Ibanez TS-808 Reissue

The controls are easy to use, but the switch is the worst design ever put on a pedal. The thing does not switch on and off easily. I want a switch that is easy to press on and off. This is not!!! It has never worked correctly. It's just a bad design. They should have put a normal switch on it and not copied the original pedal's design.

It certain does not do everything, but it's a very smooth tone. Playing full chords with this on is not harsh at all and sounds really nice. Although it can really distort a lot, it is a very mellow type of distortion.

Only reason it's not a 10 is there is no way to make this punchy. Sometimes when I want to rock out, it just doesn't do the trick. But it's extremely good for distorted rhythms and leads with delay.

Ehh. I have had some problems with the knobs. The switch also is extremely hard to deal with. You could almost consider it unreliable for that reason alone.

Great for certain things. It's not good for rocking out power chords. It's not that kind of a pedal. AGAIN, the switch is one of the worst designs in pedal history. I am getting a bypass strip soon, so i will never have to worry about that again. Thank God.

If you use it right, it can really benefit your sound. But you really have to drive your amp along with this pedal to make it sound right. Without amp drive, there is just no tone.

Simple ..as everyone has stated

I play an assortment of stratocasters and telecasters, now and again a Les Paul. I'm at variance as to the amp type that can be used with this. I use a solid state Cyber-Deluxe Fender as my main amp even though I have a Twin Reverb, The Twin, and a Vibrolux (all tube amps). Contrary to all who have said a solid state amp won't work with this - i find it sounds great through the cyber deluxe amp, and at low volumes!! It may be because I send the cyber outs to my guitar mixer and then to the PA mixer to get a very large sound without lots of volume on the amp. No thin sound - just real nice sounding. With my SRV stratocaster I'm able to get very close to the SRV sound using the TS-808. Lots of fun! Now all I need to do is play like SRV.

I also have a TS-9 so could use it as a replacment if needed. Not the same but close. Seems well built

Haven't dealt with them

I play classic rock, r&b, anything with a melody. Been playing 35 years. I have every piece of gear imaginable it seems (need 12 step program). I'd get another if it were stolen. I like its simplicity, its sound, and the vibe. I've compared it to the Boss Blues Driver, the Ibanez TS-9, Boss Overdrive, Boss Metal Zone,and a couple of boutique pedals. It's up there and often beyond any of them. It helps me play music because it adds an authentic sound that is pleasing to the ear.

easy as 1,2,3

Before I get to own this- I saw the you tube demo TS5 VS. TS808 and you could not tell the difference from the video, Then I bought this TS5 just to take a piece of the TS action- I was amazed how it sounded, sooner I acquired this HOLY GRAIL TS808, Now I can see, I can see...

TS5 is thinner sounding than the TS808
TS5 is darker sounding than the TS808
Now believe TS5 is more likely a clone of the TS9 and not in anyway a copy of the TS808

This TS808 can sound like a distortion too just set the tone knob at a low setting about 9-10 o'clock and the gain about 2:30 o'clock( going further more makes the drive sound compressed, turning it to overdrive flavor). The tone knob is a mid-scoop type.

Over all this is a thick overdrive, will cut thru any mix or any band setup!

the casing is thicker than of the BOSS, weights in like a brick

This pedal has its limitations, it's the best for it does, but not for metal sound, but combining it with other drive pedals and using it as a booster will definitely redefine your charisma as a guitar player tone!

3 knobs, overdrive, tone, level. Easy to use, sounds good on any setting.

I'll keep it brief. Its a ts-808 tube screamer. I have owned many overdrive/ distortion pedals, and this is where it ends for me. Very smooth, transparent, retains all of the guitars tone without coloring. Medium overdrive, for any style of music, it adds that magical element that is so hard to nail down. To me if you have a tube amp, its that sound that the big boys have, and a lot of them use this pedal. I have to agree with a previous review that some people seem to have no clue!!! This pedal sounds great as is. That sound is what it was made for. Those who have to mod everything should maybe by a pedal that sounds that way to start with. There's a reason they list for 239.00, and its not because they sound like crap until you spend another 50.00, or 75.00 to 100.00 dollars plus shipping after you buy it to make is sound normal. If you believe that your fooling yourself. I once sent off an ibanez ts-9 and a maxon pedal to one of the listed guru's of mod-drama, and got 2 mods each. When the pedals returned to me, they sounded a little different, not bad at all, one of them had a little less bass, but more overdrive. I liked them better before I sent them off, when they were stock. Wasted dollars! Arrogance won't let most people admit that. Any time you mod anything there is a trade off. You can't improve it you can only change it. Chances are if you need more overdrive or bass, that pedal is already out there. These reviews are for this pedal, not the changed one. People shopping want to know how this pedal sounds, not the modded one.

Been playing for over 35 years, blues, surf, rock, country, some jazz,ect. If lost I would have to replace it. I like this pedal for what it is. I have had many boss, rat, dod, and other custom pedals. I like this one or the maxon version better than any I have tried.

You have to learn how to use this effect.

This is an excellent pedal:transparent, mild, intelligent and tasty. No need for any magical mods - believe me! It is really funny to watch all those Analogue gurus as they offer their receipts for "more bass", "more gain" and true bypass... (do you know that for example Klon Centaurs have NO bypass at all!!!) I DO NOT understand why someone who needs a stompbox with more bass and more gain buys the TS808? Please - have a BOSS OD-3 or Digitech Bad Monkey... It is a typical thickhead snobbism to have got a TS808 and leave it to "modify". Do you think those Japanese guys are totally dull and they can not change a value of resistor or capacitor? My god. Dont forget: all these modifications just make the effects sound a little bit "different" not "better"! I A/B-d the original and the reissue TS808. If there are ANY differences these nuances you could handle very simple: by turning one of the three knobs 1mm to the right or to the left (or do the same with you amp or guitar). THATS ALL!!! But if you think so - go and pay to the "gurus"??? ;o)))

I am glad to have it.

No need. It is an Ibanez.

Blues, jazz, rock and everything in between.
My rig: Gibson ES335, Fender Strat, Fender Blues Junior (with Celestion Vintage 30), Dunlop JH-F1 (!!! excellent!!!), Cry baby, Deluxe Memory Man, Small Ston... and THE TS808.

Very easy, standard Tube Screamer knobs. Simple overdrive pedal.

I'm gonna do everybody a favor and keep this short and sweet. I hate it when gear nuts get WAY to in depth on sound quality. I have the TS-9 and the 808 reissue. I much prefer the reissue to the TS-9. It's much smoother and more vintage sounding. I'm not going to compare it to other pedals. It has its own sound and I like it. It's not a Fulltone OCD. It's not a Boss pedal. It's a Tube Screamer and it sounds like a Tube Screamer. Your guitar tone comes through very nicely with this pedal. Also, for all you know-it-alls, true bypass isn't always good depending on your setup.

Note: Tube Screamers don't sound all that great unless the amp is TURNED UP. I think a Tube Screamer sounds pretty bad if the amp is only turned up to 1 or 2.

Seems to be built pretty well. Only time will tell. My other Tube Screamer has been stomped on thousands of times and it still works fine.

Never had to deal with customer support with this company

Overall a great sounding pedal. Remember, if you have a crappy amp or guitar or both, don't expect a pedal to magically make your tone better.

Already many times said.
Three knobs OVERDRIVE, TONE, LEVEL - a piece of cake.
Manual easy as that.

TS-808 - Tube SCREAMER of Tubes CREAMER - both names say where the TS-808 stands for. It makes the tubes scream a little AND it makes the tubes sound like the cream on the pie.
Marvelous! The overall best sound to get with an overdrive.
In short: The best overdrive on this planet.
Nice to know that many of the famous guitarplayers of the world think the same.

I owned a TS9 for ten years, never had a problem with it.
I expect to have no problems with my TS 808 either.

Never had to dealt with them.
They have a great site.

I play melodic rock with influences of blues, jazz and fusion for about 41 years. Fender Stratocaster, TS 808, Line 6 MM4 and DL4 and a Marshall 4140 100W Country Club is my main gear (also Boss CS3 and OC3). The TS-808 is my main FX-box. I was always very satisfied with my TS-9, but when I compared the TS-9 with the (more expensive) TS-808, I was blown away by the SOUND of it. The difference is not that big, but the sound of the TS-808 has the magic. The sound of the TS-808 makes the difference. When lost or stolen, I buy a new one the same day. Maybe I buy another TS-808 for extra possibilities (rythm/solo). I wish, I had bought this reissue earlier (the old original ones where not in my view and were far too expensive), but ... I do have it now. Every time I play: Is that me? Yes it is.
If you buy a TS-808 for its tone, you can't be disappointed! Of course it's made for the owner of a tube-amp (but also on my VOX-pathfinder 15W at home - it sounds very nice).

Simple but sophisticated. You have to build your skill.

This is an excellent pedal:transparent, mild, intelligent and tasty. No need for any magical mods - believe me! It is really funny to watch all those Analogue gurus as they offer their receipts for "more bass", "more gain" and true bypass (do you know that Klon Centaurs have NO bypass at all!!!) I DO NOT understand why someone who needs a stompbox with more bass and gain buy the TS808? Please - have a BOSS OD-3 or Digitech Bad Monkey??? It is a typical thickhead snobbism to have a TS808 and leave it to modify ??? do you think that those Japan guys are totally dull they cannot change a resistor or capacitor? My god. Don??t forget: all these modifications just make the effects sound "different" not "better"! I A/B-d the original and the reissue. If there are ANY differences there these nuances you could handle very simple: by turning one of the three knobs 1mm to the right or to the left (or do the same with you amp or guitar). THAT???S ALL!!! But if you think - go and pay to the "gurus"??? ;o)))

No need.

Blues, jezz, rock.

Great Pedal
Do yourself a favor and get it modded.

I bought the Keeley modded 808 a few years ago. He has since run out of original JRC chips from 82 and has to go to another.
I worked at a guitar shop for a while and compared the reissue with the Keeley mods with the stock model and the stock TS9...

WORLDS APART

I've heard a lot of modded pedals and though... meh.... nothing really different... but this was night and days my friends...

then... years later I buy on ebay an original 1982 tubescreamer!!!
First thing I do is compare it to the Keeley Modded TS-808.....
.......
... almost nothing in it... the Keeley mods are so close its scary..

tough as nails
especially with the hardcore true bypass switch

i'm not calling Japan... are you kidding me... they speak Spanish there and I only speak Endlish heres.

The Pedal rocks! only if you get the mods though... don't put up with a crapola sounding Ibanez piece of green snot! get the mods and get yourself happy!

Tubescreamers make the world go round

Very easy to use. 3 controls, overdrive, tone and level with a simple on/off switch. Could not be any easier to use. Comes with adapter cable and 9V battery

My main musical interest is in blues and blues rock music. I play a 1974 Gibson SG special with mini humbuckers on it for lead and a Danelctro Jimmy Page model for slide. I listen mainly to Robert Johnson, Albert, BB and Freddie King aswell as Mike Bloomfield, Johnny Winter, SRV, Jimi Henrix, Howling Wolf and Muddy Waters. The Ts-808 helps me get the sound of all of these guitarists - with the obvious exception of Robert Johnson! Every body knows that SRV used the Ts-808 and I can see why! I keep the overdrive low and have the level and tone at 12 o'clock (half way around). It goes very well with my Carvin belair vintage tube combo on both the clean and overdrive channel. I also use an Dunlop Crybaby which it also sounds great with.

Well have not yet gigged with it because as it stands I have had for 1 day, but it seems to be a good sturdy build quality with a solid weight.

Bought off of ebay. Not interested in upgrades as yet, as I like the sound as it is.

It is a good match to by blues playing. I have been playing for 2 years I have owned boss pedals and they are no match to the Ts-808. If it were stolen I would definatily buy another for the full ??115, I payed ??73 for this one. I love both the look and sound of it there is nothing I dislike about as it is also very versitial and this is shown by the fact that several metal guitarists use them. I don't want to say I can't play with out my tube screamer like alot of guitarists do but it is a pedal that can be used subtley but importantly (thats how I like to use it) or it can be a key part of some bodys tone. The main way I use is to boost my slide sound, slide is where I like to use it the most but I can't say no to stepping on it for a few solos that call for sustain and warmth!

3 knobs ez. This is a follow-up to my review a couple of weeks ago.

I've had my Keeley $50 mod back for a week now...and WOW. A lot of other people are giving the stock Ibanez TS-808 reissue a 10 or other high scores...but as mentioned...I thought it sucked.

I've been playing 35 years and mostly run a EJ Strat thru a variety of nice amps. As mentioned...I never owned the original TS808...so I'm no expert on the sound.

There must be a real so many competent ppl are modding even the reissue TS808. I am absolutely in luv with the Keeley modded TS808.
I got the $50 mod. As much as I luv Keeley's stuff...I may also get an AnalogMan TS808 reissue mod as well.

Again...$50 for the mod. The reissue itself cost $169.

Yup...in my one humble opinion....the stock reissue was awful sounding...esp compared to after having a competent person mod it.

Now...it will never be out of my effects chain...and I am a minimalist.

This is a pretty straight forward unit to use. There is a enough room on the knobs to tweak a bit but this a fairly singular usage pedal on it's own. But that isn't the beauty of it. It's how it fits with the rest of your rig.

My main setup is a US Neck-Through Mahogany Jackson Soloist with EMG's into a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier and Mesa 4x12. And occasionally a 535Q Dunlop Wah. I don't particular like pedals I find that they suck the tone out of a good amp. I had a pedal phase when I was first starting guitar and doing the grunge thing. I've owned Boss OD-2, DS-1, MetalZone, and this pedal is not in the same category as those. Through a good setup those pedals sound cheap and processed. It seems almost like sacriledge to run those through good amp. If you want a high distortion sound get the amp that already has that potential.

This pedal is mid driven (like the guitar signal itself), warm, and low gain. This pedal fills out your tone and adds slight gain to it. It does not produce your distortion unless you are looking for some old blues sound. I was convinced that I would never want a distortion pedal again after comparing those crap boxes to the pure tone of my Mesa. Actually I made that decision before that when I used play a Marshall DSL100.

Anyway the Mesa sounds absolute huge and crushing in Modern Channel 3. But especially noticeable with leads it was missing that front end grit that Marshalls have. Even at high gain it was clear and defined. Awesome for chugging rythmns but just missing something. Something that could be partially gained back by running it with the Rectifier Tubes but then the overall tone loses power. Finally with the TS-808 to my surprise I found that missing piece. Just a bit of gain out front to push and distort those high mids that I scoop out of my tone on the amp. The end result is absolutely crushing.

I wish I had the chance to try the original I can only imagine what it sounded like. I'm giving it a 9 because although it does what it does amazingly I'm sure there are better similar units out there.

I'm sure it's pretty sturdy. Probably dependable. There are original units still around and imagine these reissues are built similarly. But I'm not mean to pedals.. I actually hide this behind my amp left on all the time. I'd gig without a backup cause it isn't essential to my tone just that added flavour. I'm sure in standard live setup people are are barely gonna tell the difference.

Who knows? I've luckily never had to deal with customer support for any of my gear. I've played several hundred shows and toured and I've come to depend on my gear or fix it myself.

My primary music style is punk hardcore and metalcore. So not quite as much over the top saturation as some death metal, but definately more than classic metal or hardrock. The TS-808 feels like that piece I was missing. Gives back that EL34 crunch without losing very much 6L6 clarity while making my guitar tone sound more saturated at the same time. And I'm only running both my amp and pedal gain around 1 o'clock. Lots more room to crank it.

I wrote this review largely to these kids(not that I should call them that I'm not really much older than them) who are complaining about it's lack of distortion for their Nu-Metal when their favourite artists like Mick Thompson from Slipknot uses it, or even going further back Kirk Hammet from Metallica. Or perhaps maybe more modern their favourite Metalcore and Screamo bands. They complain they can't get their tone out of this pedal and are pushing it through a fender frontman or running it with a Metalzone. This pedal is not a replacement for a good amp distortion. It's one of the most natural sounding boosts you will find.

Only two downsides. One, is whether or not the price is worth it. Considering it costs a fraction of what everything else in my rig does it's not a big deal if it can provide what I need. Second, it isn't true bypass and it definitely sucks tone when it's off. Luckily I run it on all the time. If it was stolen I don't see why I wouldn't pick up another one. This is the first effect I feel comfortable running with my mesa all the time. My wah and G Major mainly come out for studio work as I hate how much the tone is taken from the amp the added complication live. The TS-808 can also give a little practice amp that extra punch. All around useful little box.

Ez is not the problem.

I've been playing for many years...and have lots of great guitars and amps. I'm disappointed with this unit as it sounds muddy and wooly to me. I much prefer my Rat2 Keeley mod and my Keeley FuzzHead with their fuzz overdrive qualities. And I'd like to own a Pete Cornish effect some day. I'm sure I'm going to have Keeley mod this unit for me. I never owned the original TS808 so I can't say that I'm an expert on what this thing should sound like...I just know that I'd not thrilled with the sound. I just bought it new a month ago and have been "testing" it a lot.

I have older Ibanez pedals...they are well built.

Never had to deal with them.

I'm going to give this a 5. Again...I'm not an expert...but if I'm not mistaken...the TS808 re-issue...is not built like the original.

I wonder if Ibanez just decided to "sell out" and cash in. If that's true...what a disappointment. My unit will be modded.

um, easy?
yes. turn the knobs to make yourself happy.

ok, so i found an old used soundtank tubescreamer used at my local music store *look it up on google, they looked funny, kindda like a beetle* . i bought it because tubescreamers were supposed to be "THE" pedal. i loved that pedal, even though it was the cheapy one. still sounded good, i played it side by side with a ts9 in store. it had mere differences. so i bought. months later, on a whim, i ordered the ts808 online.
holy crap! ok, it's just flat out warm! smooth, has a nice response to your playing. they are not lying when they say cream.
i found the trick is to put a compressor in the front of your chain. i had the boss cs3 for a while, but i found it to be a little too noisy and thin. then i bought off of a friend an ibanez cp10 for just 10 bucks!!! wow, i liked it because it had a warmer tone. it leant itself to a more vintage tone, i fealt it was more of a musical styled compression, not as harsh or as noisy as the boss cs3. what the compressor does is opens up your sound, there's a fullness to the tone. kindda like busts the doors open. trust me, put a compressor in front of your ts808!
i also like how it seems like it has layers. set it to have a mild OD *between 9 oclock and 11 oclock* and set the tone roughly at 12 oclock and strum once, listen to how the guitar comes through with a nice bite while it also seems like it's also chilling out in the background. you'll love the way your guitar rings out.

throw it at someone's head and be ready to take them to the hospital.

?? never had to call.

yes, this is THE pedal to have. it's for everyone, besides metal. i find that i leave it on most of the time. i use a mexi-strat with vintage noiseless PUs and a DeArmond SG copy. the dearmond likes this pedal. the sound is thick. the ts808 even cheated on the dearmond with the strat. this pedal is a WHORE for tone.
like i said before, put a compressor in the front of your pedal chain. i then put in the ts808. see what it does in front of your other pedals. place it in front of a high gain pedal. i have it in front of a marshall gov'nor 2 and a danelectro daddy-o. it fills out those pedals. i also have at the end of the pedal chain a tube works blue tube, since my amp is a solid state. (laney gc-80a, don't knock me yet, it's a killer solid state!) the ts808 makes sweet audio love with tubes. try it out, warm up your tone, fall in love with the cream.

Very simple, three nobs I have one that isn't modified. Manuel is basic

It is what it is, the most famous one out there. It is a bit heavier and darker than the TS-9 but similar. If you don't have the bucks the TS-7 is very close and has more drive. These pedals are just so smooth and full. The bosses and digitechs just can't compete but if you like a trebly sound stick with boss pedals. I love this with my stratocaster and my 212 peavey chorus. It mellows out the the single coils nicely. I sound lik Trey Anastasio but with more bite. It sounds like the solo for Eric Claptain's "cocaine" I've can finally say I have settled down with one pedal after owning about 15 of them over the years. I also have a clean boost and when I use it it can get very heavy and super smooth. Not recommended for metal unless you have another overdrive before it. Looks cool, very retro.

Seems nice, don't know. Built in Japan which to be honest has higher standards then the USA.

don't know

I'd give it aaten but it is pricey and I honestly don't why it's more the the well built TS-9. It's a beatiful pedal and a week or two after cringing at the price you'll feel like you have a high quality piece of equipment for life. The resale is good too if you want to get rid of it.

Very easy to dial in a wide assortment of good sounds. The knobs have a nice range to choose from. There are lots of great tones to be had in this pedal.

The original TS 808s are legendary for a good reason - they offer some of the best overdrive sounds out there. If you can even find one for sale expect to pay a very steep price. Again, for good reason. The reissues are pretty close at a much more affordable price. This pedal works great as an overdrive or also as a boost. With a decent tube amp and a quality guitar this pedal can handle most situations.

Ibanez makes some high quality stuff so this pedal should last a long time. How many of the original issue TS 808s are still in service ?

How many great recordings featured the original issue TS808s ? Now you can get a very close version of those pedals at a much more reasonable price. Some will argue that they don't sound exactly the same, but that's why they are called 'reissues.' Besides, not every one of the originals sounded perfect either, and after years of use the newer version is probably more reliable too. A good investment you won't regret.

extremly easy to use, only 3 knobs

Well this little box sounds great. I use a clapton strat>vox clyde McCoy wah>ts808> Fender Blues Deluxe reissue. Almos every setting sounds good on this unless you put the tone all the way up. Alsolutly no noise. It sounds great with my wah pedal. It's very warm. best pedal ever.

Well the constiction is good. After having it for a few months the overdrive knob started spinning in circles. I gonna get it replaced. Must have been a lemon

Very, very easy to use. As others said just 3 knobs which are easy to operate

This is a personal thing. It depends a great deal on your amp. I have had wonderful results from my TS808 hooked up to a Fender DeVille 4X10 and a standard 15 year old strat. I don't think you can ever get exactly the same tone as the SRVs or Rory Gallaghers, Claptons etc. You need to develop your own unique sound by working on your technique and skills which is ulimately more important than any effects unit. However this box will add to your sound hugely if used correctly.Don't crank all the controls to max and hope for the best. You have to experiment and develop your tonal ear. I have tried many boss, vox etc units and none seem to have the understated warmth of this ts808 unit. On the clean channel it gives a kind of Lynard Skynard Alabama type raw rock overdrive whilst on the drive it can produce a very warm yet driving Danny Gatton/Robben Ford country rock sound with compression coming from intelligent use of the level control. I would urge you to also experiment with the guitar volume and tone controlls for best effect as these can dramatically colour your tone. No annoying hums or squeaks from this unit. It works beautifully. A very nice piece of kit which you need to understand fully to get the best results from.

Very robust. No shortcomings here.

Haven't had to deal with Ibanez.

I used to be a purist until I discovered the ts808 nowI would not be without it. I keep it swithched on and on top of my amp for easy access for tone controls. This is great for rock and country which I play mainly. Not for metal heads that's for sure. Far too clever and understated for that!!

The TS-808 has three knobs: Overdrive, Tone and Gain. That's really all you need. Just set the knobs where you want them and go.

This is truly a phenomenal tone box. Yeah, you can pump up your volume lots with this box. But I tend to use it as a tone shaper to give me a grittier sound when I need it. The TS-808 responds very well to your guitar's volume and how you attack your strings. You can get a nice bright twang at lower volumes and light attack. Pump up your volume knob on your guitar and you get a creamy smooth overdriven distortion that doesn't muddy your tone. That's so important because some boxes I've tried tend to flatten out my tone when attacked hard. Not a problem with this box.

All that said, I didn't give the box a 10 in this category because the tone knob has very little effect on the overall sound unless you set it to the extremes. But that's okay because I do a lot of my tone control on my guitars anyway, so I just leave the tone control in the middle position.

I gig with the box and use it in my home studio. I'm pretty careful with all my stuff, but gigging takes its toll as you jostle things around transporting your gear. Haven't had a problem with anything breaking on the TS-808. A lot of this has to do with its heavy-duty construction - it's a very heavy box considering that it's a standard size stomp box!

Haven't had to contact them yet! (Fingers crossed)

I play a variety of musical styles from neo-classical to hard-driving classic and blues rock to contemporary Christian music, and set up right for a particular style, this box delivers what I need, no matter the style I'm playing. That's why I call it a tone shaper more than just a simple overdrive box. It'll scream when you need it, but at low volume applications it really brightens up your tone and makes your sound oh so much warmer. I play an ES-335 and a Strat with Tex Mex pickups through it, going into a re-tubed and modded Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and I just love how it sounds with either of these guitars!

To be honest, I've also got a couple of solid state amps: A Roland Cube 60 and a Line 6 Flextone III. The TS-808 sounds pretty good with the Cube 60 in the clean channel, but it does very little to enhance the sound with the Flextone or the boosted/COSM channel of the Cube. Both of these are modeling amps, so they have their circuitry set up to mimick specific kinds of amp settings, especially in the case of the Flextone III where you can set up compression, reverb, overdrive and the like, so putting a box like this in front of it, tends to just dirty the sound. I use these amps for their strengths: The Cube 60 is actually a great amp for acoustic guitar (I also put a tube pre in front of it to warm up the tone a bit), and you just can't beat the Flextone for its versatility in the studio when you want a particular guitar sound.

But for live performance, I'll stick with a tube amp any day. I don't play real large venues, so the Hot Rod works great for my purpose - it is a basic amp that gives me a wonderfully clean, basic sound from which I can use as a foundation for shaping my tone with my effect pedals. The TS-808 sits near the front of my signal chain, right behind my compressor which, by the way creates a very interesting combination, but that's for another discussion...

3-knobs, if you can read this you'll be fine. I should say it is IMpossible not to get good tone out of it. Only a one to two knob booster could be simpler

Very easy to get the sounds of many various guitarists simply because this IS the unit they used. The TS808 drove more guitars in recording studios and live stage settings than any other single OD unit. It doesn't imitate their OD pedals, it IS their pedal in many cases. Whether it was a TS9/808 chip, Maxon 808 or the Ibanez TS808, they are the same and offer the same tone beca. Just make sure your taste in tone matches those artists and you'll be OK. Who are they, Stevie Ray Vaughn for one.
Its drive tone sports a very obvious mid-range hump - this is its signature characteristic and although I love it, it's easy to imagine plenty of folks out there who won't find it their cup of tea. There's a noticeable but not catastrophic loss of bottom end when the unit is engaged but the bottom end loss is about par for most overdrives as bottom end loss seems to come with the territory. It's worth mentioning that if bottom end is key, the you should check out a Digitech Bad Monkey for $40(best "Bang for the buck" overdrive out there!) or a Boss OD-3 for under a hundred.
The TS808 Re-issue and the less expensive TS9 are near twins of each other. The Ibanez website states the TS808 being a tad "warmer", while the TS9 is a bit "clearer". Well, I own both and no two words could better describe their very subtle differences. One is not better than the other at all despite the price difference - tonally, they are like very near identical twins. Anyone preparing to plunk down $170+ for this unit should certainly research the TS9 re-issue first for almost $80 less. I tested both side by side in the store and it took a while to discern the tonal difference but once detecting it couldn't decide if I liked apples or oranges better(was more like Brazilian oranges vs. Florida Oranges.. very similar). Anyway, I couldn't decide on one unique quality over the other and I got both.. nice strategy Ibanez, it worked! I'm digressing into the TS9 /TS808 debate a good deal becuase many reading these reviews are considering one or the other. Quite honestly, a TS9 is a better deal as it's just as good, a mere half degree less warm, a hair clearer and nearly half the price. Well, back to the TS808 though....
The TS808 is THE overdrive for the "less is more" crowd. I would imagine those that prefer single coils rather than humbuckers will gravitate toward the TS808 / TS9 tone while the humbucker crowd would appreciate the option of a bit more drive offered by other OD's on the market.
The debate regarding whether a tube amp is required with the pedal for it to work may concern some who have a solid state amp. There's much to be said here but I'll try to sum it up as I've got both types of amps and can tell you first hand what the deal is. For one, I'll tell you that it's no opinion that tube tone is superior to solid state. SS has many strengths and this includes tone. It simply takes second place to tube tone which must be heard to understand really. (If a Porche loses to a Ferrari it doesn't mean the Porshe was slow...) Will it work with a ss(solid state) amp. Yes, and it sounds nice. What you get is the pure tone of the TS808's overdrive. Again, this is a good thing. TS808 through a tube amp? Well, the tonal mojo magic only happens here because of the way the TS808 reacts with the tubes. The sum of these two properties gives you something completely different that's missed with an SS amp. A bit like hydrogen when mixed with oxygen gives you this thing called water - quite different from either gas. And I'm not knocking SS, the TS808 is itself solid state in fact. Food for thought..
Bluntly: to modify a TS808 is to take away from it. You can't make the real thing more real by changing it. The TS808 got a loyal following based on what it is regardless of what a tinkerer / tech will tell you. To forget this is foolish. And another blunt fact, the re-issue TS808 is EXACTLY the same (materials & TONE!) as the original. Don't get $$$uckered!

Heaviest little green brick I ever held. Till further notice it gets a ten...

The fact I never needed them almost warrants a ten. But I really couldn't say.. Web site has a helpful description that was quite honest and accurate as far as tonal descriptions go.

It gets a nine only because the TS9, while tonally a hair different, will satisfy my TS808 needs fro close to half the price. Having both though I find I play through the 808 more... I'd say the TS808 to my ear is about 14 cents better than the TS9, not $80.. so you tell me what I think is better, I'm on the fence weighing the economic factors in. If you win the Powerball lottery or are robbing a music store... I guess I'd say go for the TS808,.. and RUN!

3 knobs, does not get any easier than that.

I have owned this pedel a few months, and I could not be happier with the sound. I use this with a fender deluxe reverb and a boss compresser, and various strats. Great blues and rock tones. I like this pedal better than the boss super overdrive and ibanez ts-9

This is a grat pedel, I don't like people modifying these pedels all the time. I Think that is stupid. Of course you can make it sound different by doing these mods. But does it really sound better? If you did not like the way it sounds stock, here is an idea, don't buy it. My opinion is, I don't think some dipshit working out of his garage can come up with some "mod" to make this pedel sound better than the people at Ibanez who invented this fucking pedel. It sounds great the way it is. Here is an idea, If someone out there thinks they can make a better pedel, instead of modding this one, make your own, but your name on it, and see if it outsells the ts-808, or boss super overdrive, or anything else. If it does, than you can talk.

The only thing I don't like about this pedel is the LED is not quite bright enough, it is not a big deal, but if you are looking at it at an angle, it can be hard to see. Also I do not like the 1/8 phono power supply input, but they are trying to make to original specs.

This pedal is very easy to use. Three self-explanatory knobs, dial it up a go.

This is a reissue of the original TS808 and sounds really good. I have played thru an original TS808 and to my ear the reissue is dead on. This is a great mild to medium gain pedal. Just remember it's an overdrive not a distortion pedal. If you want hard rock or metal tones get a different pedal. Classic rock tone is all inside this little green box.

This pedal is reliable, and built well. I will use it on my pedal board and not worry about a backup.

I have never had to deal with Ibanez customer support, so I can't help here.

I play in a Christian worship band and play a ton of different styles of music, this pedal suites what I do just fine. I have the TS808 and a Fulltone Fulldrive2 on my board and don't need any other overdrive pedals. I run my board thru a Super Reverb and get all the tone I need. I'll give this pedal a rating of 10 anyday.

Super easy, 3 knobs and normal/effect switch. Very understandable and easy to get good sounds.

Alot of bullshit has been spilled on the ts808. Vintage specs, modifications, whatever. I've even heard one guy here on HC saying it only works on tube amps and that it does nothing on solid state amps.
TOTAL BULLSHIT.

It's a really good pedal, it works on all amps. Does it sound better on a tube amp? Yes. Why? Because everything sounds better on a A class tube amp, they're better amps. So that one is total BS. and if you don't like it's sound, then don't buy it! Don't trust some idiot saying "Oh sure it doesn't sound ok, caus it's not modded to vintage specs and modified so it has more gain en more bass response blahblahblah" The original ones didn't have that, and since the reissue is a near-perfect copy, it doesn't have that shit either.

What this thing does is beautiful light to medium gain overdrive, it has class, style, it's smooth. I never wanna turn it off. So far i've only found one problem : With all the knobs on full, when you press the button there's an audible beep. That shouldn't happen with noise-less switching. Although I would NEVER (and almost no-one would) use that setting, it's still not ok for that beep to be there. So there goes a point. Otherwise, the thing is a dream.

It's very hardcore built and heavy, i think it'll survive alot, seeing as the old ones are still all over the place.

never dealt with them

It's a great overdrive for blues/jazz/rock. Don't expect to get metal or hardrock or whatever out of it. If you want that, buy something else. For me, the hype is real. But all the modding shit isn't. The reissue is real good, I wouldn't let anyone touch it just because it'll sound better to "their" ears. It's all about mine. I play rock/jazz and it's great, I just got it so haven't played it live yet, but i will. It gets a 9 for what it does, light to medium gain overdrive, the only real problem is that beep with all buttons on max. (a setting I and most guitarist would never use, since most of the time you'll wanna keep the volume in sync with clean, and full tone is way too harsh)

Everything is written on the pedal, dont even need the manual !

Sounds reaaaaly good.
I use it to boost my Marshall Bluesbreaker.
I leave this unit alway on on the top of my amp, tone @ 9, volume @ 14, drive @10.
Give me the an extra drive i need to play some modern rock, from Motorhead to The Bronx, Dommriders, Noise conspiracy ... Can do nearly everything i want, just have to choose the right axe (Fender tele / Gibson LP). Also have and excellent blues tone when i use it with my Fender Champ.
Sounds better than the TS9, more bass, less mids .. and a better switch !

Build like a tank

Well, i think i will keep it forever. Excellent overdrive. Will work with many styles of music, and gives a nice color to your tone.

I only give it a 9, because the only overdrive pedal which can have a 10 is the Banzai Cold Fusion (best overdrive on earth) !

3 knobs; can't get much easier. Manual is straight forward, probably don't even need it. It even comes with an adapter plug so you can use a standard 9v adapter to it.

I compared the TS-808 to my TS-9. Whoever said they are the same thing is smoking some good stuff...cuz they're not. They are similar, but not exact. Remember, it takes a good combination of instrument/amp to hear a difference, and if you're testing it on a Fender Champ, you probably won't hear much difference. But the 808 is much warmer, and you get warm punch when you pick the strings hard; something you don't get quite as good on the TS9. I think this pedal sounds better through a tube amp, but its circuitry is versatile so it sounds good on tube or solid state. Very quiet - no hum or buzz. I use it with my Fender Deluxe Reverb.

Kinda hard to break these, even on purpose. Built out of metal, made to withstand the heavy foot. I'd use it without a backup, but there's usually another overdrive in my chain anyway.

Never had to deal with Ibanez directly, but their customer relations dept is pretty slow on giving you answers (or at least that's what the kid at the music store told me - probably to save face for messing up my order himself...)

At any rate, this is a classic pedal with classic tone. Very easy to sound good. I tend to back off the overdrive these days as it creates a much warmer tone, but it can certainly give you a boost if you set the gain to max. Used in a chain with: Chandler Tube Driver (sounds good combined with this, too), proco Rat, EH Small Clone, EH Small Stone, MXR 1500, MXR analog delay. Amp is a Fender Deluxe Reverb, and guitars are: '68 reissue Stratocaster, 70's blonde Telecaster, Gibson SG standard, and an Ibanez Acoustic.

It's got knobs. Turn 'em....you'll get it! I'll give it a 9.9. If it jumped outta the box, plugged itself in, set itself up, and played the guitar for ya...It would get a 10.

My setup: Fender Classic series 1970's strat with EMG dg20 installed, blocked bridge, and Sperzel locking tuners into the ts808 into a Palomino v16 (class A 1x12 combo). What can I say? It sounds great. Very natural. I use it with the gain at zero, tone around 12 o'clock and the level maxed. It gives me a boost in volume and fattness without adding a ridiculous amount of distortion. It sounds like what it is: An OVERDRIVE pedal. Pushes the front of my amp nicely. Great sustain too...

It is a very solid peice of gear as far as I can tell. I feel comfortable gigging with it. I don't recomend gigging without a backup but finances dictate that I do. Just be kind to your gear and it will be kind to you....

Never dealt with them

This pedal suits my playing style quite nicely (blues/rock/gospel/jam band stuff), but I can see how it might be used in any style. It's all up to you. Great as a lead boost but sounds very good for rhythm playing too. You metal players out there might try this as well. It won't give ya super heavy distortion but it WILL push the front end of your tube amp quite nicely and that's really what it's all about. To sum up what this pedal does for me....LOTSA WARM POWERFUL DRIVE AND SUSTAIN WITH PLENTY OF CHARACTER!

Hard to make this thing sound bad.

Met all my expectations. Really smooth sound. Light drive. Not overpowering. I play through a Marshall stack and you can't get a nice clean smooth drive like this out of a Marshall. Very similar to the Fender Hot Rod Deville Dist. This drive is a cross between Santana meets SRV.

Haven't had it long enough to tell. Looks strong.

Great for classic rock, blues, blues rock, some modern rock. I've been playing for 10 years and I'm really impressed with this pedal. I didn't boher comparing it to any other pedals at the store because I've pretty much played them all and never heard a distortion this smooth except for on my Fender Hot Rod Deville.

Not hard unless you have no fingers and are blind.

Just beautiful. I bought this because I play strats and need that extra boost in many different situations. It is great for driving a tube amp, boosting and sustaining for solos and I use it to boost a SansAmp direct box which it does incredibly. It is one of the most useful pedals I've ever owned - When I look down at this green pedal I think "balls; no balls."