Maxon ST9-Pro+ Super Tube pedal overdrive

General

The latest incarnation of the legend that was the Maxon OD808, the ST9-Pro+ stompbox is directly based on the same circuit but comes with more gain, higher output, deeper control, and a wider range of options. An upgraded classic, the ST9-Pro+ is built for the guitarist seeking more than the OD808 has to offer. As such, this wee box hands you control over your mid-frequencies, so you can give them a sweet boost to fill out your sound and push it to the front of the mix. Now, you might be wondering why an 808-style pedal would even need more presence, but that's where we come to the feature that makes this pedal so unique: the 'low-boost' mini-switch. Flip it to activate a low-pass filter which doesn't just thicken up the lows, but completely transforms the character of the effect. Add that to the mid-frequency boost and you have maximum depth of tone that never feels muddy. This pro-level pedal has also been equipped with an internal voltage switch, so you can retain traditional Maxon OD808 sound at 9 Volts, or boost it up to 18 Volts for enhanced dynamic range.

Maxon

First born in the '60s, Maxon was initially busy producing pickups, but by the end of that defining decade, had already started dipping into the dynamic world of effects pedals. Since they were mostly making pedals for other brands, when the '70s arrived, Maxon were building stompboxes almost exclusively for Ibanez. As such, many legendary Ibanez pedals are actually Maxon designed and made. The most renowned pedal from this period has to be the Ibanez Tube Screamer (also known as the Maxon 808 Overdrive). This partnership carried on well into 2002 when Ibanez and Maxon finally parted ways. Ever since, Maxon have been producing their own gear, under their own name, and some of their fresh pedals include versions of older Ibanez stompboxes - reissued, and re-stamped with the now-independent Maxon name.