The Saint Blues 808 Overdrive is a mini overdrive pedal from Vein-Tap.com that recreates the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer circuit in a much smaller box. Announced on 10 April 2019, it was pitched from the start as a faithful copy: Guitar World reported it as "inspired by the classic Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer" with "circuitry identical to a vintage TS808"1, and MusicRadar's Michael Astley-Brown wrote that it "claims to cram the classic TS808 circuit into a mini-pedal format"2.
What that means for a player is the familiar Tube Screamer recipe in a board-friendly size: a mid-forward overdrive that works as a light grind on a clean amp, a boost in front of an already driven amp, or extra push on a mid-heavy tone. Vein-Tap says the pedal, in the company's words, "is perfect for all kinds of gain sounds; turning a pristine clean amp tone into a full, throaty blues roar, pushing a high-gain tone with the overdrive control set low or adding a little extra mojo to a mid-driven amp"1. MusicRadar noted it "aims to capture the mid-hump overdrive and boost tones that guitarists have come to expect from the 808 design"2.
A TS808 replica, part for part
Vein-Tap's own description of the pedal is direct:
"Saint Blues is a true, point-to-point, fully analogue recreation of the TS808. It replicates the circuit completely"3
The claim covers the parts players care about most in a Tube Screamer copy. The pedal uses the JRC4558D op-amp, which Vein-Tap calls the "holy grail" IC chip3 and which both Guitar World and MusicRadar confirmed at launch12. That chip is the one long associated with vintage TS808 units, and its inclusion is the clearest signal that this is a circuit copy rather than a loose interpretation.
The clipping behavior is also stated: the overdrive is "characterised by symmetrical negative gain feedback diode clipping"3, the same diode-in-the-feedback-loop arrangement as the original Tube Screamer design. Symmetrical clipping of this kind is part of why Tube Screamer-type pedals sound smooth and compressed rather than ragged at the top end.
How the Saint Blues compares with the original:
| Saint Blues 808 | Ibanez TS808 (as referenced by the press) | |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit | Full TS808 recreation, point-to-point, analog3 | The reference design1 |
| Chip | JRC4558D3 | The chip the copy reproduces2 |
| Format | Mini pedal, 92 × 38 × 32 mm3 | Standard full-size enclosure2 |
| Bypass | True bypass3 | |
| Price | £69.95 new3 | Vein-Tap says a new Saint Blues is half the price of even a used TS8083 |
Size, build and bypass
The enclosure measures 92 × 38 × 32 mm and weighs 0.25 kg3, roughly the footprint of two pedalboard screws and a jacks row rather than a full-size stompbox. For players building a compact board, that is the practical appeal: TS808 behavior without dedicating a standard-size slot to it.
Construction is hand-built, as both Guitar World and Vein-Tap describe13, and the pedal uses true bypass footswitch circuitry, so the signal passes around the circuit when the pedal is off3. Vein-Tap covers it with the company's Lifetime Guarantee3.
The pedal runs on a 9V power supply, as MusicRadar noted at launch2, so plan on a 9V output from your pedalboard power brick.
What reviewers said
Published coverage at launch was positive about the concept and the price. MusicRadar called the preorder price "impressive" at $91.22 / £54.95 / €63.532, and highlighted the mini format as the story: a full TS808 circuit in a small box. Guitar World framed it the same way, a mini pedal with vintage TS808 circuitry, true bypass and hand-built construction1.
Vein-Tap's own positioning leans on value: "A brand new Saint Blues is half the price of even a used TS808"3. That is the maker's claim rather than an independent measurement, but it lines up with the general market reality that original and reissue TS808s carry a premium.
Where it sits among overdrives
The Saint Blues is a straight Tube Screamer-type overdrive, so it belongs in the same family as other TS-circuit pedals rather than alongside distortion or fuzz boxes. Its mid-hump character, noted by MusicRadar2, is the classic Tube Screamer signature: frequencies in the middle of the guitar range are pushed forward, which helps a guitar cut through a band mix but rolls off some low end and top end compared with flatter overdrives.
For a player deciding between this and a standard Tube Screamer, the differences the sources support are size, price and construction: mini enclosure versus full size, £69.95 versus the used-TS808 prices Vein-Tap references3, and hand-built point-to-point wiring3. The circuit itself, including the JRC4558D chip, is presented as identical312.
Videos
Vein-Tap.com
Questions
Is the Saint Blues 808 the same circuit as an Ibanez TS808?
Vein-Tap describes it as a true, point-to-point, fully analogue recreation of the TS808 that replicates the circuit completely, and Guitar World reported it as having circuitry identical to a vintage TS808. It is a replica rather than a reissue, built by Vein-Tap in a mini enclosure rather than by Ibanez.
Does the Saint Blues 808 use a JRC4558 chip?
Yes. Vein-Tap's product page lists the JRC4558D IC chip, which it calls the holy grail chip, and both Guitar World and MusicRadar confirmed at launch that the pedal includes the revered JRC4558D. That op-amp is the one players associate with vintage Tube Screamer character.
Is the Vein-Tap Saint Blues true bypass?
Yes. Vein-Tap states the pedal is made with true bypass footswitch circuitry, and both Guitar World and MusicRadar reported true bypass switching at launch. When the pedal is off, your dry signal passes without the circuit in the path.
How big is the Saint Blues 808 Overdrive?
It measures 92 by 38 by 32 mm and weighs 0.25 kg, which puts it firmly in mini-pedal territory. MusicRadar described it as cramming the classic TS808 circuit into a mini-pedal format, so it takes up a fraction of the board space of a standard Tube Screamer.
How much does the Vein-Tap Saint Blues cost?
At launch in April 2019 it was available to preorder for $91.22, £54.95 or €63.53. Vein-Tap's product page lists the price as £69.95 and notes that a new Saint Blues costs half the price of even a used TS808.
Sources (3)
- Vein-Tap.com Unveils New Saint Blues 808 Overdrive, Guitar World, 2019-04-10
- Vein-Tap's Saint Blues crams the TS808 into a mini-pedal format, MusicRadar, 2019-04-10
- Saint Blues 808 Overdrive Pedal, Vein-Tap.com, 2026-09-01
