Maxon OD808X

The Maxon OD808X, also sold as the Overdrive Extreme, is an overdrive pedal built by Maxon as a modified version of the company's classic OD808. Where the original 808 circuit is known for a midrange boost and smooth, low-gain overdrive, the OD808X pushes harder: Maxon lists an increased output of +5 dB over the OD808 for extra volume boost, and Guitar World's February 2015 review found that extra gain takes it "beyond classic overdrive territory and into full-on high-gain distortion"¹².

Guitar World reviewed it as new in February 2015, describing it as "faithful in spirit to the original green overdrive" but improved by the people who designed the 808 circuit in the first place². The pedal is currently listed as sold out on the maker's product page¹.

An 808 with 5 dB more gain

The core of the OD808X is the original 808 overdrive circuit with two meaningful changes: more output and harder clipping. Guitar Interactive's October 2014 press piece described it as offering "more gain and harder clipping than the standard OD808"³, and Maxon's own product page specifies the +5 dB output increase¹.

Guitar World's reviewer heard the difference in the voicing as well as the gain. Where the classic 808 boosted midrange, the OD808X "delivers much crisper treble and tight, full bass"². The reviewer's overall verdict on its character:

Guitar World, February 2015²

That natural quality was framed as the pedal complementing the guitar and amp rig rather than imposing its own personality². GuitarPCB, which published a build document in October 2025 for a free bonus PCB based on the OD808X Extreme circuit, describes the design in similar terms: a boosted high-end that helps notes cut through the mix without harshness, with the harder clipping providing a more aggressive, amp-like distortion⁵.

For context, the standard OD808 has long been used as a clean booster, providing increased gain without compromising the sound of the amplifier, an approach independent circuit analysts at Guitar FX Layouts documented alongside the original pedal's layout⁶. The OD808X takes the opposite direction: instead of a transparent boost, it leans into distortion.

The controls

The control set is the same three-knob configuration as the original 808, labeled Drive, Tone and Level³. Premier Guitar's review describes them simply as "knobs for overdrive, volume, and tone"⁴.

The pedal uses a standard clicking footswitch, like the earliest 808s, and a red LED illuminates when the effect is engaged².

Bypass and power

The OD808X uses buffered bypass switching rather than true bypass¹. Guitar World described the bypass as a low-impedance buffered circuit that maintains signal strength when using long cables², which is the practical argument for a buffer in this position on a pedalboard.

Power comes from either a single 9V battery or a 9V DC power adapter⁴. Guitar World's review confirmed the same two options².

Size and enclosure

The pedal is housed in a small Bud-style box, the same size as an MXR Phase 90². That makes it one of the more compact overdrive enclosures, closer in footprint to vintage MXR pedals than to a modern wide-format box.

Compared with the original OD808

For a player weighing the OD808X against the standard OD808, the differences come down to gain, clipping and voicing:

• Gain and output: The OD808X adds 5 dB of output over the OD808¹.
• Clipping: Harder clipping than the standard OD808, for more aggressive distortion tones³.
• Voicing: Crisper treble and tight, full bass, where the classic 808 boosts midrange².
• Controls and format: The same three-knob layout and compact enclosure as the original²³.

Guitar World's 2023 buying guide on Tube Screamer-style pedals noted that the current OD808 has been tweaked further by Maxon to produce even less background noise⁷, a point worth weighing for players who prioritize quiet operation over the extra gain.

Both the OD808X and the standard OD808 are currently listed as sold out on the maker's product pages¹⁸.

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