Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

[Kam]

Went on a bit of a buying spree lately and picked up four new pedals. I got an old Schaller volume pedal, a Boss DD-20, an old Japanese-made Boss PS-2 and a DS-1 with the Keeley ultra/SEM mod.

Here's the required blurry pics, taken in bad lighting, in a hurry and with no real care...

First, the new dirt...

The noise makers...

All the new ones...

And the 'board' as it stands...

And yes, I'm well aware that I need to hoover my floor.

I couldn't be bothered typing up proper reviews and I've owned two of them for only a few hours so reviews would most likely be pointless anyway. I might do it later. Anything you want to know, just ask.

Some thoughts as they occur to me;

• The Schaller either sucks or just isn't really what I expected it to be. There's already been a thread on it, so I won't go into detail. I got it for dirt cheap, so I don't care that much. I'll probably end up gutting the housing and just building a new one in it at some stage.
  
  
  
• The DD-20 is probably the best pedal I've ever owned. There isn't enough room to go into detail, but it's truly an amazing piece of hardware. I've been playing it a tonne over the last week or two and there's still so much about it I haven't even begun to explore. Great sounds, fun weirdness, a handy little looper and bomb-proof construction. Seriously happy with that one.
  
  
  
• I only got the DS-1 today so I haven't messed with it that much. It's pretty cool. Better than the stock one, no doubt about that. It's not looking likely that it'll replace my Rat as my main source of dirt but it's a cool different flavour. Not worth the usual asking price in my opinion, though I've only tried it into my (tube/SS hybrid) Laney LV300. It'll probably sound pretty great into my AOR. I need to spend a lot more time tweaking it to form a decent opinion.
  
  
  
• The PS-2 I got has definitely seen better days. The paint's pretty chipped and one of the plastic knobs is missing. It's an older one that was made in Japan, but after they fixed the noise issue that was apparently a problem in the early models. Considering there's a (mint condition) one on Ebay right now listed for $147.99 and I paid £20 for mine, I think I made out okay. That pedal's a lot of fun. The delay has a really cool, soupy analogue kinda sound to it. There's also some really weird and wild sounds available. Cranking the feedback knob all the way up and then messing with the pitch and wet/dry mix while it self oscillates into infinity is a tonne of fun.
  

So, yeah. New pedals. Yay.

 

[SteveAlysis]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

Nice! Been looking to git me that PS2/3 for a while, since I only use the 1 octave up setting on my whammy pedal the boss would free up a hell of a lot more space

 

[d1dsj]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

Looks like you've been busy mate, and you found some bargains by the looks of it! Nice one.

 

[Kam]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

Nice! Been looking to git me that PS2/3 for a while, since I only use the 1 octave up setting on my whammy pedal the boss would free up a hell of a lot more space

Seriously? Dude, you're missing out on the best part!

Though to be fair, before my Whammy pedal got stolen I was mostly using it for the chorus sounds.

Actually, now that I have this, I'm kinda gassing for the next one up, the PS-3. Some of those extra modes it has sound really awesome, especially the inverted/reversed octave up thingy. It's a shame they discontinued that one.

Looks like you've been busy mate, and you found some bargains by the looks of it! Nice one.

Yup. It's actually kinda cool; I got the PS-2 from the same dude I bought the Ds-1 from. I'd originally agreed to buy the DS-1 and a Boss chorus (the CS-1, I think?) from him for £55, but then he sold the chorus out from under me after we'd agreed on the price. I think he felt kinda guilty or something, because like three seconds later he sent me another text saying, "Here, well I've got this PS-2 lying around if you want that instead. Call it £50 for that and the DS-1". It totally worked out for the better for me. This is a much cooler pedal.

To be honest, I'm not even sure what I'd get for it if I sold it. At the minute, Japanese ones on Ebay are ranging from around £90 up to £188.90, though they're all in better condition than mine. Not that I'm looking to sell it at the minute, anyway.

[/ramble]

Cheers, lads! :beerchug:

 

[Brow]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

Looks cool mate

Is that Raptor the 1 you were telling me about the other night?

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

What kind of mod does that DS-1 have done to it? And happy new pedals day!

 

[Rich_T]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

I've been looking at the giga delay and the PS-3. I think they would make very welcome additions to my board. The Whammy is cool, but you know its a Whammy due to its weird tracking issues and a very specific tone it gives everything. My Memory Man does the classic delay sounds amazingly, but you can't get totally crazy with it like the DD-20 looks to do. I'm looking for to some more glitchy hold and repeat sounds, can it do that sort of thing?

 

[Kam]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

Looks cool mate

Is that Raptor the 1 you were telling me about the other night?

Yup, that's the one. Crafted in the hands of our own RatherDashing. Ya know, on a still day, you can still kinda smell his soft caress on the finish. Smells like...salt and vinegar crisps, actually.

What kind of mod does that DS-1 have done to it? And happy new pedals day!

Thanks, man.

As for the DS-1, I was told by the guy I bought it from that it was modded by a local tech exactly to the same specs as the Robert Keeley DS-1 Ultra mod. As for what that actually means, I dunno. The toggle switches between the Ultra mod circuit and the 'Seeing Eye' mod circuit. There isn't a huge difference between them; one seems a little gainier and one just seems to need the level control set a bit lower.

As for what the mod involves, I have no idea. I'm sure specs and diagrams are out there on the internet, if you look hard enough. If you like, I can open it up and throw up a couple of pics later.

I found some more usable sounds from it today, by the way. It definitely seems to prefer humbuckers. It sounds decent, but it still sounds like a DS-1 to me. The claims of huge, warm, tube-like response seem wildly exaggerated...though having said that, I still haven't tried it into my proper tube amp. I reserve the right to completely flip-flop on that opinion.

I've been looking at the giga delay and the PS-3. I think they would make very welcome additions to my board. The Whammy is cool, but you know its a Whammy due to its weird tracking issues and a very specific tone it gives everything. My Memory Man does the classic delay sounds amazingly, but you can't get totally crazy with it like the DD-20 looks to do. I'm looking for to some more glitchy hold and repeat sounds, can it do that sort of thing?

Well, if you're looking for super smooth tracking then the PS-2 isn't for you. It's pretty lofi sounding, which is why I like it. It's quirky and weird. I haven't played a PS-3, though, so maybe the tracking is much improved in the newer one. I'd play before buying if I was you.

Also, I'm not really sure what you mean by "Glitchy hold and repeat". The first thing that came into my head was about 1:41 in this song...



Is that what you meant?

As far as I know, he's getting that sound with a Line 6 DL4. I can get an approximation of that with the DD-20 by just tapping the looper button really fast so that it records a quick snippet of a chord and then flipping it on and off to get the sound manually. Maybe there's a setting in there for doing that much more easily but like I said, I'm still no expert on the DD-20's capabilities. I still haven't fully explored the thing.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

I wonder if he means self oscillations, like an analog delay. Does the DD-20 do anything like that? I think Steve said it does.

The DD-20 is on my list.

 

[Brow]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

Yup, that's the one. Crafted in the hands of our own RatherDashing. Ya know, on a still day, you can still kinda smell his soft caress on the finish. Smells like...salt and vinegar crisps, actually.

HA! Awesome

 

[SteveAlysis]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

I wonder if he means self oscillations, like an analog delay. Does the DD-20 do anything like that? I think Steve said it does.

The DD-20 is on my list.

Im not sure if it does, but with all its features im assuming it would. I know the DL4 does. Dude in These Arms Are Snakes used it for that.

I should have a new pedals day for y'all in a week or so

 

[Kam]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

I wonder if he means self oscillations, like an analog delay. Does the DD-20 do anything like that? I think Steve said it does.

The DD-20 is on my list.

Yup, you can get that sort of sound with several different modes on the DD-20. Check out the 'Twist' feature on any YouTube review for an extreme example of it.

Im not sure if it does, but with all its features im assuming it would. I know the DL4 does. Dude in These Arms Are Snakes used it for that.

I should have a new pedals day for y'all in a week or so

These Arms Are Snakes are ****ing awesome.

I still want a DL-4.

And sweet! What are you getting? The only delay pedal in the world that you don't own yet?

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

Nice score, I find myself using the DS1 for more leads than actually rdirt for rhythm. It works better with edge of break up/break up crunch behind it.

 

[jcthejester13]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

My heart sheds tears of joy every time I know Kam is made happy.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

I want a DL4, but all the web forum crap about dependability makes me nervous. The DD20 will do everything I want to do anyway, I think.

Love TAAS, you guys ever heard Harkonen or the TAAS/Harkonen split? Cool stuff... and Helms Alee.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

I want a DL4, but all the web forum crap about dependability makes me nervous. The DD20 will do everything I want to do anyway, I think.

Love TAAS, you guys ever heard Harkonen or the TAAS/Harkonen split? Cool stuff... and Helms Alee.

Does the DD-20 have a loop function and if so, how good is it?

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

It does, Kam or Steve can tell you more. I don't have one yet.

 

[SteveAlysis]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

I want a DL4, but all the web forum crap about dependability makes me nervous. The DD20 will do everything I want to do anyway, I think.

Love TAAS, you guys ever heard Harkonen or the TAAS/Harkonen split? Cool stuff... and Helms Alee.

Yes! Love Harkonen. Most of them Warshington bands, like the almighty Botch!

 

[Rich_T]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

Botch, Daughters, TAAS, Harkonen, all of that. That's the weirdness I'm after. I guess its a DL4 I want, but as you said King IzzO))), the reliability worries me. I've seen a lot of them with the footswitches punched through the top. The DD-20 looks bomb proof, but I don't think it'll do what I want.

 

[SteveAlysis]

Re: Picked Up Some Cool New Pedals

Botch, Daughters, TAAS, Harkonen, all of that. That's the weirdness I'm after. I guess its a DL4 I want, but as you said King IzzO))), the reliability worries me. I've seen a lot of them with the footswitches punched through the top. The DD-20 looks bomb proof, but I don't think it'll do what I want.

They're hit or miss. My dl4s have had zero problems, and dont even have the volume drop issues. BUT I have seen a lot that do have all of the above. You can always have them modded if they do