Best Blues Driver Mods?

['59]

I might have to put my dual overdrive search on hold for now, I just bought a Blues Driver off a friend for very cheap and I want to mod it. What are some cool mods you have tried / heard and what are their strengths and weaknesses?

I've been looking at the BHP Galaxie Mod, Wampler Brent Mason and Tweed mods, and a few other unnamed mods I've found on the internet.

I've been considering using this into a Tubescreamer TS-9 (that I might also be modding for higher gain purposes with the Wampler Standard and 808 mods) just if anyone thought that might affect their answer.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Best Blues Driver Mods?

Leave it. It’s better than 90% of the overdrive pedals out there.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Best Blues Driver Mods?

D3 -> Change this 1SS133 to a different (1N4002) diode for asymmetrical clipping. This adds second order harmonics. This adds to the tube type sound.

D7 and D10 -> Change these diodes from 1SS133 to 1N4002. More second order harmonic distortion.

C1, C7, C6, C12, C13, and C15 -> Change this electrolytic capacitor to a 10uF tantalum. Nicer overall sound.

C14 -> Increase input coupling capacitor value to 0.1uF for more bass response.

R1, R2, R18 and R19 -> Change the resistors to carbon composition. These old resistors probably have some frequency dependent component, which means that there is a capacitive element to the resistor. This is because of the spacing in the material.

C100 -> Tone control. You can increase the lower frequencies by increasing the capacitor value to 0.033uF.


At least, that's the info that Keeley used to have on his website before he started taking big buck to do BD-2 mods. I did 'em to my bd-2 more than a decade and a half ago and have been happy with the changes.

 

['59]

Re: Best Blues Driver Mods?

What are the merits of simply replacing parts of the pedal with higher quality pieces of the same value? Does it add up in the long run to a better tone or is it not worth it? Also, can it make the tone worse?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Best Blues Driver Mods?

I forget where I found this, but here is the parts list for the Galaxie mod:

I'm not sure he sells the kit anymore, but this is an approximation of the components.