The Fortin-Modded Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer is a TS808 Tube Screamer overdrive pedal, built by Ibanez and then modified by amp designer Mike Fortin. It keeps the familiar Tube Screamer platform but changes the circuit in two big ways: red LEDs in the clipping stage, which the seller says give a more organic, amp-like tone, and an output level described as 2.5 or more times louder than a stock TS8081. The gain structure ranges from semi-clean boost to full-bore distortion2.
The Fortin-Modded TS808 is discontinued. Godlyke lists it as discontinued, with all sales final, no cancellations or returns accepted, and a 20 percent restocking fee on canceled orders1.
What the mod changes
Two changes define the Fortin TS808. The first is the clipping stage: where a stock Tube Screamer clips the signal with diodes, the Fortin mod uses red LEDs instead, which the seller describes as producing "more organic, amp-like tone"1. The second is output. Godlyke's listing calls it "an all-new mod that transforms this classic overdrive into an ear-shattering, amp-destroying juggernaut," and states:
"the FTS808 is actually 2.5+ times louder than a stock TS808, this may be the loudest pedal ever made!"
That output boost is the practical point of the pedal for many players: it is meant to drive the front end of an amp harder than a stock Tube Screamer can. The gain structure runs from semi-clean boost to full-bore distortion2, so it can serve as a clean-ish lift or as a full distortion depending on where the controls sit.
Bypass and buffering
The Fortin-Modded TS808 uses buffered bypass switching1, not true bypass. That follows the original design: the stock TS808 is not true bypass and uses a JFET switch circuit to turn the effect on and off, as GuitarPCB's technical analysis of the circuit explains3. Players who specifically want true bypass in a Tube Screamer can have the stock pedal converted by a third-party mod service, but the Fortin mod itself keeps the buffered approach.
Where it came from
The Fortin Tube Screamer mods are part of a family of Fortin-modified pedals offered through the Maxon Custom Shop program, which also includes the Fortin-Modded Maxon OD-9 Overdrive and the Fortin-modded TS-9 Tube Screamer4. The Tube Screamer mods are done to order: each pedal is modified and tested by Kevin, with a lead time of up to 15 business days2. Availability is limited, and unlike earlier runs in the program, these pedals will not be signed1.
The TS808 version was offered alongside the TS9 version, and the two were sold together as "TS808 and TS9 FORTIN MODIFIED"1. The TS808 is now discontinued1, while the related Fortin TS808 pedals were still listed as available on the Maxon site at the time of the TS9 listing51.
Because the pedal is discontinued, buying one now means the secondhand market. Godlyke's terms for the pedal when it was sold were strict: all sales final, no cancellations or returns, and a 20 percent restocking fee on canceled orders, owing to the limited availability of the pedals1.
Fortin TS808 vs Fortin TS9
The Fortin-Modded Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer is the same idea built on a different base pedal: a classic Ibanez TS-9 modified by Mike Fortin4. Both are Ibanez Tube Screamers modified by Fortin and sold through the same Custom Shop channel, and both carry the Fortin approach of red LED clipping and boosted output.
The practical difference is the starting circuit. The TS808 and TS9 are different stock pedals, and the mods were sold as separate products for players who owned or preferred one base pedal over the other. Availability also differs: the TS808 version is discontinued1, while the TS9 version was still listed, with the Maxon site noting that Fortin TS808 pedals remained available51. See the Fortin-Modded Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer page for that version.
The circuit and DIY interest
The Fortin-modded TS808 has drawn attention from the pedal-building community. PedalPCB sells a printed circuit board for the design, listed as the TS808-FM, described as being for builders who want to recreate the Fortin Modded TS808 Tube Screamer6. That a DIY board exists says something about the mod's reputation among players who follow Tube Screamer variants.
The stock TS808 itself has a long documented history. TONEHOME hosts the original schematics, the owner's manual, and the service manual for the Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro, and notes the pedal has been reissued since 200317. The Tube Screamer family, including the TS808 and TS9, is covered across this site, including a Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 comparison.
Videos
FortinAmps
Godlyke Inc.
ChoptonesOfficial
Questions
Is the Fortin-modded TS808 still available?
No. Godlyke, the distributor that sold it, lists the Fortin-Modded Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer as discontinued, with all sales final and a 20 percent restocking fee on canceled orders. The related Fortin-modded TS9 was still listed as available on the Maxon site.
How much louder is the Fortin TS808 than a stock one?
The seller describes it as 2.5 or more times louder than a stock TS808, with an extreme output level intended to push any amp to its limits. The gain structure ranges from semi-clean boost to full-bore distortion.
Does the Fortin mod use LED clipping?
Yes. The mod puts red LEDs in the clipping stage, which the seller says gives a more organic, amp-like tone. The same red LED clipping approach appears in the Fortin-modded Maxon OD-9.
Is the Fortin TS808 true bypass?
No. The Fortin-Modded TS808 uses buffered bypass switching, like the stock Tube Screamer, which is not a true bypass design. Third-party true bypass conversion services exist for the TS808 if a player wants that.
What is the difference between the Fortin TS808 and the Fortin TS9?
Both are Ibanez Tube Screamers modified by Mike Fortin and sold through the same Custom Shop program. The TS808 version is built on the TS808 circuit and the TS9 version on the TS9. The TS808 is listed as discontinued while the TS9 was still available.
Sources (7)
- Fortin-Modded Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer Overdrive, Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- Fortin-Modded Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer Overdrive, maxonfx.com
- Tube Screamer Analysis, GuitarPCB
- Fortin-Modded Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer Overdrive, Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- Fortin-Modded Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer Overdrive, maxonfx.com
- Mean Green Metal Machine, PedalPCB.com
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME
