The big, honest DS-1 comparison

[Boleslaw Gers 666]

I have both the Keeley DS-1 and the Spina DS-1 next to each other on my pedalboard, and I'll compare them for those who are interested. I'll start by saying that both Keeley's DS-1 and John's DS-1 are very well assembled. No loose knobs or anything with either pedal. I haven't used Robert's DS-1 as much, but it works very nicely for tight, crisp, heavy rhythm. I like the tone rolled back to about 4/10 and the gain all the way up on my DS-1's, and his DS-1 sounds pretty sweet when I was playing some powerchords. Then I get up and start soloing, and it's like I'm playing a Squier strat with single coils or something. There's little to no life in the upper register of Keeley's DS-1. It sounds thin and lacking. I like it a lot for solid rhythm, but soloing on it sucks. John's DS-1 makes my guitar sound like an SG through a JCM800. Really gritty. It sounds great for both rhythm and soloing-it gives me the most unique tone of any of my gear. It sounds raunchy but not cat scratching sandpaper-like. However where I really enjoy the pedal is when I'm soloing. It gives me such a cool, vintage Marshall sounding tone that I love to solo with. So in summary, I like Keeley's DS-1 for tight, agressive rhythm, and John's DS-1 for raunchier rhythm and soloing. This is all the absolute truth, I would send this same review to Robert. I'm not just trying to make John feel good, his really sounds better to me. Both look very sweet (I sent John a green LED to put in if anyone doesn't know). Keeley's blue LED looks cool and is a nice touch to attract buyers eyes. Hope this helps anyone that's comparing. Basically, John's DS-1 is a more unique sound, with better overall sound quality and way more versatility, for less than half the price. He gets it back lightning quick too. I can't comment on how fast Keeley does his work, as I bought my Keeley DS-1 used. Hope this is a help to anyone whose curious.

 

[Imp]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

i found 'my' tone yesterday, i run a DSL 401 on the 'yellow' channel, with the spina DS-1 in the effects loop, pushing a crybaby and some other stuff. i dont think i've ever change it from now, john's ds1 makes an awesome boost as well as adding some aggression to a lead tone.

i used to have it going straight into the input of the amp, and controlled everything with the volume pot. it works great here, giving a very transparent and clear lo-gain setting and a very smooth lead tone at different gain levels, but i prefer the sound of the wah in the effect loop hehe

tom

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

I have both the Keeley DS-1 and the Spina DS-1 next to each other on my pedalboard, and I'll compare them for those who are interested. I'll start by saying that both Keeley's DS-1 and John's DS-1 are very well assembled. No loose knobs or anything with either pedal. I haven't used Robert's DS-1 as much, but it works very nicely for tight, crisp, heavy rhythm. I like the tone rolled back to about 4/10 and the gain all the way up on my DS-1's, and his DS-1 sounds pretty sweet when I was playing some powerchords. Then I get up and start soloing, and it's like I'm playing a Squier strat with single coils or something. There's little to no life in the upper register of Keeley's DS-1. It sounds thin and lacking. I like it a lot for solid rhythm, but soloing on it sucks. John's DS-1 makes my guitar sound like an SG through a JCM800. Really gritty. It sounds great for both rhythm and soloing-it gives me the most unique tone of any of my gear. It sounds raunchy but not cat scratching sandpaper-like. However where I really enjoy the pedal is when I'm soloing. It gives me such a cool, vintage Marshall sounding tone that I love to solo with. So in summary, I like Keeley's DS-1 for tight, agressive rhythm, and John's DS-1 for raunchier rhythm and soloing. This is all the absolute truth, I would send this same review to Robert. I'm not just trying to make John feel good, his really sounds better to me. Both look very sweet (I sent John a green LED to put in if anyone doesn't know). Keeley's blue LED looks cool and is a nice touch to attract buyers eyes. Hope this helps anyone that's comparing. Basically, John's DS-1 is a more unique sound, with better overall sound quality and way more versatility, for less than half the price. He gets it back lightning quick too. I can't comment on how fast Keeley does his work, as I bought my Keeley DS-1 used. Hope this is a help to anyone whose curious.

Cool review...Hey maybe Keeley would hire me as his right hand man? :laugh2: Don't forget also,that my mods are about half the jack of Keeley's.... :dance:

 

[Curly]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

I have two of John's DS-1s, and they're very good!

I haven't tried Keeley's version, but John speaks highly of his work. Everyone assumes that everyone is competing against eachother, but I think the market is so big, and there are so many great products these days, that it's just a matter of what you like. The player benefits a lot.

the good thing about John's DS-1 is that, like he's said before, he spent time with that pedal, tuned it by ear, and came up with a great tone from a pedal that's a nice package with just OK tone to begin with.

the price for his mod makes it a no brainer.

I sent a few of John's modded pedals to a friend a while ago. He called and asked, "hey do you want to sell these?"

I said I couldn't do that, so he sent John a care package. word of mouth is the best endorsement you can have.

 

[Xeromus]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

I didn't care for keeley's DS-1 at all

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

I have two of John's DS-1s, and they're very good!

I haven't tried Keeley's version, but John speaks highly of his work. Everyone assumes that everyone is competing against eachother, but I think the market is so big, and there are so many great products these days, that it's just a matter of what you like. The player benefits a lot.

the good thing about John's DS-1 is that, like he's said before, he spent time with that pedal, tuned it by ear, and came up with a great tone from a pedal that's a nice package with just OK tone to begin with.

the price for his mod makes it a no brainer.

I sent a few of John's modded pedals to a friend a while ago. He called and asked, "hey do you want to sell these?"

I said I couldn't do that, so he sent John a care package. word of mouth is the best endorsement you can have.

Thanks Gary....And your buddy sent me 2 wahs,and 2 pedals...DS1 and a TS9? I haven't heard back from your buddy,so I guess that's a good sign? :smack:

And....I can't compete with other modders pedals,simply because I don't own their pedals and I don't copy their pedals....I just think Robert Keeley is a great guy and he deserves everything his company has been getting...Very down to earth guy to talk to....

If your $40 DS1 does something a little bit different,then that's great...it is a $40 pedal...

 

[Curly]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

I haven't heard back from your buddy,so I guess that's a good sign? :smack:

John,
I haven't talked to Sam, or heard from him in a while. He owns a seed production co., and travels quite a bit on business.

he's also a serious gear ho like us

I'll have to get in touch and see how he likes those pedals.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

John,
I haven't talked to Sam, or heard from him in a while. He owns a seed production co., and travels quite a bit on business.

he's also a serious gear ho like us

I'll have to get in touch and see how he likes those pedals.

We've become friends and we were e mailing each other back and forth...Last message he said he had recieived both wahs but didn't play through them yet...The other 2 pedals Sam received a week earlier...I was surprised to have to do mods on a Teese PW...Drilling holes into one of Teese's wahs was kinda weird...He does have more versatility from it now...

 

[Boleslaw Gers 666]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

Cool review...Hey maybe Keeley would hire me as his right hand man? :laugh2: Don't forget also,that my mods are about half the jack of Keeley's.... :dance:

That would be epic if ever anything was. A great idea.

 

[rinse_master]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

word of mouth is the best endorsement you can have.

Indeed it is, I took my DS-1 over to a mates a while ago and he was pretty impressed with the change of tone compared to his std DS-1, I love it too

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

Man, I have been NOTHING but impressed with my Spina modded TS9 and Sparkle Drive...and kudos to John for being willing to experiment and do some fun things with my Sparkle Drive even though he'd never worked on one before! Also John is a standup guy with finances become an issue and he's more than kind when you're a little later than expected with payment If John never picks up doing his own company modding pedals, someone should definitely have him working with them! Would be a great asset to any pedal builder/modder!

 

[Xeromus]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

John you should seriously consider trademarking/patenting/copyrighting your mods if you haven't already, if you can even do that. The fact that you don't copy anyone and do your own mods in itself can launch a small business.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: The big, honest DS-1 comparison

John you should seriously consider trademarking/patenting/copyrighting your mods if you haven't already, if you can even do that. The fact that you don't copy anyone and do your own mods in itself can launch a small business.

Capo and the rest of my buds posting on this topic...Thanks for the nice words....I trust pretty much everyone on this forum and I've only had 1 dead beat dealing so far and that person knows who he is....other than that,I have no problem modding a pedal and letting them pay me when they have the money....

I don't feel like I really have a right to copyright any of the mods because I'm modding someone else's pedal?

If it was my own pedal totally in design things would be different...

My mods are "my own" ideas taken from looking at schematics and literally sitting down and making changes within certain key places of a pedal.Some of these findings happened after several hours of sheer experimentation with component values on the pcb..This is also the reason I've had to stick to only overdrive,distortion,and fuzz circuits...These circuits share alot of the same components and how they operate..The only circuit that I copied verbatim was Keeley's SEM mod that he offered via his website and the SEM was horrible sounding! LOL :laugh2: I don't own any books on the subject and I've not had anyone give me any of their own mod secrets up to this point... :13:

I don't buy modded pedals from someone else,so I can't copy their circuit...Any of my friends in my circle that have modded pedals,are using my modded pedals..

Anyway...I don't know where I 'm heading with this post so I'll stop now... :smack: :laugh2: