The ugly old Boss DS-1 distortion

[threadkiller]

Who use's one and how? Started rebuilding a pedal board after years of just plugging straight in. I got a DS-1 to punch my crunchy marshallish amp into 80's metal territory. I was pretty pleased at the sound from this mundane pedal, but was really surprised at how it ended up being set. Ended up with the tone just under noon, the distortion almost all the way off, and the level just high enough that the volume seemed about the same as the amp with the pedal off. Who else still likes this thing and how do you use it?

 

[carlygtr]

That's how Vai used it to od his gain channel. I used to use it like Satriani, as a distortion into a clean amp. Back in the day I ran it into an MXR 10 Band EQ into a GK transistorised amp! Sounded great, IMO. 1983

 

[Senor Cleavage]

I've had a few over the years and hated them, then I ended up with one that sounds great. I have the distortion at about 10:00, tone is almost all the way off and set the volume accordingly. I love it. I bought another for my small board and it didn't sound the same, so I did the diode mod (clip D4 & D5) and just turn the knobs until I get a sound I like. I've never paid more than $25.00 for one on craigslist. They're cheap to buy, easy to mod and typical indestructable BOSS quality. Cool pedals.

 

[DGW]

I love my DS-1,, modded & unmodded,, lota corks in use here

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

When it comes to boosts with MArshalls, anything can work with the drive set lower. See below, I think that answers any questions people have.

 

[racerevlon]

I have one that I did the Monte Allums Rector mod on and it sounds great--not radically different, just more clarity due to higher quality components. I still favor the BOSS SD-1 though...

 

[jerrydyer]

I only like the sound with a single coil,. with reverb and things i can use it and get a great sound for a semi crunchy lead. I use it sparingly and the gain setting is low

 

[Schaf]

I had a keely modded one. I didn't really care for the it either modded or non modded. With a already over driven amp or clean. For a clean amp though, I prefer the crunch box much better (remember when those were the flavor of the day?).

On the other hand, I love the SD-1 modded or unmodded. Perfect with an already over driven amp.

 

[Chubtone]

When it comes to boosts with MArshalls, anything can work with the drive set lower. See below, I think that answers any questions people have.

Exactly this. The mic in this clip is not able to handle the SPL's of Gary's rig, but Gary's tone with stock strats, the DS-1 and his old Marshalls was just phenomenal. I always roll my eyes when people talk about how crappy of a pedal the DS-1 is and I think, "well yeah, sure, it's not good enough for megashred3547 because that guy is at a completely different level. But a peasant like Gary Moore can maybe get by with one because that's either all Gary can afford or maybe really all he deserves. I mean, Gary was a good player, but he was no basement hero, forum god."

 

[Reauchambeau]

I have about ten of them, Monte Allums, Keeley modded, stock mij, mit, etc.
it seems the haters plug them into a clean amp, dime the distortion and then scratch their head and wonder why it sounds like shit.
it's a pedal that shines in a loud environment, a pushed Marshall with a DS-1 with the distortion knob way down is a thing of beauty, I love them. I like that they don't have mid hump and don't sound as dark and compressed as a Tube Screamer.

 

[lame guitarist]

I have one that I did the Monte Allums Rector mod on and it sounds great--not radically different, just more clarity due to higher quality components. I still favor the BOSS SD-1 though...

I am in the same boat, I did the monte allums mod on a ds1. I then changed a few other bits after a biy of research and it turned into quite a neat pedal.

Definately prefer the SD1 as well though. I have a cool one that I modded slightly like the keeley version and it always finds it way to my pedalboard, usually set like a boost

 

[thenine]

I have an original Jap one I bought back in '82 or '83. First thing I bought after my first guitar. Got the money for it by delivering my mom's Avon catalogs to ppl's mailboxes. Kept it all this time.

 

[Elbowselbows]

Bought one when I was young because Kurt Cobain used one. Ran it into a peavey SS 400 bass head and cab . Volume maxed, dist 1 o'clock, tone 1 o'clock , crank it, sounds nasty. I liked it, played it live a lot.

 

[stephen sawall]

I still have one around here some place .... what's not to like ?

 

[bigdaddyd]

I have a modded one that I love. I have no idea who modded it or what the mod does, but it sounds great.

 

[glassjaw7]

I hate those pedals, lol. They just sound so fake and metallic, and there are sooo many nicer overdrive/distortion pedals out there, including cheap ones. I have an SD-1 that I bust out every now and then and it sounds ok stacked with a couple other pedals when used like a clean boost, but when the gain is introduced it has that same tinny sound. My buddy just scored a Keeley DS1 in a trade and it is a lot better than stock.

 

[Woodsie]

I guess the originals are far different than the newer ones. One of my favorite guitarists, Chris Duarte, used/uses one. Again though, another Strat player. Maybe there's something to that

 

[mixohoytian]

When it comes to boosts with MArshalls, anything can work with the drive set lower. See below, I think that answers any questions people have.

Exactly this. The mic in this clip is not able to handle the SPL's of Gary's rig, but Gary's tone with stock strats, the DS-1 and his old Marshalls was just phenomenal. I always roll my eyes when people talk about how crappy of a pedal the DS-1 is and I think, "well yeah, sure, it's not good enough for megashred3547 because that guy is at a completely different level. But a peasant like Gary Moore can maybe get by with one because that's either all Gary can afford or maybe really all he deserves. I mean, Gary was a good player, but he was no basement hero, forum god."

megashred3547 > Gary Moore

 

[bigdaddyd]

I guess the originals are far different than the newer ones. One of my favorite guitarists, Chris Duarte, used/uses one. Again though, another Strat player. Maybe there's something to that

Duarte has great tone and can play. I really dig him, and even have one of his sig Rivera Duarte amps.

 

[blackba]

I have about ten of them, Monte Allums, Keeley modded, stock mij, mit, etc.
it seems the haters plug them into a clean amp, dime the distortion and then scratch their head and wonder why it sounds like shit.
it's a pedal that shines in a loud environment, a pushed Marshall with a DS-1 with the distortion knob way down is a thing of beauty, I love them. I like that they don't have mid hump and don't sound as dark and compressed as a Tube Screamer.

There are pedals that work best into a clean amp and others that work best into a cranked amp. I haven't tried a ds1 in 15 years and back then I didn't know much about boosting, so naturally I thought the ds1 was meh.