What’s Exactly Wrong With Normal Boss BD-2 (Blues Driver)?

[raysachs]

I had some sort of Blues Driver back in the 90's - don't remember which model. Now I have a Mooer Blues Mood, which is basically a copy of the Waza version with the Fat switch. I like it a lot - it was my only OD for a while. Then i tried a Soul Food and like it's basic sound a good bit more, so it stays on my main pedal-board. The Mooer is a backup and occasionally I stick it on there as a change of pace and, again, I quite like it. But when I put the Soul Food back on I always like it more and it tends to be the primary now...

 

[RetroTeleRod]

I thought about the BD-2 long and hard, thats why i came up with this thread, but i heard the demos and i think Im liking the OD-3 more than the BD-2

That is my conclusion too. The BD-2 seems to have a high end rasp to it that I can't get past. Just my opinion though, lots of folks love theirs. I do love the OD-3 though. Some consider it quite an improvement of the Blues Driver circuit, FWIW.
See post #4 in this thread for 11 gauge's take...https://www.tdpri.com/threads/any-boss-od-3-fans-here.223809/

 

[archtop_fjk]

The Blues Driver is definitely NOT a Bluesbreaker derivative circuit-wise. It uses a FET-based discrete op amp topology and lots of diode clipping.

As for the sound, when it comes to any effect you have to evaluate the sound as a combination of your guitar-pedal-amp, plus anything else in the chain. There are probably lots of BD-2/Amp combinations which sound great together (with your favorite guitar), others not so much. Just try it on your rig and see.

 

[Jim622]

I went with the EHX East River Drive

 

[John E]

Nothing wrong with it stock (Normal). Great pedal.

 

[jkats]

"What's exactly wrong with Normal [stock] Boss BD-2 (Blues Driver)?"

Nothing. I won't call it totally transparent, but it generally boosts your guitar signal without changing the guitar's basic tone (at least as opposed to a mid boosting Tube Screamer). Keep the gain low and the level high and it's a clean boost, and advance the gain to 9 or 10 o'clock, and it adds a little grit.

I have three flavors of overdrive on my main pedal board -- a TS-9 for when I want the mids on a Fender to cut through, the BD2 for a little grit, and a Soul Food as a dedicated clean boost; all three together is a wonderful "kitchen sink" sound. I have a BD-2 only for my small pedalboard and adjust from clean boost to grit.

I've tried modded BD-2s, and see no reason to pay more than for a stock unit. I did try the OD-3, but it had more gain than I wanted.

Love the stock BD-2!

 

[ElJay370]

The stock version seems a bit shrill and gutless for my taste. I have a Monte Allums modded version that sounds better to me in most every respect. More output, better tone across the range, no fizz. It's my "always on" pedal.

 

[Marc Morfei]

I went with the EHX East River Drive

I had an East River Drive and thought it sounded kinda like a tube Screamer, nothing like a Blues Driver.

 

[FenderLover]

I know most people like it, but I never bonded with it. I saw a show Friday night and both guitarist had one on their board. Got mine modded and didn't like that either, gave it to a friend.There are just too many boxes that sound great without extra effort trying bond with one of the darlings. At least it's one that I did not go back to buy two or three times.

 

[dreamingtele]

That is my conclusion too. The BD-2 seems to have a high end rasp to it that I can't get past. Just my opinion though, lots of folks love theirs. I do love the OD-3 though. Some consider it quite an improvement of the Blues Driver circuit, FWIW.
See post #4 in this thread for 11 gauge's take...https://www.tdpri.com/threads/any-boss-od-3-fans-here.223809/

You’re making me feel good about my purchase! Haha. I feel like ive made the right decision. Which is rare. Lol.

i’ll still pickup a Bd-2 and a Bad Monkey just for all intents and purposes, try and see if it fits my rig and my intended use for it. Im pretty much set and forget kind of guy. Like i said, i love consistency.

i may pickup a modded one, ONLY IF, its a good price. Im very strict with my purchases and if a dirt pedal is above $200, its an instant pass for me. Unless its a Tim which I have been chasing for a very long time now. Lol.

 

[dreamingtele]

The stock version seems a bit shrill and gutless for my taste. I have a Monte Allums modded version that sounds better to me in most every respect. More output, better tone across the range, no fizz. It's my "always on" pedal.

This Monte Allums mod is so popular!!

ive read somewhere that Boss changed something in the Bd-2 that it cannot be modded nowadays. I may have to pickup an old one if I want this mod to see. Or just go for a waza craft, IF, its priced nicely. Lol

 

[dreamingtele]

I know most people like it, but I never bonded with it. I saw a show Friday night and both guitarist had one on their board. Got mine modded and didn't like that either, gave it to a friend.There are just too many boxes that sound great without extra effort trying bond with one of the darlings. At least it's one that I did not go back to buy two or three times.

the only pedal Ive bought twice is the Timmy. My rig was just the Timmy + TS9 for 10 years. Its just last year that I wanted to experiment with new drives and I liked what Klons do, and its the Timmy + Klon for about a year and now I want to add something thats not TS flavored.

 

[scottser]

All you need, nothing you don't. Cheap as chips and virtually indestructible. I've been through a lot of overdrives but the bd2 is the only one I have left.

 

[dreamingtele]

View attachment 647093

All you need, nothing you don't. Cheap as chips and virtually indestructible. I've been through a lot of overdrives but the bd2 is the only one I have left.

been thinking of this Kind of rig for a while now!

the new DD8 solidified this plan and I will make a 3 boss pedal rig that I’m gonna use regulary!!

 

[dlew919]

The blues driver is perhaps the most versatile od- you can use it as a boost or as a drive. It can get to fuzz style sounds or a warm overdrive or a clean boost. I like them stock but I note I have the custom mode on my waza switched on. My other board has a stock pedal. It stacks nicely with a distortion or a fuzz and tube screamer into bd-2 is very nice too.

I tried one in the 90s in the shop. Didn’t like it. But years later I saw tony joe white had one on his board. So I gave it another try. Amazing what it can do when you tweak properly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[scottser]

been thinking of this Kind of rig for a while now!

the new DD8 solidified this plan and I will make a 3 boss pedal rig that I’m gonna use regulary!!

Go for it - you'll be amazed at what you can do with a wah, drive and delay.

 

[dreamingtele]

The blues driver is perhaps the most versatile od- you can use it as a boost or as a drive. It can get to fuzz style sounds or a warm overdrive or a clean boost. I like them stock but I note I have the custom mode on my waza switched on. My other board has a stock pedal. It stacks nicely with a distortion or a fuzz and tube screamer into bd-2 is very nice too.

I tried one in the 90s in the shop. Didn’t like it. But years later I saw tony joe white had one on his board. So I gave it another try. Amazing what it can do when you tweak properly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Im an equipment tweaker than a buyer.. I play around with the knobs all day if I can just to get what i want, everything stays with me for a month before I can decide Ive done everything I could and its not working.. in my life of playing, buying and selling, Ive only sold 3 guitars in 9 years, (not couting selling all my gear off because I had to move countries), and 3 pedals in the same year span.. Im more of a buy to keep than buy to try and sell..

I like what I hear from demos on the OD-3.. and found one for a very GOOD price... but since the BD-2 is scattered all over the marketplace and classifieds, since I got the OD-3 for cheaps, I may pickup a BD-2 later this week too, and keep both..

 

[Chiogtr4x]

View attachment 647093

All you need, nothing you don't. Cheap as chips and virtually indestructible. I've been through a lot of overdrives but the bd2 is the only one I have left.

This is almost exactly like my permanent ( many years) pedalboard!

I actually run my Blues Driver ( always ON) first in line, off of the pedal board, then the Tuner, then a Boss Chorus Ensemble in the middle ( I have it set as a rotating/ Leslie mode), then the Boss Delay.
With Fender amp/Reverb- set for life!

 

[11 Gauge]

There's nothing wrong with a stock BD-2, if your expectations are to use it as a slightly dirty boost, IMO. The response is flat, at least WRT the typical traditional OD pedal.

My personal issue with using a stock one is that it didn't sound right at higher OD settings, and it didn't really produce what I consider to be a "bluesy amp overdrive" type of sound. There's too much bass at the higher gain settings, there's not enough mids, and the top end is too overt to be effectively rolled off with the tone control.

I'll take an OD pedal that's usable throughout the sweep of its gain and tone controls over one that's limited in where the knobs can be set, whether it's stock or modified.

 

[dreamingtele]

There's nothing wrong with a stock BD-2, if your expectations are to use it as a slightly dirty boost, IMO. The response is flat, at least WRT the typical traditional OD pedal.

My personal issue with using a stock one is that it didn't sound right at higher OD settings, and it didn't really produce what I consider to be a "bluesy amp overdrive" type of sound. There's too much bass at the higher gain settings, and the top end is too overt to be effectively rolled off with the tone control.

I'll take an OD pedal that's usable throughout the sweep of its gain and tone controls over one that's limited in where the knobs can be set, whether it's stock or modified.

will the OD-3 be a usable pedal throughout the sweep of its gain and tone controls? though, the timmy is my main drive and this is just a second drive with a different vibe/style/color for those heavy solos.. its just gonna be this pedal or the timmy with the Klon on top..

I just bought the OD-3 instead of the BD-2 based on the demos I heard.. I like the sound of it better.