Ibanez TS5 to TS808?

[PubliusValerius]

Hey guys - I'm pretty new to this. I've wanted to build a TS808 clone - and then I just looked in my big box-o-pedals, and looky looky - I've got an old Ibanez TS5 Soundtank that somebody left behind in our old bandroom. Works great. I can't imagine it would be too hard to swap out some resistors and caps and make a 808 out of it, could it? Or am I being naive here?

I did some cursory investigating on it, and there is some conflicting info regarding component swaps. Can anyone bestow me with accurate info on doing this correctly? I'd also like to swap out the plastic box and knobs (and pots if necessary).

Any help would be appreciated!

[bluebunny]

Check out R.G.'s "Technology of the Tube Screamer" article at Geofex.

[PubliusValerius]

Thanks bluebunny - I just stumbled onto that and have been reading. Here's another question - is it possible and practical to switch out that crappy integrated plastic footswitch in the TS5 with a real footswitch since I'm swapping boxes?

[Quackzed]

just a heads up, the switch in those soundtanks is only half the problem(or rather not the culprit for unreliable switching), the flipflop is somewhat unreliable, i believe its the small caps in the flip flop that fail...i replaced with a bigger cap and so far so good...

i used a .1 cap much BIGGER but works well
found the info link...
http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f21/fix-for-dodgey-footswitch-on-soundtank-pedals-131744.html

[PubliusValerius]

Awesome quack - thanks. So do you still use the stock flip-flop switch that came with it? If the cap is switched out, that old flip-flop is reliable enough to not worry about?

[Quackzed]

yep, i use the same switch. i think i broke one once and replaced it with the same part, but that was after 10 or so years of use...
pretty sure small bear carries 'em if you ever need to replace it.
after the cap swap it switches every time. its a ts5 as well.

[PubliusValerius]

So I guess this is sort of answering one of my questions - swapping out the box, switch, and pots sounds like more trouble than it's worth. I just hate the plastic. If I'm going to get the 808 sound, I want a metal box, 'kerchunky' DPDT footswitch, and real pots and knobs!

[Renegadrian]

I rehoused one once. true bypass with a regular footswitch, alpha pots and better jacks.

yes it's a bit of work but it's ok, otherwise you could just build one from scratch

[bluebunny]

Nice work, Adriano.  But I agree with you: it would probably be quicker and easier just to build an 808 from scratch since this isn't solely a re-housing job.

[roseblood11]

Wouldn't it be easier to sell the TS-5 and build a clone od the TS808 with true bypass?

[PubliusValerius]

Wow Adriano - that's a beauty. I don't know that I'm advanced enough to pull it off. For instance, how to you go from PCB mounted pots, switch, and jacks to offboard mounted? Is there some sort of "seated socket" or something you can solder to, or do you actually have to run the leads through the PCB slots somehow? Do you have any "under the hood" images you wouldn't mind sharing?

[swyse]

Here is a step by step with pictures for changing it over to a TS808 and then some.
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/sevenstring-org-workbench/103276-tech-pimp-your-ibanez-ts5-tubescreamer.html