TS 808 build Questions

[Kipper4]

I want to build a TS808 would it be ok to use 2N5088?
. Original schematic uses 2N4401

I'm working from the GGG ITS8 schematic.
Not sure if i should post a link or not. ( i can if it will make it easier and not cause any problems)

[Paul Marossy]

I want to build a TS808 would it be ok to use 2N5088?
. Original schematic uses 2N4401

You can try it, it might work OK. But a 2N5088 can have quite a lot more gain than a 2N4401 does. Measure the Hfe on your 2N5088s, you want some that are in the 300-350 range.

[Kipper4]

just tested them one is 360 the other 371
its somewhere in the parish so i guess they will be ok right?

[pappasmurfsharem]

If you interested in a solid OD you might try the "Son of Clay Jones"
Which is a basic modified tube screamer given the son of screamer treatment.

My build sounds amazing. Especially with the 3 clip selection switch I added (really though it sounds best with the stock 3mm Red LEDS.

Probably the best overdrive I've ever played/heard but that is subjective of course.

The boutique clayjones apparently went for $1500 on EBAY which is ridiculous for a TS clone, but it does sound great.

I used the Burr Brown OPA2134 as per the original never tried other OP - Amps Although I don't know if it would make much difference.

http://revolutiondeux.blogspot.com/2008/03/son-of-clay-jones-overdrive.html.

And a vero layout
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/12/son-of-clay-jones-overdrive.html

If your set on the standard 808 you could look up the 'Son of Screamer' which basically strips out the input and output buffers egro not needed to use the transistors.

[Kipper4]

thanks for the advice i'm still gathering bits for it so plenty of time to make up my mind
cheers dude

any further advice on this type of build is most welcome though
thanks

[pappasmurfsharem]

thanks for the advice i'm still gathering bits for it so plenty of time to make up my mind
cheers dude

any further advice on this type of build is most welcome though
thanks

I'm probably just raving at this point, but following the build from IvIarks tagboard page it has lots of gain on tap, almost all settings on the gain knob sound very "musical" and useful" also TONs of volume, rolling the gain all the way down and tapping the output volume gave me a very sparkly sound "clean" boost.

I can say that it sounds exactly like the video in those links, which I love, but tone is subjective, although I prefer it with my warmoth strat with vintage SCs to the sound of that strat.

[Paul Marossy]

just tested them one is 360 the other 371
its somewhere in the parish so i guess they will be ok right?

That should do I think.

[Pyr0]

I second the "Son of Clay Jones Overdrive" - I've never heard a tubescreamer sound so good 

[pappasmurfsharem]

I second the "Son of Clay Jones Overdrive" - I've never heard a tubescreamer sound so good 

IKR!?

[J0K3RX]

Clay Jones looks like a tube screamer without the input/output buffers...?   $1500 is robbery in every sense of the word!!! Better do some f$%kin magical sh!t for that kind of cash!!!

I use the 2N5088's in my TS808's all the time and I have built tons of them... I actually prefer the 2N5088 in the TS! I have tried quite a few different ones but I always think the 2N5088's sound best... not saying there couldn't be better, just what I like. Never built a Clay Jones so no comments there... The TS808 has always worked perfectly for me and I have used them for decades. I only use tube screamers in front of a already somewhat high gain to full on high gain amps or preamps just to tighten up the bottom end and give a little extra boost. Gain all the way down or on 1 and level anywhere from 4 to all the way up just depending on what the amp calls for, tone always in the middle or back just a hair.


Edit: My bad... the Son of Clay Jones doesn't have the buffers but the "Clay Jones Overdrive" does... And I see pappasmurfsharem already mentioned that... duh Stupid I am
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/12/clay-jones-overdrive.html

[IvIark]

The transistors are both unity gain buffers so virtually anything should work fine in there

[J0K3RX]

The transistors are both unity gain buffers so virtually anything should work fine in there

Agreed...

Just compared the TS808 and the Clay Jones OD... Very subtle differences but almost identical with the exception of a couple part values and the OPA2134 and the BC546B's.. Could that be where the mojo lives?

BTW - different opamps do make quite a noticeable difference in my opinion.

[IvIark]

BTW - different opamps do make quite a noticeable difference in my opinion.

Absolutely agree, sometimes the difference is night and day.

[midwayfair]

The transistors are both unity gain buffers so virtually anything should work fine in there

Agreed...

Just compared the TS808 and the Clay Jones OD... Very subtle differences but almost identical with the exception of a couple part values and the OPA2134 and the BC546B's.. Could that be where the mojo lives?

BTW - different opamps do make quite a noticeable difference in my opinion.

Google the words "Gomer" and "Goose" and "Middleman" with Jones's name and have fun reading a story about the boutique industry.

Make sure you read the other side of the story on the other forum (there is more than one thread) and some of the stuff on TGP from the time that they were actually being bought and sold. Short version is, $1500 was not the "going rate" or what he was charging. They went on Ebay, Clay donated a lot of the money, he drew the Landgraff OD (which his OD was not just a direct clone of but a direct replacement for). But be sure to keep your BS meter on when you're reading Jones's account and pay attention to why some posters back up which player in the story.

[R.G.]

Read "The Technology of the Tube Screamer" at geofex. As noted earlier, the transistor is used as a unity gain emitter follower. Substantially any NPN with a gain over 100-200 and low noise characteristics will be indistinguishable there.