Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer

Early version Ibanez Tube Screamer pedal for sale serviced and in excellent working order.

This particular pedal dates from c1980 and it sounds every bit as good as a vintage Tube Screamer should. It’s in good overall condition with the usual chips/scratches to paintwork as you’d expect, but it had also had a circular hole drilled in the front. This has now been filled and repainted (not an exact colour match), so is functionally-sound, but not for a collector – see photos below. Of course, this is entirely cosmetic and the tone is absolutely as you’d expect.

This is an early version – it has the ®logo and dash in the TS-808 and the chip is a JRC 4558D on the Maxon ‘A’ board. It is all-original internally aside from the battery clip and one screw.

Everything works as it should – no scratchy pots or dodgy jack sockets (it’s possible that some crackle may develop over time when not used – this should disappear with a couple of turns of the pot – this pedal is currently crackle-free).

We did some restoration work on the case as when it came to us someone had cut a circular hole in the front. This has been filled and painted over and the colour has been touched up on the corners as well. See the detailed photos for more information. None of this affects the pedal in use or the sound.

These pedals are legendary for their great tone, and were famously used by Stevie Ray Vaughan as part of his signature sound – also by Joe Bonamassa amongst many others. The reissues are good, but the original vintage pedals sound really great – creamy & warm – especially when driving a valve amp.