In September I will be returning to college for electrical engineering, a passion I never knew I had, awakened by this channel. I have so much to learn at this point, but videos like this (and your book!) made what once seemed like arcane witchcraft into something logical, consistent, and, above all, something that could be understood. Many thanks
“I’m not going to talk a lot in depth in the electronic realm” he says and then proceeds to showing a wiring diagram. Well, we all have a different view of what depth is I guess😊. Great video, thank you!
In depth would sound more like "In an Emitter Follower the input impedance can be calculated as β * Remitter , so the total impedance of the pedal is: Zin= R1 +(R2//β*R3) = R2 = 470KΩ note: the simplifaction of the formula (Zin= R2) is because the resistor R1 is too small compared to R2 (1KΩ470KΩ), you can also make all the numbers and reach to the same conclusion. If you want a further explanation of how to make all the numeric calculations, check the Tube Screamer Input Impedance Calculation; the circuit is very similar and all the maths are there. 470KΩ is a high input impedance to avoid loading guitar pickups and tone sucking, although the rule of thumb is to interface the guitar to an input impedance that is 1 MΩ minimum."
@@wampler_pedals 😜. Crystal clear, I’m going back to my coloring book and crayons now! (Cannot read the wiring diagram but loved the video regardless, keep them coming!)
Look, I have no beef for or against this or any other pedal. I just want to tell a short story: I was at a gig and we had just taken a break after the second set. I had just leaned my guitar on my Deluxe Reverb which was on standby when a guy came over to me and said that he liked our music, and pointing to my guitar he said, "That guitar really sounds great." I thanked him for his compliments to the band and pointing to my guitar leaning on my amp, I said, "So, how does it sound now?"
Feel free to make a Ds-1 with that simple tone stack you demonstrated. Or at least point me towards a pedal that has already done that. I loved that sound and would totally buy something like that.
I'm happy to see you do this format again. Also, I'm happy to see anyone do a video that's in the "coffee break" sweet spot (more than 10 min, less than 15). I'd love to see a Blues Driver episode using this same approach (history, what is really happening, what the 3 most popular mods do). I plugged in my old "slightly modded" (basically just got rid of the noise) BD-2 the other day. I forgot how great they can sound. /// The thing I like about Boss dirt boxes is only having 3 knobs to mess with. Again, great video.
back in 1995 I was on my way to get my first distortion stompbox... Believe it or not BOSS pedals were not affordable in Mexico back in the day, so the sales guy convinced my father to get me an old ARION SDI-1 stating that it was technically the same pedal. So I got that, for many years I didn't believe it and always wanted the real thing... but after trying a stock SD1 many years later I can say I prefer the Arion, and that's because they modified the tone stack on the original circuit and made it Stereo, great little box 😆
First off, great video. I do like the idea of breakdowns of pedals and what makes them great. I hope you have the time and energy to doa few of these. I went from being at odds with the ds-1 to loving it by going from 4 to 5 on my amps volume. It likes a amp at mild to mid break up. Peace and take care folks.
I love these kinds of videos where you give us a window into how the circuits work or even COULD work with mods. Even though I am electronics-dumb, I have to say its fascinating. I have a Way Huge Fat Sandwich and have heard that it is a DS-1 type circuit, and now I wonder how similar it is to some of these mods. It has the two LEDs in the front of the signal path (and its fun to see them light up in that same way), but then has a Red Llama on the back end of the signal.
LOL- I'm so used to overdrive; I forget how aggressive distortion is- wow. I think I prefer the DS-1 to a Rat though- that said, I don't know because all I've ever had was a cheap Rat knock off- which I didn't like. To fuzz like, washed out, woofy almost- I like growl not fizz, my favorite distortion tone comes from a Deizel amp. It's scooped, tight, very responsive, palm muting sound amazing. The opposite of a Rat- which sounds overly thick, loose, and wooly to me.
Changing the tone control totally woke up the pedal in my opinion. I wonder how a Marshall style TMB tone stack would sound in it's place 🤔 especially with the discrete opamp
@@wampler_pedals there's a pedal called the Krank Distortus Maximus which is a Rat style circuit but replaces the stock tone control with a marshall style tone stack. I also have a Fuzzlord drone master that can switch the stock Rat voicing with a Hyper fuzz voicing. It was also interesting the tone control mod you did on the DS1 because I want to do the same thing to my Big muff pi as well as remove all the diodes for a more wide open sound. Thanks for making these awesome informative videos 😊
you've come such a long way brian! I love your old videos from 5 or 6 years ago but this one was great too. I have your book. thanks for contributing so much to the pedal community. I love the ds1
@@wampler_pedals looking at pg 120 of your book. deciding between evil mod, JCM mod, and modern distortion mod. will you please share more about what the evil mod is? is it just lots of gain? what inspired the name? I want a JCM800 so badly 😩 and I've got an MXR Super BadAss which is close. Im looking at the Mr Black JDS-50, which is close. I know I prefer jcm to plexi. so. obviously the JCM mod is appealing. finally, by modern distortion, what are we meaning? will I get like super hot soldano tones out of that mod? thanks again, just curious what your take is. ill most likely do the JCM with optional high gain mod, but im super curious about the other two. the book doesn't say much and forums don't either.
I have the Keeley mod. Never leaves the board. People forget how versatile and fabulous the DS-1 really is. I'd even say its one of the best boosts/OD's you can put in front of a dirty amp.
I absolutely don't mean to criticize this video (that is great as always), especially given the educational content that many other videos about the DS1 lack, but there seems to be kinda of a forced resurgence for this pedal on youtube... to me it was never great and still isn't. It's just OK, as it was for 30 years. Just my 2c.
It’s the fact that it’s an amazing modding platform that makes the DS-1 such a darling in the circles of pedal builders. Most of these guys cut their teeth on these. I can understand the nostalgia for something like the DS-1.
Great video, with the new tone control I really like the changes it made. It brings it kind of like a mild version of your Phenom distortion. Thank for sharing, I really want to try some breadboard pedal making. Cheers from Canada
Hi Brian. I just modded my DS-1 with the mod of your for "vintage distortion" by swapping D5 for a red LED, C3 to 0.33 uF, R16 to 1K, and C11 to 0.001 uF. It is way louder and the distortion is more musical with better harmonics and usable gain. I'm curious of the effect on the Tone knob. CCW gets very bright and CW cuts the high end. Did I get it wrong? If not, what is going on EQ-wise?
I could never get onto the Boss DS-1. It just sounds too fizzy and scooped to me. I even bought another a few years back thinking I may like it now but still felt the same. My fave of the Boss line is still the Blues Driver.
I’d be open to that if enough people were interested in it, I suppose if those reading this find it interesting then “like” the original commenters post
@@wampler_pedals i imagine folks would be into a DS-1 style pedal with a toggly switch for a couple different options and maybe an eq on board...i know my Dracarys is my favorite new dirt pedal right now,it rips,so i know the DS-1 style would rip just as hard
I hate those Big Muff style tilt tone controls. I had modded my Big Muff back in the 70’s to not roll all the low end off. I did the same thing on my DS-1. Just change the cap that acts as a high pass filter to a larger value. Now the tone control acts mostly as a treble cut, but when turned clockwise reduces the low end slightly. I didn’t change anything else. I like the abrasive tone it produces, and it sounds better through a crunchy amp. None of these pedals were intended for a totally clean amp. No one played that way.
When you played the very first power chord the first thing that immediately came to mind was "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" (the introductory riff). Looked it up...sure enough, DS1.
Really loved this video Brian. Have you ever played with the MXR Distortion Plus circuit? It was my very first pedal, given to me on Christmas 1979 (?) . I still have it on my board today. A different flavor from my old DS-1 and Tokai OD-1.
I modded my DS-1 with the Wampler JCM800 mod and I absolutely love it! Used a combo of the vintage and modern for it after some experimentation with different values and also reverted the tone stack back to stock though, sounded better to me, also swapped the main led for a blue one, looks way cooler and it sounds just like the real deal! Thank you Sir!
That's the combo I want, for sure. Each of those changes on their own, as demonstrated here, were an improvement. All three would, at least on paper, be ideal.
I have forgotten how Fantastic DS1 sounds. We hear so many different pedals I guess sometimes we forget where it came from. Boss pedals are cheap and built like a Tank
I don't think anyone should be afraid of SMD components in a pedal. JHS proved they are quieter than through hole pedals. Modding SMD can be done, just need a steady hand and lots or practice.
Mr. Wampler I would buy your take on this circuit in a heartbeat! Especially if it has a different kind of tone control or controllable mids. Take my money already!
The passive tone control is awesome! Makes the pedal sing and breath. Could that be a simple mod on an older stick pedal? Or does it require a fourth potentiometer? Awesome video! 😁👍
Isn't it. I'm mot a guitarist, so I don't need that overly bright tone to "stand out" in the mix, I'm also really into that fuzz mod. It'd be great to have a clone with an extra footswitch to swap diodes out.
Another great video, and it's really great to see a fantastic pedal builder taking time to explain things in a way that even I can understand 😅 Plus you always have a genuinely nice vibe 👍
Great Video. What i took away - and what was my general opinion about pedals before: If you want to change the character noticiable, change the values and / or design of filter elements (RC combinations). Changing the clipping elements (i.e. diodes) has an effect, but not that much. Different Opamp ... mehhh, you need excellent hearing ( i don't have ). In any case, filter elements (values, not production method) matter. Clipping Type is a thing. Everything else may matter in a a/b test. However, nobody in your audience, live or in a recording, will notice this. There is no magic fairy dust sprinkled Opamp / Diode.
Outstanding video! Informative and entertaining. My beef with DS1: using a clean Fender Deluxe reverb, when the DS1 is engaged, I notice a big drop in volume and the overall sound “washes out”, although the sound is very good. This doesn’t happen when I use a different overdrive pedal such as Fulltone OCD.
The ds-1 is super underrated. I used to have a crap ton of boutique pedals and DIY builds then my board got stolen and I couldn’t even find half of that stuff. Decided on going ‘off the shelf’ with my current board. I can find everything on it at most major retailers and the sound is so much better now! (The buffers in boss pedals are really good, esp if you use one at the begging and end of your chain)
@@fuckcensorship69 it can if you set it up. Plus who wants to have the dist signal the same loudness as the clean? It should be slightly louder. It’s called rock n roll ya know😜
Very Cool, Thankyou. Awesome how you showed the "mods" Live. I use my DS-1 After my Blues Driver BD-2 for extra 'crunch' and am very happy with the sounds it gives me. Although I can keep the settings lower which is my preferred tone as The BD-2 is already giving a surprising amount of gain I find. Yes I think the Boss DS-1 Pedal is Great. Cheers
cool. i just ripped out 1clipping diode in mine, kinda makes it almost an overdrive? or boost, because the volume increase. i wish i was better at soldering, because i really like the idea and creative potential with the mods, as was demonstrated here.
Great video. I make no apologies about loving the DS1. You can go for it's stand alone distortion, which is great, or you can add it to any other pedals or amps just to give them a little extra kick.
Huge thanks Brian for another great video with plenty of circuit analysis/explanations and tone demonstrations. Josh Scott has proven it more than once with his Do You Hear A Difference video series : the fact that we choose to buy a pedal from a given manufacturer vs another is totally driven by our BIAS If your favorite RU-vid is praising a certain pedal, even the PRICE (especially in some cases ?) has an impact on our decision. We too often assume that an affordable pedal from overseas just cannot be as good (or sometimes better?) than a pedal form a more reputable or respectable company. For inscance, I believe that Behringer makes excellent products but many people don't like them because their products are "too" affordable to be taken seriously ? Do you guys believe that a low priced product might be a negative from a marketting/customer perception point of view ?
I love my ds1. It was my first pedal and depending on the amp I'm using at the time it's my go to drive. It sounds killer through my new Magnatone Varsity Reverb. Not fizzy at all but I think a good quality amp does wonders for pedals. Like adding seasoning to a filet mignon instead of seasoning a hamburger steak. Both work but ones preferred.
I love the way the DS1 sounds, i just never really use one because it doesn’t have enough output. You really need the right amp running really loud to make the volume drop not obvious in my experience.
Love the video. Well. This is the first pedal I ever bought, back in 1990. Still don't like it, ha ha. Take it out every few years, check with different amps. I guess it is just not my flavor. Being my first, I'll never sell it. Of course 🙂
Brian, can you do a video about Germanium vs Silicon Diodes and Transistors in the context of building pedals? I think there are points worth discussing: what is the difference? Why do electricians scoff at the word "germanium" while guitarists drool over it? When is the difference audible, vs when is it not? Are germanium parts harder to come by? why? Is one better than the other from the perspective of a pedal builder? Do you think it is all cork-sniffing / snake oil, or does it actually matter? Maybe even do one of your breadboard shootouts with a germanium vs silicon fuzz face, or germanium vs silicon tumnus?
Is it possible to make it react like SD1 or TS808 but to still sound like DS1 in color? I mean it would be cool making it into DS1 overdrive that will tight the tone and get that assymetrical clipping going.
Thanks Brian, and Great work man!! Nice axe there. My early MIJ one loves 7vdc. My buddy and I spent a day conducting blind shootouts with both, and It definitely sounds better than the Taiwan one i got years later..The tone on the newer one isn't too my liking and even the smallest increment vastly changes the sound. I could never find a sweet spot, but I LOVE the tone stack bypass you did @ 10:25 I'd love to implement hat on my MIT model. I'm not the best at any mods but I sure would appreciate any help you could give me. Thanks man!
The discreet op amp circuit sounded nice. I have a Made in Japan/silver screw DS-1. I've had the Keeley Mod and about 4 Made in Taiwan models. I also have a modded DS-1 similar to the Keeley mod. My fave by far is the Made in Japan, then the Keeley mod.
Very boring thin sounding overdrive pedal that sounds only nice by pushing marshall style amps gain channels. If you buy it and use it in front of your practice amps to get a satisfying distortion tone, you will get very disappointed.
Ds1 is cool but Im a huge fan of the Ds2 non turbo mode, even recorded albums with it. It has this thickness in the single notes and chords (with the tone at the 11-12 o clock position) that I cant even get out of tube amps.
There are a butt-ton of Rat clones out there but I've only found a handful of pedals based on the DS-1: Mooer Ultra Drive, MXR '78 Custom Badass, Vox Satchurator, ____. What are those "better distortions" Mr. Wampler alluded?
Got it, so the chips are: * chug * chunk * thwomp * twerk * sizzle and the last one, the “new tone control”: big balls, that’s SWEET. Well, it’s not sweet, it’s mean and growly, but schweet.
OMG, I owned the DS-1 over 20 years ago! I sold it since I didn't know how to use distortion and I had a Pro-Co RAT which I regret sellign too...With a modeling amp like Fender Mustangs, I don't ned any pedals.
Hope you can help me, Last week I took all my pedals off my board to tidy everything up ( Everything was working before ) Ok when I put everything back on the board and hooked everything back up the way it was ' Nothing Worked ' Ok I checked back over everything several times 'Still didn't work ' Ok I took the pedals off one by one and tried them ' I used 3 different 9v power supplies ' I also tried several different guitar cables ' the cables are good ' Still didn't work ' All the LED lights will come on and on my true bypass pedals I get a signal from the pedal to the guitar but when I engage the pedal I get nothing. All my cables are new on the board and I'm using an isolated power ' I was also using a surge protector extension cord outlet ' I also tried batteries in the pedals and the pedals still don't function. Ok here's the weird part ' I had some other pedals laying around that was never on the board thinking I would try those and they are doing the same thing. I'd also opened the pedals up to see if I could see any signs of them being burnt up they look fine. I hope you're not thinking I trolling but it doesn't make sense about the pedals that weren't on the board? I know it sounds crazy but I don't know what to do? Do you think it could be caused by some type of static electricity in the air? I watched your video on trouble shooting pedals Also watched Masons video and didn't see anything addressing my issues. Can you give me any suggestions on what to try next?
Cheers from Finland! I'm making a boost circuit and I have a few questions about pcbs. How do you design a pcb for a pedal? How do you make them? Thank you for the great content!
Hey Brian can you point me in the right direction either 1 of your video or just for reply with some opinions for getting started. I was thinking weller solder station 1010 those are like 105 to 140. Then 24 Guage wire and some 60 40 solder maybe something to hold the pcb . I just want to buy the right stuff and i want to be able to mod,build from kits and scratch and also amps but I'll wait to go there cause I have no experience and I know amps are dangerous. Mainly I don't want to waste money on the wrong stuff or less convenient items. and I want gear that makes the process as easy as possible. I also want a good book and I know you have 1 out there
