Maxon OD808 vs MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver

The Maxon OD808 and the MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver are both pedals sharing full, smooth. The Maxon OD808 leans dynamic and warm. The MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver leans fuzzy.

Similarity
citedBlended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.

45% — somewhat different

Shared genres
citedGenres both listings are associated with.
  • Blues
  • Rock
Shared tone character
citedDerived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.
  • full
  • smooth
Citation fame
citedCitation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.
0%
0%
Price

$134.09via Reverb

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Description

The Maxon OD808 is the original overdrive designed by Susumu Tamura in 1979, effectively the same circuit as the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer, which was built as its export-market twin under a different badge. Its diode sits in the negative feedback loop of the amplifier stage rather than in a separate clipping stage, producing a smoother, milder, more natural-sounding overdrive than harder-clipping circuits, closer to the character of a driven tube amp than a distortion pedal. Compared to the later TS9, it sounds a touch softer and clearer, with a less pronounced midrange hump. It responds strongly to picking dynamics and guitar volume, cleaning up naturally as you back off. It suits blues, classic rock, and any style built around a smooth, amp-like overdriven tone.

The MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa FET Driver is a signature overdrive designed with Joe Bonamassa, cascading an op-amp gain stage into a FET stage for a rich, creamy tone reminiscent of an overdriven tube amplifier. At lower gain it stays smooth and singing with a Gilmour-esque sustain, and pushed harder it verges on fuzz territory rather than staying merely crunchy. Hi and Low knobs cut or boost treble and bass, with a Hi Cut switch rounding off top end, and the natural-sounding dirt blends well with an already-overdriven amp for meaty lead tones. Some players find the low end can get boomy or hard to dial in at higher Low settings. It suits blues and rock players wanting a smooth, amp-like overdrive with real sustain for lead playing.

Genres
citedGenres this gear is documented as being used in.
  • Metal
  • Classic Rock
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Tonal lean
  • dynamic
  • warm
  • transparent
  • harmonically rich
  • fuzzy
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