All user reviews of 4/5 for the Boss DS-1 Distortion

Known

USE

Known

SOUND QUALITY

The ds1 possde a range of quite tense gain. the premir emoiti we are on a big overdrive dj not mla MUSCL. Ms. Adi zero it gives a little.

But to appreciate the full sonority of the model, totu depends on the amp. On a transistor it will be very flashy and cool. on a round lamp course. It is a case of school this pedal. On or opinions partags.

For me, uses a jcm 900, it gives its full potential in tone and gain around mid race. Between 10 am and 14h is the best. The grain is dfini with a small burr on the treble that gives it its charm and all its horror as tastes.

It's pretty Ralant, incisive, and "fuzzy" a little bit on levs gain rates.
The tonality is to be dose with lgert because it changes all the color, for example, it has substance loses its corp and becomes almost unusable. A zero is completely touf.

All in all mediums but are hollowed out well in the mix, the output level is pretty straightforward, without being a clean boost.

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The best of the best is the change ds1. Once sifts electronic levels it reveals a hidden potential well above the class with its cousin, the design proco rat for example.

See here:

msm.workshop.free.fr

NOTICE GLOBAL

It is a good pedal overall. It has a color that we can fall in love.
This well ets particular, try.
To make change to achieve an exceptional level.

analog distortion

UTILIZATION

adjusting the distortion is simply a tone and gain good level ben! What a pedal

SOUND QUALITY

I used to grade a good distortion garage with us strat and a tube amp musicman.
I had the opportunity of using a transistor amp and c is not dinguo but it sounds anyway.

OVERALL OPINION

c is a very good pedal provided that the rest of the gear'm correct (guitar and amp) i got a ds made taiwan and frankly there is no picture and shades are really best in japan ds.

Everything has been said below, needless to add.

UTILIZATION

It could not be simpler ...

SOUND QUALITY

Its very marked 80'S. Compression tight. The volume could go higher. The tone in the acute care background! Good race gain from a quiet overdrive a good distortion clear-cut. Too bad we can not better sculpt the sound with the mids but it is the spirit of this pedal.

OVERALL OPINION

So a classic with his personality. I use from time to time this distortion at home to work the sound, it's not my favorite. Those who criticize this pedal does not know how to use or are really stupid and sectarian. Tastes and colors it is for everyone. In addition try a product, and then buy down in flames: anything!
If you are looking in the same style but more sophisticated buy the Vox Satchurator very close in sound.

The +

Price
A sound that has left its mark.
Solid.

The -

A true bypass would still be preferable even if the buffer is good.
Volume setting too tight.

Purchased from okaz to 50roros, there is plenty elsewhere, out of pure curiosity.

Analog and true bypass without of course being proposed bypass I think more useful in certain situations (see my review di box typed guitar).

The battery is hidden, and must gaffer to not pull the thread, plus the location is just too much for a battery so it goes or you do not take it off ever again.

Used with a stabilized power supply no buzz, although I have an overdrive on the same power supply in chain.

UTILIZATION

It is easy to die, a lot of available volume, gain rather moderate for today's standards, and treble tone cut without affecting the rest.
The switch works every time, and silently LOUD please.
So excellent to use, as far as it sticks a guitar of its time ...

SOUND QUALITY

And this is the point. Tele, Strat, she's doing great grain for both the precision and warmth.
Made for single coils koa, also the digitech hot head is the same.
I tested many guitars and double windings is not terrible against those equipped with sh1 and sd dm dual sound is still playable pronounced distortion.
These are double that time very old now, you see the plan?

Serious frequencies are absolutely not filtered, there are too many and spit everywhere ca with modern double. Also, even in strat / tele, on an amp that reproduces well the bass is not manageable by one amp against old school sounds with the natural distortion.
The hot head as it is the same base, but the equalizer output and its 2bandes additional mix are a much better choice.

I love the sound of ds1 with the gain just nine hours, which is srv arrives and it's downright enjoyable. So surprise!

The rating is 7-8 with single-coils, and downright 2-3 with double the previous opinion is correct on this point. So I put 5

OVERALL OPINION

I love the organic side when assayed little gain, and the overall sound with a tele / strat amp especially as my old school kustom d5h or AC15.

What is the time of creation of this boss, early seventies, thus calibrated with simple or better then the first commercially without guitar humbuckers or sd sh1-4 and dm-dual super distortion sound. Finally this is how I see the trick.

I do not regret my purchase therefore, would even curious to try a modified kinley etc but will find it with us ...

No rocket science in the features of the Boss DS-1, just straight ahead fizz when you need it. Three easy to use controls for tone level and distortion. That's as straight forward as it gets. Well made and instruction manual is more than sufficient.

UTILIZATION

The tone control takes the DS-1 into bright to bassy territory depending on the setting. Level sets your level of the pedal tone in comparision to your amp tone. FInally the Distortion dial gives you more or less distortion depending on your preference. As I said, very straight forward and easy to use configuration with few bells and whistles. Typical Boss battery configuration for easy changing of the 9 volt. Can take a power adapter as well.

SOUND QUALITY

This is a tough one for me because before I recently became a tone snob, I used the DS-1 through a Fender Twin Reverb for many years and loved it. It served its purpose which was to make a clean toned amp sound dirty and hairy. I have to say back then I loved it and it was all I needed to gig with. To my more picky ears these days, it can be a little harsh and fizzy but that is what it's supposed to do so I don't mean that in a negative way. We all have preferences for what we'd like to hear and to my ears these days, I prefer a warmer distortion less abrasive and more compressed. This is not it if that is the goal. It creates an open, fizzy gain that works for most hard rock songs and in a mix who can really tell anyway.

OVERALL OPINION

I like the simplicity of this unit and when I gigged with it years ago I really like it a lot. While I have one now as a back up, I don't actively use it anymore but I think it is perfect for what it is and it is truly an old standby. Hard to find anyone in my group that hasn't used this at one point or another. Yes there are better units out there but for simplicity and price this one is tried and true and works well.

The Boss DS-1 is a distortion based effect. It is used to add an analog type distortion to a guitar signal before use in an amplifier. This distortion has been around for many years and has remained unchanged though it's production life. The unit has three user definable controls to allow for configuration of the sound. There are two ¼ inch jacks, one for the guitar input and one to send to an amplifier. There is also a 9 volt adapter jack available so the unit can be powered from an external AC source (sold separately).

This distortion effect pedal can be tailored through three user controls. These consist of level, tone, and distortion. The level control is responsible for the overall output of the unit that will feed the amplifier. As this knob is turned clockwise the overall volume will increase. The distortion dial allows the user to control the amount of clipping, or distortion the unit will produce. As this control is turned clockwise the amount of gain will increase producing a more distorted signal. The tone control will affect the how much high or low signal is processed through the unit. As the dial travels clockwise the tone will alter from a thick, bass heavy sound to a cutting, high treble sound.


UTILIZATION

The Boss DS-1 is one of the easier effects to tailor in your pedal board. This effect should be one of the first in your signal chain, before all time based effects but after and compressor or envelope type effect, like a wha. As with any distortion based effect you will want to add or decrease levels so they are most complimentary to your amplifier. The effect is engaged when the red LED is lit, always be sure the light is bright as a dimly lit LED will indicate a weak battery that will affect the quality of your sound. The manual is very basic but it does get its point across.

SOUND QUALITY

The Boss DS-1 is one of the easier effects to tailor in your pedal board. This effect should be one of the first in your signal chain, before all time based effects but after and compressor or envelope type effect, like a wha. As with any distortion based effect you will want to add or decrease levels so they are most complimentary to your amplifier. The effect is engaged when the red LED is lit, always be sure the light is bright as a dimly lit LED will indicate a weak battery that will affect the quality of your sound. The manual is very basic but it does get its point across.

OVERALL OPINION

The Boss DS-1 is one of the easier effects to tailor in your pedal board. This effect should be one of the first in your signal chain, before all time based effects but after and compressor or envelope type effect, like a wha. As with any distortion based effect you will want to add or decrease levels so they are most complimentary to your amplifier. The effect is engaged when the red LED is lit, always be sure the light is bright as a dimly lit LED will indicate a weak battery that will affect the quality of your sound. The manual is very basic but it does get its point across.

I play metal, classic rock, some bluesy stuff, and basically anything rock.

I bought this pedal for 40 dollars at my local music store (Music and Arts). I bought the pedal primarily to have something to switch between distortion and clean on my marshall 15 watt amp(i just play for the fun of it in my bedroom). It was very annoying to have to press the distortion button every time i wanted to switch from the intro into the power chords in songs

My setup is as follows:

Ibanez GRX-40 H/S/S guitar (low end but very good)
Marshall MG15DFX(just a practice amp)


I bought this pedal just to switch channels on my amp, but i find that this stompbox is very versitile. I can get sounds from Metallica's black album if i turn the tone knob down to 9:00. If you turn the tone up, it gets rattier and fizzier. I keep the tone knob at about 8-10:00 for my rhythm work.

The distortion CAN sound like metallica or most nu-metal you hear today. This could be becuase i have an ibanez guitar, which are primarily for metal. It is great for power chords. I usually keep the distortion up all the way.

When i switch to the single coils on my guitar with the distortion up all the way, it can actually get the sound of Eric Johnson on "Cliffs of Dover"



The one major complaint I have about the pedal is that it DOES suck the bass out of your guitar as you turn the tone knob higher (around 12 o clock). It gets a fuzzy ratty sound, which can be desireable, but I do not like it. However until you get to the 11:00 position of tone, i can get some great bass(could be i have a marshall)

Also, it gets noiser the more the distortion knob is turned up. It does get pretty noisy, but it could be my cheap guitar and amp which i bought used online.

It is made of metal, seems very solid. i don't stomp on it(i step on it) so i hope it will last a long time

Great distortion pedal, very good value for 40 bucks. I am very glad this was my early birthday present to myself

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

£30 from my local guitar shop, a bargain. To be honest the only reason i Bought this was that i was looking for a less subtle pedal than my Ibanez TS-9 and I couldnt afford the Digitech MetalMaster

Like I said it is far more rugged and aggressive than the TS-9, the only thing i really use it for is as a gain boost for live solo's. Basically I use the TS-9 for the rest of the song and then when it gets to the solo I kick in the Boss to get the dirty roaring sound that I want, it does this perfectly.

I only use this thing for solos, for me its just far to harsh for rhythm parts or even standard riffs or lead lines throughout songs. It just doesnt have the same tonal quality and warmness of the TS-9

Its a brick, you could jump on this all night then throw it out a 2nd floor window halfway through your set, go out and get it and it would still be in perfect working condition, this thing could beat me in a fight.

Brilliant value for money, if you need a really hard rock soloing sound you'll get it here, easy to use, but if you want subtelty to your distortion i advise you to look elsewhere. If you're a blues player don't even look at this, just buy the Ibanez TS-9, it may be more expensive but it is the best distortion unit on the market.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Bought it at Parramatta Music for 'bout $140 Australian dollars, or 50 US dollars for you Yankees. The voices from my Amp,- a Squier 15 watter with a crappy distortion told me to buy it.

the controls are easy to use being Tone, Level and Distortion. The distortion can go from whisper quiet to screaming loud and still keep your style of playing. it's tone and level knobs made it versatile and you have a ton of different sounds in one box.

the only downfall was the knobs being too close together, causing my chubby bar-chord loving fingers to get stuck. sometimes.

its heaps rugged and can take a beating. it's orange and looks SWEET. it runs on a 9V battery or AC adaptor.

i recommend this pedal to anyone who plays any type of rock except metal. the distortion is great but not high-gain enough for metal.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The Boss DS-1 the most versatile distortion pedal I've ever used, on-stage or in the studio. I have had several interactions with it over the past 10-20 years.

UTILIZATION

When used with an amp's clean channel, it has the most useful range of gain of any pedal I've ever used... from tasty subtle crunch, to sweet singing gain. With the 'Dist' control on max, and the 'Tone' at 9 o'clock, I can only describe the sound as a candy-sweet tone that's not over-saturated. For my tastes, it's a great tone for rhythm or leads.

SOUND QUALITY

When used in front of an amp's dirty channel, I use it mainly as a subtle gain boost. With all controls set below 12 o'clock, it compresses the signal just a bit, and adds a nice touch of sustain for solos. The current draw of this particular pedal is very nominal so no worries if you are using battery it would last quite long. As far as durability is concerned believe me I have no words to describe it as it never caused me any trouble for the last two decades.

OVERALL OPINION

Overall, I've used the cheapest and the most expensive distortion pedals/pre-amps over the years (tube and solid state), and this one has remained my go-to for a long time. In my opinion, it's very versatile, and works best in front of an awesome tube amp. I've never tried to achieve the modern metal sound with this pedal, so I can't comment on whether or not it's useful in that application. However, if you're looking for a way to expand your amp's tonal range, give this pedal a serious look. Because of it’s low price, the DS-1 is the ideal distortion pedal to use for experimentation in do it yourself modifications (DYI). There are plenty of DS-1 DYI circuits readily available on the net and, even if you totally screw it up, you’re only out $40!

A tone, a drive, a volume ...

UTILIZATION

Attention, although the configuration of the pedals is extremely simple, the action of potentiomtres, and essentially that of drastic tonal REALLY!
2 milimtres in the course of the knob changes the sound REALLY

SOUND QUALITY

The pedals, it's all good, if you love the grain, and that we take the time to rgler
I use it with a classic vigier industrial and 30, and I must say I like bcp sound comes out
combined with a compressor mxr is a killer for soli ...
sounds a pretty 80-90 beginners (for the hard rock genre Ugly Kid Joe)
it is essential to the Global Warming lamps with an amp or assimilbr /> for example, is a disaster on a Valvestate (I made the exprience once ...)
only inconvnient this PDAL breath death!
j'achte going to have a noise gate ... (-2 For breath)
if not, I just love

OVERALL OPINION

Used for a while
I love ..
the pedals are unique
Above all, do not compare a marshall pedals or other ratt, big muff distortion or us + (I love these pedals, but has nothing to do ..)
it sounds trs transistor, but with a little patience, it sounds of thunder ..
in any state case, try (preferences on his gear, for example by taking that of a friend) before you buy

So a good distortion pedal, a very strong analog and what I read. There is an input and an output jack for more than one entry for the power supply. 3 buttons

UTILIZATION

Then very simple: there is a button Tone, Drive and Level one.
If you turn right over the sound spit while if you turn the Tone and Drive to the left is the sound of a raproche Overdrive.
He has a Level knob which I think is not powerful enough, because when you go from Clean to the sound is nearly saturated lower than the clean ... So for arrengements it must have the Level at tjs maximum, having the tones of his guitar up and volume down his guitar and well put the volume loud enough.
You can put a 9V battery but I use an ac power supply tjs. They scored BOSS PSA ADAPTOR ONLY but with a power supply of Brico all is well!

SOUND QUALITY

While the sound is great! If you can not find enough Polivalente just juggle the distortion and equalizer and you can get the distortion Grunge, Metal, Heavy, Rock and old Rock.

Well I use it with a crappy guitar (Stagg with 2 humbucker) and a Bogey amp.

Really when added to a multi mean effect sound is great

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a year and I added to my multi effects (Korg) and is one of the best distortion I've heard, only one should be able to put it a little harder!!
It's funny orange ^ ^ see quite ugly: p VERY strong! I buy in a store in Germany € 20 ^ ^ home button level was set in place of Tone and we screwed up a button on the Level con but it works great! I have the Made in Taiwan but I think Japan is better so if you want a good distortion is the one!

= Standard boss pedal to switch solid and inflexible
it really is not much food in a pile!

UTILIZATION

Simplified Deployment

SOUND QUALITY

Just because it is written "distortion" need to believe it! it's more a Overd. you can either go for the deaf SOND, round, or very (too) sharp.
with settings very thin, and some associated amplifiers, it sounds as clean and then crunch when the mediator calls are more violent.
aA pedal is good, pace some. it has become essential because of its fame, the "worship" him as some conference ...
Personally I will not even l. is an efficient pedal, that's it.

OVERALL OPINION

The report qualitprix is ​​very good. it is not able to pedal the century, it is not the best, but when a musician is secular, not "Ides of the world" is more than enough (and I repeat, especially this price).
Finally, it is a standard and if anyone could reach it already is would be great!

I do not want to appear to be a dcrire pedals that no connate ...
There are three rglages, tone, and drive level. The first plays on frquences mdiums the deuxime on the gain and the last on the desired degree of saturation.
Entrance, exit, as the mono jack, but what a joy!
The Casing is solid, the pedals is robust, the rub is that it's a boss, and level lifetime, you will survive the Casing (r is the mtal sisting!) but the pedals in itself will not last long ... Indeed, the switch button is a poor plastic. But it is the small bte look, I admit ...

UTILIZATION

The buttons are simple to use, the fact that they are closer to pose too much problem unless you have big fingers. The simplicity of the pedals in fact its main advantage, no buttons concentric, no tricks how crappy (yet they are able to boss!). Then we ACCS a wide range of sounds, easily ditable, a lightweight motion of a button changes the sound (which can be a one shot ... inconvnient sole and your sound chri goes! Record your rglages if you can, may save your life in concert, believe me).
Once engaged, the only concern is the breath ... I use a 2203 JCM800 2004 JCM800 cabinet connected to a home (in Mount 65 Watts folks, and yes) and a combo Fender Champ 25 lamps, as well tell you that on the fender , has the fact (the breath is not too important) but on the JCM800, the breath is deadly for your ears!

SOUND QUALITY

So l. .. Despite the breath agaant, once the agreement is good lch! The pedals, sadly, is not only a pure amp of course, pure and with a guitar!
On my gothic SG, I have two EMG (81 85) and rings of death on my marshall! Saturation fucking! but beware, it is very simple to have a rotted area of ​​metal, screaming, with no consistency, if we push the right tone too ... finally got question I guess.

In any case, the distortion with the following rglages, tone 2 level 10 and drive 10 has sent the steak on the JCM800!

OVERALL OPINION

Well not bad at all for pedals! I also use a Maxon OD pedals 808 of the rdition ibanez tube screamer (maxon know that it is providing components for ibanez!) Is a fucking overdrive ... but the distortion metal, cold, cold, sharp, I did with my DS1 !!!!!