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Finding That Tone - Custom Shop
Finding That Tone - JAPAN 1986

JAPAN 1986 - LIMITED EDITION

In 1986, a legendary Japanese pedal brand released the TS10. Like the TS808 and TS9 before it, it featured that classic TS sound: mid-focused clipping and a cut in highs, producing its signature “mid-hump.” However, the TS10 introduced three subtle tweaks to the tone circuit that gave it a smoother, more melodic character. 

The JAPAN 1986 Classic Overdrive is our humble tribute to that release: faithful to the original circuit, including NOS components, with useful upgrades such as soft-switching true bypass and rugged, heavy-duty hardware.

But tone isn’t the only story. Stevie Ray Vaughan, who brought his Texas blues to Tokyo just a year before the TS10 release (Live in Tokyo, at the Shiba Yūbin Chōkin Hall in 1985), later embraced the TS10 in his search for searing expression. Decades on, John Mayer would refine the same lineage, using the unmistakable pedal and catapulting it back to the top of the scene. 

Each JAPAN 1986 (handcrafted in Spain and now housed in a custom-designed enclosure to echo the iconic shape of this classic overdrive) is wrapped in authentic Japanese fabrics, celebrating both the birthplace of the mythical pedal and its artistry, evoking the spirit of SRV’s floral shirts and kimonos, as well as Japanese-inspired tattoo motifs that John Mayer favors. 

At its core, it’s about tone. Around it, culture, craft and heritage complete the picture.

SRV, mid '80s. (Photographer unknown)(*).
SRV, mid '80s. (Photographer unknown)(*).
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Finding That Tone - JAPAN 1986 Night Roof
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Finding That Tone - Japan 1986
Fabric

160.00 €

VAT included. Shipping cost is not included.

All products from the Custom Shop are made-to-order and custom-built, so returns are not accepted. For more information, please review our Terms and Conditions.

Specs

Tone, feel, and build: the JAPAN 1986 stays faithful to the TS10’s original circuit and signature mid-hump (around 720–722 Hz), while modern switching and rugged construction make it ready for the road and studio:

  • Circuit components: The JAPAN 1986 inherits all of the original TS10’s key components, faithfully recreating its tone and character down to the last detail. Smooth, musical clipping starts with NOS Toshiba 1S1588 diodes. These vintage silicon diodes (today nearly impossible to find) are prized for their warm, creamy character and dynamic response. Around them, a curated selection of polyester film, electrolytic, and tantalum capacitors shapes the pedal’s stable performance and vintage tonal texture. Tying it all together is the classic JRC4558D op-amp, adding the warmth, low noise, and harmonic saturation that define the Tube Screamer sound, enriching your tone with body, sustain, and musical grit.

  • Switching & Connectivity: Traditional footswitches always make that audible mechanical “clack” when engaged, and are prone to wear-and-tear failures over time, including the original TS10’s. Behind the scenes, our own relay-based soft-switch true bypass system solves this, keeping your tone unaffected when the pedal is off while staying silent and built to last. Top-mounted jacks reduce the pedal’s footprint on your board, and power comes from a standard 9V DC center-negative supply, with an internal battery clip for extra flexibility on the go.

Finding That Tone - Japan 1986

  • Build & Aesthetics: Every JAPAN 1986 is built to take a beating, with rugged, heavy-duty hardware made for the stage and the studio. That same care shows in its look: a custom-designed enclosure echoing the iconic TS shape, wrapped in authentic imported Japanese fabric to celebrate the pedal’s heritage with a unique, elegant finish. And it’s all handcrafted in Spain: soldering, wiring, and fabric wrapping done by hand in our small atelier.

📐 Dimensions: 12.5 × 7 × 6 cm

AVAILABILITY: Due to the use of NOS components and the limited availability of our imported Japanese fabrics, this is a Limited Edition, available only by custom order for now. Thanks for your understanding.

Current build and delivery time: approximately 2-3 weeks after payment.

(*) Stevie Ray Vaughan (SRV) and John Mayer are mentioned only as part of the historical and artistic inspiration behind this project. Finding That Tone has no affiliation with them, and they have not endorsed or collaborated on this product. All references are made with the utmost respect and admiration for these artists and their legacy.

TS10 is a product of its original manufacturer. The use of this name does not imply affiliation or endorsement.