In praise of the SD-1

[KBN]

Well I feel foolish. I have owned dozens of overdrives (not as many as some around here...), many of them costing well over $200 and I just recently picked up a Boss SD-1 that does amazing things for $30. With my setup and what I am going for, I can't imagine anything doing it better. I modded it ever so slightly by changing C3 to 0.1uF for more bass response and changing C6 to .005uF to open up the top end a bit. I don't remember being this wowed by an overdrive in quite some time. I know it is still the honeymoon, but its a very good honeymoon. The bypass isn't great and there is a bit of an effect bleedthrough on bypass, but I already keep my overdrives in a loop so that is a non issue for me. The longer I play and better I get at guitar, the more Boss ends up on my board... What gives?

 

[Pappy]

I recently purchased a Keeley modded SD-1 and really love it as well. I grew up with Boss pedals but moved on to boutiques. Lately, though, I've got an SD-1, a DD-20, and an analogman modded TR-2 tremolo on my board. They all sound great. I actually considered picking up a modded DS-1 for heavier tones but I'm on the fence.

 

[KBN]

I recently purchased a Keeley modded SD-1 and really love it as well. I grew up with Boss pedals but moved on to boutiques. Lately, though, I've got an SD-1, a DD-20, and an analogman modded TR-2 tremolo on my board. They all sound great. I actually considered picking up a modded DS-1 for heavier tones but I'm on the fence.

I have a DS-1 as well and have gone round and round with it. I have modded it many times and haven't really found something that trips my trigger. Something I will always keep around though. Not that any of the mods that I followed were bad, just nothing that would knock anything off of my board.

 

[Pappy]

I've been using an old RAT for some time which fills a similar role as the DS-1. I'm probably going to stick with it for now. The SD-1 is great, though. I tried a stock one in GC the other day and found it sounded great as well. I was checking out the DD-7 delay which is very cool. I didn't like most of the other Boss overdrives or distortions they had in their display, though.

 

[KBN]

I've been using an old RAT for some time which fills a similar role as the DS-1. I'm probably going to stick with it for now. The SD-1 is great, though. I tried a stock one in GC the other day and found it sounded great as well. I was checking out the DD-7 delay which is very cool. I didn't like most of the other Boss overdrives or distortions they had in their display, though.

I agree about the Boss overdrives. That is probably why it took me so long to ever try the SD-1.

 

[prakashananda]

I really like my analog man sd1. I've used it a lot and it was a staple on my pedalboard for a long time. It was good enough for Satriani's earlier work. Don't know what he's using now.

 

[Prodigy]

I really like my analog man sd1. I've used it a lot and it was a staple on my pedalboard for a long time. It was good enough for Satriani's earlier work. Don't know what he's using now.

Actually, he was using a modified, vintage DS-1 as his main distortion and now uses the Vox Satchurator exclusively through the clean channel of his Peavey JSX.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

My stock MIJ SD1 is truly an awesome pedal! It adds just enough gain and clarity

 

[Axekisser]

I did the Allums mod to my SD-1 and changed all the remaining caps to Panasonic metal films. Can't believe how great the pedal sounds. Really works at bedroom levels and gig volumes.

BTW, you can search the net for the volume bleed mod. Pretty easy to do as it uses a J201 and a couple of caps.

 

[prakashananda]

Actually, he was using a modified, vintage DS-1 as his main distortion and now uses the Vox Satchurator exclusively through the clean channel of his Peavey JSX.

Cool - thanks for that info - I'm gonna check that one out man.

 

[Laroosco!]

I love a stock SD1

 

[guitbeef]

I grew up with a stock SD-1 and so it always feels like home to me. Bought it new around '85 or so, still have it. I have done the Monte Allums Mod to another and I do like that, too. If I have to "fly blind" or sit in on a gig and look down and see an SD-1 I'll instantly know the first thing I'll kick on when I need OD.

 

[Prodigy]

Cool - thanks for that info - I'm gonna check that one out man.

It's an OK pedal, but way over-hyped IMO. There's lots better OD's and distortion pedals on the market...

 

[tremster]

This probably has been covered before but what are the major sonic differences between a Boss SD-1 and an Ibanez TS9? I hear there is very little difference.

 

[Godspeed64]

Just got an MIJ one last week.. KILLER!

 

[BJF]

This probably has been covered before but what are the major sonic differences between a Boss SD-1 and an Ibanez TS9? I hear there is very little difference.

Hi,

Here you go:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/4754822#post4754822

Have fun
BJ
Affiliations
bjefelectronics
Sweden
www.bjfe.org
www.mpamp.com

 

[clothwiring]

How much gain does it have? I am thinking about getting one.

Edit: Looked a few clips up on youtube.

 

[MoPho]

I picked up an SD-1 (newer version, stock) to see if it still had the same mojo of one I used with a Champ many years back. For what I paid for it and the less than stellar harmonics I was hearing in a Fulldrive, it knocked the FD2 off my board. I originally was going to use it on a smaller grab-n-go board. I have an AM OD-9 coming in and we'll see how they compare. I have owned a Keeley version of the SD-1 and it was a complete disappointment akin to how I describe the FD2 above.

The SD-1 doesn't have alot of gain, it just pushes your amp harder just like an overdrive should. If you want gain, look at the DS-1.

 

[KBN]

I picked up an SD-1 (newer version, stock) to see if it still had the same mojo of one I used with a Champ many years back. For what I paid for it and the less than stellar harmonics I was hearing in a Fulldrive, it knocked the FD2 off my board. I originally was going to use it on a smaller grab-n-go board. I have an AM OD-9 coming in and we'll see how they compare. I have owned a Keeley version of the SD-1 and it was a complete disappointment akin to how I describe the FD2 above.

The SD-1 doesn't have alot of gain, it just pushes your amp harder just like an overdrive should. If you want gain, look at the DS-1.

At first I was going to disagree with you about how much gain the SD-1 has, but then I went and played it again and you are correct that there isn't a whole lot of crunch or distortion in it, but there are tonal characteristics and the "feel" of higher gain units that were fooling me. Not sure how else to describe it than that.

 

[sleejay80]

Not the SD-1 but the OD-3 kicked the Timmy off my board... now how incredible is that?

It had everything I wanted in the Timmy...
bit of mud, bit of compression, bit of mid-ishness, a little bit of everything that just added up to alot.

Surprise, surprise.