Think I'm gonna try a Seymour Duncan 805 Overdrive

[harddriver]

I already have a Maxon OD808 modded 808/SD-1 that I like. I read the SD 805 use a different chip MC33178 that is lower noise than the JRC4558 chip. Anyway this pedal and another really has my interest at the moment.


Did all of the 805 pedals come with this chip since it's inception? I found a post from 2014 in the SD forum saying they went with the MC33178. I just want to make sure I get this chip as SD is selling NOS Blue painted 805's for a good price and not sure what year production is.

 

[John4021]

I think MetalHeadMike has experience with that pedal
Maybe he'll chime in

 

[MetalHeadMike]

Don't know a thing about what chip is in mine, but damn if it's not one of the best ODs I've owned.

 

[harddriver]

Is yours Blue or Surf/Mint Green?

 

[MetalHeadMike]

Is yours Blue or Surf/Mint Green?

Surf/mint green.

 

[thedeadzone]

The 805 is one of the two overdrives I use, and it's pretty much all I use for any rhythm tones that need a little extra. It's got that mid-boost Tube screamer thing going on, but a slightly higher peak frequency (750Hz vs 730Hz maybe?) which I seem to like more. I think it's less compressed than screamers usually are, and the three band EQ is great too in case you don't like how much (or little) a stock TS does with the bass/mids.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

The 805 is one of the two overdrives I use, and it's pretty much all I use for any rhythm tones that need a little extra. It's got that mid-boost Tube screamer thing going on, but a slightly higher peak frequency (750Hz vs 730Hz maybe?) which I seem to like more. I think it's less compressed than screamers usually are, and the three band EQ is great too in case you don't like how much (or little) a stock TS does with the bass/mids.

Oddly enough, I find the mids knob adds a fair amount of gain and some compression in addition to upper mids which is why I like it in front of a Wizard.

 

[harddriver]

I just picked one up direct from Seymour Duncan new NOS stock still not sure exactly what year of production so it better have that MC33178 chip in it or I'll be pissed, but for the price I couldn't say no.
I don't think they went into production with the JRC4558 chip according to the 2014 forum post. I like all the descriptions and the clips I've heard so we'll see when I get it.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I just picked one up direct from Seymour Duncan new NOS stock still not sure exactly what year of production so it better have that MC33178 chip in it or I'll be pissed, but for the price I couldn't say no.
I don't think they went into production with the JRC4558 chip according to the 2014 forum post. I like all the descriptions and the clips I've heard so we'll see when I get it.

Nice...Killer boost!

 

[napalmdeath]

I just picked one up direct from Seymour Duncan new NOS stock still not sure exactly what year of production so it better have that MC33178 chip in it or I'll be pissed, but for the price I couldn't say no.
I don't think they went into production with the JRC4558 chip according to the 2014 forum post. I like all the descriptions and the clips I've heard so we'll see when I get it.

Why don't you just ask them? I saw them on Reverb for $133 - send them a message!

 

[harddriver]

I just picked one up direct from Seymour Duncan new NOS stock still not sure exactly what year of production so it better have that MC33178 chip in it or I'll be pissed, but for the price I couldn't say no.
I don't think they went into production with the JRC4558 chip according to the 2014 forum post. I like all the descriptions and the clips I've heard so we'll see when I get it.

Why don't you just ask them? I saw them on Reverb for $133 - send them a message!

I buy on Reverb but I'm not a member, so I can't message them on there. I'm fairly confident they have only used the MC33178 chip since they went into production. I think they were still in R&D when they were using the JRC4558 chip according to a couple of articles that I read. When they compared the MC33178 they found it to be superior to the JRC4558 chip.

I had an Thunder Tomate boss OD-1 clone that used the big NEC Quad opamp chips, I should have kept that pedal just for resale gains.

Anyway I'm excited to compare the 805 to what I have here. I know Mike compared my old Savage Drive to the SD805 and the SD805 won out so that intrigues me even more about the 805. It gets rave reviews all over YT.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

There are sooooooo many TS variants out there. This one sounds great and looks great though. Doesn't hurt to have a monster player like Nick Johnston demo'ing your pedal either.

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

Love mine. I also have the Savage Drive 2.0 and the TC Spark Boost. All three are great. I mainly use the 805 and Spark Boost.

 

[harddriver]

For you Metalheads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

It's a pretty cool mid scoop I hear from the EQ actually. Sort of gives you the ability to pull the EQ pedal off the board unless you are going for drastic tone shifts.

 

[napalmdeath]

I just picked one up direct from Seymour Duncan new NOS stock still not sure exactly what year of production so it better have that MC33178 chip in it or I'll be pissed, but for the price I couldn't say no.
I don't think they went into production with the JRC4558 chip according to the 2014 forum post. I like all the descriptions and the clips I've heard so we'll see when I get it.

Why don't you just ask them? I saw them on Reverb for $133 - send them a message!

I buy on Reverb but I'm not a member, so I can't message them on there. I'm fairly confident they have only used the MC33178 chip since they went into production. I think they were still in R&D when they were using the JRC4558 chip according to a couple of articles that I read. When they compared the MC33178 they found it to be superior to the JRC4558 chip.

I had an Thunder Tomate boss OD-1 clone that used the big NEC Quad opamp chips, I should have kept that pedal just for resale gains.

Anyway I'm excited to compare the 805 to what I have here. I know Mike compared my old Savage Drive to the SD805 and the SD805 won out so that intrigues me even more about the 805. It gets rave reviews all over YT.

I sent them a message, and they responded:

"No difference in sound. Just the color. These are the original revision, 000".

 

[harddriver]

I sent them a message, and they responded:

"No difference in sound. Just the color. These are the original revision, 000".

Thanks for doing that. Did they mention anything about the opamp chip?

So I would assume from the answer you got that it has the same MC33178 opamp chip as the green ones, I guess the original run color was that light blue instead of the mint green.

Did you order one while you were there? You been through about as many boost and overdrives as I have.

 

[napalmdeath]

I sent them a message, and they responded:

"No difference in sound. Just the color. These are the original revision, 000".

Thanks for doing that. Did they mention anything about the opamp chip?

So I would assume from the answer you got that it has the same MC33178 opamp chip as the green ones, I guess the original run color was that light blue instead of the mint green.

Did you order one while you were there? You been through about as many boost and overdrives as I have.

I still have 4 OD/Boost pedals, but yeah, I made an offer on a used one....

 

[harddriver]

Good man!

I hear things in this pedal that catch my ear differently that I like, I hear more clarity,more headroom, less compression, plus the 3 band EQ.

MetalheadMike can't say enough good things about it and he's been through about the same brands of OD's as well.

Here's what I dug up on the SD forum post from a SD rep. Looks like the early 805 paperwork stated it had the original 808 chip(which was the JRC4558) but they went with the MC33178 when they went into production.

07-11-2014, 02:39 PM
Re: New Product: The Seymour Duncan 805 Overdrive

There was a bit of a mix-up on the chip used in the 805 Overdrive. Between the time we prepared our original materials and shipping our engineering time had found a superior chip theMC33178. After testing it was determined this chip had superior sonic characteristics along with a lower noise figure and longer battery life.

Sorry for the confusion and thanks for the review DreX

 

[harddriver]

There are sooooooo many TS variants out there. This one sounds great and looks great though. Doesn't hurt to have a monster player like Nick Johnston demo'ing your pedal either.

That guy's playing and tone reminds me of Audley Freed from Cry of Love. KILLER strat into Marshall tone. This guy could sing too. man I miss this band.