The JHS 808 is a discontinued overdrive pedal from JHS Pedals that replicates the original 808 version of the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer, one of the most copied overdrive circuits in the pedal world. JHS built it around what the company calls "the sacred 4558 chipset," the op-amp at the heart of the original, and added a three-way gain toggle offering stock, boost and crunch voices1. It is no longer in production: JHS discontinued it, explaining that "we discontinued it so we could do a different take on the circuit"2.
What it is and where it came from
The Tube Screamer that the JHS 808 copies dates back to the Ibanez TS808, and the chip inside it is the reason players care about this circuit. Premier Guitar's Dirk Wacker notes that "the original 808 Tubescreamer was loaded with the '80s version of the JRC4558D IC chip"3, and a GuitarPCB analysis of the circuit lists the JRC4558 (alongside RC4559 and RC4558 variants) in the bill of materials4. JHS's own product page calls the 808 "our replica of the original version based on the original 808"1.
JHS is blunt about why the company built it. As the product page puts it:
"The Tubescreamer has literally been cloned, copied, modified and tweaked beyond belief for one reason...it rocks!"1
JHS adds that it is "convinced that this screamer replica does what it should better than anything on the market"1.
Controls
The JHS 808 keeps the Tube Screamer layout and adds one extra feature, a toggle that changes the gain structure15:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| 3-way gain toggle | Chooses stock (down), boost (middle) or crunch (up) voicing1 |
| Level, tone and drive | The standard Tube Screamer control set carried over from the original circuit1 |
The gain toggle is the JHS 808's main departure from a straight clone: down gives the stock TS808 voicing, while the middle and up positions offer boost and crunch settings without changing pedals15.
How it relates to the Sweet Tea and Double Barrel
The JHS 808 was not an entirely new circuit for JHS. The company states that "This is the EXACT same 808 in our Sweet Tea and Double Barrel that we have been making for several years!"1. The single pedal differs in one respect: "The only difference between the JHS 808 single pedal and the Sweet Tea/Double Barrel is that the JHS 808 single pedal can" run at 18V, according to JHS1.
The JHS 808 is discontinued. JHS has since taken other approaches to the Tube Screamer circuit, including the JHS 3 Series Screamer2.
Guitar.com, covering JHS's range of Strong Mod-derived models, reported that "Of all of these, the JHS 808 came closest to a genuine clone, but was quickly discontinued in favour of other pedal designs"5.
Power and bypass
The pedal uses true bypass switching, so when it is off, the circuit is out of the signal path1. On power, JHS states the single pedal can run at 18V1, which sets it apart from the 808 side of the Sweet Tea and Double Barrel. Players who want more headroom from a Tube Screamer-style circuit have often run them at higher voltage, and the 18V option is the JHS 808's practical distinction within JHS's own range.
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Questions
Is the JHS 808 true bypass?
Yes. JHS built the 808 with true bypass switching, along with what the company describes as high grade components and high quality construction. With true bypass, the pedal's circuit is removed from the signal path entirely when off, so it does not load down your guitar's signal when the effect is not engaged.
Can the JHS 808 run at 18V?
Yes. JHS states that the only difference between the JHS 808 single pedal and the 808 circuit found in the Sweet Tea and Double Barrel is that the single pedal can run at 18V. Higher voltage headroom is a common reason players run an overdrive at 18V rather than the usual 9V.
Is the JHS 808 discontinued?
Yes. JHS discontinued the 808, saying the company did so to take a different approach to the circuit. Guitar.com reported that of JHS's Strong Mod-derived models, the JHS 808 came closest to a genuine Tube Screamer clone, but was quickly discontinued in favor of other pedal designs.
Is the JHS 808 the same circuit as the 808 side of the Sweet Tea or Double Barrel?
Yes. JHS describes the 808 as the exact same circuit found in its Sweet Tea and Double Barrel pedals, which the company had been making for several years. The single pedal differs only in that it can run at 18V, according to JHS.
Sources (5)
- JHS 808 - JHS Pedals, JHS Pedals
- WHAT IS THE JHS 3 SERIES SCREAMER?, JHS Pedals, 2022
- The Ultimate Tube Screamer Mod Guide, Premier Guitar, 2007-02-07
- Tube Screamer Analysis, GuitarPCB
- JHS Pedals’ new Screamer is a $99 no-frills pocket rocket, Guitar.com, 2022-04-13
