Amazing! Fourty years ago Mr. Tamura invents a pedal that every electric guitar player in the world has played. Fourty years later, after hundreds, if not thousands of different versions and clones and different takes on the circuit by many, many companies, mr. Tamura decides to have another look at it and comes up with a version that sounds better than any other ever made. I'm not even a huge fan of tubescreamers, but I'd be very happy to have this one on my board. Hats off to mr. Tamura! 🎩
So glad to hear this. I have the 40th Anniversary OD808, and GAS and paranoia keeps me wondering about the Apex. The winner here, though, is the Fractal....
I have the 808 ...had it a week ...it's really worth the money...I've tried shed loads of overdrives in my time...this is what I've been looking for....my holy grail!
This is my favorite video of this pedal, I've watched it multiple times. IMHO, the Apex 808 just feels tighter which I prefer, like it feels as if the distortion is just slightly offset on the OD808, where as at least to my ears the distortion is right underneath the Apex 808's signal. I don't know if that made sense, it certainly wasn't a "technical" explanation, It's not all cork sniffing and snake oil, some people just make amazing sounding pedals, Mr. Tamura is definitely one of them, shout out to the people at Revv too, their pedals (and amps) are amazing and sound unlike anything else I personally use. Cheers Brett.
The mids on the Apex sound slightly muted to my ears...I tried the stock 808 against an old TS & a new one & the Maxon was noticeably the clearest most natural sounding. Best OD Ive ever had!
Would like to see this thru a bridge humbucker in a LP or similar guitar with hot pickups. Good to hear how it sounds with some color rather than a neutral input although I understand your rationale for it in this case 👍
SuomiPerkele ; I'm sorry, but if you can't hear the difference, then I'm affraid you might have been playing a little too loud for a little too long. 😳
@@mariodriessen9740 Nice one. The difference is subtle and at some points very subtle. The Apex definitely seems slightly more 'open' than the standard 808. There is no reason there for me to buy either as I'm not really a Tubescreamer guy. Still, Brett does such great demos that every one is worth watching even if the product is of no interest to me.
I have both pedals and after the excruciating delays they had in manufacturing, the APEX is underwhelming with a 5150. I have a VOP-9 too, that hax a 9v/18v switch and it sounds better in 9v mode... Not the same thing, but what I've realized is that you want that honkiness and particular compression to cut through high gain. There's the tightening factor I suppose, but really, it's more that there is less honk, so it doesn't seem as tight. However, with a lower gain or cleaner amp, what Tubescreamers seem to have been invented for, the APEX is probably superior because it is more open sounding, letting more natural tone through. Either way, it's not an eart-shattering difference, so if you don't have the cash, you might think twice, unless you've run out of other things to improve in your tone.
I'd almost get both but the OD808 has a hair more gain and midrange, the Apex is more open with more bass, and slightly less midrange. I'd get the cheaper one just cuz its cheaper.
I think Burgs could plug a carrot into a turd and it would still sound better than 99% of us mere mortals...If I want to really here what a pedal can do I don't need to look anywhere else!!!
Amazing! Fourty years ago Mr. Tamura invents a pedal that every electric guitar player in the world has played. Fourty years later, after hundreds, if not thousands of different versions and clones and different takes on the circuit by many, many companies, mr. Tamura decides to have another look at it and comes up with a version that sounds better than any other ever made. I'm not even a huge fan of tubescreamers, but I'd be very happy to have this one on my board.
Hats off to mr. Tamura! 🎩
And then they go and make another one with different caps, resistors, diodes etc.. Which is supposed to be even better. 🤦🏻♂️
@@XChristianNoirX : Hmmm…, it’s only better when you need to pay an extra hundred (or two) for it. For that magic component off course. 😊
@@mariodriessen9740 😂
The Apex sounds a little clearer to me.
Would love an 808 with only a tone knob - drive hardwired to minimum and level hardwired to maximum.
I swear the tubescremer circuit is the best golden goose for Maxon
So glad to hear this. I have the 40th Anniversary OD808, and GAS and paranoia keeps me wondering about the Apex. The winner here, though, is the Fractal....
Great video as always Brett! The Apex is just more!
I have the 808 ...had it a week ...it's really worth the money...I've tried shed loads of overdrives in my time...this is what I've been looking for....my holy grail!
Apex sounds a bit fuller,
Fantastic 808.
Great as always, Burgs..
I'm loving the standard od808, it just works for me as it has a creamier and chewier midrange
This is my favorite video of this pedal, I've watched it multiple times. IMHO, the Apex 808 just feels tighter which I prefer, like it feels as if the distortion is just slightly offset on the OD808, where as at least to my ears the distortion is right underneath the Apex 808's signal. I don't know if that made sense, it certainly wasn't a "technical" explanation, It's not all cork sniffing and snake oil, some people just make amazing sounding pedals, Mr. Tamura is definitely one of them, shout out to the people at Revv too, their pedals (and amps) are amazing and sound unlike anything else I personally use. Cheers Brett.
pretty darn close to the same.
Stacked!! Trey Anastasio uses two Analogman silver modded TS-9s stacked! These two sound great stacked as well.
Forgot to mention the amp changes things around especially with the Marshall.
The mids on the Apex sound slightly muted to my ears...I tried the stock 808 against an old TS & a new one & the Maxon was noticeably the clearest most natural sounding. Best OD Ive ever had!
Even when you stumble over the strings, it sounds better than me at my best... 😁👍
Another great vid, of two great pedals...
Cheers 🍻
Tamura has more clarity and more rolling harmonics! I like it!
The Apex is like a hi-fi TS.
Would like to see this thru a bridge humbucker in a LP or similar guitar with hot pickups. Good to hear how it sounds with some color rather than a neutral input although I understand your rationale for it in this case 👍
Yes, I'll try to get that together in the next day or so. Humbuckers to Marshall SLP (real one). Stand by.
Brett is there really a Difference (in the room)? These are the 2 that I am confused about. So glad you did this comparison. Stay Safe.
SuomiPerkele ; I'm sorry, but if you can't hear the difference, then I'm affraid you might have been playing a little too loud for a little too long. 😳
@@mariodriessen9740 Nice one. The difference is subtle and at some points very subtle. The Apex definitely seems slightly more 'open' than the standard 808. There is no reason there for me to buy either as I'm not really a Tubescreamer guy. Still, Brett does such great demos that every one is worth watching even if the product is of no interest to me.
I have both pedals and after the excruciating delays they had in manufacturing, the APEX is underwhelming with a 5150. I have a VOP-9 too, that hax a 9v/18v switch and it sounds better in 9v mode... Not the same thing, but what I've realized is that you want that honkiness and particular compression to cut through high gain. There's the tightening factor I suppose, but really, it's more that there is less honk, so it doesn't seem as tight.
However, with a lower gain or cleaner amp, what Tubescreamers seem to have been invented for, the APEX is probably superior because it is more open sounding, letting more natural tone through. Either way, it's not an eart-shattering difference, so if you don't have the cash, you might think twice, unless you've run out of other things to improve in your tone.
Any chance you could test is the way it was designed to be used - guitar:pedal:amp.
Sounds great, $300 US not so great :(
I'd almost get both but the OD808 has a hair more gain and midrange, the Apex is more open with more bass, and slightly less midrange. I'd get the cheaper one just cuz its cheaper.
40 years to make this extremely minor difference!
Apex808
I think Burgs could plug a carrot into a turd and it would still sound better than 99% of us mere mortals...If I want to really here what a pedal can do I don't need to look anywhere else!!!
Prefer the original od808
Maxon cashing in on the over hyped nonsense of vintage cork sniffers
Heh nailed it !!