Boss BD-2 vs Boss SD-1

[@Lomoholga2]

To me the SD-1 is the single best overdrive pedal as it is supremely versatile.

[@mattgilbert7347]

Y'know, I think you may have a point. It wins on 1) Build quality 2) Consistency 3) Reliability 4) Versatility 5) Affordability I've recently suffered a bit of a financial setback (lost my job of 16 years, c'est la vie), had some medical expenses, and have had to sell off a lot of equipment. I still have my SD-1, OD-3, variants of the BD-2 & DS-1 (Digitech Screaming Blues & Hot Head, respectively) and, with the exception of clean boost and Fuzz (although the new Wazacraft Boss pedals have those covered as well), almost all my gain requirements could be achieved with four Boss pedals. The SD-1 covers a *lot* of tonal territory, and the BD-2 is a perfect foil to the more focused, tight, midrange-y SD. I think you have a case there. Boss SD-1 most versatile overdrive of all-time? It's certainly up there!

[@WhoDaF0ok1sThatGuy]

@@mattgilbert7347 damn bro, I hope stuff’s gotten at least a little better for you despite the small amount of time since you posted this comment. But that aside. I use an MXR D+. I’m a metal snob, specifically 80s metal like Iron Maiden and Saxon. But also a huge Ritchie Blackmore fan. The Distortion+ doesn’t sound good on its own but man it’s amazing with another pedal. I currently use an OD300 with it but I’m gonna change it out with the SD1. It has far more clarity and I can make the tone be deeper to accompany for bands like Kryptos and Black Sabbath.

[@mattgilbert7347]

@@WhoDaF0ok1sThatGuy Dist+ and DOD 250 are deeply misunderstood pedals. I'm still struggling but made my peace with selling off 75% of my equipment Keeping the really good stuff..rare, discontinued pedals and amps and my Strat, Gretsch, and Epiphone LP Special 2.

[@mattgilbert7347]

@@WhoDaF0ok1sThatGuy there is a great mod my buddy did on my SD-1. It has two toggles and it now goes from boost to OD to distortion to almost Fuzz. I'll ask him how he did it. It's like my main drive now.

[@WhoDaF0ok1sThatGuy]

@@mattgilbert7347 that sounds awesome bro! I just love my D+ too much to get rid of it honestly🥲 It was my first pedal over $90 But I’ll definitely pick up the SD1 and potentially get it modded down the line.

[@AnthonyCortese-p4s]

Use both on my board. Two flavors... like them equally - and enjoy having the variety, depending on my needs. They do get a bit noisy when I stack them....

[@eoinjennings519]

At low volume as a home player I use a BD2w as an amp in a box style pedal to get a core tone and use SD1 into it as a mid gain solo boost. I use another BD2 at front of the chain as a signal conditioner

[@astewart9410]

I loooove my BD-2w. Now I need an SD-1!!

[@garybrady9531]

I have owned any of the Boss pedals but own about 19 other brands I'm a stay at home player with a few studio romps a year so it's all for pleasure enjoyed your past vids thanks for taking us along

[@danielkongmusic]

Fantastic tones and comparison. The BD-2 is such a different beast from the SD-1. I love both. In terms of SD-1 sounds and other tube-screamer adjacent pedals, I've found a new favourite in the Nux Steel String Singer which is a tubescreamer with jfets, super warm (it is NOT a Free the Tone clone or a Vertex Clone). Alternatively, I've found that the Nobles ODR-1 with the spectrum control rolled back from noon (which increases the mid boost aspect of the EQ) blurs the lines between a tubescreamer, SD1 and your BD-2/OD-3 style sounds, delivers that full spectrum gain with a more controllable mid boost, you can dial in how much of the mid focus you want.

[@mattgilbert7347]

Me too! That NUX is absolutely killer, especially in front of a full-range OD. It's a Free The Tone clone (hey that rhymes...)

[@mattgilbert7347]

Why do you say it's not a FTT clone? I thought the specs matched? Not that I really care, I just like the thing :)

[@dwocelot6913]

BD-2 without a doubt: warmer, more compressed, amp-like

[@zenlandzipline]

Amps aren’t supposed to sound “compressed”. They are usually big and open sounding compared to pedals. When you get into turning a JTM all the way up or a JMP, then yes, you get some compression from the power amp phase inverter tube(s) saturating. But it’s still less compressed sounding than any pedal.

[@dwocelot6913]

The whole point of an OD pedal is to sound like an amp cranked, and therefore compressed. Have you owned a tweed or BF/SF Fender? A Vox? They compress naturally as the volume increases. Hence, the BD-2 sounds more amp-like.

[@zenlandzipline]

@@dwocelot6913 I don’t actually use overdrive/distortion pedals to make my amp sound cranked. If that’s all I wanted, I would get a Power Station or I would use my Tim pedal, which just gives your amp sound “more”. I like my overdrive pedals to actually impart a different tonality into my sound. That’s why I tend to favor pedals that aren’t “transparent”, like my Tim. I prefer my tube Zendrive, or a myriad of others. I just disagree that the point of an overdrive is to make your amp sound like you’ve got it turned all the way up (without actually turning it all the way up). Truth be told, only the designer of a pedal can tell you what his goal was when he made the circuitry. You aren’t totally wrong, but you’re missing a little but, also.

[@Michel-r6m]

​@@zenlandziplineUpping gain can cost dynamics (compress).

[@Jackie3b]

@@zenlandziplineI’ve played through a vintage AC30 for about 25 years. It compresses as the volume increases and it starts to break up.

[@marce211275]

Amazing video. Please Jack do the Boss OD3 VS BD2...the Boss OD3 rules the world...

[@Tilbily]

Discovered I like the sd1 with level cranked and gain at zero. Adjust gain on amp. Does good things for my single coils.

[@BladeDoomer86]

Both amazing.. been using a Sd1 forever, and last year finally bought a BD2W.. wow

[@barbmelle3136]

From Leo: From a long term tube screamer / Fender twin user, the sounds of the Blues Driver appeals to me. Good demonstration.

[@fergusellard6554]

Great video, thanks. I use the Blues driver to help the Blues Jr sound less Boxy. The fat switch on the amp then adds more mids back in for some lead runs.

[@thelastnic]

Liked this and how you broke the two down.

[@greatnorthernboy]

I should have watch this before buying my SD-1. The downsides mentioned here, like that pushing the mids and loosing some bass i can totally confirm. It looks like the BD-2 would've been a better choise for me. Good comparison and well analyzed. Thanks Jack!

[@voxpathfinder15r]

Hey Jack, great shootout! I have both pedals and love them equally and they’re both versatile and can fill in for the other. However, where I think both shine is as follows. As much as I love transistor amplifiers and boosting the Vox Pathfinder 15R with one. I think where the SD-1 really shines is boosting a tube amplifier already set at the edge of breakup. And preferably an amplifier that’s already loose in the low end and naturally carved out in the mids. Where the BD-2 can really shine is for transistor amplifiers. You set an amplifier again like the Vox Pathfinder 15/15R really clean. And set the bluesdriver as a really clean boost, such that the two together only slightly grit up if you wack the strings really hard. That will give an amazing tube tone to a solid state amplifier. Then if you want, boost into the BD-2 with the SD-1 to get the gritty overdrive on the leads. But all combinations work great. But BD-2 is excellent way to tubify a transistor amplifier.

[@mkrj2576]

Saw or hammer? Two different tools. Both are great. Both are on my board as my only two drives. BD drive set at about noon as primarily a drive pedal. SD1 drive set relatively low but its level is high and is used as a mid hump boost. Used alone or stacked you can get lots of sounds. Set up for live playing. Like Jack says, sd1 is more functionally practical for live play, the bd2 sounds more pleasing to the ear when playing alone.

[@TheNorthernChris]

Quality content as usual from Jack. Two classics for sure, and I like how you didn’t gush over them but rather gave an honest opinion based on your preferences and practical use. I have the SD-1w on my board as a low gain drive (rather than a boost) in custom mode to fill the sound out a little more. Thanks man 💪🏼

[@TheNorthernChris]

I would also love to see your take on the SD-1 and TS808

[@swaffy101]

335 into blues driver into super reverb. Great rig and all you really need.

[@graemero5532]

Nice L.P jnr Jack, those sound great clean.

[@dalecoffing8655]

Run a BD-2 through a Vox AC15c1. American Tele Deluxe and a Epi Sheraton ii pro. Typically run the level at 9:00 and gain at 2:00-3:00. tone straight up noon. Running through the normal channel on the Vox. Tone cut all the way up and volume to suit the room. Also running a compressor in front of the BD-2. Single coils and humbuckers are two different animals with the BD-2

[@claycrowe4032]

Great video. The BD-2 is my main overdrive and is on probably about ninety percent of the time I'm playing. I absolutely love the tone, especially into my Fender Hot Rod Deville.

[@misterknightowlandco]

Great breakdown of two classic pedals. I prefer the sd-1 cuz it’s basically a tube screamer with a slightly different low end response. I saw a screen graph of the eq of the sd-1 and tubescreamer. The eq curve were identical besides the sd-1 allows just a smidge more low end through.

[@silviolutti1522]

The Boss SD-1 is part of the tubescreamer "family". (ibanez ts-9/boss sd-1)Both pedals do not amplify the low frequencies equally and enhance the mids frequencies. Consequently, if you lower the gain and raise the volume, on the clean channel of the amplifier the sound is thin. Overdrives from the tubescreamer family such as the TS-9 and Boss SD-1 should be used on a sound at the edge of breaking or on the crunch channel of the amplifier or as a boost to a distorted sound or pedal. On the contrary, the Boss BD-2 is in its own way a full range overdrive and preserves the low end, so when you lower the gain it behaves as a respectable blues overdrive should behave: it doesn't cut off the low end and the sound it stays fat and does not become thin. Personally I bought a Boss Bd-2 Waza Craft made in Japan. I recommend it to all those like me who wanted a blues driver and a blues driver with an extra edge if you use the custom mode.

[@mortonwilson795]

Great! Both sound terrific. Question . . . some time back you were running thru some pedals and briefly played an Octave one that was you 'secret 12 string effect' one. Tried finding the vid - can you let us know what it was, please - it sounded great! Cheers.

[@nicolasmaurin182]

I use both at once. By stacking them. Love it. Bd2 into Sd1.

[@jerrywatt6813]

For me the DOD 250 overdrive was my favorite bsck in the day everything from boost to heavy overdrive boss pedals are great ( I've got several ) but DOD was in there to !

[@dino7020]

Both shine in their way...

[@BladeDoomer86]

@JackFosset Are you still using your 59 Bassman??? Was checking iut your older videos about it, glorious as always!

[@JackFossett]

I haven’t used it much lately because it needs some work - but I’m hoping to get it taken care of soon. One of my very favorite amps.

[@BladeDoomer86]

@@JackFossett Awesome 💯 I hope you'll make a comparison with the Tone Master version coming out soon!!

[@jdmoney1000]

Because I own and use both.... Blues Driver (love it) for Fender-ish type of material. and the SD-1 combined with a ProCo Rat distortion pedal for harder-edged stuff. Both have their virtues.... But, I never use the SD-1 by itself.....

[@jpsilverplaylists]

I love my BD2, I use it more as a boost at the moment, I my signal path is guitar into BD2 then into a Line6 M9 stomp, then into a small wharfedale 1002FX/USB sound desk for pre-amp and EQ and reverb, that then goes out either to a small 12" wharfedale Titan 12D if I need to play softer or into the clean channel on my Crate V33 tube amp with a 2x12 cab

[@changestrangers]

SD-1 is great with humbuckers - it helps tighten the low end. As far as single coils are concerned, it's a tad too harsh and I prefer a Tube Screamer.

[@squirelova1815]

The wonderful BD-2 is practically an 'Amp in a Box' as the SD-1 can also be too and if you put those side by side with a DS-1 before them at the beginning of the chain, as you might with a Fuzz pedal, you now virtually have Three Amp models just using pedals. The choice of ordering the SD-1 or BD-2 first just depends on which one you want to be as Dominant (or last in line) if you happen to use them together at once aka 'stack them' one into another. I would put the SD-1 last/after the BD-2 so as to be able tighten up the BD-2 low end and midrange if I needed to in a band or song mix since the BD-2 is really more Amp like as Jack duly pointed out.

[@gunkanjima3408]

I have both, apples and oranges in terms of comparison though

[@multimediasaft]

i am using the BD-2 on clean Bassbreaker 15 and my LP Modern palhalm blue

[@Andras_Plays]

Blues driver for me. To my ears it sounds fuller, or fatter :D I regret the day when I sold it.

[@al271987]

Both are stone cold classics, and you can’t go wrong by having one or both. That said, the one Boss OD to rule them all is the OD-3, which manages to kind of split the difference between some of the territory covered by the SD-1 and the BD-2. I loved my OD-3 but I have since moved on to the Barber Gain Changer, which continues to impress me by being able to do literally everything you could want an overdrive to do. There’s not many drive pedals you can use to cover surf instrumentals AND Nirvana songs, but the Gain Changer literally goes from clean to massive distortion with all points in between easily found.

[@sweezyjackson4935]

They are both good and can easily be modded to suit your personal tastes.

[@Madfeast1]

If I had to choose one it’s be sd1. I have both in my board tho. Bd2 always on light gain tone at 9. Sd1 after for extra mids and gain

[@jd426]

I like the blues driver better. I have both

[@stephenpetri9132]

Why did you didn't you use a humbucker for comparison against the strat?

[@mitchpalmer5116]

The SD-1 Sat on my pedal board from 1984...til The Blues Driver came out. Louder, more clarity, more versatile.

[@TheSoundofForgetting]

I had these on 1 pedalboard and took them off with the swap of Keeley Blues Disorder & Angry Rodent & have been playing & collecting for over 3 decades now & these new Keeley pedals through my Marshall Plexi head or my Supro Amulet & even my Fender 65 Deluxe reissue & they sound amazing & have been using Blues Driver & SD-1 for many many years and both are classics but give the Keeley Blues Disorder & Angry Rodent and won’t regret it🤘🎸🤘

[@aitken1965]

I like chaining the BD2 into the SD1

[@johnryder8401]

The SD-1, to me is not good into a clean amp, it's more useful as a dirty boost.

[@anup_pinkfloydian]

Hi Jack. Bd2 just doesn't work well with my Vox ac10c1, may be because it's transparent and lacks mids. Will the SD1 help?

[@RulgertGhostalker]

I have to give it to the BD-2 smoothness. ( it's not like you have to be a blues guitarist to use it ) I am going ODR Mini into a Zeus Drive on my next board ( tube amp, easy board )....super budget too. the Zeus only had Ge for the initial release, so mine will be Si; but luckily, I have some Ge diodes in my stash ; )

[@alexstrums]

Buy both. You won’t be disappointed! IMO they have completely different applications. The SD1 sounds creamy and really drives your tone (sounds fantastic with Marshall style amps), while the BD2 sounds best pushing a clean tone to the edge of breakup (especially with a strat and Fender blackface style amps). I prefer to keep the gain down on the BD2😊

[@Urizen777]

Love them both. However SD-1 has been more prominent on my pedalboard, as I find it to be more versatile between the two for different genres I usually go to. Also, it works great stacked with distortion pedals like DS-1 and RAT. With that being said, BD-2 seems to work better with the clean amp than SD-1 which sounds the best if the amp already has a bit of a crunch. As I've said, both great pedals and I love them both, but for what I do, SD-1 seems to be the better choice for me.

[@jamesb8573]

For anything with the gain up at all the bd-2is fizz city

[@squirelova1815]

Notice: No guitar players were harmed during this Good Ole' Fashioned Shootout.

[@beardedrancher]

Bd 2 but really they're both good

[@veciroker]

all been said in the video, i comment just to help you with KZbin algorithm :)

[@PurposefulPorpoise]

Supposedly the BD-2 is based on a Blackface pre-amp, based on 1 line of description from an old Japanese interview with the designers. How much of that actually translates from amp to pedal i dont know. To me the SD-1 is the perfect Tweed pedal

[@mattgilbert7347]

OD-3: Am I a joke to you? :) DS-1: Yeah, I know I am a joke to you, but here comes the NOISE! ;)

[@veryhappy2681]

Sd1 more of a Marshall overdriven tone Bd2 More of a fender overdriven tone

[@stairwaytoheaven413]

Clearly the winner is SD-1 !!! More natural and organic, tighter.

[@davewojcik1854]

Super overdrive

[@LS-wc6mr]

Sd1 all the way! The bd2 always sound fizzy or spiky to me for some reason.

[@stockholm1752]

Been curious about the BD-2 for a long time but never tried it. Mostly because it has always seemed a bit fizzy when the drive is up. This demo has confirmed my suspicions. I’m sticking with my trusty old SD-1.

[@bmckee5430]

I think I'm the only one in the world who can't stand the BD2. It sounds too brittle, regardless of what you plug into it.

[@voxpathfinder15r]

It’s good as a clean booster into a clean amplifier, where the combination of the two just barely reaches some gritty dirt but only if you hit the strings hard. The SD-1 is better as a booster into an amplifier already just barely breaking up already

[@heavymetal6910]

The bd2 sounds fuzzy at times, I don't like fuzz and much prefer sd1 here

[@simonsmith2579]

It's not 'which one is better'. If you have a few different guitars and amps, one will work better that the other with a particular setup due to one having less mids/more low end and the other having more mids and less low end.

[@ericheder777]

BD was pretty spikey with the Marshall and Jr. SD1 had I going on from my end. Long time sd1 owner until I got the BD2, and I thought it was the bees knees, until I got an old OD3. The other two sit now.

[@bakkels]

To me, the BD-2 is vastly superior. But it takes some time to get the hang of it, unlike most Boss pedals. The controls are really quite sensitive. But the natural gain you can get just by using the volume knob on your guitar is simply unique.

[@anthonyalfano5526]

Nice but I wish you set the tones the same. BD sounds warmer, but it was rolled back more

[@martingalicia36695]

Stock BD-2’s are too fizzy. Mod it and I’m good to go. Otherwise, SD-1 or OD-3 all the way.

[@CC-fi3pp]

SD-1 will boost a Marshall better, and Marshall gain (if you own something tasty) is better than any BD-2.

[@ahmetayaz41]

Od3 is much better than these 2 imo

[@antoonhermans8953]

i had both , never liked them