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About This Listing
Up for sale, a 1979 Maxon OD-808 Overdrive in exceptional condition and in perfect working order. Produced by parent company Nisshin Onpa, the Maxon OD-808 is one of the earliest produced "narrow box" examples, with identical controls and circuit to the very first Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamers (the Maxon branding was used for the Japanese domestic market). Central to the circuit is the pair of MC1458 chips for smooth, natural overdrive similar to the way a tube amp saturates at high volumes. The OD-808 is sensitive to picking dynamics and the nuances of your individual style while retaining the true tone of your instrument.
The secret behind the legendary "808 tone" lies in the amplifier section of its circuit. Rather than having an amplifier stage followed by a clipping stage, the OD-808 uses a signal-distorting diode (Panasonic #MA150) located in the amplifier stage's negative feedback loop. Therefore, the OD-808 distorts the signal in the amplifier circuit itself which yields a smoother, milder, more natural sounding distortion than a separate clipping stage. This is also the reason that the IC type used in the circuit has such a large impact on the unit's tone.
The circuit is 100% original and untouched, and the Nichicon electrolytic caps date between 1978 and early '79. The enclosure is notably clean, and the white silkscreened graphics are practically perfect. The original trio of knobs are intact, as is the serialized sticker on the back of the enclosure.
