I can't believe I just bought a Boss dirt pedal

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squank

squank

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Let me get this out of the way first - I'm a tone snob, like many of you here. I've owned a stable of boutique amps from all the big names, and also Marshalls modded by Dave Friedman, Mike Fortin, Voodoo, etc. I've played just about every dirt pedal made and rejected most of them as unworthy. I have spent years collecting amazing Kemper profiles, too. I never expected to touch a Boss dirt pedal again.

Earlier in the week I ordered a Boss DD-200. Boss definitely does digital delays well, and this new Boss 200 series really has a lot to offer in the echo department by putting everything AND the kitchen sink in a single delay pedal. It will take me a while to learn everything it does, but I will have a good time figuring it all out.

However, while listening to some youtube clips on the DD-200, I noticed Boss also makes a distortion pedal in this same new series, the OD-200. It has just about every Boss dirt pedal tone they make, plus the ability to stack several ones in series or parallel. It's also got a bunch of boost pedals (TS, treble boost, Blues Driver, plus several more) in there, too. You can stack a boost with a dirt box inside the pedal as well.

Big deal, right? Who cares if you have a bunch of crappy Boss dirt sounds in a single box? Then I saw Ola Englund has a demo of the OD-200 in his "WILL IT CHUG?" video series. Boys, this pedal is for real. Ola got some really amazing heavy tones with it just running it through a power amp. Quite a few different sounds that were really good. Spoiler ahead: It chugs!

After I saw none for sale in the RT classifieds, I called Sweetwater and ordered it today. I can't wait to try it in person!

Here is Ola's demo. It's worth listening to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-VYic_2Hrg&t=138s
 
I wonder how much latency it produces. I say this 'cause, given the huge range of drives it emulates, it must be using DSP modelling.

If you're hooked up using only analogue gear and pop this into the chain, you'd think that'd be fine, but if you're running other modellers (Helix or the like), you'd think that there's a risk of the compounding latency's becoming apparent. Then you're stuffed, 'cause as we all know, once you notice it, you can't unfeel it.

Good to hear you're excited, man. Hopefully it ends up being a win for ya. :rock:
 
Honestly, I saw Ola's vid and was not crazy about the pedal... But that's just based on that video. It sounded kinda thin and digital to me.
 
ShredHeadJHJ":6y9oa6zl said:
Honestly, I saw Ola's vid and was not crazy about the pedal... But that's just based on that video. It sounded kinda thin and digital to me.
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Agreed
 
I have the DD200, cool little pedal that does a lot. The EQ200 is the one I’m interested in. You can use it in the FXloop AND front end, at the same time with different EQ settings. Kinky!
 
ShredHeadJHJ":2coi9mq9 said:
Honestly, I saw Ola's vid and was not crazy about the pedal... But that's just based on that video. It sounded kinda thin and digital to me.
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It sounded great on my speakers :D

But your point is solid. A lot depends on the rest of the signal chain. I'll be running it through my Recto 2x12, which has tons of low end. I can't imagine it sounding thin through that, but we'll see.
 
danyeo":cp5iq4tk said:
I have the DD200, cool little pedal that does a lot. The EQ200 is the one I’m interested in. You can use it in the FXloop AND front end, at the same time with different EQ settings. Kinky!
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Wow, that really is flexible. Sounds like a very cool EQ pedal.
 
ive been on a distortion pedal kick lately and this thing looks cool as hell and sounds plenty good in ola's vid to me. i wish a company would make a pedal with this same layout where you can download amp profiles into it.
 
I have a boss Blues driver that I ruined by doing a Monte Allums high figh mod too. Sounds good but just to much of everything else and no longer that great for boosting. Better into clean. I love BOSS pedals and would just leave em stock. My GE 7 has not been touched and sounds great. Digital though..not my bag but the originals are a staple for a reason. Always well built too. As for Ola, I find him annoying now. News flash, just about anything chugs when you crank it, scoop it, and palm mute it.
 
sutepaj":2x1k4sp3 said:
Devin":2x1k4sp3 said:
Boss dirt pedals are awesome man
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Yep, I have a Blues Driver that I will never get rid of.
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86 SD1 and an OD1X. The X is partly digital; I can't tell at all. It's just a boost that's extremely quiet, doesn't rob low end and can actually add some tight lows. You just have to go in small increments. Some days my Monomyth Marshall is the choice; other days its my stock 2203 with both pedals.
Can't go wrong with Boss boost pedals IMO.
:rock:
 
Kapo_Polenton":2msw516m said:
... News flash, just about anything chugs when you crank it, scoop it, and palm mute it.
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Well...not really, in my experience. I have played dozens of pedals that won't chug...at least not the way I want to hear them chug. Lots of pedals can get enough gain, but getting the right amount of high end without sounding brittle is often a challenge. Also, lots of them don't have enough low end. Or, if they do, it's muddy.

The surprise here for me is that this Boss pedal can get the great heavy distorted thump with clarity and without sounding too harsh.
 
I picked one up earlier this week with the option to return it the next day if it sucked.
Surprisingly, it does not suck. Really versatile pedal, great voicings on the drives AND the 3 band EQ, good mids.
My goal was to get edge of breakup and mid gain tones from the EVH 50watt 6L6 very clean green channel, nails it.
It won't my replace my Blue channel, but i love this thing, it's a keeper :rock:
 
Last Boss dirt I bought was the Angry Driver. Wanted to love it but found it uncontrollably bright. Always liked the SD1.
 
cardinal":1lg3skwn said:
Yeah Boss dirt pedal is all I use at this point (SD-1).
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86 SD1 and a newer OD1X stacked with my Marshall’s is a thing of sonic perfection.
To my ears anyway.
 
Boss dirt pedals are the best ! I have MIJ SD-1 and OD, and a newer Blues Driver, they all are awesome !
 
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