Re: DS-1 mods
I don't think the MIT DS-1 sounds like crap at all! Sounds just fine. I have both the MIT and the MIJ versions of the DS-1 and they sound almost identical. Like I said, Steve Vai also prefers the MIJ version but feels that the MIT version sounds just fine. My buddy AJ uses the MIT version the same way I do and the way Vai and Satriani used it: he leaves it on all the time! We dial in a tone we like about 1/2 way up and then get our clean tones by lowering the volume controls on our Strats or Teles. And that's one reason I prefer the unmodded version: the clean tone is cleaner.
John sent me one of his modded DS-1's to try. Sounded awesome for the more distorted tones...the clean tone wasn't quite as clean as the unmodded version.
But most players don't use the DS-1 the way Vai, Satriani, AJ and myself do: we leave it turned "on" all the time.
Actually, I rarely use any effects. 99% of the time it's just a guitar, a cord and an amp. But when I do use the DS-1 I leave it on all the time and can go from country clean to Led Zep with my Telecaster..
AJ uses his that way too, and plays salsa gigs with it! That's how clean the unmodded DS-1 can make your guitar when the guitar's volume pot is rolled down.
But if you're a player who wants more distortion from his DS-1, John does the best mods of the DS-1 that I've heard/used...better than Keeley, IMO.
Lew
