Is Diy Tube screamer -close?exact? kinda?

[jimbob]

Ive always wanted the Ibanez Ts-808 but now even the re issues are $$$. Since ive never really owned one except for a GGG site Diy 808 i cant really compare the 2 of them for closeness. Is the DIY ts-808 sound close/exact/sort of close/good enough.. ect... to the commercial one?  

For those who have the commercial one or have heard it live--are they a close match-exact? ect..?

[mikeb]

The cool thing is you can make your own 808-clone *better* than a commercial one by tweaking cap values, pot values (more gain), experimenting with different opamps; this way you aren't forced to accept a 'one-size-suits-all' approach that large manufacturers must adopt for profitability reasons.

I've built a number of 808 clones, and after working with the receipient to tweak it to their tonal preferences, they *always* prefer the custom one to other TS's they own / have owned.

DIY can often be about taking the basic circuit or building block, and twisting it to be *exactly* the way you want.

Mike

[cd]

If you use the right chip, it's a dead on match.

[jimbob]

Ive used exact match from the GGG site but have never used the green commercial one 2 compare it with.

[petemoore]

That box is double exponentially documented. I doubt if there any possible descrepancies about the schematics...so
 Which one are you talking about....one to the next, there are purported differences.
 I'd have to say close, sorta, or better.
 Because you can tweek the tar from it with myraid mods or derivitaves, and because you may choose to better compensate for parts tolerances or use different type and value caps than came in the originals, you're better chances of finding a TS you like improves.
 Be sure to get the right size and taper pot for the tone control. Try some preferred values there, to your taste?
 Go with the 'upgrade' IC, there are archives galore about which IC does what in a TS circuit.
 I like the Alexis, with the switched diode configurations, but I added a control pot for the second stage gain, and may use it with a booster in front, and the two Si diode pairs for higher voltage clipping sound...no buffers.
 I've tried Marshall BB, and SD-1's, various feedbackloop clipping devices, because I like them.
 I'm telling you, there are tweeks to these FBLoop/OA Clip circuits like all get out, if you like the basic TS sound, you can be amazed at what these mods can do.

[AL]

I've lined my DIY TS (from GGG) next to a TS-9 and a TS-5 and they are really close.  I tweaked mine to my ear so there were subtle differences but it was really close.

AL