The Pedal Pawn Black Glass Mod Overdrive Pro TS-808 is an overdrive pedal built on the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer circuit. It is Pedal Pawn's third Tube Screamer variant, following the Texan Twang and the Cowboy King1. Where it departs from the original is the output section, which Pedal Pawn has entirely re-engineered while keeping the TS808's control layout in place1.
Pedal Pawn describes the result as:
"a glassier, more open and dynamic overdrive that retains everything players love about an original TS808 while delivering greater clarity, improved clean-up with your guitar's volume knob and a lot more tube-like overdrive on tap!"
Pedal Pawn, quoted in Guitar Pedal X1
For a player, that points at the two things a Tube Screamer mod usually chases: more clarity than the stock mid-focused voice, and better response when you roll back the guitar's volume knob to clean up.
A TS808-based overdrive with a glassier voice
The Ibanez TS808 is one of the guitar world's first overdrive pedals, and GuitarPCB's technical analysis calls it the most famous overdrive guitar pedal23. Its voice comes from a symmetrical clipping stage: Vintage Guitar's history of the pedal notes that the TS-808 clipped the signal symmetrically, producing a smoother voice4. The original carried an Overdrive knob to control distortion, alongside its tone and level controls4.
The Black Glass Mod keeps that family resemblance in its control topology, but the output is entirely re-engineered1. Pedal Pawn's claim of "greater clarity" and "improved clean-up with your guitar's volume knob" is the maker's own description of what the re-engineered output delivers1.
Pedal Pawn is not alone in reworking the TS808. Other takes on the same circuit include:
- The Ibanez TS808 TAMURA-MOD, a modified overdrive pedal based on the TS808 Tube Screamer, modded by the engineer who designed the original circuit in 19795
- The Ibanez TS808DX, which pairs the revered TS808 overdrive circuit, using the original's JRC4558D IC, with a clean boost in one box16
- Third-party true bypass mod services, such as Griffin Effects' TS808 conversion, which can be installed in a new pedal or in a customer's own pedal sent in7
What separates the Black Glass Mod from a pure circuit mod is that it is a complete pedal: the electronics are reworked and the enclosure is replaced, rather than an existing TS808 being converted in place.
Controls and switching
The control topology is the same as the original TS808, so the familiar three-knob layout carries over1. Anyone who has used a Tube Screamer will find the pedal immediately navigable.
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| Control layout | Same topology as the original TS8081 |
| Output stage | Entirely re-engineered1 |
| Bypass | True bypass switching1 |
| Status LED | Soft diffused blue LED1 |
The true bypass switching means the pedal drops out of the signal path entirely when off1. The soft diffused blue status LED is a small practical touch: it shows the on state without a harsh glare on a dark stage1.
Power
The pedal takes its power through a 2.1mm center-negative DC input1, the barrel connector and polarity most pedal power supplies are built around, so it fits the isolated supplies and daisy chains most players already run.
No voltage or current draw figure is published for the Black Glass Mod, and no battery option is mentioned. The 2.1mm center-negative connector is the only power detail stated1.
Build and finish
Every pedal receives a complete cosmetic transformation featuring Pedal Pawn's premium Black Glass exterior and faceplate1. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer, Stefan Karlsson, called it:
"a cool project for sure with a very high quality of fit and finish."
Guitar Pedal X's reviewer called it "a cool project for sure with a very high quality of fit and finish," and described the pedal as "essentially their 3rd variant, following the Texan Twang, and the Cowboy King"1.
So the build quality is not just the maker's own claim: a published reviewer found the fit and finish to be of very high quality1.
Availability and ordering
When Guitar Pedal X covered the pedal in August 2026, the Black Glass Mod was available for pre-order on the Pedal Pawn webstore at £2871. These are essentially made-to-order pedals, with an 8 to 12 week production cycle counted from the date the order is completed1.
The £287 figure is the pre-order price in GBP as stated in August 2026. No US dollar price is given, and the price may change once the pre-order period ends1.
Where it sits in the Pedal Pawn range
The Black Glass Mod is Pedal Pawn's third Tube Screamer variant, following the Texan Twang and the Cowboy King1. Each variant takes the same starting circuit and gives it a different electronic and cosmetic treatment, with the Black Glass version pairing the re-engineered output with the Black Glass exterior and faceplate1.
Videos
Pedal Pawn
Pedal Pawn
Questions
Is the Black Glass Mod true bypass?
Yes. The pedal uses true bypass switching, so when it is off the signal passes through without the circuit coloring it. It also has a soft diffused blue status LED so you can see the on state at a glance on a dark stage.
What power connector does it use?
It takes a modern 2.1mm center-negative DC power input, the same standard connector used by most current 9V pedals. That means it works with the typical daisy-chain and isolated power supplies most players already have on their boards.
Is it based on the Ibanez TS808?
Yes. The Black Glass Mod Overdrive Pro TS-808 is a Tube Screamer variant built on the Ibanez TS808 circuit. Pedal Pawn keeps the control topology of the original but re-engineers the output section for a glassier, more open and dynamic overdrive.
Are the controls the same as an original TS808?
The control topology is the same as the original TS808, so anyone who knows a Tube Screamer will feel at home straight away. What changes is under the hood: the output is entirely re-engineered, which is where the glassier, more open character comes from.
How long does a made-to-order pedal take to build?
The pedals are made to order, with an 8 to 12 week production cycle counted from the date you complete your order. When it was announced in August 2026 it was available for pre-order on the Pedal Pawn webstore at £287.
Sources (7)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-08-17
- Tube Screamer Analysis, GuitarPCB
- Joe Bonamassa Reveals His Most-Used Effects Pedal of All Time, GuitarPlayer, 2022-10-04
- Ibanez Tube Screamer, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2014-03-08
- Ibanez TS808 TAMURA-MOD Tube Screamer, Delicious Audio, 2022-03-21
- Review: Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808DX Overdrive Pro Pedal -Video, Guitar World, 2014-10-02
- TS808 True Bypass Mod Service, Griffin Effects
