The Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer is an Ibanez overdrive pedal. Close alternatives include the Tone City Green Tube and the Carl Martin Hot Drive 'N Boost mkI. It pairs well with the Revv Generator G25 25W Tube Amp Head and the Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier.
Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer
Ibanez · pedal
The Ibanez TS808HW is a limited-edition, hand-wired version of the classic TS808 Tube Screamer, point-to-point soldered on turret boards with select JRC4558D op-amps chosen to match the earliest 1970s units. It adds true bypass, a first for a production Ibanez Tube Screamer. Sonically it is the most open and refined Tube Screamer, with less compression and a less severe bass cut than standard models, giving a clearer, more open tone than standard models, crisper highs, and less muddy lows while staying smooth. It still provides that signature mid-focused overdrive and warm, natural breakup used to push a tube amp, favored by blues and rock lead players who want the classic Tube Screamer voice with premium build and clarity.
What stands out
“It adds true bypass, a first for a production Ibanez Tube Screamer”
— from the listing
“Open and smooth overdrive that refines the classic Tube Screamer recipe with , yielding crisper highs and clearer lows”
— from the reviews
“It sits in front of the amp and stacks well with other drives, and the hand-wired build adds true bypass and premium feel”
— from the community notes
“It still provides that signature mid-focused overdrive and warm, natural breakup used to push a tube amp, favored by blues and rock lead players who want the classic Tube Screamer voice with premium build and clarity”
— from the listing
“Most praised for its openness, clarity, and the natural warm breakup”
— from the community notes
Trade-offs
“it is most used as a boost or low-gain drive into an already-driven tube amp for blues and rock leads”
— from the community notes
- bypass
- smooth
- open
- drive
- breakup
- clarity
- lead
- rock
Genres the Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer is commonly used in
- Rock
- Blues
- Country
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer
Revv Generator G25 25W Tube Amp Head
Revv
23% matchInto a transparent tone, Revv Generator G25 25W Tube Amp Head brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier
Soldano
23% matchInto a transparent tone, Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Synergy SL2 Module brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Friedman Small Box 50W EL34 Amp Head
Friedman
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Friedman Small Box 50W EL34 Amp Head leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H
Marshall
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Egnater Tweaker 88 Head
Egnater
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Egnater Tweaker 88 Head leans this transparent tone toward low gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Friedman BE-Mini Head brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Pedals that stack with the Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer
Beetronics Nectar
Beetronics
25% matchBeetronics Nectar leans this transparent tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler
Dr Scientist
25% matchDr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler leans this transparent tone toward low gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Bad
Electro-Harmonix
18% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Electro-Harmonix Bad after Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer in the signal chain, clear of Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
AZOR AP-305 Compressor
Azor
16% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer's own smooth character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Dawner Prince Boonar
Dawner Prince
10% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Dawner Prince Boonar after Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer in the signal chain, clear of Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Meris Polymoon
Meris
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Meris Polymoon after Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer in the signal chain, clear of Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2
Dr Scientist
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 brings a pull toward fuzzy that's missing
Warm Audio Jet Phaser
Warm Audio
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Warm Audio Jet Phaser goes after Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer — modulation sits after the gain for a defined swirl
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Tone City Green Tube
Tone City
61% similarityShared character: single coils, true bypass, middle
Carl Martin Hot Drive 'N Boost mkI
Carl Martin
61% similarityShared character: high gain settings, true bypass, boost
Sonicake Trio Rider
Sonicake
61% similarityShared character: high gain settings, true bypass, warm
JAM Pedals TubeDreamer 58
Jam Pedals
59% similarityShared character: high gain settings, boost
Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose
Electro-Harmonix
58% similarityShared character: single coils, true bypass, middle
MXR M294 Sugar Drive Mini
MXR
58% similarityShared character: true bypass, natural, smooth
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
56% similarityShared character: high gain settings, middle, boost
ThorpyFX Peacekeeper V2 Low-Gain Overdrive
ThorpyFX
56% similarityShared character: high gain settings, natural, middle
Electro-Harmonix ERD
Electro-Harmonix
54% similarityShared character: true bypass, middle, boost
Fulltone Fulldrive 2 MOSFET
Fulltone
53% similarityShared character: middle, boost, clarity
Analog Man King of Tone
Analog Man
53% similarityShared character: high gain settings, natural, boost
Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
Ibanez
52% similarityShared character: single coils, high gain settings, true bypass
See all alternatives to the Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer?+
The closest matches in character are the Tone City Green Tube, the Carl Martin Hot Drive 'N Boost mkI, the Sonicake Trio Rider.
What pairs well with the Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Revv Generator G25 25W Tube Amp Head, Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier, Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt — Into a transparent tone, Revv Generator G25 25W Tube Amp Head brings a pull toward high gain that's missing.