The Ibanez TSV808 is an overdrive pedal billed as a "Next Generation Tubescreamer": a marriage of the classic Ibanez Tube Screamer and the Jan Ray overdrive from Vemuram, a boutique pedal manufacturer in Japan1. It combines the familiar mid-boost EQ curve of the Tube Screamer with the expanded dynamic and frequency range of the Jan Ray, and its output volume is reported to be 7dB higher than a standard Tube Screamer1.
What it does: a Tube Screamer crossed with the Vemuram Jan Ray
The TSV808 came out of a collaboration between Ibanez and Vemuram, and the stated goal was to merge the Tube Screamer with the Jan Ray, Vemuram's flagship pedal2. For a player, that means the pedal keeps the mid-humped character a Tube Screamer is known for while adding the Jan Ray's wider dynamic range and frequency response3.
"which is both a 40th Anniversary Ibanez Tube Screamer and sort of Jan Ray too in the same box"
The build uses customized parts and a quad-layered PCB as used in the Jan Ray, with each component selected by engineers from both companies2. Vemuram is recognized for using quad-layered PCBs in its pedal construction3. The pedal also features a hand-crafted bass enclosure1.
The controls: Overdrive, Tone, Level and internal trim pots
On the front panel the TSV808 keeps the regular Tube Screamer layout. The knob location is the same as the TS808: from left to right, Drive, Tone and Level2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive (Overdrive) | Sets the amount of overdrive, as on a TS80823 |
| Tone | Shapes the treble, as on a TS80823 |
| Level | Sets the output volume, with about 7dB more on tap than a standard Tube Screamer13 |
| Saturation trim pot | Internal trim pot controlling the pedal's saturation3 |
| Bass trim pot | Internal trim pot controlling the pedal's bass response3 |
The two trim pots are small internal controls, so adjusting Saturation and Bass means opening the pedal up rather than turning a front-panel knob3.
The TSV808 also gives you two sets of clipping diodes, each with its own DIP switch, letting you select between four different clipping forms: two symmetrical and two asymmetrical3. That is a meaningful difference from a stock Tube Screamer, which offers no clipping options at all.
History: an Ibanez and Vemuram collaboration
The TSV808 was announced around NAMM 2019 as a collaboration between Ibanez and Vemuram15. The build was not easy: it went through many stages of prototyping before both Ibanez and Vemuram were happy with the result3. At the time of the announcement the recommended retail price had not yet been set3.
Aesthetically it looks fairly similar to the standard Tube Screamer1. The original TS808 it draws from is a Japanese-made overdrive with a long history, reissued by Ibanez in 20146728.
Delicious Audio shot a demo of the pedal at NAMM 2019, and Gearnews' reviewer wrote of it: "I think it sounds really nice in the demonstration," referring to the demo played by Pete Thorn and Tim Pearce3.
How it differs from the TS808
Compared with the Ibanez TS808, the TSV808 keeps the same mid-boost EQ character and the same knob layout, but adds512:
- The Jan Ray's expanded dynamic and frequency range1
- About 7dB more output volume13
- Internal Saturation and Bass trim pots3
- Two DIP-switchable sets of clipping diodes, four clipping forms in all3
Players comparing it with other Tube Screamer family pedals, such as the Ibanez TS9 or the Ibanez Nu Tube Screamer, will find the TSV808 is the one built jointly with an outside boutique maker1.
Videos
Pete Thorn
Ibanez Guitars
Peach Guitars
Questions
How much louder is the TSV808 than a TS808?
The TSV808's output volume is reported to be 7dB higher than a standard Ibanez Tube Screamer. That extra output level means it can push an amp harder than a stock TS808 when you turn the Level control up.
What is the difference between the TSV808 and the TS808?
The TSV808 keeps the Tube Screamer's familiar mid-boost EQ curve and the same left-to-right Drive, Tone and Level knob layout, but adds the Jan Ray's expanded dynamic and frequency range, two internal trim pots for Saturation and Bass, and two sets of clipping diodes selectable by DIP switch. Its output is also about 7dB hotter.
What is the Vemuram Jan Ray?
The Jan Ray is the flagship overdrive pedal of Vemuram, a boutique pedal manufacturer in Japan. Its maker describes it as suitable for both transparent drive and amp-like breakup tones, and it is known for a wide dynamic range and frequency response.
Where are the Saturation and Bass trim pots on the TSV808?
The TSV808 has two small internal trim pots that control the pedal's Saturation and Bass settings. They are not on the front panel; you adjust them inside the pedal, while the regular Overdrive, Tone and Level knobs sit on the front panel as on a TS808.
Sources (8)
- Ibanez Vemuram TSV808 Tube Screamer, Delicious Audio, 2022-05-23
- Ibanez Launches 40th Anniversary Tube Screamer, Premier Guitar, 2019-01-24
- NAMM 2019: Ibanez collaborate with Vemuram on TSV808, gearnews.com, 2019-01-25
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2020-11-05
- Ibanez Announces The NTS Nu Tube Screamer, Delicious Audio, 2018-01-02
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME (tonehome.de)
- Green Giant: History of the Tube Screamer, Premier Guitar (www.premierguitar.com), 2011-10-18
