There are several pedals out there that are designed to emulate a tube amp overdrive while using a solid state circuit. One of the first of these built was the Maxon OD-808 Overdrive Pedal. The OD-808 Overdrive Pedal has also been imitated time and time again. While the original Maxon OD-808 went out of stock, the pedal was brought back as part of Maxon’s Reissue series. The reissue is exactly identical to the original with one small exception: the output resistors have been changed so that the noise from the static electricity buildup is reduced greatly. Other than that, this new release of the OD-808 features the same great signal distorting diode set in a negative feedback loop. This distorts the signal in the amplifier circuit instead of distorting it after it passes through the circuit.
When it comes to tone, the OD-808 is one of the smoothest and creamiest pedals out there. This is the sound that many, many players want, and it’s the reason that the pedal has been imitated so many times. Of course, none of these imitations are quite as good as the original! This pedal has a thick overdrive that also features singing sustain. The tone is very rich harmonically, and it can easily be cleaned up by adjusting your guitar’s volume. If you’re looking for a screamer, you won’t find one better than the Maxon OD-808 Overdrive Tone. You can secure one for yourself for $135.
Originally released in 1979, the Maxon OD808 was one of the first tube-amp overdrive simulators to hit the market. Its smooth, creamy crunch tone caught on quickly, and helped to launch a long line of predecessors as well as imitators. Today, the OD808 design is without a doubt the most used, most imitated and most lauded overdrive circuit of all time. The reason for this is simple - tone - the OD808 provides the natural, mild overdrive of a tube amp without sacrificing your guitar's original tone. In addition, it can be used as a clean booster to provide increased gain without compromising the sound of your amplifier. The secret behind the legendary "808 tone" lies in the amplifier section of its circuit. Rather than having an amplifier stage followed by a clipping stage, the Maxon OD808 uses a signal-distorting diode (Panasonic #MA150) that is located in the amplifier stage's negative feedback loop (which also contains the JRC4558 IC chip). Therefore, the Maxon OD808 distorts signal in the amplifier circuit itself which yields a smoother, milder, more natural sounding distortion than a separate clipping stage. This is also the reason that the IC type used in the circuit has such a large impact on the unit's tone. It should be noted that the Reissue Series OD808 uses different output resistors than the original version. After the unit's initial release it was discovered to have a high susceptibility to noise due to static electricity buildup. To improve performance, the positions of the output resistors on the reissue OD808 were reversed and their values increased in order to reduce noise levels. This circuit change has no audible affect on the sound of the unit, save for reducing the noise levels. Whether it's used as an overdrive or a booster, the Maxon OD808 is the closest you can get to the classic sounds of 1970's rock guitar in a compact effect pedal.
Maxon set the standard for overdrives with the OD808 - now they raise the bar with the OD820! Unique voltage-doubling circuitry offers increased headroom, yielding the smoothest, warmest, most transparent overdrive ever! The OD820's specially designed circuit reacts precisely to every picking nuance and playing dynamic, making any instrument or amplifier come alive! Features true bypass switching and 9-volt battery or AC adapter operation (included).
Updated version of very first Maxon overdrive, OD880. Overdrive sound from post-integration circuit smoothly changes according to input level, offering highly dynamic response to picking technique. Creates mild and warm overdrive like that of a tube amplifier. Industry-standard op-amp, JRC NJM4558D offers low-noise overdrive sound. Employs a passive type overdrive circuit which differs from OD808/OD9. OOD9 is most effective with tube amp, using like a booster. True Bypass Switching with 4PDT mechanical switch. No tone changes when switching bypass/effect. Two-way power operation, using 9V alkaline battery or optional AC adaptor. (9V alkaline battery: more than 23 hours, 9V alkaline battery: more than 10.5 hours) Easy-access, tool-free battery compartment. OOD9 uses a stabilized DC to DC voltage converter to bump up to 9V (plus and minus 4.5V). Battery voltage drop and fluctuation of AC power source do not affect the tone and function.
The reissue is exactly identical to the original with one small exception: the output resistors have been changed so that the noise from the static electricity buildup is reduced greatly. Other than that, this new release of the OD-808 features the same great signal distorting diode set in a negative feedback loop. This distorts the signal in the amplifier circuit instead of distorting it after it passes through the circuit.
