Yes, the Japanese DS-1 is worth buying. For that price, grab it and run as fast as you can :burnout:
I had the DS-1 when it first came out in 1978 and through the years they've changed alot. Components and other parts ran out and they had to make substitutions and pick the closest parts available to the original parts that the schematic required.
The Japanese models definitly sounds very different from the current Taiwanese models. I have two original Japanese DS-1 from '82 and '85 and they sound a bit different from each other. The early Taiwanese DS-1 were identical to the Japanese DS-1's. The current DS-1 circuits are totally different from the old DS-1. Soundwise, the Current model is louder, harder and have a bit more gain than the Japanese DS-1. Not a bad sound at all but just different from the Original DS-1. The Japanese DS-1 is smoother, more articulate, the gain is just right (not too over the top) and it works well with your guitar's volume control.
The Spina DS-1 is very close to the original tone of the Japanese DS-1 only everything is times 10! More of everything which is the idea behind the mod. It eats the Taiwanese DS-1 for breakfast! I put my original DS-1 back in its box and now have a Spina DS-1 on my pedalboard! Love this thing!! It sounds just like a Japanese DS-1 but pushed harder. If you have a Les Paul, try switching to the Neck pickup, guitar Volume on full, set the Spina DS-1's gain on 3-4 O'clock, tone to 7-8 o'clock and you're on Leslie West heaven (Mountain)!! Fat, heavy and creamy distortion! :dance: