Is the 808 clone any better than a TS-7 that has had the 808 Mod?

[scottjge]

I have a TS-7 that has had the 808 Mod, but it still isn't the the sound that I am looking for. It has a fuzz sound to it. Is the Cloned 808 any different ? I am looking for a pedal that has just a slight OD to it, something like a tube amp just on the verge of break up. When I used to play out in a band and used my tube amp I could get that sound with no pedals but now that I only play in the house with no band I can not get that sound unless the amp is turned up and it is loud. So I bought a TS-7 and modded it to a 808 but still doesn't sound good. First of all , even with the drive turned all the way down it has too much distortion, and that distortion sounds more like a fuzzy sound. I am thinking about making or buy a 808 clone kit from guitar gadgets but don't want to waste my time nor my money if it is going to sound the same way. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place, maybe I should be looking at a different stomp box, I don't know.

What are your opinions that have had  experience with the 808. Maybe what I am looking for can not be re-produced at normal room levels. I have no  idea and am looking for some guidance.

Any ideas, suggestion, or advise would be greatly appreciated.

[earthtonesaudio]

I have a TS7 with the "808" and several other mods.  The "808" mod made no audible difference (to my ears at least). 

A couple suggestions:
-make sure the switch is set to "normal," not "hot"
-the pedal sounds best going into a not-so-clean amp
-getting a tube sound out of a stompbox is difficult if not impossible

Most of the clips I've heard that make the TS series sound good are feeding into a tube amp.  It's not really a "tube sounding" pedal on its own, but rather a tone shaping/compressing pedal that makes your amp distort in a nice way.

[Joe Hart]

I think the charm of a Tube Screamer is when you're pushing a "fired up" amp. I doubt that you can get that same tone with a TS into an amp only turned up to "2" or so. But I could be wrong.
-Joe Hart

[Joe Hart]

Earthtonesaudio beat me to it! And with better info!
-Joe Hart

[scottjge]

Thanks for the reply. I figured that it wasn't possible to that sound out of a stompbox, because if it wasn't everyone would have one and would be the hottest selling box out there.

I will have to do some experimenting to get a more decent sound. I am going to put the TS-7 on ebay and I will make my own TS. As a matter of fact, I am getting rid of all my bought stompboxes on eBay. So be looking there if you are in the market for store bought stomp boxes.

Thanks for your input.
Glenn

[scottjge]

I have posted what I have for sale or trade in the "Sale or Trade" section on this forum, for anyone that is interested.

[KorovaMilkBar]

i would suggest a dod 250 clone with assymetrical clipping (2 Ge, 1 Si). it definitely has a nice warm tube sound for whatever reason, i am not sure why exactly. but to me it sounds great. mine runs a little too glassy and bright on my brigde humbucker so you might some sort of mod to smooth out the high end (thats what im trying to do). so ya i would suggest checking it out and if i can record some sort of sample i will put it up here.

[aziltz]

have you tried anything with cascaded jFets?  IMO, way better sounded than any TS could hope to be.

[scottjge]

Thanks for your suggestions.

No I haven't tried any projects yet to make what I want. I am new to the list and am just getting into building my own stomp boxes and finding my own sounds. After I sell some of my stuff that I had when I was in the band, I will be able to buy some parts and components and start making and tweaking. So far I have had a blast reading and learning about my new hobby to be. Who would have thought it at 56 years old. 

[MattXIV]

The 808 and 7 are very close based on the schematics I've seen, so I wouldn't expect any but very subtle differences in sound.  The 7 has the same clipping and tone stages as the 808 with the addition of a switch that changes the frequency response of the clipping stage.  Beyond the switchable frequency response, the output buffer is different, but that's probably what you modded.  The one advantage of a clone would probably be being able to use mechanical switching instead of the transistor switching in the stock pedal.

[FlyingZ]

I have a TS-7 that has had the 808 Mod

If you can find a vintage JRC 4558D it will sound richer.

[grolschie]

Change the IC perhaps? I like the sound of a TS-7 with a TL072 stacked with a TLC2262, and asymmetric MOSFET clippers (body diode) and other tweaks.

[scottjge]

No all I have is a RC4558P. I have been looking at the Fat Boostered. It looks like it may do what I want, may have to modify it a little though.

[grolschie]

As far as 4558's go, the Texas Instruments RC4558P is supposed to be pretty decent isn't it? Isn't that one of the ICs that the TS-808 with produced with?

Have you actually heard a real TS-808? It might not be the pedal for you? What about building a LTD Silver? I haven't built one, but it's a nice low gain OD from what I read.

[Paul Marossy]

I don't really have anything to contribute other than to say that the one pedal I have that consistently gets used is my TS808 clone.

[FlyingZ]

As far as 4558's go, the Texas Instruments RC4558P is supposed to be pretty decent isn't it?

The RC4558P sounds just like the stock TA75558P and the vintage RC4558P seems just slightly louder. The vintage JRC 4558D is loud with lower gain and less high end.

I returned an 808 reissue without looking inside, it sounded terrible.