The Maxon OD808-40C is a limited-edition overdrive pedal built by Maxon for the 40th anniversary of its OD808, first released in 1979123. For this version, Maxon collaborated with Catalinbread chief engineer Nicholas Kula, who reconfigured the OD808 with his "ODin808" mod34. Production was limited to 400 individually numbered units, each with its own signed certificate of authenticity3.
The pedal is discontinued. It was announced as part of a 40th Anniversary series in which four designers each reconfigured the OD808: Jamie Stillman of EarthQuaker Devices, Robert Keeley, Nicholas Kula of Catalinbread, and Dave Koltai of Pigtronix5. The OD808-40C became available in late November 20196.
A Catalinbread-modded OD808
The OD808-40C takes Maxon's OD808 circuit and applies the "ODin808" mod developed by Nicholas Kula, Catalinbread's chief engineer34. Godlyke, Maxon's North American distributor at the time, described the result as "a creamy, articulate drive that simply kills with any instrument, through any amp"3. As with everything on this page, that is the maker's description rather than an independent finding.
The pedal belongs to a four-pedal 40th Anniversary series built around the original OD808, designed by Japanese electronics engineer Susumu Tamura25. Each pedal in the series paired the OD808 with a different guest designer: EarthQuaker Devices, Keeley, Catalinbread, and Pigtronix5. The OD808-40C is the Catalinbread entry, sitting alongside the Keeley-modded OD808-40K.
Numbered units and the hand-signed first 40
The 400-unit run was split into two versions, with the first 40 built and finished differently from the rest345.
| Version | Serial numbers | What distinguishes it | Price (2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-signed | 1 to 40 | Hand-signed by Nicholas Kula; different Drive and Tone pot values, an OPA2134 op-amp, and Catalinbread knobs345 | $4006 |
| Standard | 41 to 400 | The ODin808 mod, serial numbered, signed certificate of authenticity34 | $1996 |
The component substitutions in units 1 to 40 mean those pedals are not just cosmetically different: the changed pot values and the OPA2134 op-amp alter the circuit itself, and the Catalinbread knobs change the look4. Every unit in the run, standard or signed, shipped with its own signed certificate of authenticity3.
Maxon also applied stricter terms to the signed run: all sales were final on serial numbers 1 to 40, with no cancellations or returns, while canceled orders for serial numbers 41 to 400 carried a 25% restocking fee4.
The hand-signing echoes the wider series. Guitar.com reported that across the 40th Anniversary OD808 run, the first 40 pedals would be hand-signed by Susumu Tamura himself2, and Guitar World reported that the first 40 units of each pedal in the series would be hand-signed by the relevant builder and include additional aesthetic or circuit tweaks6.
How it relates to the OD808-40K
The closest relative is the OD808-40K, the Keeley-modded version of the same anniversary concept. The two share the same structure: a limited production of 400 serial-numbered units, each with a certificate of authenticity37. Premier Guitar's press coverage confirmed the same 400-piece limit and serial numbering for the OD808-40K7.
The differences are in the mod and the details. The OD808-40K was created with Robert Keeley53, and its signed version, the first 40 units, featured a mini-toggle to switch between the stock OD808 sound and Keeley's Max Gain mod8. The OD808-40C instead carries Kula's ODin808 mod, with its signed units distinguished by component substitutions rather than a switching option4. The OD808-40K was available earlier, from October 2019, while the OD808-40C followed in late November63.
Availability today
The OD808-40C is discontinued3, as is the OD808-40K9. Even the standard OD808 is listed as sold out10. With a one-time run of 400 units, the OD808-40C now only appears on the secondhand market.
The OD808-40C was a one-time limited edition of 400 numbered units. It is discontinued, and the first 40 hand-signed units were sold on final-sale terms with no returns34.
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Godlyke Inc.
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Questions
Who designed the Maxon OD808-40C?
The OD808-40C is a Maxon OD808 modified by Nicholas Kula, chief engineer at Catalinbread, using his "ODin808" mod. The underlying OD808 circuit was designed by Japanese electronics engineer Susumu Tamura, who also hand-signed the first 40 pedals of the 40th Anniversary series.
How many OD808-40C pedals were made?
Production was limited to 400 individually numbered units, each shipped with its own signed certificate of authenticity. The run was split into two versions: standard numbered units, and the first 40, which were hand-signed by Nicholas Kula and carried additional component substitutions.
What is different about OD808-40C units 1 to 40?
Units 1 to 40 were hand-signed by Nicholas Kula and featured additional component substitutions, including different Drive and Tone pot values, an OPA2134 op-amp, and Catalinbread knobs. They sold for $400, against $199 for the standard version, and all sales on serial numbers 1 to 40 were final.
How does the OD808-40C relate to the OD808-40K?
Both are limited-edition 40th Anniversary versions of the Maxon OD808, each limited to 400 serial-numbered units with a certificate of authenticity. The OD808-40K was modified by Robert Keeley, while the OD808-40C carries Catalinbread's ODin808 mod by Nicholas Kula.
Is the Maxon OD808-40C still available?
No. The OD808-40C is discontinued, and the related OD808-40K is also listed as discontinued. Both were one-time limited runs for the OD808's 40th anniversary in 2019, so remaining units only appear on the secondhand market.
Sources (10)
- Stratus Classic Overdrive / Ibanez® Tube Screamer, Aion FX, 2018-09-22
- Maxon releases limited run of 40th Anniversary OD808 pedal, Guitar.com, 2019-02-26
- 40th ANNIVERSARY CATALINBREAD MODIFIED OVERDRIVE (OD808-40C), Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- 40th ANNIVERSARY CATALINBREAD MODIFIED OVERDRIVE (OD808-40C), Godlyke, Inc. (maxonfx.com)
- Maxon 40th Anniversary Catalinbread Modded OD808-40C, Delicious Audio, 2019-11-18
- Maxon recruits EarthQuaker Devices, Catalinbread, Pigtronix and Keeley for 40th Anniversary Tube Screamers, Guitar World, 2019-10-15
- Maxon & Keeley Unveil OD808-40K for 40th Anniv., Premier Guitar, 2019-10-09
- Godlyke releases Maxon 40th Anniversary Keeley-modded OD808, MusicPlayers.com, 2019-10-03
- 40th ANNIVERSARY KEELEY MODIFIED OVERDRIVE (OD808-40K), Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- OVERDRIVE (OD808), Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
