Grabbed this after some research (thanks Santa).
Back about three years ago, I got rid of all of my overdrives and distortion boxes.
For the most part, they were useless; I like to crank my amps so the amps do the heavy lifting (useless aside from the MXR Distortion+ that I sold, that is... I knew that worked best with a cranked amp... but I sold it anyways; wanted a Whirlwind Rochester series Gold Box - built the way the originals were).
I would use a preamp (EP-3 or similar concept) to boost.
Anyways, recently as you may know I've been digging into 80's metal tones (Campbell, Lynch). I always knew the 80's guys like to slap a BOSS DS-1 Distortion or similar in front of their plexis, metal panels or JCM800s for searing tone... but with the "output" up and the "distortion" down or off. In other words, they used them as boosts.
Now me being a picky SOB, I didn't want to grab a new DS-1. Too many reviews stating the old original Japan ones sounded different (and better).
So, what does an MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion have to do with the BOSS DS-1? I remember when the CB78D came out; it was eerily similar paint-job wise to something EVH related. Could it have been a secret Ed pedal?
The BOSS DS-1 debuted in 1978.
Apparently, some pedal geeks took a look at the circuit of the CB78D and determined it was a modified DS-1 circuit. And apparently the old Japan DS-1s used LEDs for clipping versus the regular diode clipping they use now... well, when you push in the little "crunch" button on the CB78D, that kicks in the LED clipping.
Saw a YouTube demo of a stock (new) DS-1, Keeley SEM modded DS-1, Mooer Ultra Drive and the CB78D. The Keeley-modded DS-1 and CB78D sounded exact.
So, the preponderance of evidence definitely points to it being a modified DS-1 circuit... perhaps the Keeley "Seeing Eye Mod" (LEDs) DS-1 circuit.
I put mine in front of my plexi, turn the "output" up, "tone" in the middle and the "distortion" off... push in the "crunch" button.
Instant 80's metal.
The EQing (esp. upper mids) it adds just fits perfectly. There's just a little bit of scoop, but it's still warm and fat. Pinch harmonics are a breeze.
So yeah, two thumbs up.
Back about three years ago, I got rid of all of my overdrives and distortion boxes.
For the most part, they were useless; I like to crank my amps so the amps do the heavy lifting (useless aside from the MXR Distortion+ that I sold, that is... I knew that worked best with a cranked amp... but I sold it anyways; wanted a Whirlwind Rochester series Gold Box - built the way the originals were).
I would use a preamp (EP-3 or similar concept) to boost.
Anyways, recently as you may know I've been digging into 80's metal tones (Campbell, Lynch). I always knew the 80's guys like to slap a BOSS DS-1 Distortion or similar in front of their plexis, metal panels or JCM800s for searing tone... but with the "output" up and the "distortion" down or off. In other words, they used them as boosts.
Now me being a picky SOB, I didn't want to grab a new DS-1. Too many reviews stating the old original Japan ones sounded different (and better).
So, what does an MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion have to do with the BOSS DS-1? I remember when the CB78D came out; it was eerily similar paint-job wise to something EVH related. Could it have been a secret Ed pedal?
The BOSS DS-1 debuted in 1978.
Apparently, some pedal geeks took a look at the circuit of the CB78D and determined it was a modified DS-1 circuit. And apparently the old Japan DS-1s used LEDs for clipping versus the regular diode clipping they use now... well, when you push in the little "crunch" button on the CB78D, that kicks in the LED clipping.
Saw a YouTube demo of a stock (new) DS-1, Keeley SEM modded DS-1, Mooer Ultra Drive and the CB78D. The Keeley-modded DS-1 and CB78D sounded exact.
So, the preponderance of evidence definitely points to it being a modified DS-1 circuit... perhaps the Keeley "Seeing Eye Mod" (LEDs) DS-1 circuit.
I put mine in front of my plexi, turn the "output" up, "tone" in the middle and the "distortion" off... push in the "crunch" button.
Instant 80's metal.
The EQing (esp. upper mids) it adds just fits perfectly. There's just a little bit of scoop, but it's still warm and fat. Pinch harmonics are a breeze.
So yeah, two thumbs up.
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