Boss DS-1 Report

[Starry]

Hi all,

I am doing a report on the Boss DS-1 for Collage.

I would like peoples opinions on this iconic pedal.

Love it? Hate it? Modded it? How has it lasted the test of time?

Share links to interesting articles about the pedal if you wish. I'll use the best comments in my project. I will ask you in a PM before hand!

Thanks in Advance

 

[bparnell57]

The Boss DS-1 is an icon of a bygone era of long haired rockers and cranked up Marshall stacks that happens to continue to live on today. At the beginning, overdrive was meant to sound like an overdriven amp that was just being pushed by a guitar. The next thing people know, these rockers are putting overdrive pedals in front of their already overdriven amps. This massive wall of sound type tone is what many a distortion pedal has tried to emulate, but the DS-1 is the one that truly put it in a form that almost anyone can afford and is durable enough that many pro musicians use them on a day in and day out basis. The DS-1 will always be that little orange staple that every guitarist should have some variety of. They are great in stock form, amazing when they are modified and tweaked, and are always easy to get a good sound out of, wether you like it dark sounding, smooth but tight, or even just if you want a clean sound with more focused mids and tighter bass. The DS-1 is a true classic. It's construction is an industry standard. There are my praises.

 

[tpaul]

Do a search of this forum. There have been a few interesting DS-1 threads recently and someone posted a link to a good review.

 

[regularslinky]

Things sure have changed. Back in the day we did reports on existentialism and the French Revolution. Of course I don't remember what either of those things are now.

I have owned a DS-1 twice. The first time was in the late 80's, the second time is now - for about the last 2 years. Both times I found that I like the DS-1 alone with the gain cranked, or pushing another dirt box with the DS-1's gain fairly low. Either way the tone has to be turned down to avoid excess fizziness.

Like most BOSS gear, the DS-1 is a classic working musician's pedal - cheap, functional and built like a tank.

 

[RetroTeleRod]

Do a search of this forum. There have been a few interesting DS-1 threads recently and someone posted a link to a good review.

JoeNeri linked this the other day...http://thepublicimage.hubpages.com/hub/The-Frugal-Guitar-Boss-DS-1-Distortion-Review

 

[xMercury69x]

Collage?

 

[RetroTeleRod]

Collage?

DS-1 Collage...

 

[wildschwein]

I like the DS-1. At stage volumes on top of an already dirty sound it gives me extra compression and sustain and a touch of sag that I like. Oddly enough through my 1x12 combo it doesn't suck mids.

 

[sclitheroe]

Pretty simple story for me, and probably cliche, but I'll stand by it.

The first time I heard the album Nevermind, it knocked me on my butt. It was like nothing I'd heard before, and it's the reason I picked up the guitar. The DS-1, in essence, was the sound of my youth. I've got better distortions, but the DS-1 is the one I come back to, because it's the tone that resonates with me emotionally.

It's gloriously lo-fi, equally adored and abhorred, and unrepentantly orange. In the right hands, it can sound as polished or grungy as one wants. It's the sound of mediocre, but impassioned, garage playing on a warm, humid summer night.

It's iconic.

 

[jipp]

aww yes, the ds-1 kurt put on layaway. i grew up in the thick of grunge literally ( Northwest born.. )

chris,

 

[Obsessed]

I only bought a DS-1 to modify it for copping an old tone that I was after for the least amount of investment.

 

[BigWillyInd]

I have one that I never really wanted. It was given to me by a band leader who wanted me to sound like the guy who he used to play with. Anyhow, I always had trouble getting it to sound like I wanted it to. I modded it( the .011guage flat mid mod) and it still wasn't my thing. I find the gain almost unusable, and the fizz is just too much. I think I need to spend more time with it. I know allot of people who like them, and I would like to see if I'm just using it wrong.

The one time I really liked it, the battery was almost dead. So, kinda like some guys like fuzz peds with low batteries?

 

[wildschwein]

The secret of the DS-1 is to keep the tone around 9 'o' clock. The level and drive can go wherever but keeping the tone low keeps the floodgates on the fizz. If anyone wants to mess around with it at low voltage look into making one of these dying battery sims which are a cheap and easy project:

source: http://www.beavisaudio.com/projects/DBS/

 

[thecornman]

The DS-1 is a classic for sure and still gets the job done! Saying that though the DS-2 is an even better option. You get the DS-1 distortion with the Turbo mode as well in one pedal. Hook up a remote switch to it and you have two very different channels in one pedal. Use the normal side for rythym and step on the remote to go to the turbo side to really cut through on your leads. All this in a pedal you can find for about 40 bucks used.

 

[Starry]

These are great opinions guys, lots of love for the DS-1 Thanks
Keep em coming

 

[Guit-jitsu]

I have the Keeley modded version and I love it. When I first plugged it in and cranked it up, I had no choice but to play my sloppy interpretation of "Satch Boogie". It was glorious.

 

[Ringo]

I've owned a bunch of them over the years, modded a few, don't own one any more but it's a classic circuit that is still being made, and there are boutique pedals pretty much based on the DS1.

 

[Lunchie]

Hi all,

I am doing a report on the Boss DS-1 for Collage.

I would like peoples opinions on this iconic pedal.

Love it? Hate it? Modded it? How has it lasted the test of time?

Share links to interesting articles about the pedal if you wish. I'll use the best comments in my project. I will ask you in a PM before hand!

Thanks in Advance

I don't currently own one, but I love the DS-1. I never understood the hate for it. I don't really have an interesting story about how the DS-1 saved my life but I bet I could make up a pretty good one to help you get an A .

Lets see...

I was a Special Forces that got the Medal of honor for fighting for my country in NAM. I was visiting a friend in Washington when a Sheriff insulted my use of a DS-1...

 

[wildschwein]

I was a Special Forces that got the Medal of honor for fighting for my country in NAM. I was visiting a friend in Washington when a Sheriff insulted my use of a DS-1...

Sounds like a version of "Rambo" but with a DS-1 in the plot. Did he lock you up?

 

[Starry]

Some great feedback here
Can I ask about the price to quality ratio. To me, €50 (European price) is amazing value for the DS-1.
I feel if was more expensive it would not be as popular. Although there are better pedals on the market, does anyone feel that there is a Distortion pedal that comes close to the DS-1 that is under 50 quid!
One that pops into my mind right away, it DigiTech's Bad Monkey, technically an overdrive but you can get a certain level of Distortion from it.