Boss: DS-1 or Blues Driver

[FMDoug]

I just went to my local music store to get some strings and while i was there i had to try out the DS-1 because I don't use pedal (though I have a pod). Needless to say I bought the thing but with a return policy that if i don't like it, i don't have to keep it. I like the tone but it doesn't seem warm enough to me. Also i feel like its missing the low end and when it does achieve the low end its distortion is severly hindered.
Now, I was doing research on the blues driver and I can't decide if these two pedals have the same problem or if one is better than the other. If I get an overwhelming response that the blues driver is better I will probably return the DS1 and try the driver, if not I'll keep the thing. If anyone has tried both pedal can you please give me some info and help me out here. Thanks.

 

[Ben Harmless]

You mean you weren't issued that DS-1 at birth?

Everybody should have one. If you want the BD-2 later, then go for it later.

 

[Jakedog]

if you want somthing warmer, with better low end break up, i would highly reccomend the Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive. far warmer and smoother than either the Ds-1 or blues driver, IMO.


Jake

 

[sound dog]

Depends on what you're after

If you're after any kind of metal or shred, or need a fuzz tone, stick with the DS1(Steve Vai uses one,BTW)...I agree with the post about smoother breakup on the SD1, found that to be the case myself...I have all three, would say the Blues Driver is somewhere between the other two...the Blues Driver is definitely a more raw type breakup than the SD1, although it cleans up nicely when you turn down the volume on the guitar...personally, the Blues Driver is my favorite of the three.

 

[Ben Harmless]

I should have given a bit more detail, I was at school, in the middle of experimenting on people.

I own both pedals. This I will tell you: They are both extremely good and bad dependant on the amp they're plugged into.

The DS-1 likes my Marshall. The pedal is missing something in the mids that the Marshall puts back in spades. When I play that combination, I hear a whole lot of old-school tones coming out. I think that combo has a lot to do with the DS-1 being such a classic. Through my Fender-oriented amp (Reverend Hellhound) however, the DS-1 is much harsher. Fender amps tend to be less forgiving of cheaper distortions IMHO. Most Fenders also don't have that roundness to the midrange that Marshalls do.

...But they do chime. That's where the BD-2 shines as a dirt pedal for me. I turn the gain to about noon, and the tone toward 10:00 or 11:00 and get a nice twangy, snappy crunch that doesn't overwhelm the characteristics of the amp. That's the only way I use the BD-2 for it's dirt.

As a clean booster, (gain on 0, level on 10) I like the BD-2 for both amps, but lately more for the Fendery Hellhound. I've been noticing more and more that the BD-2 really does cut off a good deal of low end, and while that helps the Hellhound retain a tighter bottom, the Marshall gets pretty thinned out at higher volumes.

Those are 3 completely different tones, (actually, 4 if you count boosting both amps) and they're not completely interchangeable, so you'll have to research and experiment untill you find the one that does what you want.

Remember, while both these pedals are classics, neither is an expensive botique deal that can't deliver bad tone. On the contrary, both have a good deal of bad tones in them, it just takes a bit of mixing and matching to figure it out.

 

[FMDoug]

Blues

After all these posts I think I'm going to look at the blues driver. If its a bit warm than the DS1 and still not as warm as others, its exactly what i want. I feel that the sound i want isn't totally smooth but I need the low end just a bit. Thanks everybody