Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

R

R3-AUA

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It doesn't occur very often that I find instruments/music equipment on our local "Craigslist". Today, however, I saw that someone is selling a Boss DS-1. Personally I really wanted the DS-2 on account of the extra turbo boost. However, what do you guys think? Should I pass and Just buy a DS-2 or buy this one instead?

So which is the better pedal for that Nirvana/grungy sound?
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

Wait for the DS2. The normal mode is also "better" and the flexibility of the boost mode makes a difference.


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Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

Depends on price for me
Used run around $20 for the DS-1 normally

I like mine kinda classic distortion
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

How much is the DS-1 on craigslist? FWIW, Kurt did use a DS-1 to the best of my knowledge.
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

I'd never pay over $20 for one; they're ok if they match your rig and style, but so many things are better (especially a Danelectro FAB.) They're too common to pay any sort of premium for, and too cheap not to own at the same time. I can't imagine a place existing where they'd be 'rare' on Craigslist.
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

heck when I got mine
it was thrown in with a bunch of other stuff a guy was getting rid of

Me "I dont really need that"
him "its all or nothing"
me thinking (price going down)

sold it to a buddy for $20
he decided it wasnt him
gave it back I dont think he actually paid me anyway

so I got a brand new one hanging out in my box

every so often it makes it way into the pedal rotation
play with it a few days till the ADHD kicks in
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

Somebody talked me into buying a DS-1. Not my thing at all, but I pretty much knew that going in. What I really wanted was to try an SD-1. If anybody's got one of those that they want to trade for...
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

Well he's asking $40, which I think is too much! If he's willing to lower the price, I'll get it. Thanks for the replies!
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

40? No effing way. EVEN if you had a reason to have it.

For 40 get a Mooer Ultra Drive.
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

How do you guys use yours? If I remember correctly, it's too high-gain and far from transparent in low gain settings to use as an overdrive, and kinda thin/fizzy/cheap sounding to use in front of a clean channel on it's own.
I think some use it as sort of a lead pedal. Amp set to rhythm, DS1 kicks the sustain and gain up to 11 for leads then you turn it off as soon as any rhythm playing is involved again.

Am I right? I have small experience with them but I've never liked the sound others get from them.
It always sounds cheap, boxy, and solid state-ish to my ears, in a bad way.
The full opposites of transparent, dynamic and other descriptions I tend to like when I think of my ideal sound.
 
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Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

When I use mine I just crank all the knobs then roll em back till it stops squishing

Just a growling crunch thing for rhythms
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

Part of the ds1 "allure" is simply that Steve Vai has used it as a lead-booster for so long,,,,,or did anyways for decades.

The thing is though that he only had it routed through his Fender combo which was always on it's cleans.
Blending that ds1 into the Fender's clean-tone with his dirty and also sometimes ts-boosted Carvins is what actually provided such tonal bliss.

For $20-$25 in excellent-cond you should snag it just because.
No reason to pay more or get one that's all scuffed-up.
They're just so always-everywhere for "dirt" cheap. (pi)lol

With the right settings the ds1 is actually a very ferocious dirty-channel booster when you're jamming alone and want that wide-spectrum yet compressed-feel sort-of hi-fi distortion, especially if you're trying to get those wicked cyber-metal tones with lower-medium-output alnico mags.

You'll most likely have to cut some treble and/or presence and then pump-up the midrange with the amp's EQ, and also lower the amp's gain a fair amount, especially if running modern-metal-voiced or active ceramic pups.

I personally (as a self-admitted amp-tech know-nothing lol) would set the level to near-unity or just a tad over unity level.
It just has this really huge level-power that might slam 12ax7s into oblivion if you crank-it up high, maybe too much for 1st position tube health.?
I've always kind of wondered about that myself..,,,? (info/lesson on input levels/mv and 12ax7 health anyone?,,,,,,also, is it hard on anything else other than a single $15 tube?)


I found no useful settings as a dirty-booster that don't whack-out you're mids and suck any warmth you might still be getting after having chosen every other of the rig's components for their clarity, tightness, cutting-mids ect,,,,,yet still I really dig-it for what it does great for cheap.
 
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Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

Diego said:
How do you guys use yours? If I remember correctly, it's too high-gain and far from transparent in low gain settings to use as an overdrive, and kinda thin/fizzy/cheap sounding to use in front of a clean channel on it's own.
I think some use it as sort of a lead pedal. Amp set to rhythm, DS1 kicks the sustain and gain up to 11 for leads then you turn it off as soon as any rhythm playing is involved again.

Am I right? I have small experience with them but I've never liked the sound others get from them.
It always sounds cheap, boxy, and solid state-ish to my ears, in a bad way.
The full opposites of transparent, dynamic and other descriptions I tend to like when I think of my ideal sound.
Click to expand...

Everyone mods them for one thing, but not me. It actually stacks well, sorta. Decent on the drive channel as was mentioned. I like it better with single coils, because you can roll the tone back a bit and still not have it sound so much like mush. On occasion I get it to sound good with some guitar or knob combination through the clean channel.

...At its worst? Transistor radio-grade, super bright and yet mushy distortion. The sweep and frequencies of the knob don't help it.
 
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Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

The DS-2's Turbo 1 setting is smother than the DS-1, and the Turbo 2 setting has a big jump in midrange & a little volume boost. Kurt used both pedals at different times.
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

How much it is worth depends on how old it is.

Older Japanese versions from the 70s and 80s are worth a fair amount (and sound better). I wouldn't pay $40 for a used Taiwan made version.
 
Re: Should I buy this Boss DS-1?

Yeah, the MIJ and first runs of the MIT ones are a totally different circuit and chip, it's kind of a disservice that they didn't change the name when they changed it.

That said, the new ones are fine for what they are, Vai did use his as a booster into Marshalls and such, drive around 10 -11 o' clock, tone 9 - 11 o' clock, and output boosted, they make great boosters. Lynch also used one as a booster back in the day and Satriani did use one for his dirt into a clean channel. Granted, some of those may have been the old "good" ones, although I know Vai used some of the newer ones too, along with the early Keeley SEM ones.
 
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