Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

[Mr. B]

I have 2 Ibanez ts-808 overdrive pedals that I have picked up over the years. Both of them have unreliable sticky switches. When you step on them they may or may not turn on or off, depending on what mood they are in at the time. I end up using the Maxon od808 or the Ibanez ts-9 I have more often because their switches works perfectly. I prefer the Ts808 Ibanez's tone, and wish it was useable in a real playing situation. Do I have two lemons or is this par for the course for the ts-808? Is there a fix for the problem?

 

[nedcronin]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

You can send them to Analogman for repair and improvement.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

Well, yeah... but for more money than I paid for them to begin with.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

Give it some contact spray
It has collected old dust...

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

Well, yeah... but for more money than I paid for them to begin with.

Mike doesn't do just switch replacements but his mods are not that much money. They might be more than you paid if you got a really good deal on the pedals but a pedal with a bad switch isn't a great deal now is it??

 

[tonello]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

I'm pretty sure that a new switch isn't going to cost a ton of money. You might even be able to take it into a a trusted guitar tech, and he should be able to fix it.

 

[nedcronin]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

I bet Mike at Analogman will fix both pedals for 50 bucks. If you paid less than that for those pedals you scored!

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

clean them as Vasshu says.
Then don't use them again. Keep them for special recording occasions only and let them increase in value as original 808's.
Use your maxon for regular playing.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

Would have to look up the part numbers but Mouser has switches..

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

Them small switches are easy to clean.....
Plus they wont wear our any day soon either...it is just old dirt!
Any modern TB switch or alike will die long before those old momentary small buttonswitches...just clean it!

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

Them small switches are easy to clean.....
Plus they wont wear our any day soon either...it is just old dirt!
Any modern TB switch or alike will die long before those old momentary small buttonswitches...just clean it!

I doubt the second one is old dirt... it is three weeks old.

I'm sure a lot of players here have used the ts808 over the years, but no one has said whether this is common or not. Is it a design flaw or was I very unlucky in the two I bought? I might be able to return the newest one.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

These are new reissue ts808's not vintage units.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

Then it is cheap Chinese POS switch to be honest, the old ones was made by Maxon...

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

I dunno about the 808 switches but the switches used in the new reissue TS-9 suck rocks...

I've had mine replaced 3 times but an interesting note...the last time I had it replaced we also replaced the switching cap and so far no more issues.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

if its a reissue then just wire in a proper switch and make it bypass

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

Yeah the switching cap makes sense........as the switch most likely do not pass the tolerance check....then it will be prone to not engaging.
As said cheap POS

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

So... are you guys saying this specific problem is common, and a lot of the reissues have this flaw, or not???

Do any of you own a ts808 reissue ??

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

So... are you guys saying this specific problem is common, and a lot of the reissues have this flaw, or not???

Do any of you own a ts808 reissue ??

I do. It's about four years old and works perfectly and sounds just as good as my John Spina modified TS-9's.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

So... are you guys saying this specific problem is common, and a lot of the reissues have this flaw, or not???

Do any of you own a ts808 reissue ??

It is a very common problem with reissue TS-9's, the 808's seem to be better but the switches Ibanez is using these days is not as good as the switches they used to use.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Ts-808 with annoying temperamental switch.

I have a couple of ts9's, one decades old and another a couple of years old. Both have been 100% reliable. I have a super cheap Bad Monkey that has been 100% reliable. It annoys me that the most expensive ones I own are crap. Shows that the extra money that Ibanez is charging for the 808 is not put towards quality control.

I have not looked inside it yet. Is the switch something a relative novice can replace? I've been working on guitar electronics for years, but have never taken apart any of my pedals.