DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

[Rich_S]

I got my new (old) Keeley Ultra Mod DS-1 from McLaughysSN today. I bought a stock DS-1 the day before he offered me his Ultra, so I am able to A/B them. I got in just a few minutes this evening, here are the early results:

No contest. The Keeley fixes the two major complaints that I had with the DS-1: fizziness (and/or weak low end) and a lack of playing dynamics. I played it mostly with its toggle in the "Seeing Eye Mod" position, which gave me a fat sound, fed back (controllably) even at low volume, and let my pick attack sound through. Based on memory, it reminds me of my old Rat (which isn't on my pedalboard simply because the Boss fits better), but I haven't A/B'd them yet.

(O.T. - Major kudos to ProCo. I e-mailed them last week, explaining that I loaned my Rat to a "friend" years ago for an extended period. When I got it back, it was sans battery cover, how can I obtain another? Their tech support guy got right back to me, said, "You'll need a thumbscrew, too, right?", took my address, and that was that. Battery cover and screw on the way, gratis. Everybody reading this should go buy a Rat. But I digress.)

Keeley's Ultra position is supposed to be even "more" than the S.E.M., but seemed to have less gain to me. There may be a level difference between the two settings that needs to be compensated for with the output knob. Between the Keeley's toggle switch and my 18 Watter's single/parallel triode inputs, I have a lot of versatility now, without resorting to a complicated modern channel-switching amp. KISS!

I'll continue to A/B them for a while, but the Keeley is going on my pedalboard tomorrow night, and the Boss can hang loose on the floor. Long term, I might try an IndyGuitarist or Monty Allum mod on the stock box, and then have another shootout.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

good to hear... i'm a DS1 user as you know.... i should try a modded one oneday...

 

[Johnny Q]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

I actually offered mine up for sale on the various forums a few months back and it didnt sell, which is really a good thing, cause I used it again for the first time in about a year at a recent band rehearsal and this thing sounds flippin great through my JCM800.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

Johnny is yours stock, or do you have a Keeley?

I'm new to the whole boutique pedal thing, but McLaughysSN seems to think there's a market glut of Ultra Mods after a buying surge in the wake of the original G3 CD/DVD release. (Who's this Vai guy people talk about, anyway?).

 

[big_black]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

The DS-1 is completely unusable in it's stock form. I don't know how people do it.

 

[YJM_Rocks]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

Mine sounds like absolute garbage through my Classic 30 or Behringer 212.

 

[Rich_T]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

The DS-1 is completely unusable in it's stock form. I don't know how people do it.

Agreed, its up there with the metalzone in terms of useless-ness. The SD-1 on the other hand, boss almost got right. I'm thinking of getting my Rat II Keely'd, but I quite like it how it is, so I dunno if its worth the effort.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

It's funny - I tried all the Boss distortion boxes at GC and liked the DS-1 best (through the available Marshall SS combo). I've never liked Tube Screamers and many Boss boxes are similar. Once I got it home through my 18 Watter, it was immediately apparent why everyone mods the DS-1. It's got no bottom, and passes no picking dynamics. But for $35 it was worth a try, and it's a great mod platform - can't beat the Boss package for a bulletproof stompbox.

 

[Gamera]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

The DS-1 is completely unusable in it's stock form. I don't know how people do it.

I disagree. I think it can be used very effectively, especially with the right amp. Someone on this forum once did a write-up on their technique on using it. Something about setting the DS-1 to a med-high gain setting, keeping the DS-1 on, then using the volume control on your guitar to go from clean to gain.

I agree the metalzone is useless though. In my experience anyway.

 

[Top Jimmy]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

I don't think most people really use a DS-1 as their primary distortion sound. A lot of people use it a a dirtier OD. I usually have the tone and dist around 9 O'Clock give or take a bit, and the level 12 O'clock or higher.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

I'm not one to worry about shades of grey - if I want distortion, I want distortion. That's why I've always liked the Rat, and now the Keeley Ultra Mod.

 

[jony]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

The DS-1 is completely unusable in it's stock form. I don't know how people do it.

The trick is to have the gain almost all the way down and the tone almost all the way down as well.

Have the volume control up with the amp on slight overdrive.

It's basically a level boost into the amp creating more saturation.

 

[Guitar Guy]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

I amp also a ds-1 ultra owner and a absolutely love it. It really puts the stock one to shame. The ultra mode actually does have less gain although it has more volume at the same settings. The big difference is that the ultra mode is fatter and fuller. I personally prefer the ultra mode for a good marshall like crunch although the SEM is great too for the higher gain Vai-Satriani tone. Enjoy the keeley. I bet it sounds really good with your 18 watt amp cranked up!

 

[WhoFan]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

I disagree. I think it can be used very effectively, especially with the right amp. Someone on this forum once did a write-up on their technique on using it. Something about setting the DS-1 to a med-high gain setting, keeping the DS-1 on, then using the volume control on your guitar to go from clean to gain.

I agree the metalzone is useless though. In my experience anyway.

bingo.... a stock DS1 can be great thru some amps.... I love my DS1 thru my Peavey Classic 50 and Classic 30 amps.... but i hate the thin-ness of it thru my Fender 65 Deluxe.. The amp always plays a huge part in weather or not a pedal will sound good...

I'm sure the modded DS1's offer some of the things i dislike about the stock DS1 myself... I may try a modded one oneday as the Tone knob is not to effective... i'd prefer a tad bit more low end and mids... My Peavey amps are quite mid rangey anyways so the DS1 fills that bill...

Stock DS1 is a budget pedal... i mean you can walk into most shops and pick one up for $56 Canadian around here... Not much lower priced then that around here besides the mini Danoelectro's... I plan to buy a Diamond Fireburst when it comes in stock at my local shop.... They have a DS1 style fuzz to them yet are dead quiet and made of nice high quality parts.... and the EQ really works.... mind you it will be 4-5 times the price of a DS1... but you get what you pay for!

 

[fretburner]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

Agreed, its up there with the metalzone in terms of useless-ness. The SD-1 on the other hand, boss almost got right. I'm thinking of getting my Rat II Keely'd, but I quite like it how it is, so I dunno if its worth the effort.

The DS-1 is usuable to me. It only becomes useless when i turn the "dist" knob all the way clockwise.

But I agree with you on the metalzone being useless though.

And the SD-1 didn't impress me one bit.

 

[Johnny Q]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

Johnny is yours stock, or do you have a Keeley?

I'm new to the whole boutique pedal thing, but McLaughysSN seems to think there's a market glut of Ultra Mods after a buying surge in the wake of the original G3 CD/DVD release. (Who's this Vai guy people talk about, anyway?).

Mine is the Keeley modded DS-1 with the ultra and seeing eye mod.

 

[arbiter]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

i used to play on ds-1 for years and it does sound pretty good on some amps, but on others it's terrible. however, md-2 mega distortion does the trick. you can set it up to sound EXACTLY as the ds-1 and then you can add some extra bottom or edge. some say this pedal is made for nu metal stuff, but it is very, very versatile and you can go from overdrive to plain noise and all the sweet spots in between.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

i used to play on ds-1 for years and it does sound pretty good on some amps, but on others it's terrible. however, md-2 mega distortion does the trick. you can set it up to sound EXACTLY as the ds-1 and then you can add some extra bottom or edge. some say this pedal is made for nu metal stuff, but it is very, very versatile and you can go from overdrive to plain noise and all the sweet spots in between.

i also bought a Boss Mega Distortion... At the store thru a Traynor it rocked!!! yet at home thru my Peavey and Fender amps it's not so hot.... i take it back to the store and it sounds like a substitute boogie stack thru the Traynor..... It's not a bad pedal but like the DS1 it likes some amps and not others...

I didn't find the DS1 and the MD2 could sound exactly alike... i find the DS1 to be more fuzzy... and the MD2 is smoother distortion...

 

[arbiter]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

well...maybe not exactly alike, but you can get very close. although i do remember that i made them sound pretty much identical. but that's not the point, i just wanted to suggest it as a better option, it is more flexible and pretty much good for anything. but it does sound crappy on some amps. i remeber it sounding bad through the jcm800 and a couple of fenders. but it sounds great on my peavey, though. some amps just seem like it's too much for them and you get an overdistorted fizz. could be a thing with the equalizers.

 

[Markk]

Re: DS-1 vs. DS-1: Initial Impressions

The DS-1 is completely unusable in it's stock form. I don't know how people do it.

I don't have that much experience, but I would have to lean this way as well.