I have never owned a stock DS-1...

[Chistopher]

...but this one comes pretty close. I bought it the other day on a whim because they guy was selling it for only $30 on account it had velcro on the back and was missing two knobs. I I those with Marshall knobs and removed the velcro, and there it is. I must say it actually sounds better than I was expecting. I don't know what I really was expecting though, I have more than enough experience with DS-1's, but they are always either in the hands of okay players or they've been modded. This is actually thereabouts my 5th or 6th DS-1, but they've all mode modded with at least a rebias of Q2 and a revamp of the tone stack.

I'm actually going to keep the circuit as-is for this one, for if I ever plan on role playing as a teenage punk icon. I've been meaning to try to cover with the fellas some newer Dropkick Murphys in the style of the old Dropkick Murphys. Maybe this will be my motivation.

 

[Aceman]

Re: I have never owned a stock DS-1...

This sounds like a great idea to me.

I have a DS-1, and have had them from time to time. Never used them other than for fun/entertainment. Amps always "did the job" or I hd more favorite just-for-dirt-into-clean pedals.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: I have never owned a stock DS-1...

Yeah usually I use mine more for pushing already somewhat distorted amps, even with a modded unit I find it tricky to get a good sound on a clean channel.

 

[Aceman]

Re: I have never owned a stock DS-1...

Go with this Satch/Vai approved TS9 into DS1 approach.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: I have never owned a stock DS-1...

So DS-1's are best when goosed?.. I've owned two and both times it was awful. I didn't have a Over drive to goose it.

The thing about a DS-1 is, it was designed for pushing overdriven tube amps. They've never sounded good to me into a clean amp - that's not what it was designed for. But into an amp that's already breaking up it makes a good lead channel used either as a boost with drive set very low and volume high, or as a monster distortion with the drive turned up a bit and the tone set fairly low.

 

[James Rock]

Re: I have never owned a stock DS-1...

Not sure if the Anniversary circuits are different to stock, but Ive loved modding DS-1s but the early 2000s models (mitsubishi chip) needed moddding to sound great (and thats the time all those modders got popular) whereas the japanese early 80s one I had just sounded better and was great as is (shouldnt have sold it). I havent heard the newest ones (2006 onwards) but supposedly that chip was way closer to the older ones.

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: I have never owned a stock DS-1...

Loving that black and gold look, the bright orange was always ugly to me.

Never got on with a DS-1 but I gave it maybe 3 tries over the course of 15 years. Perhaps one more try if I come across one like yours, and I'd be sold!

Sent from my SM-N975W using Tapatalk

 

[Chistopher]

Re: I have never owned a stock DS-1...

Yeah, now that I've had it longer, I find I only use it stock for garage punk to make all my gear sound 10× cheaper.

 

[Larioso]

Re: I have never owned a stock DS-1...

I had a Boss PW-10 Wah pedal that had emulations of a range of wellknown dist/od pedals.
https://www.boss.info/us/products/pw-10/

"These include BOSS classics like the OD-1 OverDrive, OD-2 Turbo OverDrive, MT-2 Metal Zone, DS-1 Distortion, BD-2 Blues OverDrive, as well as “Muff Fuzz,” “Guv Dist” and “Booster” modes. "

And dist could be used separately when wah is not engaged as well.

Cheap way to try out a bit what to get, or use as is, lacking some controls obviously.

I sold mine used for $50 or so.