Boss OD-3 verses Keeley modded SD-1

[Clucker]

I have an SD-1 sitting around and I like it except for the lack of low end, and I have tried a OD-3 that had nice low end. So I am wondering should I send my SD-1 to Keeley to be modded or just but a new OD-3 for basically the same price. I will be using the said pedal for for a fairly light kind of overdrive. Think Gatton, Kirchen, Setzer. Basically a poor man's overdriven Deluxe reverb sound. I will be playing it through a new Peavey Bandit set on the vintage setting that is basically a nice Deluxe emulation.

Any and all comments would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Clucker.

 

[schenkadere]

I recently bought an OD-3 which I like. It was only 80 bucks new. How much is the mod?

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I have an SD-1 sitting around and I like it except for the lack of low end, and I have tried a OD-3 that had nice low end. So I am wondering should I send my SD-1 to Keeley to be modded or just but a new OD-3 for basically the same price. I will be using the said pedal for for a fairly light kind of overdrive. Think Gatton, Kirchen, Setzer. Basically a poor man's overdriven Deluxe reverb sound. I will be playing it through a new Peavey Bandit set on the vintage setting that is basically a nice Deluxe emulation.

Any and all comments would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Clucker.

I have used a Blues Driver for 10 years now (stock, I know a lot of folks prefer a Keeley or other mod, but I'm leaving mine alone), specifically because I do happen to think it sounds a lot like an overdriven Fender and its great for a variety of music (I play a Blues Jr. or a Deluxe Reverb but at moderate, clean volume)- at lower Gain levels you get a great slightly dirty boost that retains your clean sparkle and EQ, and you can get get pretty gnarly too as you advance the Gain (you have to watch the Tone and keep it in check) but I love it as you can get this OD sound at a quiet (relative) volume. Or if you if you want to can slam the amp with a very clean boost with the Gain just about OFF. Gives your clean amp some balls without any (or very little ) breakup.

The OD-3 is supposed to be (despite its name) an improved Blues Driver -so I'd go with the OD-3!

 

[Clucker]

The Keeley Mod is exactly 80 bucks so that is why I am undecided. If there is a really good reason to go Keeley I will, but it would be easier to just bop down to my favorite music store and grab a new OD-3

The one concern I did have is that the OD-3 seems to not clear up quite as much as the SD-1 when set at it's least amount of gain.

Of course I don't really want to to be too terribly clean anyway.

I must admit I do have a soft spot in my heart for Robert Keeley as he modded both my DS-1 and my Blues Driver and really did an excellent job, particurly on the DS-1. It now makes my amp sound sounds like a 1980's 800 Marshall.

I keep the Blues Driver on all the time just to goose the gain slightly and then use the DS-1 to really let things rip. so I want to another pedal for the light to medium gain stuff.

 

[schenkadere]

The Keeley Mod is exactly 80 bucks so that is why I am undecided. If there is a really good reason to go Keeley I will, but it would be easier to just bop down to my favorite music store and grab a new OD-3

The one concern I did have is that the OD-3 seems to not clear up quite as much as the SD-1 when set at it's least amount of gain.

Of course I don't really want to to be too terribly clean anyway.

I must admit I do have a soft spot in my heart for Robert Keeley as he modded both my DS-1 and my Blues Driver and really did an excellent job, particurly on the DS-1. It now makes my amp sound sounds like a 1980's 800 Marshall.

I keep the Blues Driver on all the time just to goose the gain slightly and then use the DS-1 to really let things rip. so I want to another pedal for the light to medium gain stuff.

If that's the case, I'd go with Keeley.

 

[SackvilleDan]

The Keeley Mod is exactly 80 bucks so that is why I am undecided. If there is a really good reason to go Keeley I will, but it would be easier to just bop down to my favorite music store and grab a new OD-3

The one concern I did have is that the OD-3 seems to not clear up quite as much as the SD-1 when set at it's least amount of gain.

Of course I don't really want to to be too terribly clean anyway.

I must admit I do have a soft spot in my heart for Robert Keeley as he modded both my DS-1 and my Blues Driver and really did an excellent job, particurly on the DS-1. It now makes my amp sound sounds like a 1980's 800 Marshall.

I keep the Blues Driver on all the time just to goose the gain slightly and then use the DS-1 to really let things rip. so I want to another pedal for the light to medium gain stuff.

I honestly haven't heard too much about the Keeley SD-1s, good or bad. I guess that's an indicator that it's not very popular given all the hype/talk about his DS-1 and BD-2 mods.

I had an OD-3 and I loved it. It's a fantastic, underrated, pedal, and are fairly cheap on the used market. I think I paid $60 for mine.

I traded it for a Keeley DS-1, but that's another story...

 

[11 Gauge]

I honestly haven't heard too much about the Keeley SD-1s, good or bad. I guess that's an indicator that it's not very popular given all the hype/talk about his DS-1 and BD-2 mods.

It's pretty good IMO, just overshadowed by other more popular mods for the SD-1, like converting it into something akin to a Fulldrive or Eternity.

And of course there are a myriad of mods and kits aimed at trying to make the SD-1 as close to an 808 as possible.

The Keeley mod is also all over the internet as well, so I surmise that most folks would rather take a whack at modding it themselves.

There are as many mods for the SD-1 as the day is long. I guess that it really comes down to choosing one.

 

[11 Gauge]

The Keeley Mod is exactly 80 bucks so that is why I am undecided.

I get the impression from many folks that a figure like that is on the high side, unless they've just really got a thing for a certain pedal, which some people do with the SD-1. It's really a subjective determination.

If there is a really good reason to go Keeley I will, but it would be easier to just bop down to my favorite music store and grab a new OD-3

The OD-3 is very good in stock form IMO, so I don't think that you could go wrong with that route.

The one concern I did have is that the OD-3 seems to not clear up quite as much as the SD-1 when set at it's least amount of gain.

I guess that kicks it back to the SD-1. I personally wouldn't bother with getting the OD-3 modded.

Of course I don't really want to to be too terribly clean anyway.

I guess that triple dog kicks it back to the OD-3.

 

[JesterR]

SD-1, is like a very modded TS. Good for pushing amp. Not much low for tight overdrive.
OD-3 better as standalone overdrive in clean channel. Good dynamics, bass response.

 

[ZenDog]

An SD-1 is not really a "modded" TS. Look at the schemtaics side by side and you'll see what I mean.

As to the modding of the OP's question - SEND IT TO 11gauge. His Cutlass mod
is FANTASTIC.

No fooling.

 

[Scotland]

OD-3 is one of the best pedals out there.

 

[Analogpedalman]

I have an SD-1 sitting around and I like it except for the lack of low end, and I have tried a OD-3 that had nice low end. So I am wondering should I send my SD-1 to Keeley to be modded or just but a new OD-3 for basically the same price. I will be using the said pedal for for a fairly light kind of overdrive. Think Gatton, Kirchen, Setzer. Basically a poor man's overdriven Deluxe reverb sound. I will be playing it through a new Peavey Bandit set on the vintage setting that is basically a nice Deluxe emulation.

Any and all comments would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Clucker.

Those 2 pedals are very different. The SD-1 is a pedal with Mid hump around 1200Khz(I havent actually tested this) and reduced lows and highs. It also has less drive. Its for a bit more mellow guitar sound.

The OD-3 is relatively transparent although there seems to be some very small annoying hump in the lower highs (also the lows are reduced a bit). In any case this pedal sounds more like a "main stream rock" type of sounding IMO.

I know you want to mod the SD-1, but I doubt the mod will change the character of the box, though it might sound a bit nicer.

Go to a music store and test them both out on a boss pedal booth, you will probably instantly know which one you want to get. Then just Mod the SD-1 after you have got it, and it will sound better. Remember to get it modded by right guys, there are plenty of dudes who can actually ruin the boxes...

 

[JesterR]

An SD-1 is not really a "modded" TS. Look at the schemtaics side by side and you'll see what I mean.

As to the modding of the OP's question - SEND IT TO 11gauge. His Cutlass mod
is FANTASTIC.

No fooling.

I am not into pedal schematics etc. I said about basic idea of pedal concept.

Also, analogman wrote on his web page about sd-1:
The yellow SD-1 has the same basic design as a Tube screamer but with asymmetrical clipping.

 

[11 Gauge]

The SD-1 is a pedal with Mid hump around 1200Khz(I havent actually tested this)

It's actually around 700Hz and change, identical to a TS. The high pass and low pass filters are basically the same. The high pass (cuts the bass at the first gain stage) is verbatim to a TS. The low pass (tone control, fixed and variable components) are slightly different from a TS, but yield practically the same results.

1200Khz = 1.2MHz - that's broadcast frequencies!

I know you want to mod the SD-1, but I doubt the mod will change the character of the box, though it might sound a bit nicer.

It makes the SD-1 a bit more aggressive sounding, for lack of a more descriptive word. It's the "5 star" clipping diode change that really alters things. IMO.

Remember to get it modded by right guys, there are plenty of dudes who can actually ruin the boxes...

Word on that. While soldering isn't particularly an art form (well, maybe it is, but that's debatable), I've seen some stuff that really has made me cringe. The Boss boards are fairly robust, so to tear them up by modding requires a bit of "effort."

Now - if you mean that the mod ruins the tonality and character, that can always be undone (in most instances). Thank goodness for that.

There are some mods (mainly the kits) that have some stuff in them that's a real head scratcher, IMO.

 

[ZenDog]

"I said about basic idea of pedal concept."

Perhaps? After some study, there are too many differences for that to stand.
The real test is trying them side by side. They don't sound much alike either.
If concept is the measure, then many pedals are a TS, more or less.

 

[Clucker]

Two other options I have considered is a Luther Drive. They sound even smoother than any 808 clones I have heard, but maybe not bright enough for rockabilly enough.

The other would be to just do the logical thing and use the "Classic" overdrive channel on my Bandit. I actually really like that sound but again to my ears it is a bit smooth for rockabilly.
Then I would only run my Dynacomp in front of the amp, and forget the other pedals.
Maybe some day I will figure this one out.

 

[Analogpedalman]

It's actually around 700Hz and change, identical to a TS. The high pass and low pass filters are basically the same. The high pass (cuts the bass at the first gain stage) is verbatim to a TS. The low pass (tone control, fixed and variable components) are slightly different from a TS, but yield practically the same results.

1200Khz = 1.2MHz - that's broadcast frequencies!

On the TS - I tested TS-10 and it has a bit more bass. It is a bit different tone but very similar at the same time. Thats the kind of difference a mod can make... No idea on the new generations of TS.

What do you mean by the broadcast frequencies? Obviously we are speaking about audio spectrum and not radiation spectrum here...?

Do you happen to know how Bad Monkey differs from these two?

 

[11 Gauge]

What do you mean by the broadcast frequencies?

Do you happen to know how Bad Monkey differs from these two?

Broadcast frequencies, as in when you jump up into the megahertz and gigahertz ranges, they are inaudible bands that are used as carriers for signals that are then converted either back into the audio range, or for video purposes.

The BM is basically a TS that has an active bass control grafted onto the latter part of the circuit. Basically, the entire series of Digitech dirt boxes have it added to an existing design. The Hot Head is a DS-1 with an active bass circuit added. The Screaming Blues is a BD-2 with the fixed post-level booster tweaked to make it adjustable.

Separate bass and treble controls are the current trend. A singular tone control that either just nips away some brightness, or is a continuously variable blend of bass and treble, are simply out of vogue for the most part.

...And many pedals don't stop there, and add a mid control, shift control, contour control, bite control, etc./etc./etc. You could spend all day spinning those add'l EQ controls, and still not zero in on what you want.

I really like the Tim(my) pedal when it comes to the 4 knob format - simply make the bass and treble subtractive.

 

[Analogpedalman]

Broadcast frequencies, as in when you jump up into the megahertz and gigahertz ranges, they are inaudible bands that are used as carriers for signals that are then converted either back into the audio range, or for video purposes.

The BM is basically a TS that has an active bass control grafted onto the latter part of the circuit. Basically, the entire series of Digitech dirt boxes have it added to an existing design. The Hot Head is a DS-1 with an active bass circuit added. The Screaming Blues is a BD-2 with the fixed post-level booster tweaked to make it adjustable.

Separate bass and treble controls are the current trend. A singular tone control that either just nips away some brightness, or is a continuously variable blend of bass and treble, are simply out of vogue for the most part.

...And many pedals don't stop there, and add a mid control, shift control, contour control, bite control, etc./etc./etc. You could spend all day spinning those add'l EQ controls, and still not zero in on what you want.

I really like the Tim(my) pedal when it comes to the 4 knob format - simply make the bass and treble subtractive.

Ok... didnt know blues driver was copied too... Which do you think is better version of those (the boss VS digitech) pedals? In case you have played them.

How dose the EQ control work on those pedals BTW, is it more like a EQ gain boost on certain frequencies or a filter being rolled backwards?

eh yea... I meant to say 1300 hz obviously =P.

 

[11 Gauge]

Ok... didnt know blues driver was copied too... Which do you think is better version of those (the boss VS digitech) pedals? In case you have played them.

I take them on an individual basis. I don't really like a stock BD-2, so the SB is out for me personally. But others like it stock. The SB sounds a little different (as it should), because of the adjustable bass. It's knob would have to be set in an unorthodox position to match a BD-2.

I think a stock Hot Head is a little better than a stock DS-1. That said, with just a few judicious mods, a DS-1 will rival many other distortion pedals.

I can see how folks like BM with the bass knob, as it can really be a problem with a TS. The biggest issue for many is that the buffered bypass in the BM can be noticeable. IDK why they didn't use the fantastic bypass from the BD-2 (like in the SB), but there you are.

All of the Digitech pedals use surface mount technology (same components/construction method as in your computer, cell phone, etc.), so it makes them difficult (impossible for folks without great eyesight and a very steady hand) to modify. And most Boss pedals can sound significantly better IMO when properly modified.

How dose the EQ control work on those pedals BTW, is it more like a EQ gain boost on certain frequencies or a filter being rolled backwards?

They are all active gain boosts on the Digitech line - it's the exact same type of circuit as you will find in a graphic EQ. That is, it boosts a specific frequency with a gain greater than one. In the case of active EQ boosts in pedals, it's not uncommon for them to be designed with a lower Q than an EQ pedal. Q stands for how "focused" the EQ boost sounds, and it can make a frequency stick out like a sore thumb. A lower Q will "spread" the boost over a half an octave, or even more.

...You could actually modify the post level boost in a BD-2 to sound like a notched wah, or a subwoofer low frequency boost, as the technology is borrowed from general audio usage.