All user reviews for the Boss DS-1 Distortion

The Boss DS-1 is probably one of the most popular distortion pedals on the market and is a very basic pedal with very few bells and whistles. It has a simple layout of controls. A Tone knob that adjusts the EQ settings of the guitar, a Distortion knob that adjusts the amount of gain or saturation of the distortion, and a Level knob that adjusts the overall volume of the pedal. A single input jack, an output jack, and the option of running off a 9 volt power supply or a battery source rounds out the features of this pedal.

UTILIZATION

This pedal is easy to hook up with any amplifier, just put it in front of your amp's signal chain and you are off to the races. It is possible to get a slight breakup overdrive type of distortion out of the pedal and all the way up to a standard rock and roll type distortion. This is not intended to be a warm overdrive or a metal pedal, but more of a middle of the road type distortion pedal. A warrenty and manual are included with the pedal when purchased, but honestly neither are needed. The pedal works like any other dirt pedal and is built like a brick. Boss is known for making very reliable pedals and this one is no exception.

SOUND QUALITY

This is where the pedal is lacking. There are a few good tones to be had out of this pedal, but mostly the pedal sounds generic and stale. It lacks depth and texture of more expensive pedals and while it's meant to be a middle of the road type distortion, it rides the fence too much and does nothing exceptionally well. The light overdrive sounds are grainy and thin, and the saturated sounds are sterile and fizzy. The pedal does a decent basic distortion sound with the Gain set around 2 oclock, the Tone rolled back a little less than noon, and the volume to taste, but it is nothing inspiring. The pedal is also useful as a solo boost with the gain lowered and the volume increased to push the front end of a tube amp, although there are better pedals out there for this job in the same price range with better EQ options.

OVERALL OPINION

Overall this is a good pedal for a beginner to intermediate player with a single channel amp that needs some distortion sounds, but the experienced player with a taste for tone will probably be better served going in another direction. Boss tried to make a jack of all trades pedal and came out with a pedal that does neither low or high gain well. This pedal is useful in one or two aspects (basic generic distortion or as a tube amp boost), but is mostly just too bland for most applications. I believe the price bracket is why Boss has sold so many of these, and these days there are just better options (Digitech Bad Monkey or Blues Driver, Danelectro Cool Cat Series to name a few) Some people send these off to pedal modders to be tweaked, but I would just count my losses on the "orange brick" and go for a nicer pedal all together, or open the pedal up and try to do some of these mods myself for the learning experience using a platform that is inexpensive. Though Boss is a great company with reliable products, there are just better sounding pedals out there than the Boss DS-1.

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!

Analog distortion pedals with three knobs of rglages: Tone, Level, Distortion.
Pedals used by Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, ...

UTILIZATION

Trs easy to use, there is a very easy SON, a joy, the day o I j'tais party testing and a compression pedals (see anything then. ) and I glimpse the pedals, and immediately the grain carrying forward for me fantastic.

SOUND QUALITY

CASC was a wide range of distos trs, but be careful not to push the knob of the Ring del noon as it becomes trs port on the treble. The grain of the pedals is magical, too good, this file chills. CASC was a fat distortion or fuzz type when the knobs are back and your amp is left with a powerful and affirm.
The pedals are not quite suited for neo-metal (eg Korn ...) unless we make rglages subtle but it is not his creed.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a year and I do spend more, it is really gniale, ACCS was up with the nuances of pedals, unlike some of distortion pedals that tend Hide the game, and indeed that the entire panel dlivre you sound. Report quality unbeatable price, hard to find in OCCAZ because it is too good. I do not regret my choice is the distortion pedals for you.

Distortion effects trs Varis (like nirvana, metallica, ...)

UTILIZATION

One branch is lighted, and go! not easy
The DS-1 comes with a panel of eight configurations (hard rock, punk, fusion, ...) but if was not for you yet, you can easily reach the sound dsirbr /> The manual in English I was not used, it's so simple ...

SOUND QUALITY

Trsralistes effects.
I utiliseavec tlcaster a Fender Custom 72 'and I'm really not
I found myself quite grasping the disto: Tone: max
Disto-max
-Level: 1 / 4
Too bad we can not push a little on the overdrive.

OVERALL OPINION

This is my Premire pedals and I'm really not!

Boss in a classic

UTILIZATION

Very simple 3 knob and a button

SOUND QUALITY

I put one and I c is the gentiles as the most corrupt and most ignoble obtained with a pedal.
it sounds rotten transistor I possess 6 years and I keep it just to have friends to discover what it's like an anti his music.
for me after hundreds of test the shred master is still the supreme single pedal just light years from ds1

OVERALL OPINION

I bought the lot with a pedal and not try.
I understand why the guys wanted to get rid without

Boss!
Tone Volume Disto>> 3 buttons!

is the pedal base if you want ...

UTILIZATION

We shoot a few buttons in every way we look, we find, we play, we like ...

SOUND QUALITY

Let's say the sound is not ke super clean, but what to c if you want to play grunge or punk ...
not bad for the metal but the ideal c in.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had 3 hours and I am crazy! and I love the color orange!

I tried klk digitech because it was one they advised me in the store ... c't super complicated stuff with lots of different sounds etc etc ... I had everything they c't a pedal that allows me to go from clean to distortion! They have not been done for me to try a Boss! Either in the same shop I meet an acquaintance, we talk a little, I told him I want a ke pedal and he said his boss sells k'il DS-1 ... I'll try and hop home buy!

€ 40 on occasion, good deal! I think I'll keep this pedal a long time!

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

Distortion TElement not push, no exaggeration, we can be disappointed because the word caliph Distortion does not really sound of the pedal. Personally I think Advent to play with what made her a more contoured and more fat with more distortion.

UTILIZATION

3 pots, use is very simple and basic sound quickly found suitable

SOUND QUALITY

If you play on a transistor amp, the pedal too much color the amp and it's a shame, if you push it all thoroughly to feel the distortion is more real.
I put "1" for a beginner because it can be fun to play but after playing with it very vitte Lassan ...

OVERALL OPINION

Personally I do not recommend buying the DS1 Taiwan, the Japanese offer a meuilleur Sound Quality. The pedal may be suitable for a beginner but personally I strongly advice saved a bit more money and a Achte DS2 which is slightly better now thanks to its its most versatile.
The ultimate is when the same BD2 that develops a sound that kills. Obviously it would be inappropriate to a metal as the sound of the Blues but raproche calitée is really superior to DS1, DS2 ...

It's a mega distortion analog sound, the batteries last 90 hours in theory, the boss what a pedal foolproof.

UTILIZATION

Then, three knobs, Tone volume, distortion, there's no simpler.
Sounds are fairly easy to obtain, but it can also succeed in making sound degueux in some configurations.

SOUND QUALITY

Indeed super efficient and varied it can go almost to the fuzz overdrive. Excelente sounds if you take a little time to find the settings that are suitable according to the scratches, the amp and your ears. I use it mainly with a godin lg. to avoid scratching, however, with a kind of imitation Start, because the morning breath and screaming distortion.
try to couple it with the distortion of the amp, you can find sounds great. I put 9 for people who find the sound too loud.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a few months, especially in repeated, because you can take it anywhere and it is unbreakable. Plus: Varita sounds incredible, with only three settings, the least: ca pe get pretty loud to see very ugly with bad settings, but you still want it. Report quality unbeatable price. I remake this choice without hesitation. Advised anyone looking disto solid, cheap, versatile. Try anyway: a tendency to grow in the treble, but with a proper adjustment of tone, it goes.

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!

Analogue distortion pedals while bte. 3 potentiomtres: Tone, Dist, and Level.
His ditable (yes, turn the knobs and the sound changes! Mad!)

UTILIZATION

Config gnrale edition and ultra simple. Manuel clear

SOUND QUALITY

It is the drip pan that is ca: Its cold, synthetic, mtallique, it looks like a distortion straight out of a multi-purpose. And on top of that, it blows ..

OVERALL OPINION

PDAL not a good march CHRE. If you like the sounds cold and mtalliques, go for it .. (I personally dtest.)

Otherwise it can play the rle of booster (tone and dist 0, a background level)

= 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!

Tone, level, distortion, why make it complicated when it can be simple? lol I hate this Sitat. Extra!

UTILIZATION

You suspect that there is no need for manual turning three buttons, three buttons just yet bcp possibility of the small orange!

SOUND QUALITY

This pedal, I love it my little bb! but beware! we must know it sounds very different depending on the amp! it is necessary to try at all costs with the amp you use, I'm using it with a Start and a Peavey C30 and is just great. If you like distortion to a background and have a little fender transistor, not really worth the blow it will be too noisy clarity added to the fender and broken ear, but with a warm as I love them, it is perfect and I love this pedal the more expensive is that with a good set, we get to have a dynamic crystalline you bang your head against the wall so beautiful it can be not the most important, but a report. It is super versatile for my taste, only if you made the return hosmose with the rest of your gear.

OVERALL OPINION

This pedal is spectacular with its fuzz trends. I could have 40 of OCCAZ, but I would pay a high price if the opportunity had not Submitted. However, and I care, there must be the try with his own stuff as much for me, it tears with my Start and my C30, it is common to see as many bad branch on something else. I think she is worth more branch on the stroke of lamps that branch of transistor and it is even more like a blow when its hot.