Goudie FX 808 Standard

Simple design based on the infamous Tube Screamer 808, but with enhancements. The unit has three basic controls, Drive, Tone, Volume and is housed in and MXR-style die-cast aluminum enclosure with standard Boss-type 9V DC jack (pin negative) with battery backup operation. The pedal features 3PDT True Bypass Switching (totally invisible when clicked off) with LED light. It also features a toggle switch to select between symmetrical and asymmetrical clipping. You can get these either in plain aluminum unmarked, like mine, or painted with lettering. You may also choose different IC?s other than the standard 808 IC, which the unit will have if you don?t want a mod.

Awesome Sound!! I mainly use a classic Tele clone with SD Antiquity pups: alnico II in the bridge, alnico V in the neck > Teese Picture wah > GoudieFX Ross Comp clone > GoudieFX TS808 clone > Nobels ODR 1 > Maxon AD9 w/analogman mods > 1966 Fender Princeton Reverb. George L cables. I?ve owned two non-modded TS9?s and various other distortion units. The TS808 standard sounds wonderfully smooth and rich, especially when paired with his compressor. Works great for classic stuff, blues, country, etc. Probably not so well for metal, which I don?t play. Gets a great SRV tone. Not noisy at all and covers a wide range of tones. Great with both Tele and Strat. Has the best distortion sound of anything I?ve owned. I like to put it in front of the Nobles ODR 1. This setup gives me every overdriven sound and tone option I need. If you want maximum boutique quality tone without all the frills and high price tags of some of the other manufacturers, then take a serious look at Russell Goudie?s pedals. I took a chance on a relatively unknown pedal maker and I?m very pleased I did. I?ll bet he becomes very well-known as time goes by.

Manufacturer?s web site states the pedal has a two-year warranty. In an email exchange, he stated it had a two-year warranty. The papers that came with the pedal state one-year warranty. Either way, I?m not a bit concerned. The pedal is very well made and for the price, I?m very pleased. Russell Goudie seems to be trying to make the best quality product he possibly can while holding prices to a minimum.

I happened upon GoudieFX surfing around on ebay looking at effects and such. I checked out his web site and I really liked what I saw. He has no-frills, straight-to-the-point simple adds that features neat sound clips to illustrate his pedals. At first, I was only shopping around for a Ross-style boutique compressor, but after further investigations, I decided to purchase his Tube Screamer 808 standard as well. I emailed him and I asked if I could call him, which was cool with him. After we talked, he hand-built both my pedals, had them completed, personally-tested and shipped out within a day or so. He also included an additional Texas-Instruments IC which I might try at some point just to see. I couldn?t be happier with my purchase. Russell is a very nice and knowledgeable fellow and really knows how to treat customers. He is without-a-doubt one of the best boutique pedal makers out there, but he seems as appalled by today?s ?boutique phenomenon? as we players are in regard to hype and price-gouging.

I play mainly blues, rockabilly and country stuff on the electric guitar. I?ve been playing for more years than I care to remind myself. This is a wonderful pedal! It should work great with all kinds of equipment, individual player?s styles and types of music with the exception of metal. If something ever happens to this unit, I will not hesitate to order another just like it from him. GoudieFX is a class operation all the way. I am very picky and hard to please when it comes to my music equipment. Normally, I don?t write equipment reviews, but I?ve made an exception this time. I?ve rated Russell?s pedals with the highest scores because I truly mean it.

Three knobs: Drive, Tone, Volume. No manual but comes with a sheet which gives some suggested settings. Mine has a toggle switch for assymmetrical or symmetrical diode clipping. Bright blue LED rounds it out. As easy to use as any overdrive or an Ibanez Tubescreamer pedal (after which it is modeled). Input/output jacks and runs on a 9 volt battery or Boss type power supply. Is modded for a better sound with greater tonal range and quieter operation. Has the same chip as the original Ibanez TS808 pedal.

I am using this with a mid-1960's tube amp as well as a Fender Princeton Chorus. Also sounds great with my Marshall MG15DFX. Fender Jeff Beck Strat w/noiseless pickups and Fender Strat Plus with Lace Sensors. Is not at all noisy. The knobs have a wide range of tones available. Sounds wonderful when paired with a compressor and works well as a boost for other drive pedals or as a volume boost for an amp. Sounds alot like a modded Keeley 808 or TS9. Has plenty of headroom and smooth tones. The switch allows you to choose either assymmetrical clipping which is reminiscent of a Boss SD1 or symmetrical which sounds more like an Ibanez TS9 or 808. Has a very warm sound and works well with other effects such as chorus and delay. Would work for rock and pop (which I play mostly) as well as country, jazz, and blues. Very versatile pedal. Also works great in conjunction with the Goudie FX 808 Plus pedal. Am very well-pleased and satisfied with the sound quality of this pedal.

Seems very well made and dependable. The manufacturer offers a no questions asked one year guarantee. The pedal is made of quality parts and has a sturdy metal casing. No graphics or writing on the pedal I purchased. Would gig without backup. I feel his workmanship and materials will hold up in the long run.

Found out about Goudie FX on Ebay and contacted the owner, Russell Goudie, via his website goudiefx.com. His replies to my inquiries were both timely and informative. He is an electrical engineer based in Canada who plays in a band and builds effects pedals in his spare time. Both his website and pedals are no-frills which keeps the cost down but he doesn't cut any corners when it comes to quality. He let me know via email when the pedal was finished and when it shipped.

This is a fine overdrive pedal. Probably the best I have come across for the money. Have been playing for nearly 22 years and own several other overdrive pedals (Barber, Boss, Roger Mayer, Ibanez, Fulltone, Keeley, etc. both modded and unmodded) plus some real junk pedals (won't mention any names). The Goudie FX 808 Standard is not junk but rather a finely crafted work that is great for anyone who likes a versatile overdrive (not enough gain for metal though). It is much less expensive than other modded Tubescreamers but is just as great in terms of both tone and usability. I highly recommend it to anyone. Russell Goudie is one of the nicest people I have come across on the web and he will treat you right. I took a chance on his work and am glad I did. If stolen I would buy another. Goudie FX is a class operation all the way.