"Max on, right hand. Max off, left hand. Max on, Max off. Breathe… in through nose, out the mouth. Max on, Max off. Don't forget to breathe. Very important. Max on, Max off. Max on, Max off."
I'm an old long in the tooth (67) still gigging Roadhouse Blues Rocker. I currently have on my board is a Analog Man modded 90's style Ibanez TS9 OD with a TI JRC4558D chip inside that I have used for about 8, 9 years that has served well, but I was really just totally blown away by the these new Maxon 808 OD models. I really exceptionally impressed with and was torn between the Catalinbread Mod and the EarthQuaker Mod 808, but ultimately after listening to your demo three times completely of all the different 808 models, I went with the Catalinbread modded 808. It's soundscapes just really stood out and I loved the extra oomph, push in bottom end, midrange bump, and to me the extra fat headroom it created compared to the others..the Earthquaker mod really stood out to me as well..all the versions there you demo'd had their own distinct exceptional "808" personality in tone, soundscapes. Terrific, awesome shootout demo of all 5 superb Maxon 808 models ! New subscriber, love the channel ! Thank you for the demo and a chance to win a new Maxon modded 808 OD ! Cheers!
The Maxon od808 is the best sounding overdrive pedal I have ever owned. I have used it to tighten up every amp I have ever owned and everytime they ha e worked wonders. The od808x is probably one of my favorites. It has a treble booster thing to it that I really like.
My Maxon OD808 has been a favorite and mainstay on my board for years. I’ve been intrigued by the anniversary collaborations, but I wasn’t interested in simply picking one without a real basis for choosing. The Anniversary Maxon version accentuated what I most associate with tube screamer enhanced tone. But, based upon your demo, I liked the Pigtronix version and never would have discovered this.
My thoughts exactly. It would sound killer through a Rectifier or Mark series. It was the clearest, punchiest, tightest of the bunch for sure, and I'm a total overdrive snob!
@@chrise.3814 I said “my board” as a guitar player who owns effects pedals and chose to mount them to a pedalboard. Whatever else you’re reading into it is merely a product of your imagination.
This was more of a one size fits all type of setup. Gives you a basic idea so you could imagine what these would be like in front of a metal amp setup.
@@lordmanshaft1112 I can wholeheartedly disagree with that. I have all 6 versions of the OD808. They do not sound the same. Some are closer than others but not the same at all.
None of the builders decided to mod the OD808 to have true bypass. Although, we are working on a true bypass mod that we should be able to do to any of the 40th Anniversary OD808 (provided they are not sold out). For more info please email me at info@godlyke.com -Will
I liked the original design and the earthquaker devices the most. they all sound great, gainier and crunchier and probably very similar to the red maxon od808x. Then I also noticed (through my studio headphone monitors): 40th aniversary sounded a bit mushy and the keeley a bit splattery. great video comparison, thanks
Maxon is so cool for doing something like this. Most companies have too much ego to do something like this, and maybe Maxon could come off cocky for doing something like this, like, "our pedal is the best and here is our proof," sort of thing, but the mindset of we are all just trying to find the best sound possible and we are in this together, there doesn't need to be dividing lines theme is awesome. Side note and questions, how do you like the synergy gear? and for some reason when you had all 6 of them and went to the neck pickup, I was picking up Pearl Jam Even Flow vibes, were you?
That Synergy Bogner module sounds awesome!! As do the pedals! Can’t wait for the Ecstasy module to be released. They all sound great, but I think the “Original” Maxon sounds amazing! Thanks for the demo!!
I never play my OD808 with anything close to that level of overdrive. I play through Fender amps and I’m a fairly low gain player. Sometimes no overdrive at all from any amp or pedal. The demo isn’t quite useful to me and my sound preferences or playing style, but it’s a good demo and interesting one. I can hear differences. The OD808 has consistently been on my main gigging pedalboard for a long time with short periods of inserting other pedals in that slot. Thanks for the video.
Excellent demonstration, I pick the original, the anniversary, the Earthquaker Devices and Patronix pedals the best ones. I have the Maxon OD-9 as well which I really like.
Maxon (handing Mr. Tamura an 808): “Mr. Tamura can you please improve on your original design?” Mr. Tamura (hands it right back): “There is no improving what is already perfect” 👌
I liked both the Catalinbread the and the EarthQuaker device. Everybody's rig is different, what works in my rig may not work in yours. With that being said, I would have to compare them in my own rig to make a definitive chose. who knew that the Maxon 808 circuit was the original and the Ibanez TS9 was the knockoff? I didn't. Hat tip to Mr. Tamura, thank you sir for such a groundbreaking, innovative and original tone.
I like the original and the 40th best. I’m sure the tone changes from rig to guitar but this a great starting point for someone looking to buy the pedal.
Awesome video! I liked the Catalinbread at noon settings, and the Maxon reissue at metal settings. Not to take away from any of them but I really like the 808x.
808 modify pedals.. we are talking subtle differences here and 808 lovers spend a lot of $$ on that subtle difference. However, if you just connect all the pedals in serial without using loop switcher, even if they are 100% exact the same pedal, the first pedal and last pedal of the chain will sound very different (buffered or not), which makes this demo less helpful. You can easily test this by placing any overdrive pedal at the first of the chain and last of the chain on your pedal board and recording each time while bypassing all the other pedals. You will hear very different tone.
I love my godlyke 808, but I get a lot of noisy interference from it. Anyone else experience that? I'm using an isolated power supply, but that doesn't seem to make a difference.
In this scenario, I wouldn't add any of those to your rig. You've got a tone that suits me. I think the Caitlinbread and Earthquaker have a noisy hiss. I prefer the Pigtronix, but I play single coils so I don't know how any of them will respond for me.
I liked them all for both uses except for the Keely modded one.. idk really know exactly.. too much fizz and loose gravelly distortion in the low end. But yeah cool they all have very unique tonal characteristics
The keeley one would be the best bet if you're a hardcore texas blues/hot blues type of guy that plays single coils(which is how I use it). Not ideal for metal, has a lot of gain on tap, but it's unreal in a blues setting with a fender style amp at the verge of breakup.
Your right when it comes to different mods sound better in metal and some sound better in rock and blues. I have the 40th anniversary and the 808x and the 808x sounds really good for metal.At least in my JCM 800 2203 and the 40th anniversary sounds better in my JCM 2000.
BIG PROBLEM here: You have the pedals in series and they are each acting like a passive filter because they are not true bypass (at least the factory OD808 is not.) Therefore the pedals earlier in the chain will sound VERY different and much darker. Not a good comparison... but I am interested still in seeing these A/B'd. PLEASE redo this!
@@jesperbc It's not as pedantic as you think. I actually use an OD808 as a passive filter in my signal chain to focus the mids more, you'd be surprised at the difference
It’s always fun when pedal companies collaborate but I end up never really liking what they do. They’re never bad just don’t seem to catch my ear. Also, good job sneaking in that bogner synergy. Sounds pretty awesome.
I've had my Amptweaker Tight Drive Jr for a few years now and its one hell of a overdrive. With the built in noise gate it makes a perfect pedal for me. I definitely recommend it.
Brilliant marketing, but I don't think they're different enough to warrant so many variations. I'd probably have more fun modding an SD-1 with a switch for clipping and a trimmer for bass.
