Keekey Modified SD-1

[Chubtone]

When I'm playing through an amp I can tell if for the sound I'm trying to get whether I need an SD-1 or a TS-9. Like a cook trying to figure out what spice a dish needs. When I grab a Keeley TS-9 or SD-1 it's like someone put some curry powder and cream of tartar in with my cinnamon in an attempt to improve it. That's not IMPROVING my cinnamon. It is creating a new spice using established spices. That's what Keeley does.

I like SD-1's. I like TS-9's. Millions and millions of records by some of our favorite guitarists were recorded using stock versions of these pedals. How and more importantly WHY do we think these proven tone machines need improving? Keeley is making new pedals based on the TS-9 and the SD-1. He should put them in his own boxes and call them something different. They are not improved SD-1's and TS-9's. That would be like a bunch of Berklee grads forming a Beatles tribute band and then saying they're an improved version of the Beatles.

Analogman is doing something different with most of his mods and that is modding newer versions of pedals to sound identical to the vintage ones. I dig his DOD 250 mod to sound like the old gray one and his TS-808 mod really improves the reissue.

 

[Chubtone]

+2

I bought Bob Savage's old MIJ SD1 a few months back and it rules!!!

Awesome! Celebrity owned!

 

[AmpliFIRE]

+2

I bought Bob Savage's old MIJ SD1 a few months back and it rules!!!

Awesome! Celebrity owned!

 

[D-Rock]

I can understand wanting a modded SD-1 for blues/rock playing, but what advantages do they have if they' re just being used as a high gain boost?

It really depends on how you mod the pedal. You can increase the gain pretty significantly as well as play around with the clipping section to add more 'beef' to the tone by using LEDs or MOSFETs instead of the stock ckipping diodes.

Really? That's interesting, I didn't know that.

 

[Code001]

I can understand wanting a modded SD-1 for blues/rock playing, but what advantages do they have if they' re just being used as a high gain boost?

It really depends on how you mod the pedal. You can increase the gain pretty significantly as well as play around with the clipping section to add more 'beef' to the tone by using LEDs or MOSFETs instead of the stock ckipping diodes.

Really? That's interesting, I didn't know that.

Don't mean to be an ass or anything, but are you being sarcastic, or did you really not know this? If you didn't know it, it would probably be worthwhile to get a cheap BYOC kit and build a pedal (the 250+ kit is great). On their support forums, they show you how to mod it and change various values for different tones. It really helps you when it comes to understanding the differences between various pedals. Hell, you'd be surprised how many pedals are just standard tubescreamers with minor values changed, then sold for hundreds more.

 

[badger71]

If you dig around this forum: http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/ you can find all kinds of simple schematics, tips, etc...on how to do most of the mods that guys charge for....for free. Just takes some time and some simple tools to do it yourself. You could also buy the "How to..." book from Indyguitarist. Check out this site for that: http://www.wamplerpedals.com

I went through all the boutique buying/modding my own for about a year. Finally, just settled on a stock YJM308....sounded the best and I got it free. I wish I would have just tried it years ago....it would have saved me lots of hassle, solder fumes, and money.

edit: It looks as if the Indyguitarist site doesn't offer the book anymore. You'd probably have to email him...if you cared.

 

[D-Rock]

Code, no I didn't know that. I'm not really into electronics and I tend to avoid gain pedals in general. I have a stock Boss SD-1 and OD-3 but never had any reason to want them modded. They sound fine they way they are to me. Also I rarely use them.

For a player who relies on overdrives, clean boosts or distortion pedals I can see how various mods would be desirable, I just never had any reason to be up to date on the inner workings of devices I don't really use, want or need.

 

[Code001]

Code, no I didn't know that. I'm not really into electronics and I tend to avoid gain pedals in general. I have a stock Boss SD-1 and OD-3 but never had any reason to want them modded. They sound fine they way they are to me. Also I rarely use them.

For a player who relies on overdrives, clean boosts or distortion pedals I can see how various mods would be desirable, I just never had any reason to be up to date on the inner workings of devices I don't really use, want or need.

It's real fun learning about the stuff, even if you don't plan on modding or building pedals. At the very least, it'll help you out more when choosing that kind of boost to use for various amps. Also, it'll help you avoid dropping hundreds of dollars on a pedal that might be a basically stock TS-808 with like 3 components changed.