Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

[Lewguitar]

John was kind enough to send me one to compare to my old MIJ DS-1 that I will never part with or allow to be modded! IMO, my unmodded DS-1 sounded better for my style than the Keeley modded DS-1 I had.

I like John's modded DS-1 much more than the Keeley Seeing I modded DS-1 I had briefly.

John's DS-1 has a thicker, more overdriven tone than my unmodded one...but it's very musical, clear and fun to play!

I can easily get the up picked pinch harmonics on the low E string that I love and which sound like I'm burning rubber at the Detroit Dragway! (Is that place still around? Havn't been "home" to Detroit in about 20 years!)

They have a nice bloom to them and don't sound to compressed and thick...the overdriven tone still has some air and space around it which is what I like.

Most guys are not going for as clean a tone as I appear to prefer tho my tone gets pretty overdriven sometimes...and that's what I love about my particular old DS-1: it has alot of air and breath to it's tone, particularly when I set all three knobs to about 1/2 way and then turn my guitar's volume way down. It cleans right up and actually gives a tone that is as clean and articulate as if I had the pedal off. Better, in some ways...

John's modded DS-1 has a fatter thicker tone than stock...that makes it just a little gainier and thicker than my unmodded DS-1 when I turn the volume way down on my guitar...so it doesn't get quite as sparkling clean as my unmodded DS-1, but it still gets very clean.

Also, when I pinch harmonics, the John-toned DS-1 has a little less air and less breath than my unmodded DS-1...but it's still extremely cool!

There's a certain lower midrange resonance that the Keeley modded DS-1 lost to get more gain and overdrive...both of these DS-1's retain that resonance. :dance:

With my unmodded DS-1, the tone is more like ripping off a big fart! There's alot of air to the flattulance... :smack: but in a good, non-stinky way! :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

Seriously...I like a little flatulance to my tone and I feel that quality is exactly what is missing from most speakers, amps and overdrive pedals. I hate a sloppy, loose, muddy low end...but a certain flatulance to the mids (like you're really squeezing one off...and in a very satisfying way) is a tone I like! :burnout: Just don't try to light it... :smack:

I also compared the modded and unmodded DS-1's to my new John-toned TS-9's!

I hate to say it, but I prefer the DS-1's...either one. But that's OK: I always did!

The DS-1's just have a more natural tone to my ears...either one. Not either ear! Either the modded DS-1 or the unmodded DS-1...

Guys, John knows his stuff. He's doing a spectacular job with these pedals and I love everything I've heard so far, even if I do have my personal preferences that lean towards a clearer, more transparant tone than many of you harder rockers seem to go for.



Lew

 

[jeremy]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

thanks lew thats a great review!! john, sounds like you do some mighty fine work!!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

Thanks Jeremy...I try! Lew

 

[jeremy]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

im glad you mentioned the low mid loss of the modded keeley, i tried one a while ago and found that i didnt like that wen i stepped on the pedal i got a great distortion but i felt like the bottom dropped out

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

im glad you mentioned the low mid loss of the modded keeley, i tried one a while ago and found that i didnt like that wen i stepped on the pedal i got a great distortion but i felt like the bottom dropped out

That's the resonance that's John's modded DS-1 retains and which stock DS-1's all have but which the Keeley modded DS-1 I had lacked. I think guys who don't play certain licks on thier low E string don't even notice it...but being a big Jeff Beck fan, I love that growly low end flatulant honk Beck gets sometimes. Been one of my personal cliches for a long time! LOL! Lew

 

[jeremy]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

i play a fair amount down on the first few frets of the e string, love grabbing that f and giving it a quarter step bend and letting it roll and sustain

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

i play a fair amount down on the first few frets of the e string, love grabbing that f and giving it a quarter step bend and letting it roll and sustain

Exactly! I'm so glad you know what I'm talking about cuz some players don't. If you never do that lick, you don't notice that resonance missing from a modded DS-1 or other pedal.

I do that lick on the third fret G too...bend it up a little before I up pick it and then I release it. Sounds a little like a whammy bar being pressed down. Lew

 

[Curly]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

good review, Lew!

yeah, John's DS-1 is a heck of a pedal, despite the affordable price!

I love the full harmonic content ... again, sounds especially great with a tele!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

good review, Lew!

yeah, John's DS-1 is a heck of a pedal, despite the affordable price!

I love the full harmonic content ... again, sounds especially great with a tele!

Yep...I've been using my '54 Tele to test these puppies...through my '59 Deluxe with the old Celestion silver bulldog. Killer! Lew

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

Great review Lew...Wow that DS1 got there quick buddy....Glad you like it...The modded DS1 has become a well used pedal on my board for the heavier classic rock stuff we do...Here's the deal with the SEM mod(I didn't like it either)....I leave the 2 stock silicon diodes in the DS1 and put the same small pf cap across my diodes like the Tube Screamer has to smooth out the fuzzy crap that rides over our notes..Keeley removes 1 silicon diode and puts an LED in place and uses different values of components in his SEM mods...That LED is another type of diode and a light...These diodes are harsh sounding to me and add more gain...The gain it does add might be great for the metal players but it's too hi fi sounding and sterile to my ears..The LED looks cool mounted on the outside of the pedal sitting there flashing though....I went back into my own DS1 and looked at my Boss schematic and just started experimenting while using both a resistor and capacitor substitution box within key areas of the circuit....I'd listen to how a cap or resistor would change the mids,the lows,and the gain...I wanted to retain the tightness,crunch,and articulation I liked but at the same time make the pedal sound and feel like an 800 Marshall...It very much reminds me of a JCM 800 tone in a pedal..AnalogMike was nice and then turned me on to a better inline JRC opamp for the Taiwanese DS1s....I've not seen a MIJ DS1 yet Lew but the schematics show a regular 8 pin opamp like in the Tube Screamers and not the inline one? Maybe that opamp is what you like because the 2 circuits shown on my schematics are otherwise the same....The MIJ DS1 intriques me..I've now done 2 DS1s for Curly and he really likes them and I fully believe the guitar(s),amps,pickups etc...make alot of difference to the end resulting tone we all hear...Lew...I Must say that I respect your reviews and you'd be the hardest one to please,not because of who you are,but just your knowledge overall....Thanks for posting again and thanks again for that wonderful Fralin Steel Pole.....

That DS1 that you were sent,was a pcb basket case that was given to me...I bought some Caig circuit tracer repair and sealer and was surprised that everything worked on that one....That DS1 had some really great tone...Did you look at the board in that one? It ain't pretty but it's got tone! ;o)

John

 

[Frantic_Rock]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

I'm the one who bought Lew's Keeley ulta ds-1. I'll have to say I love the pedal. It's smooth when the tone is rolled down (and i never use the tone any higher than 10 oclock anyway - it just gets too thin with my blues junior).

You guys are waaay advanced for me. The keeley sounds great to me, and all i hear is smoothness and thickness Can't really describe any other tonal character of it.

I don't think this pedal was made in mind with cleaning up your tone ... It was made to get KILLER CRUNCH. Which i'm sure with a marshall full-stack I will be able to get. For my clean tone i just use my fender blues junior with master volume on 2/12, and drive on about 5/12, and then just step on my DS-1 with the tone on 9 oclock -to get smooth overdrive

 

[stratsandaks]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

That DS1 that you were sent,was a pcb basket case that was given to me...I bought some Caig circuit tracer repair and sealer and was surprised that everything worked on that one....That DS1 had some really great tone...Did you look at the board in that one? It ain't pretty but it's got tone! ;o)

John

Hmmm, that DS-1 sounds familiar.

Glad you found it a good home John.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

Hmmm, that DS-1 sounds familiar.

Glad you found it a good home John.

John....Nope,not your DS1....Yours has a broken board.The one Lew has needed the board tracings fixed but the board was ok...Yours will be way more challenging! :burnout: :32: :wink:

John

 

[stratsandaks]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

John....Nope,not your DS1....Yours has a broken board.The one Lew has needed the board tracings fixed but the board was ok...Yours will be way more challenging! :burnout: :32: :wink:

John

Doh!! :smack:

Thought you had resurrected that beast. :saeek: :burnout:

Back on topic, great review Lew. John's DS-1's rock.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

good review, Lew!

yeah, John's DS-1 is a heck of a pedal, despite the affordable price!

I love the full harmonic content ... again, sounds especially great with a tele!

Thanks buddy.....So how do you like the second DS1 Curly? is it as cool as the first or do we need to change back to the silicon diode? Let me know your thoughts...

And to my buddy John....Thanks for posting also....Haven't begun to work on the DS1 you sent me yet,probably when I return from my vacation...

John

 

[Curly]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

Thanks buddy.....So how do you like the second DS1 Curly?

John,
sounds good so far ... I just did another little test drive, and it's fine as is.

I think to do a true A/B I'll have to crank it a little with both hooked up, but I've been playing my new strat on about 7-8, 'cause I like the cleans so much

I'll get around to cranking it soon, sometime when my neighbors are all gone

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

John,
sounds good so far ... I just did another little test drive, and it's fine as is.

I think to do a true A/B I'll have to crank it a little with both hooked up, but I've been playing my new strat on about 7-8, 'cause I like the cleans so much

I'll get around to cranking it soon, sometime when my neighbors are all gone

Invite the neighbors over for some free blues guitar lessons,fill them full of booze and then crank er up Curly... :saeek: :dance:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

John, The pedal really, really kicks. I love the thicker, heavier, deeper tone for harder rock things...whomps you right in the chest! The one thing that would need to be changed would be the clean tones...I'd like them too.

I can't roll down the volume of my Tele to 3 or 4 and get the sparkling clean tones I can get from my un-modded DS-1.

I'd love to have a modded DS-1 like this, but I'd need to be able to keep the clean tone when I drop the volume of the guitar.

Possible?

Thanks! Lew

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

I'm the one who bought Lew's Keeley ulta ds-1. I'll have to say I love the pedal. It's smooth when the tone is rolled down (and i never use the tone any higher than 10 oclock anyway - it just gets too thin with my blues junior).

You guys are waaay advanced for me. The keeley sounds great to me, and all i hear is smoothness and thickness Can't really describe any other tonal character of it.

I don't think this pedal was made in mind with cleaning up your tone ... It was made to get KILLER CRUNCH. Which i'm sure with a marshall full-stack I will be able to get. For my clean tone i just use my fender blues junior with master volume on 2/12, and drive on about 5/12, and then just step on my DS-1 with the tone on 9 oclock -to get smooth overdrive

That's still a very cool pedal...I bought it from Burkheiser (?) here on the forum and sold it again because I liked the clean tones of my unmodded DS-1 pedal better. Plus the unmodded pedal retained that honky resonance on the low E string that we mentioned. But my buddy AJ, who I bounce alot of ideas off of, liked the pedal I sold you much more than the unmodded DS-1. Like I said, if a guy doesn't play that one Jeff Beck lick where you prebend a note on the low E and then sting it with an up pick for a certain growly tone like you're burning rubber, the Keeley modded pedal is just great! I DO play that lick alot tho and the Keeley modded pedal doesn't do that lick as well as an unmodded pedal. Thanks! Lew

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Got the modded DS-1 from Stratdeluxer97!

John does kick-ass work! I just love mine sooo much, this pedal now is more than useable which I didn't think was that much possible at first... not a bad stock pedal but not great (according to my tastes tho...)... Hard to go wrong with that pedal and the mods when regarding the TONE/PRICE ratio... thanks again John!