget...
i love it with the LEDS as i can keep the screamer on the whole time(when set as clean boost) and still have a CLEAN clean sound. and now i can get away with even LESS gain on the Cobra (crunch channel is on 10:00oclock and lead is a dot below 9:00oclock!!!)

theres a slight diffrence in tone with the switch with more noticable diffrence as the gain goes up (the diode lift has an INSANE volume boost!)
and the Blue indicator LED i put in is ridiculously bright! ...from a distance its ok but when standing over it its blinding...so you cant actually see any of the settings haha

Cant comment...ive only started building these kits early 07. this is my 3rd kit.

all parts feel of high quality and case is sturdy metal.

rest is up to your build skills

EXcellent forum. very helpful and all questions answered

play all sorts from blues/rock/metal/shred

love this pedal and am considering getting another one(or two) for my Epi valve JR and/or to build to TS-9 specs.

Same ol Tube Screamer Tone, Level, and drive. It don't get much easier that that. Set the drive to your preference of overdrive, adjust the tone for brighter or darker, and set level to match with or slightly boost your amp.

I built mine totally stock at first with the exception of using the 2 1uf mallory film caps instead of the electrolytics in the signal path. They say that it preserves more of your original tone that way. I was able to build it in a about 5 hours. I did take my time and double check every part as I put them in. Done the fat mod and more/less drive mod and all I can say is wow!!! Before the mods it sounded almost identical to my friend's 808 modded ts9. It seems that the BYOC is a little more clear sounding though. Maybe because of the quality components? After the fat and drive mods it really sounds awsome. I can turn the drive down all the way and get a decent clean boost or crank the drive for a little more than an "overdrive" but not quite a fuzz. I can't believe how closely this thing mimics true tube overdrive. I play a epi les paul standard with a Gibson 500t at bridge and a duncan 59 in neck and a Warmoth strat with 59 in the neck and a duncan distortion in the bridge into my 70's bassman 10 (all tube) that has been heavily modded and blackfaced with more gain. All I can say is BYOC knows what they are doing. The insturctions are great and mine fired up first try except I had the drive and level pots swapped took me 5 minutes to figure it out and fixed. If you want to build an awsome Tube Screamer for 85 bucks and can solder decently go get it. I plan to build more.

It's reliability is as good as the workmanship that was put into it. I built mine good and feel it will last a long time. The enclosure it came with is heavy aluminum and the stomp switch and jacks are switchcraft so yeah it's tough and gigable no problem

Didn't have to deal with him. BYOC doesn't offer true customer support but they do have a nice bulletin board with alot of helpfull people. I just studied the instructions and took my time and checked each of the parts with a multimeter.

I couldn't be more happy with my new little silver mystery overdrive box haha. I do plan to paint and label it later though. There is just something satisfing about building something for yourself or DIYing it. I do all the work on my equipment. It saves me money and I can set up my stuff exactly how I like it. Like I said I play fairly hot humbuckers thru this into tube amps being my bassman, a Peavey Classic 50/410 combo with JJ tubes and a 65 Twin reissue. With the twin I know the tone coming out is all from the pedal coz the amp is so clean. I play mainly punk and rock. I'm not into the super Mesa gain sound. I'm more into the cranked Marshall roar sound. With my Bassman tuned in with a nice crunch I step on this baby and it's sustain and liquid tone that sounds unbelievable. All my friends are like "that thing is awsome I want one". I've been playing for over 14 years and have amature recorded alot. So I do think I know what good tone is. I'd put my BYOC Screamer up against any boutique $200 plus overdive anyday. These kits are fun and addicting. Maybe the Triboost or compressor next. ;-)

Easy as pie. Volume, tone, gain

I like to use it for a boost. I find it great for pushing the crunch sound of my mesa stilleto. It's a great overdrive. The standard clone is very subtle and can get some great rock sounds. It doesn't affect your tone. And the true bypass is nice. I've also used a modded one with a bit more gain. and that was great aswell. I like the tone knob. It's very responsive and make the pedal quite versatile.
That said, the kit comes with mods so you can tailor the sound further. And some people are building them with all the modds built it so you can switch them in or out.

It depends on how well you build them.

Theres a forum at www.buildyourownclone.com and they're all pretty helpful guys/girls.

I play lots of styles mostly rock based stuff and I've always found a use for this pedal. It's subtle enough that you can pretty much use it anywhere.
And they're a 3rd of the pric of the reissue

Simple. Tone, drive and volume level. Easy as it gets.

Fantastic sound, from mild overdrive to full on screaming rock. This pedal has excellent sound quality, very clear, full of overtones and harmonics. It is amazingly quiet.

It can do the whole SRV sound easily and there is a bit of Gary Moore about. I love it.

Solid metal case, pretty indestructable. Would gig without a backup.

Never needed more than what they tell you in the instruction manual. There are plenty of modifications you can make that come with the kit. I went for the standard TS808 clone.

For ??45 and a few hours of soldering, I now have one of the most popular overdirve effects of all time. It really is simple to build. You need a steady hand and a fine tip soldering iron, but they are cheap. It feels great to have built it myself and to know that I haven't been ripped off trying to get an original tubescreamer for over ??100 on ebay.

Very simple. Level, Tone and Drive knobs. Mess with them until you get the sound you want.

This thing sounds amazing. It is by far the best Overdrive pedal I have ever heard or used. I play a 2002 gibson les paul studio plus into this pedal into the high-sensitivity input of a 1985 Laney pro-tube lead 100 watt amp. Its very very loud without being noisy or hissy at all. With the switch off it is completely transparent and does not color your sound at all.

I built this thing myself using only a soldering iron and a screwdriver in about 3 hours. Anyone with decent soldering skills can build these things and it is well worth the $75 for the pedal when you consider that the Ibanez TS808 reissue pedal is going for almost $200 at guitar center.

The aluminum hammond enclosure is built like a tank. I would gig this without a backup and not think twice. This pedal is road-worthy.

They have no official tech support. Just a forum on their website that is actually very helpful. I had a problem with the build that turned out to be my bad soldering job, but they quickly answered my questions and offered helpful suggestions.

I play mostly rock music. That ranges from fast punk rock to blues-influenced hard rock. I only use one amp, my 1985 Laney and I doubt I will ever play through anything else.

Been playing for 15 years. I run two guitars through this pedal. A 2002 Gibson LP Studio Plus and an early 90's Epiphone G-400 (SG copy) with a seymour duncan SH-4 in the bridge position. Both guitars sound great through the pedal and I can really tell the difference in sound between the two with this pedal where in the past with other pedals I couldn't tell which guitar I was playing.

If this was lost or stolen I wouldn't hesitate to buy another kit and build it up.

As far as features, the true bypass is probably the best feature. When it is turned off it doesn't suck battery life and also doesn't color your sound. Its completely transparent.

It is very easy to get a good sound out of this little box. Level, Drive, and Tone do exactly what they say they do.

The opamp socket is nice for trying out different chipsets.

For $80, you get an easy to build old circuit TS808 clone! Not too bad :)

Let me preface this review by saying one thing: I HAVE ALWAYS HATED EFFECTS, ESPECIALLY DISTORTIONS & OVERDRIVES.

With that bit of info, my amp choice will be obvious: Old low-to-mid watt tweed Fenders. Why? They have great natural distortion. The "tweed era" Fenders are known for their naturally gritty sounds (as opposed to the later Fenders which are known for their big cleans, and plenty of headroom).

So, I tested this TS808 clone in my tweed amps that I built.

PEDAL MODS
I built mine pretty much as stock. No mods, tweaks or changes. Same old mid-hump and opamp. Symetrical clipping, etc.

TEST AMPS:
A Champ head (5F1 circuit) modded with a switch to bias for either a standard 6V6, or a 6L6, or an EL34. With multitap 10 watt output transformer for 4, 8, or 16 ohm speaker cabs. With a 6V6 (mean and gritty) it's a 6watt amp, with a 6L6 (lotsa bass, big sound) or EL34 (smooth classic rock midrange) it's a 10watt amp.

AND

A tweed Twin head (the old '54 20watt 5D8 circuit). No mods other than it's a head with a 35watt multi-tapped output transformer for 4, 8, or 16 ohm speaker cabs.

SPEAKERS
I used a 2x12" closed back cab loaded with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers.

All I've got to say is now I know why it's called a TUBE Screamer. On these non-Master Volume (only volume controls, no gain knobs for that fizzy preamp overdrive) old school tube amps, this pedal simply ROCKS!

The best tone can be found by cranking the amp to a place where the POWER TUBES are breaking-up for nice natural distortion on it's own, then throw the TS808 clone in to kick the preamp with a little boost... holy cow...

You get BIG, dynamic, compressed Power Tube saturation with a nice little dose of crunchy preamp overdrive... something that's hard to do on a most Marshall master volume type amps (try running a 50 or 100 watt amp's Master on 10, then giving small doses of preamp Gain to find the sweet spot between Power and Preamp tubes - that is VERY VERY LOUD - but sounds really really good!).

I am now taking back a lot of what I said about overdrive pedals! Distortion pedals and Fuzz pedals I still do not like, but that is due to my preference for a more natural sounding "pushed/cranked" amp sound.

Like all amps cranked there is noise in the 7 to 10 area of the volume control... likewise, there is added noise when using any "boost" to a cranked amp. A little bit of noise, but that comes with the territory when using a cranked amp.

I was used to building amps, so I felt like I was building a Smurf's Bassman with tiny eyelets! HAHA

I feel like I could have done a slightly better job on the build, but it's solid enough, and easy to repair after having built one yourself now... I'd probably build a second one to have as a backup, or for experimenting with tweaking...

Afterall for $80 you easily beat the reissues that are going for $180 right now!! Might as well build 3! HAHA

The downloadable PDF instructions were very easy to follow.

I noticed a lot of newbie questions on the forum, with a lot of responses back, so even for newbies it shouldn't be too hard.

I think I noticed one small error on the instructions about the two "1NP" caps not being polarized which looks like they are (the board even has a Plus sign on one side)... otherwise, I built mine the same day I got the kit and it fired up perfectly on the first try!

For a lot of small guys selling kits I think the forum-as-a-tech-support tool is perfect. It's easy for them to continue to do business and the newbies get help from you tech freaks out there building and tweaking these monsters willing to offer up help.

One of the best pieces of gear I've bought (or built).

Right up there with my '57 RI Les Paul and other prized gear!

The BYOC is a DIY Tubescreamer 808 clone. It has the normal volume,drive and tone knobs. It is very easy to get a great sound from this box.

I use a Nash S style guitar with Fralin Blues Specials. My amp is a 65 ab763 Bandmaster with a Bassman output tranny into a 1x15 weber Cali cab. I play blues-rock. This pedal cops that famous TS 808 tone. I have tried numerous TS variants in my 25+ tears of playing. This pedal is a keeper. It does the 808 thing with a clarity or fidelity that is unique. The only pedals in the TS family that I have tried that are comparable are the MJM Blues Devil and the Menatone Red Snapper.

The BYOC Screamer is housed in a rugged hammond box. I would recommend this DIY project to anyone with moderate soldering skills. If you can solder well you are getting an incredible value. I would gig with this pedal.

I had some initial questions regarding the build. My questions were answered on the BYOC forum in less than 24 hours. Very helpful.

I play white boy blues ala SRV and Trower. You can't beat a TS style pedal into a BF Fender circuit. I have been playing 25+ years and have tried numerous TS variants. I have sold my FD,MJM Blues Devil, Red Snapper, TS 808 RI, Analogman ts9 brown etc....you get the picture. I love the fact that I built it! The only caveat is that I wish the volume had more volume..not a bad thing, just a personal preference. The true bypass is a great feature. I would replace if stolen.

Volume Tone and Drive. Fool with all three until you get the sound you like.

This is where this pedal shines. If you are looking for that vintage ts-808 sound and can solder small electronics than this is for you. I have gone throught blues drivers, ts-9's, od-1's and many others looking for my tone. I have found it with this. My setup is a strat into my pedal board ending in a custom made fender tweed bassman (built it myself and my amp tech says its unreal). I can get any stevie or hendrix sound plus a wide variety of others. When i used my lespaul it was very very transparent and sounded amazing. You also get a few of the most common mods. The only mod i left was the texas inst op amp. The others changed the sound a little too much for me. Someone else mught like them but for my taste just the op amp was fine. That also took a while though. I a-b them for about a half an hour to decide between the two. Overall whatever you use mods or not, this is an increadible pedal. You can get pedals like this already made with someones stamp on it but you will pay at least $100 more. Trust me, Get this.

So far so good. The switch is my biggest concern but when it breaks i will replace it.

Really quick shipping. Instructions and mods are posted online.

Like i said in the sound quality. Amazing!!! Get it.

Three knobs: level, tone, and drive, or whatever the synonyms are for those words. Doesn't get much easier than that. YOu have to do the soldering work yourself, which isn't that hard. I finished in one day, off and on, in less than three hours. True bypass switching so you don't watse your battery when it is plugged in and turned off. Also comes with some common TS808 mods. The box is sturdy and unfinished metal so you can design it yourself. Or you can spend an extra $25 and have him build it for you.

Sounds great, like a Tube Screamer should. No extranneous noise out of the ordinary for this kind of pedal. Use a LP through a Classis 30... awesome. Tele through a Twin Silverface... awesome. ES-330 through a Fender Concert... uh, not so much. But that has to do with the gear more than the pedal. All in all an amazing bargain for the sound quality

Really, it's built like a tank. I haven't used it much yet but I can imagine this thing taking much abuse. I am always nervous with this type of switch, but, you know, nothing lasts forever.

Haven't had to deal with it yet, but I can say I recieved it in two days.

I play different styles from mathy, fugazi inspired rock to more Pink Floydy/Beatlesy kinds of stuff and can get the required sounds for that style of pedal. What more could I want?