DS-1 Threshold loss

heavymetal1776 · July 4th, 2008, 01:36 AM

I recently modded my ds-1 with the keeley ultra mod and I have noticed some things.

My stock fat Strat sounds immensely better on both pedal settings. But the problem comes when i plug in my other guitar.

I own a PRS and when I am using the bridge pickup, if I strum very hard at all the signal gets distorted in the bad way. It didn't do that, at least not noticeably, before. The amplitude threshold is too low and the sound gets washed out. if I roll down the volume on the guitar 1 notch the problem goes away. Is there a way to increase the threshold on the pedal at all?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

11 Gauge · July 4th, 2008, 07:44 PM

If all you have to do is cut back the vol. knob on the PRS a notch, I'd stick with that - a very easy fix.

You might also consider lowering that bridge pickup just a tad.

The DS-1 differs from other pedals in that it runs the single op amp stage very hard. When you push it too much, you get those nasties that you're talking about. I have a DS-1 that I "Ultra'd" and then some - even swapped out the op amp for a TL082, but I still get the nasties with high output pickups.

There is another trick that IndyGuitarist (Brian Wampler) knows of, and Keeley just doesn't, for whatever reason - C3 should be dropped to .033 uF instead of the whopping .1 uF that Keeley uses. The .033 uF cap really cleans things up nicely, IMO.

July 4th, 2008, 01:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
heavymetal1776 NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Antonio Age: 20 Posts: 1	DS-1 Threshold loss I recently modded my ds-1 with the keeley ultra mod and I have noticed some things. My stock fat Strat sounds immensely better on both pedal settings. But the problem comes when i plug in my other guitar. I own a PRS and when I am using the bridge pickup, if I strum very hard at all the signal gets distorted in the bad way. It didn't do that, at least not noticeably, before. The amplitude threshold is too low and the sound gets washed out. if I roll down the volume on the guitar 1 notch the problem goes away. Is there a way to increase the threshold on the pedal at all? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

July 4th, 2008, 07:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
11 Gauge Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The East Coast Posts: 2,828 10 Photos	If all you have to do is cut back the vol. knob on the PRS a notch, I'd stick with that - a very easy fix. You might also consider lowering that bridge pickup just a tad. The DS-1 differs from other pedals in that it runs the single op amp stage very hard. When you push it too much, you get those nasties that you're talking about. I have a DS-1 that I "Ultra'd" and then some - even swapped out the op amp for a TL082, but I still get the nasties with high output pickups. There is another trick that IndyGuitarist (Brian Wampler) knows of, and Keeley just doesn't, for whatever reason - C3 should be dropped to .033 uF instead of the whopping .1 uF that Keeley uses. The .033 uF cap really cleans things up nicely, IMO. __________________