However many companies have tried hard to replicate Boss’s recipe for success, with only a few able to make pedals which meld Boss’s signature affordability, signature balance of the tone, and quality. It does one thing and does it respectably well. Boss DS-1 Distortion Analysis. "Winning builds ego, losing build character". First introduced in 1978 as part of the second wave of compact pedal releases, the Boss DS-1 has enjoyed such enduring popularity and even outselling every other Boss pedal to date. Make Offer - Boss DS-1 Legendary Distortion Guitar Effect Pedal Signature Sound Booster - UC Boss BD-2 Blues Driver Overdrive Effects Pedal with uninstalled Phat Mod kit BD2 $94.00 Distortion / Overdrive BOSS BD-2 – BLUES DRIVER. $49.99 $68.14. $199.99 $299.99. The perfect Tone For Blues The BD-2 Blues Driver delivers the creamy, yet crunchy sound associated with great blues guitar. JavaScript is disabled. Clever playing trumps any pedal, anyhow. This is one of those simple, no-nonsense pedals. "Because of its low cost, ease of playing, and quick learning curve, you should seriously consider whether the air guitar is the instrument for you." This year, Boss has been releasing new stompboxes at a prodigious pace: two at Winter NAMM and three at Summer NAMM. Also Mad Proffessor Sweet Honey or a clone like the Joyo Sweet Baby. You may want to listen to some recent Walter Trout for an example of an aggressive tone. Boss BD-2 Blues Driver Pedal ... Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal Distortion Effects Pedal for Guitar, Bass, and Keyboard with Distortion, Level, and Tone Controls $52.99. 800.00 SAR Read more. For me, if we’re just talking Boss pedals, I liked the Blues Driver for something that covers rock (distortion) and blues (overdrive). It will damage them. Overall, the new Boss DS-1X Distortion is an impressive pedal that easily distinguishes itself from the classic DS-1. It is much tamer than its orange cousin the DS-1, but it can put out a fair amount of distortion with the gain knob cranked up. The Tube Screamer, by comparison, has a soft clip, with diodes placed in the feedback loop of its op-amp. It will detail what tools you may need, where to buy parts, and also give you an overview of what the modifications are doing. Boss BD-2 Blues Driver. He uses a Mesa Mark IV. The Boss Blues Driver is so popular and acclaimed thanks to its smooth, responsive sound. The Gear Page is the leading online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects and associated gear. The DS-1 is more of a modern metal distortion sound but maybe turning the gain WAY down could get you in blues territory..I've actually never tried that with mine It was the first distortion pedal made by Boss with a distinctive hard-clipping sound perfect for high gain rock and metal still keeping the character of the original guitar. The BD-2 is designed to be more of an overdrive pedal. The trouble with the DS-1 for bluesy sounds is it has a lot of gain and saturation even with the dist knob at 0, and while that sound can work for blues, it's not what most people are looking for. ... $119.99 $151.50. Boss DS-1 Distortion . Whether you want classic rock drive or more gain to push your solos over the top, the DS-1 delivers. Showing all 4 … I have the Digitech, but I am far from a blues player. Solo "doombient" EP - justinsears.bandcamp.com. Boss DS-1 Distortion. Are you going for more modern blues tones? For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. $99.99. SKU: CE-2W. You, sir, are rock n' roll. If it were me I'd just go get a used BD-2 Blues driver. PRODUCT. This e-book will explain how the circuit works in an easy to understand way. How does it compare to its predecessor? This especially works well if you have a treble bleed or 50s wiring to keep the highs as you roll off the volume. About 9-10 years ago, I left the pedal at a dude's house who I … While many players like the sound of the stock pedal just fine, many other guitarists like the basic tone but just want it better—more organic, responsive and dynamic. Boss ST-2 Power Stack . AvailableOn Amazon –Check Current Price The Boss BD-2 effects pedal is one of the most widespread and recognizable stomp boxes used by guitarists today, reaching a great status in the music industry. Not better or worse just different, depending on what you want. The Boss Blues Driver is one of those pedals that everybody has owned or at least played through once. We tested them head to head as part of this review. Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax Overdrive Pedal. The Digitech Screamin Blues is supposed to be nearly identical to the BD-2 pedal. BD-2 Blues Driver. NUX NOD-2 Mini Core Tube Man Overdrive. The Boss DS-1 takes a standard nine-volt power supply, and features a retail price of $49.99. BOSS DS-1 40th Anniversary MSRP £69 (UK) $79 (US) BOSS DS-1 40th Anniversary. The BD-2 has a fuller range response without that prominent upper-mid bump, so it is more 'transparent'. Using the guitar's volume and tone knobs to tame the saturation and the sharp edges will go a long way but if you can't find a sound you like that way then it really is a case of the DS-1 just not being the right tool for the job. Decked out in orange -- just as a distortion pedal should be -- the DS-1X offers the same controls as its predecessor with the added benefit of two-band EQ (the original DS-1 had just the one tone knob) so you can dial in exactly the grungy sound you're after. I get really good tone from my DS-1 when I run it with the gain almost completely off, tone btw 10 and 11 and level at 1 o’clock. One thing I really wanted at the time was a distortion pedal. BD-2 will get you blues no problem. So it seems Boss is intent on converting more existing products to the new design. Boss Blues Driver maybe worth a look. Find your new BOSS digital delay, overdrive, or loop station at Ryan Fowler's Guitar Experience. Boss BD-2 Blues Driver. Timmy's rule. Quantity. I tip my hat to you. This popular pedal provides instant access to the kind of warm overdrive and emotive distortion usually reserved for 30-year-old tube amps. Rightfully, the OCD should get a mention for it's manliness or a cheaper clone like the Joyo Ultimate Drive for poor people like me! I’d venture to say it’s nearly as popular as the beloved Tube Screamer. The blues driver is one of the best crunchy blues pedals I've owned..can't go wrong with one. The Boss DS-1 is a fantastic platform to work with when you want multiple different sounds from an inexpensive pedal. It seems that, after years of seeing other companies clogging up the internet with mods and DIY kits to make pedals like the DS-1 sound less scratchy, Boss has decided to stop sulking and join the game. One thing I like about the Build Your Own Clone DS-1 project is the addition of the pre-drive control. $49.00 $59.00. Blues thrives on dynamics and articulation (not talking about Garry Moore type blues...). This one caught me a bit by surprise – for some reason, I thought this pedal was new enough to not warrant a redesign. The BOSS BD-2 Blues Driver guitar effects pedal delivers that creamy yet crunchy sound you've heard countless great blues guitar players call up - and at a great value! The Ibanez tube screamer is an iconic pedal that has been made famous by blues artists, but is also widely used by many punk and rock guitarists. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You must log in or register to reply here. Before the DS-1, most distortion pedals produced harsh, buzzy tones and muddy sound at high gain settings. Blues Driver Sound & Tone. All are reinventions of older Boss pedals. Dynamics are important for a good blues sound. I love my Bd-2w but that will cost you a bit more. Probably the only pedals as recognisable as the DS-1 are the DM-2 analogue delay, BD-2 Blues Driver and DD-3 Digital Delay. You can also research the diode-clipping mods to make it more into a clean-boost type pedal. Boss CE-2W Waza Craft Chorus. It'll depend a lot on what guitar and amp you're using. It just depends how you dial it in and whether or not the sound is what you're looking. The guy who is still reading War and Peace. DS-1 is not meant to be a blues pedal. I would say to keep the gain down and cut some treble to enhance the mids. Boss has done a great job at figuring out what modern guitarists want from a distortion and designing a pedal that ticks all those boxes in satisfying ways. These power supplies use a center negative pin as required by these products. Is there a non metal, non dinosaur legacy band popular enough to host a halftime show. $49.99 $68.14. It's too compressed for the job. In 1978, BOSS engineers changed all that by developing a unique distortion circuit for the DS-1 that produces tight, hard-edged gain with rich harmonics while retaining the unique characteristics of different guitars and playing techniques. Soon following, if thine heart has the heat the crossroads will appear before you. The Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal is an indisputable classic. Boss DS-1X Distortion . $99.99 $137.60. Come join the discussion about collections, displays, models, styles, amps, modifications, kits, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! JavaScript is disabled. Larry Sandberg. I use the Boss DS-1 distortion pedal to dial in the optimal blues amp settings with just the right amount of gain and twang. Do not use positive center pin power supplies with these units! $159.99. The Boss DS-1 is one of the most iconic pedals of all time, but let's be clear: this isn't the DS-1 mark II; the DS-1X is very much its own beast. Listen to and play along with Elmore James ‘I believe I’ll dust my broom’. BOSS CS-3 Compression Sustainer The BOSS CS-3 has been around since the 80's, it is an analog compressor pedal that compresses louder notes and boosts the lower ones, while keeping your original tone authentic. 263.00 SAR Read more. The pedal has seen re-issues such as the Boss DS-2, which feature a retail price of around $75. Gain down, volume up. In this article we will ta… Best thing you can do with a DS-1 is throw it in as a trade-in for a SD-1, BD-2, or OD-3. Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive. BOSS DS-1 – DISTORTION DS-1. The SD-1 is gritty and not very touch-sensitive, the BD-2 is smoother and more touch-sensitive. Electro-Harmonix Crayon 69 Full Range Overdrive. Compare Boss. But in most cases, those opinions are formed squarely off of the older Boss JB-2 Angry Driver Overdrive. I agree you could probably get any drive pedal to dial in for what you're after but never as good as a pedal that was designed for what you're after. 384.00 SAR Read more. Much better boxes out there for most blues but it depends on the style you are going after. The Boss BD-2 Blues Driver is a relatively inexpensive overdrive pedal featuring high quality Boss construction. ... BOSS BD-2 Blues Driver. Boss JB-2 Angry Driver. Even the much maligned Metal Zone can sound reasonably bluesy in the right hands. BD-2W Blues Driver The Blues Driver is a drive pedal for blues… Nothing wrong with a DS-1 for blues or really any driver pedal. At low gain levels, it gives your sound a rich, warm overdrive that has a lot of harmonic richness. $149.99. The Boss DS-1 is a distortion guitar pedal released in 1978 by Boss. 1960 Les Paul Jr- 14 Les Paul Standard Plus- 19 SG Special- 96 American Strat SSS- 18 American Pro Strat HSS. PRODUCT. With the DS-1X Distortion Pedal, Boss has recreated an amped-up version of their classic DS distortion footpedal. So my family and I went down to the local music store and came home with a Boss DS-1. $62.75. Quantity. $99.99. I've seen them on Kijiji for $70. Shane (the Aussie) did a versus video on both and favoured the digitech. Replacement (aftermarket) AC Power Adapter for the following Boss products: Blues Driver BD-2, Distortion DS-1, Turbo DS-2 . Supposedly, there is a high boost driving the signal BEFORE it gets to the gain control; the pre-drive control is said to be able to allow for better OVERDRIVE sounds vs pop-the-clutch-and-hit-it distortion. It can work with the gain and tone turned low, but it needs the right amp to sound good IMO. A forum community dedicated to guitar owners and enthusiasts. Danelectro Transparant Overdrive does a good Timmy impression. Add to Your List. Gary Moore sounded great using a DS1 on the "Scars" album! 384.00 SAR Read more. ... similar to the redesigned DS-1 and BD-2. Distortion / Overdrive Boss MD-2 – RL MEGA DISTORTION. Boss SD-1W Super Overdrive WAZA CRAFT. We carry a wide range of BOSS guitar pedals and effects. You can get some good sounds out of it using the volume knob on your guitar. Turn up the gain. The gain of the BOSS BD-2 is all in all subtle to mid-harsh, it can be crunchy but will not distort, hence the name, Blues Driver. As the first distortion that Boss released, it has gone on to define the compact pedals that have come after. The SD-1 is essentially a Boss Tubescreamer, more or less. The DS-1X, released along with the OD-1X in January, is a revamped digital version of the DS-1. Genre-Defining Distortion. PRODUCT. PRODUCT. The BD-2 Blues Driver simulates the sound of a vintage tube amplifier, giving you instant access to timeless tones. Notes ring out clearly but have the added bite and sustain thanks to … DS1- run the tone low, just barely open. Being a big Nirvana fan at the time, I loved the thing. Boss OD-1X Overdrive. PRODUCT. This Year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees are here! In short, this is the DS-1 grown up. $199.99. As well as the gleaming panel and array of knobs (level, low, high and dist), this pedal packs Boss's Multi-Dimensional Processing (MDP), which promises 'ideal distortion tones in every register'. Asa DS-1 owner & user--I'd say part of this depends on what you think of blues tone. Distortion / Overdrive BOSS DS-1X – RL Guitar Distortion. Hate to dissuade you in your original question, but if dialing back the gain and/or tone on the DS-1 isn’t doing it for you, might want to try a different box. I agree with all the comments above. $199.99. 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