Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

[Franknfilms]

I can get a really good deal on a Boss SD-1 with Keeley stacked mod. I already have a Maxon OD9 with the Keeley TS-9 Mod Plus. Here's why I'm thinking about getting the Boss to replace the Maxon:
-I mainly use OD as a boost for metal, SD-1 better for metal?
-I have a fair amount of pedals and long signal chain, all of my pedals are true bypass, perhaps the keeley modded buffer in the boss pedal will help my signal get through a little stronger?
-I hate the maxon od-9 in terms of stomping. Boss pedals are much much easier to stomp on and off
-I might as well get the Boss, try them both, and it won't be too hard to sell the one I don't want

Conerns:
-is Boss SD-1 passable for clean overdrive and more classic tones?
-Even with keeley mod, is Boss buffer going to be a tone sucker?
-Which one is ultimately more durable?

Any feedback would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[John E Rokker]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

the Keeley mod actually make the pedal true bypass.
I have one and love it. try it out and see what you think. I leave my on all the time unless i'm switching to the clean channel.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

are you sure the modded sd-1 is true bypass? methinks not. better than the stock boss for sure but i think its still buffered, which isnt a bad thing. a good buffer can be a good thing

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

the Keeley mod actually make the pedal true bypass.
I have one and love it. try it out and see what you think. I leave my on all the time unless i'm switching to the clean channel.

If you're talking about the sd-1, the keeley mod "improved the BOSS switching to make it even closer to true-bypass!" That's perfectly fine by me if I don't notice the difference, I'm not a true bypass fanatic, but stock boss pedals and crybabies seem to suck away a lot of tone.

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

Sweet, I won the keeley sd-1 pedal for 64 bucks. Can't wait to test it out. On another forum it was pointed out to me that all of these keeley mods and such are great for a stand alone od, but if I'm using it to tighten up a metal distortion I'm better off with the more compressed bass-sucking originals. I just assumed that there is no way the a modded pedal could actually be worse off, maybe I should have just bought a cheap as hell regular sd-1.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

i have a cheap as hell sd-1 and im sure we can work out a trade if you dont like yours

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

I'll keep that in mind. Item has shipped! I will try to record an a/b with sd-1 and od-9.

 

[korovamilkdud]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

I prefer mine with sauce, onions and peppers. Don't care for mushrooms, really.

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

Got my sd-1 stacked. It sounds incredible. This is exactly what I was hoping for, it is the ultimate metal overdrive! The tone knob actually works and makes a significant difference, the maxon tone knob is not very sensitive and doesn't have a wide range imo.

The boss with the switch up sounds more like the maxon, a thick tube screamer overdrive. Switch down and it is perfect in front of a high gain channel. Of course there is a down side, on the clean channel I'm not loving the boss in either mode. The maxon is much better on the clean overdrive. I'm tempted to keep both of them but I really should sell one. It will probably be the maxon.

The keeley modded buffer in the boss pedal had no audible effect on the clean tone and I think that my overall signal is coming through much better with the boss pedal in the chain, as opposed to the maxon. I am definitely going to try and record an a/b tomorrow if I can "work" from home.

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

Sound clips! My peavey xxx was in the shop so I used my peavey vypyr 15. Yeah, I know it sucks but at least you can somewhat hear the difference in these overdrives. Two different riffs, first with no boost, second with OD9, third with SD-1.

Conclusion: the SD-1 sounds amazing in person, but in recording it is very very compressed compared to the OD-9. The OD9 absolutely kills on the first riff, but doesn't do so well with the faster palm muted second riff. I might do this all over again with my xxx soon just to be sure. Right now I'm leaning toward selling the OD9.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=1082652&songID=9627675

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=199323

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

I actually liked the OD9 best from those clips.
Also have a modded TS-9 and SD-1, both have their goods and bads but the TS-9 is on my pedal board right now. Both sound very similar actually but the TS-9 has better bass.
Maybe if you swap out the JRC for a TI in the OD9, you'll like it more. It's a little tighter sounding though the difference is very small.

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

Also have to ask, what movie is that in your avatar?

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

Glad you asked! It is Lucio Fulci's Zombie (aka Zombi2). It is a 70's horror trash masterpiece, a subject I know much more about that guitar. You see that Zombie that is fighting a shark? Well, before that happens a naked scuba diving woman fights the Zombie and the shark as well...it goes without saying that it is a MUST SEE.

As for the ODs, I sold the Maxon 0D9. Sure it is a great thick and pretty transparent OD of incredible quality. However, here are the reasons that I like the Boss SD-1 stacked better:
1. Two modes on the SD-1, one is very thick and similar to OD9, not quite as good and it has less bass but it is really really close, great for clean od
2. The Boss has much more drive in general, even when the drive is at 0 and I like this
3. The Boss is amazing for metal, just amazing, my xxx sounds almost like a mesa now
4. The Boss buffer (modded by Keeley) is actually an overall improvement, my signal is a little stronger now that I have a buffer on my board, the cleans are still beautifully clean, the harmonics come off even stronger now
5. The Boss on/off switch is just amazingly easy to use. The Maxon OD9 has a terrible switch that is a pain in the a** more likely to make you trip over yourself

I'm uploading a new A/B between the Boss and Maxon soon recorded on my xxx

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

http://netmusicians.org/?section=id&value=8017

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Boss SD-1 Stacked or Maxon OD9 Mod Plus

Cool, I checked out a trailer on youtube and it looks like a great film to scare my gf with .

I agree that the SD-1 is better suited for beefing things up for riffs and rythem.
Adds some nice grit. Also sounds a little tighter than the TS-9 to me.
I did my own mods to keeley specs and stacked it too.

Prefer the (also modded)TS-9 on leads though, more mojo and deeper tones on bends. I'll probably stack it also because it's supposed to add some clarity to the circuit. I like my od's noise free.
All in all 2 great flavours of guitar tone!