Hatsubai « Like an 808 clone »
Published on 01/14/12 at 13:33This is probably the most copied version of the SD1 out there. The SD1 has all kinds of mods that you can find online, and most of them seem to stem from this mod in one way or another. This particular pedal is the SD1 808 Silver mod which is a little different from the normal one. On top of that, this has a switch to select between symmetrical and asymmetrical. It's a push/pull switch that is really trick, and I love the way Mike incorporated that in this pedal. Outside, it looks pretty much stock, and you'd never be able to tell.
UTILIZATION
The pedal is great and can survive pretty much anything you throw at it. The pedal housing itself is super tough, and I've thrown these across the room (but not at people. I don't recommend that), and they survive without any issues at all. I've done all kinds of torture tests to these things, and they keep coming back for more. It's surprising how much abuse these small things can actually take. The manual is no longer of any use thanks to this being modded, but it's so simple to use that you shouldn't have to need a manual for this thing. Just start turning the knobs until it starts to sound good.
SOUND QUALITY
The sound is a lot like a modified TS808. Mike is a well known modder of 808s, and he tends to make them very neutral sounding. The 808 has a very noticeable midrange hump, as does the SD1. That is needed for some people who want to truly push amps into crazy overdrive, but for those who just need a nice boost, it can be very annoying. He helps flatten out that midrange response and gives this pedal some extra beef to help make it sound great with low to midgain amps. There is a push/pull switch to select between the standard asymmetrical clipping and the 808's symmetrical clipping. This way, it's almost like having those two different pedals in one.
OVERALL OPINION
This is probably my go-to mod if I'm starting with modding a pedal before I try out new ideas. The things he incorporates in this pedal are what I tend to do to my own pedals when I mod them. It's a great starting point, and they sound awesome out of the box. If you're looking for a solid booster pedal, this could very well be what you're looking for.
UTILIZATION
The pedal is great and can survive pretty much anything you throw at it. The pedal housing itself is super tough, and I've thrown these across the room (but not at people. I don't recommend that), and they survive without any issues at all. I've done all kinds of torture tests to these things, and they keep coming back for more. It's surprising how much abuse these small things can actually take. The manual is no longer of any use thanks to this being modded, but it's so simple to use that you shouldn't have to need a manual for this thing. Just start turning the knobs until it starts to sound good.
SOUND QUALITY
The sound is a lot like a modified TS808. Mike is a well known modder of 808s, and he tends to make them very neutral sounding. The 808 has a very noticeable midrange hump, as does the SD1. That is needed for some people who want to truly push amps into crazy overdrive, but for those who just need a nice boost, it can be very annoying. He helps flatten out that midrange response and gives this pedal some extra beef to help make it sound great with low to midgain amps. There is a push/pull switch to select between the standard asymmetrical clipping and the 808's symmetrical clipping. This way, it's almost like having those two different pedals in one.
OVERALL OPINION
This is probably my go-to mod if I'm starting with modding a pedal before I try out new ideas. The things he incorporates in this pedal are what I tend to do to my own pedals when I mod them. It's a great starting point, and they sound awesome out of the box. If you're looking for a solid booster pedal, this could very well be what you're looking for.