Maxon · OD-9 · 1980s original; reissued from 2002

Maxon OD-9 Overdrive

The OD-9 is the TS9 under the name of the company that built it. Nisshin Onpa's Maxon brand sold the 9 series in Japan while Ibanez sold the same pedals abroad, and after Nisshin stopped making the TS9 for Ibanez in 2002, Maxon brought the OD-9 back that summer. Maxon says it's the original 1980s circuit on the same board it had used for decades, with empty spots where the FET switching parts used to go. It runs a JRC (NJM) 4558D chip, and without the switching circuit it has a bit more output and a slightly more open sound than the OD808. The first shipments to the US used a DPDT switch, and Maxon then moved every 9-series pedal to a 4PDT true bypass switch. Analog Man calls it the obvious choice if you want a Tube Screamer with true bypass, and its pots and jacks are hand-wired like a TS9's, so it's easy to keep running. If you'd rather not chase a vintage TS9, start here.