Boss DS1 distortion pedal

[superyob]

If you are not a guitarist, this will not interest you.

Does this pedal work well with single coils? Can it deliver a bluesy sound? Or is the Boss blues driver a better option?

Yes, I know the difference between distortion and overdrive...

[Citroënbender]

You want the “brown sound”?

You’re asking others to hear as you through your ears when you play, it’s not possible.

Can you borrow or hire to compare? And why not the 808, or for that matter the FuzzFace?

I think the DS-1 is more resaleable if you don’t like it.

[Falcon SXR8]

I wouldn't use it for blues. I never found it a nice pedal stock but modded it worked well for heavier stuff or lead.

[superyob]

Have you ever used a tube screamer CB? The DS1 caught my eye as it is a cheap distortion pedal, but I am inclined to go for a blues driver. I do have all these effects built into my Boss Katana but managing the sounds via the FS6 foot switch can be a bit unwieldy.

[CJR09]

I second an 808 - or better yet a ts9

If you have not heard of chappers and the captain from Anderton's fame check them out on you tube - they do a screamer or weaner soundoff for killer blues tone on a stock vintage strat

[CJR09]

Thought it was you with the katana

Imo Katana and ts9 is all you need

[CJR09]

Dial in a sweet plexi twin reverb or blues breaker tone and use the ts9 for boost - home and hosed

[Citroënbender]

Years ago (before Analog Man, even!), yes, had an original on extended loan. Overarching memory is lots of gain. It seemed to make the sort of sounds many people were aspiring to.

I’d warrant my taste is very different to yours, though. So my comments are heavily prejudiced.

[CJR09]

You have to bear in mind you are not using the 808 or ts9 as the pedal as it was intended - using it as boost almost the reverse of how you would normally usd it

Max the level
Tone 12 oclock
Gain zero

[Sprintey]

I bought a delay pedal from Aldi once, not bad for $25...

[Citroënbender]

I’ve just seen what the asking price on original TS-808 units, has got to! Unbelievable!

[superyob]

Sooooooo the question must be asked CB and others, are modelling amp effects as good as an actual pedal? My katana comes close with compression; not so much my Vox vt20x. Although phasers seem to work well in both...

[Citroënbender]

I have no valid opinion on that. Never owned or fooled with one.

[CJR09]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

I’ve just seen what the asking price on original TS-808 units, has got to! Unbelievable!

Crazy aye

Never liked them as the pedal they were designed to be but used as a boost for cutting the mix unreal

[CJR09]

Originally Posted by superyob

Sooooooo the question must be asked CB and others, are modelling amp effects as good as an actual pedal? My katana comes close with compression; not so much my Vox vt20x. Although phasers seem to work well in both...

Just my opinion - which doesnt count for much

I think they can be - have to be all over dialling them in - you will never be able to emulate all pedals - BUT - horses for courses

As a working muso or naffing around at home playing covers straight up - why would you use anything else?

Easy to get a variety of tones at the flick of a few buttons - my opinion is katana is one of the best - certainly best value for money

I use a pod farm which is old tech now but some of the library's available are pretty impressive how close you can get some tones

Would love to have a krack at a kemper - do you use the tone studio as well?

[J Arthur Rank]

I'll chime in and say not really - I think if you are chasing something bluesy, the hard clipping from a ds1 or similar won't deliver what you want, even if you don't crank the gain.


I've never liked the sound of them, even with humbuckers. Just my opinion though

[superyob]

Originally Posted by J Arthur Rank

I'll chime in and say not really - I think if you are chasing something bluesy, the hard clipping from a ds1 or similar won't deliver what you want, even if you don't crank the gain.


I've never liked the sound of them, even with humbuckers. Just my opinion though

Yeah, I was considering the DS1 as a cheap distortion pedal but I don't think I would use it much as it's not really a sound I use much. I like overdrive much better.

How about a Blues Driver? These have caught my eye recently and I would love to take one for a run with my CV60s Strat...

[Citroënbender]

What about a little all-valve, point-to-point wired amp, albeit with master? Like a Princeton Reverb or AC12, with added master volume.

[J Arthur Rank]

You're talking my language there CB I've got a wee little Ac4, the handwired one and it is bloody great - still way too loud for a bedroom/house though.

Back to the Bluesdriver - if you can pick one up on the cheap I would say have a crack but like tubescreamers, there are so many clones and/or slight variations on these circuit designs that you'd fare just as well with a cheapie.

I've currently got a Nux Horseman for nice overdrive by itself or boosting the Vox and an Xvive Golden Brownie for the cranked distortion sound I dig. Neither pedal was very dear.

[Citroënbender]

I’d personally like this:



Shame it’s a mock-up. :p