BOSS SD-1 Super Overdrive - Why Buy Boutique When Boss Makes Pedals This Good?

[@angusorvid8840]

As much as I love boutique pedals, I am very happy with Boss. They make pedals for everything and they are superb and last forever. At the moment my rig consists of a Boss GT-1 multi effect through a Cube or right into a DAW and I absolutely love it. I get all the tones I could ever want and more. I'm also getting a Katana soon. Boss is just an awesome company. Yes, I am a fanboy. I've been using Boss pedals since 1985. I can't imagine my rig without Boss pedals.

[@aayushkhare656]

This pedal is a legendary classic

[@willgordon7232]

Running Boss since the 80's Lot's have come and Gone, the BD2 and the SD1 remain

[@divebomb99]

Excellent demo as always. To the point, minimal fluff, chops for days. SD-1 wins this particular duel.

[@odgeUK]

Love this channel. It's just what we need when we get a little bit too obsessed with that 5% difference between two pieces of gear. Having said that, I'm sure I need the Xotic RC Booster in my life right now.

[@ColtonMiller14]

Love that pedal! I used a tube screamer for a long time and got one of these for cheap and my mind was changed since.

[@TheStudioRats]

Its a great OD!

[@billtice5057]

I have all of the most popular boutique drive pedals and I always find myself going back to the SD1. It’s simply the best OD pedal IMHO

[@jasonlee8497]

The SD-1 Waza is my new standard dirty tone. Such a great pedal.

[@douglasnewman4163]

Apparently, I now need an SD-1. Thanks, Paul, for your most excellent comparison demo! As always, top notch!

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Been using & swearing by the SD-1 for decades. I did try a TS, as well one over-priced "boutique" overdrive years ago.....and both times, went right back to my tried & true SD-1. Moral of the story: Stop trying to "fix" what wasn't broken to begin with.

[@kaidemen156]

The SD-1 sounds the best to my ears, thanks for doing this!

[@darrenhunt7838]

Cheers for that. I just picked up a yellow SD-1 and I’m impressed with it. I run it through the effects loop on my Katana Artist. It is a nice boost for the onboard effects.

[@TheStudioRats]

Thanks for the tip Darren.

[@kateyziegler4275]

Yes. SD1 pairs up awesome with other pedals as well as with a lead channel! Hell, by itself its even amazing at about 11 o’clock on either my Paul or Strat. Had a TS 9 years tbh, dont miss it at all ;)

[@babigila]

Wow probably the best and most detailed SD-1 video ever!!

[@TheStudioRats]

Cheers Babigila

[@polarbear4728]

Thank you so much for your excellent comparison with these 2 pedals. I've been struggling with which one to buy. Going with SD - 1!

[@baldybonce29]

I've a few boss pedals and they are so good,well built and great tones.....great playing again Paul loving that pink tele 🔥

[@TheStudioRats]

Thanks again Nick!

[@baldybonce29]

@@TheStudioRats anytime Paul,love your videos,love your Tone,love your playing....one day I hope I'll be half as good

[@caleshtcincredibles]

Damn SD1 still sounds awesome especially with single coils , that tone will cut through a band mix like a hot knife through butter

[@JosipAngeloBorovac]

For straight old rock n' roll not many things beat an SD-1 with maxed volume, gain as you wish into a hungry JCM 800 Marshall...gets my pick in front of many other pedals for which I gave much more $$$...there is a good reason why it is considered classic...great video btw...showing nuances between TS9 and SD1...have them both and can concur with your conclusions!

[@sneifert1968]

Bought the 50th anniversary model this month. Compared to a newer ( never looked up the production year. Bought it at a pawn shop last year for $28) It is definitely lower on the gain and level with the same settings. Still a great pedal.

[@davidwoods358]

I bought a bunch of boutique pedals a few years ago and sold my SD1 along with a bunch of others. A few of those expensive pedals were not everything I had hoped.This SD1 sounds great in your hands and through equipment. (I want mine it back.)

[@TheStudioRats]

Cheers David its a great pedal.

[@hemmelight]

Excellent demo! I bought an SD1 because of this video 😅. Also using it with my Amp1 and it’s just killer. Thanks, Paul!

[@BJSabet]

Bought the amp1 and the SD-1 because Euge Valovirta's channel recommended this combo too. Nice to see it confirmed here too. Great video als always, Paul.

[@spivvo]

I bought one after watching this and it arrived 10 mins before my band turned up for rehearsal. Stuck in front of my Katana with Paul’s “plexi” tone dialled in and used the SD-1 for solos. Very happy indeed. Also found this pedal great for a lead sound in front of the the clean channel, works way better for that than my TS-9. So on cover songs like “Crazy little thing called love” and “play that funky music” I can jangle or funk away on the clean channel then kick this thing on for the solo. The 12 oclock settings on the SD-1 work as a lead boost on the crunch channel or a lead tone when on the clean channel. Seriously great value pedal at £58….. buy one!

[@eddyabacka8403]

I Will! .. Maybe One Yellow, & One Black!!! ;-))

[@TheOneAndOnlyKurtNobrain]

The SD-1 has a certain lively zing to it that the others dont have; great for Rock. The TS and the BB are both great for Blues/Blues Rock.

[@TheKevC88]

That Blu amp sounds sick! SD-1 is great too!

[@TheStudioRats]

The Amp1 is killer highly recommend.

[@atomicelectric845]

Thanks for this awesome review. Fabulous!

[@walterbarth4690]

Thanks for the demo. I Love the sound of my SD-1. I also likes the principal of a buffered bypass by over a true bypass. But, I did notice that the buffered overpass of the SD-1 was more noticeable than compared to my Earthquaker Hoof or Empress Multidrive. Aside from that my SD-1 has does really good overdrive tones with more ease

[@valerecoignet]

Excellent demo, thank you ! What was your signal chain ? Is there a compressor in there before the pedal ? Man I love your tone, I don't know what it is but this Tele rips ! 😍

[@SouthpawSatch]

I was considering the BB preamp and TS9 but after watching this video I'm going to pass on both and get the SD1. Thank you!

[@mattbradford1135]

Great review and amazing playing. Thank you.

[@toneseeker87]

I have the modified SD1, a stock mode and a hotter one channel more gain. Now having a 2 pedals in one box. SD1 for life!

[@charlesb7831]

I couldn't decide so I actually bought the Ibanez Nu-tube screamer and the 40th Anniversary SD1 lol. I end up gain stacking the two together.

[@russianvideovlogguy]

Well produced! Thanks!!

[@zazoomatt]

Yep order SOD got it 6-2022. I agree with YOU. Thanks !

[@traumatizer2]

Thank you a lot Paul for this info.

[@TheStudioRats]

Anytime Colin.

[@HuguesDUROIR]

La SD1 est vraiment sous-estimée. La preuve de sa polyvalence est parfaitement démontrée dans ta vidéo ! Great job!

[@Triple3hot]

My go to pedal since the 80s

[@SuperMetalLicious]

Your tone is so killer in this video. Definitely have to get this pedal hahaha

[@rivonbd]

I've got 3 usage for my sd1, on clean amp it gives edge of breakup crunch with touch sensitivity, on slightly crunchy amp it gives a full on over drive and on alrdy overdriven amp it gives me more of that plus tone control! But for my TS9 I've got only one setting and that's to send the amp into stratosphere of chaos.

[@gugavallebatista]

4:29 sd1 4:48 tube screamer 5:02 bbpreamp

[@var_guitar]

I so much prefer the SD-1 to the TS. I spent a couple hundred dollars on various overdrives this summer, only to sell them all and go back to my trusty SD-1!

[@marvinthemartian6788]

The majority of the pedals on my board are boss. I’m very pleased with them. I can’t really afford boutique with this guitar addition addiction. My boss super overdrive is next to my ds1

[@BrianGay57]

I think of the SD-1 as a better tube screamer than the tube screamer. The main thing for me is the asymmetrical clipping. I prefer it to symmetrical clipping. I also prefer the EQ curve of the SD-1.

[@badcomma]

Great comparison - and I agree with your verdict. I bought a Tube Screamer a month ago. I like it, but feel it doesn't have the oomph I want. So I picked up a DS-1 to play side-by-side for a few days. On lower settings, the TS-9 has a nice smooth overdriven tone. It's a great pedal, but the SD-1 won me over with the crunch on the hotter settings - by a wide margin. That's the boost and drive I want. I think I'm sending the TS-1 back, and paying half that TS price for the Boss. It's practically a no-brainer.

[@antalantal2366]

Great pedal, I was wondering if you ever tried the od3... Indeed, I prefer it over the sd1 and I would have liked to hear your thoughts

[@LostMyMojo100]

I've been using a TS forever but I'm looking for something different... I'll have to check out the SD-1... Thanks!

[@ronmercer7766]

The SD1 does show itself to be a bit more flexible, not as mid focused. A bit more versatile with the extra gain on tap.

[@kevincourcey813]

great comparisons Paul. The TS sounded the best when dialed back, but the OD1 still sounded more open, less compressed even at that setting.

[@TheStudioRats]

Cheers kevin

[@EdgarBeja]

I have both, the SD-1 wins! Love that pedal \m/

[@shroompicn-shrooman]

Love tube screamers so much I bought the JHS Bonsai...with 9 screamers built in.. all just a little different... I use JHS mod for a clean boost there is a foreign XR that is amazing!

[@andrelp9596]

Great demo Paul!

[@TheStudioRats]

Cheeers Andre!

[@lassekalhauge4801]

Great video and great playing😊 I would love to hear the Boss pedal with the GT-1000. That should be a perfect match😍 Best regards, Lasse

[@TheStudioRats]

Hey Lasse, i think you’re right ill look at that vid.

[@ericwilliams538]

I would say, no matter whatyour style, tastes, and genres of music you choose to play, you can't go wrong with BOSS pedals. The MT-2WAZA release is utterly amazing for all you metal heads out there in KZbin land... You might have success with it in the front of your amp, but if not, try it through your FX loop. Doing so will melt your face off with the metal tones you will get....and you'll have to scrape it up after you're done playing.

[@ziotomasi4597]

Best Overdrive of all time..Great Video!

[@thetanman2233]

Recently did the C6 mod to mine after having it for a few years. Super simple mod and it’s a completely different beast now, really opened the pedal up. Also stacks very well with other drives

[@TheStudioRats]

Nice one i might well try that.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

As a life long working musician ( now retired from the club scene in east/central Florida ), I don't care what anyone says, the SD-1 is THE all-out, work horse, go-to, fail-safe, best value, killer tone overdrive ever made. The damned thing is legendary. I also tried a TS years ago. Even though I was immediately disappointed with the TS, I decided to keep experimenting with it, even while performing on stage. A few of my guitarist/peers told me I sounded a tad "anemic" during that show. Went right back to my ole tried & true SD-1. I tried only 1 over-priced boutique overdrive, and basically got the same end result. Moral of the story: stop trying to "fix" what wasn't broken to begin with. According to many techs, the SD-1 has what is perhaps the most copied circuit in the history of overdrive pedals.

[@vincentl.9469]

Can the BOSS do long sustained notes? I'm guessing if you adjust volume on pedal & amp correctly it should work ...

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Yes, absolutely! The following advice doesn't apply to "metal heads" who use way too much distortion, but if ya really want the best tone from a tube amp, use as little of the "Drive" knob as possible, and of course adjust the level in conjunction with your amp levels to find the perfect balance. For certain songs with a searing solo, you can always quickly adjust everything for that 1 song, and use the "Drive" knob a little more for much more aggressive lead tone & sustain. A couple things I failed to mention in my original comment are: #1.......the BOSS SD-1 ( in my experience anyway ) seems to be suited better for the British style tube amps, especially Marshall's. I owned & used a 50w Marshall JCM 800 for years, a 100w JCM 900 ( that I never should've bought, but they had such a huge mark down, I couldn't refuse the price. But the amp was just too freaking loud by the time ya had the power section working it's best. I sold it fairly quickly. I also had a killer old black face Fender Champ that I used mainly around the house. ) .......while the Ibanez Tube Screamer seems better suited for the American tube amps, namely Fender. #2......One of the very best pedals you can use for lead/solo's is a quality TREBLE BOOSTER. But don't let the name fool you, a good treble booster sounds much warmer & not "edgy" like you would assume. It can still be used in conjunction with the SD-1. Keep your SD-1 settings like normal, and instead of having to re-adjust everything for truly searing solo's, ya just stomp on the treble booster. I really wish I had discovered how a treble booster can really help the tone in your solo's much sooner than I did. Pete Thorn did a video not long ago on his channel showing just how good a treble booster really works. Brian May of Queen relied heavily on a treble booster for his solo's, as did the Cars ( the band ). Many other legendary guitarists used it as well, I just can't think of their names at the moment. Check out Pete Thorn's video about treble boosters. Prepare to be impressed.

[@vincentl.9469]

@@howabouthetruth2157 I have a DS-1 and that is good for sustain with the gain open but it can be tricky to EQ depending on pick ups and Amp. It can sound harsh too. Sounds like the SD 1 is good for classic rock overdrive. I have a a Vox AC10..and a Roland Cube. I have thougt maybe the SD 1 would have been a better choice

[@vincentl.9469]

@@howabouthetruth2157 Have you tried the DS 1 ? a lot of people find this harder to EQ than standard overdrives..

[@howabouthetruth2157]

@@vincentl.9469 No, never tried one. I never tried any distortion pedals because they're just not my thing. I always used to tell young guitarists who are still learning, if they like the classic rock stuff ( and most do ) up to, and including stuff like Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Randy Rhoads, etc, then listen VERY carefully to the guitar parts, and they should notice they are not nearly as distorted as they originally assumed ( save for a handful of particular songs where a Fuzz Face or something was used. ) Even when I was a beginner, I thought those tones were more distorted than they truly are. But I had good guitarists around me from fairly early on, that I learned from just by watching & listening, and witnessing the gear they used. Nearly all of them relied mostly on an SD-1, with a few Fender amp guys ( and strictly Blues guys ) using the Tube Screamer, boutique pedals aside. The SD-1 should give you better sustain than any standard distortion pedal, while at the same time, delivering much better tone, because GOOD overdrive pedals are far more transparent vs distortion pedals. At no point in my life was I ever into "metal" ( Iron Maiden, Megadeth, etc. ), and I don't even collaborate, or even debate with those guys, because they refuse to listen. They want their heavy distortion, and any seasoned guitarist knows that the more distortion you're using, the more tone you are literally burying under layers of mud. Hell, those metal heads don't even need a good guitar, because really GOOD tone just isn't that important to them, they just claim it is. PICK UPS MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TOO. Trust me on this. And the guitar itself being the most important of all, if you're REALLY after what everyone dubs "the Holy Grail of tones". It took me years to finally figure that out, as well as the most valuable trick to use when shopping for guitars: DON'T plug them in. That's right. Most music stores have practice rooms. Get in a quiet place. If the store is too noisy, wait it out or come back later. Shop owners are more likely to allow you to try more expensive guitars this way, due to obvious reasons. The electric guitar that rings out & sustains better than the others while unplugged is your target. Because you can bet the farm when it's plugged in, it's characteristics will come shining through in spades. If it doesn't sound as good when plugged in, then the pick ups suck, or have a problem. I tell young guitarists, for example, if they have a budget of $3000 for a guitar & amp, buy USED if possible, to get more bang for your buck, and spend $2000 on the guitar, and the remaining $1000 on the best tube amp they can find for that price. These are just ballpark figures of course. When I was younger, I went about it ass backwards, I placed more emphasis & money on the tube amp vs the guitar. I used to think my Jackson strat guitar with passive pickups ( I've always HATED active pickups ) was "hot shit", lol. Before that, I owned an Ibanez Les Paul copy. The first time I played a real Les Paul, it made me wanna throw my Jackson in the dumpster. And like any other guitar, Strats, Tele's, LP's, they're not all the same, there are real lemons, and then there are gems. Pick ups can be changed out, and they are extremely important for sustain. As for humbuckers priced reasonably, I really like the Seymour Duncan "59". Sorry about the long message, but I didn't see your messages to me until the next day. So I figured I would give you as much as possible. I hope ya find my advice useful. I always wanted a Strat and a Telecaster too, to have all 3 "tools in my toolbox".

[@truthfactreality6814]

Such a great classic pedal

[@johnbarry731]

I have both and use them differently. I like to use the tube screamer for a broken up clean sound and the SD1 for real overdrive. I think the tube screamer is closer to a blues driver. If I could only have one pedal it would be the SD1. That says it all.

[@TheStudioRats]

Cool tips.

[@selfsupremacy7816]

can i use both together? i got a maxon od 808 and want to use it with a sd1 for hopefully absolutely creamyness

[@JoshuaTeicher]

Great sounds here! Also, I know this is an unusual thing to comment on, but I’m also really impressed with the lack of him from your single coils, must be nice wiring in your studio :)

[@manuelrivas3569]

They both sound good I think the boss SD1 gets the thumbs up.And BTW the bluamp with the nutube technology sounds GREAT 👍

[@modernbeans2637]

Great demo!

[@TheStudioRats]

Cheers Beans.

[@mauropatrile2272]

Questa è una prova e recensione sensata.grazie mille! Delle minime variazioni di tono (che poi scompaiono quando si suona live in mezzo ad altri strumenti) costano molti euro "al grammo"...non facciamoci prendere per il culo

[@finishin.my.coffee8780]

I never knew how good an old Tele could sound with an sd-1.

[@SidBonkers51]

Ive been a long term fan of the TS but lately have been wondering why Ive been paying double the price of the SD1 for the TS's Ive bought.

[@billtice5057]

I had one these on my board all through the eighties and then drunk the TS “Kool-Aid” as it were in the 90’s. The issue was, I could never stop fiddling with the TS, over time I realized it was inferior to the Sd-1. This of course was my own personal experience. I now own the WazaCraft version of this fantastic pedal. It’s still my favorite!

[@TheStudioRats]

Cheers Bill, I haven’t tried the WAZA version but ill now check it out.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

A lot of the newer, higher priced overdrive pedals simply copy the circuits ( or damn close ) of either the SD-1 and/or the Ibanez TS. I've heard many tech guys say that. I think the TS is more of a tone for Fender type amps with slightly more clean tone headroom. But for Marshall and other British style amps/tones, the SD-1 is legendary. I've used the SD-1 my entire life & swear by it. I find the secret for best tone is being very conservative with the DRIVE, and then using the level to bring your volume up for soloing over the rest of the band. This is for classic rock type tones of course. Cheers.

[@paulkreeft2091]

Sd1 sounds the best of all 3.

[@dragui9932]

Great demo ! This one vs Waza one ??

[@toddsteele72]

Both were great but the SD1 has a soft spot with me. It was my first ever pedal I bought.

[@christopherhoward1743]

Most Boss products are great! Paul, when will we get to hear more of that amazing new Les Paul? That's one of the best sounding guitars I've ever heard!

[@TheStudioRats]

Ill get some vids planned Chris.

[@stiffrichard2816]

I read somewhere that the 40th Ann. has the original pc board which means it can be modded, unlike the new version.

[@eldyko]

That’s some nice tone you have

[@dreamscuba]

Another great video. The Xotic Effects BB Preamp sounded good, but I much preferred the SD1. I was not keen on the Tub Screamer. The Tele looks and sounds killer! Thanks

[@TheStudioRats]

I cant believe the price Scuba, its an absolute bargain.

[@joanstone6740]

The tube screamer seems to have a tiny bit more depth

[@guitarsandcheesecake1632]

Great video. I've owned a TS9 for a number of years. But it looks like I need an sd1 instead!!....

[@billybobhouse9559]

That sd1 sounds great.

[@stixxstevedo]

Can you demo the pedal without all the reverb? Sounds killer, but would love to hear just the pedal tone🍻

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

Has it a full board? I have a 1983 MIJ, but I’m not buying this black job unless it has a full board with big caps like the DS-1 black has.

[@Nghilifa]

Never been a TS guy. SD-1 for the win! (Ok, I'm biased since I've got one myself, but still!)

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Same here. Basically it's down to the rig and tone/style you're after. If you're a Fender amp type guy, a TS is hard to beat. But if you're a Marshall/British crunch sustain kind of guy, the SD-1 is the way to go. Both the SD-1 and the Ibanez TS have the most copied circuits in stomp box/overdrive history.

[@Nghilifa]

@@howabouthetruth2157 Yeah. I am a Marshall guy through and through, so I guess that makes sense, haha.

[@AudioPeople]

I usually use TS9 into SD-1.. both pedals sounds great when you stack them together

[@themigwel6185]

It’s on sale for 85$ CAD, I need to get it for my small combo amp!

[@PeterSokol-bl5vz]

42 pedals in my chain at the moment…have 10 Boss on the pedal board….love the SD-1…. Brand new 62 dollars on Amazon….just built like a tank…a beast…and makes everything so much better….it sits right after my distortion and fuzz pedals…..Big Muff and Boss and my new favorite Danelectro The Eisenhower fuzz….great pedal….and my Way Huge Swollen Pickle fuzz……I have almost every Big Muff you can get…..hehehehe……great review.

[@TheStudioRats]

nice one!

[@godfreyozzy7128]

How does it compare in a mix though? I personally hate the isolated tone of TS pedals, but in a live situation they're absolutely magical for cutting through a mix.

[@1madaxeman]

I can answer this as i've owned both, simple short answer is the Boss cuts equally well. They both have a creamy mid hump to them.

[@marka6414]

Boss pedals are incredible and very reasonably priced and if you want to mod them there's lots of resources online.

[@TheStudioRats]

True dat!

[@blainetrahan8883]

Liked them both!!!

[@jobibar9937]

hi bud great video. what cab do you run into? if you use ir, what ir do you use for this video?

[@MrDaigoRiki]

that preamp sounds good, have you compared to a strymon Iridium?

[@splitrootentertainment3003]

I'm a bassist. Throw this thing behind of a fuzz/ distortion type pedal and get instant dynamic control of that annoying high end. I can dial a heavy metal type distortion tone perfectly with this.

[@bravinneff1]

What kind of pickups are in that guitar? I have (2) SD-1's: an OEM Boss and also a DIY SD-1 I soldered together. They sound nearly identical (slightly different sweeps for their tone pots), but neither get nearly as much distortion as you are getting. My pickups are all vintage output single coils (strats), so perhaps that's the difference?

[@TheStudioRats]

They are just vintage custom shop pickups, not hot at all.

[@_oc6725]

SD-1 sounds great!

[@lasyngwieeeiiilarsen7510]

You play so great Sir🫶👑👑👑❤️

[@LMexplorer]

Great demo, I just subscribe, I bought the sd1 , great pedal, I don't like so much the ibanez ts , with single coil it is OK but with humbuckers its sound to compressed .

[@BenCaffrey]

You know it’s Paul Drew when you hear the A5add9

[@onefatstratcat]

can't go wrong with a classic

[@mikecorey8370]

Great comparison. I've never understood why people like a TS-9, especially for studio work. It's just not a great sounding pedal. The SD-1 is a great pedal, and it especially sounds good on the Tele.

[@stirlingave.9172]

Sounds great, but I don't understand how the output of the pedal isn't plugged into anything. Explain!

[@michaeltaylors2456]

Compact right angle connector

[@IsaacLausell]

The tube screamer into the SD-1 pushing a nice tube amp is awesome

[@TheStudioRats]

Nice one.

[@guydadon1]

Wow.....what we ear is only the SD-1?.

[@rokguitarist1]

What impulse response are we hearing with the amp1? Or are we hearing a mic’d cab? Sounds amazing man!

[@badtonestudio]

SD-1 🤘

[@Tmidiman]

Wait, we didn’t hear the BB Preamp pedal!

[@TheStudioRats]

Yes you did

[@oldguyjammin9732]

But are BOSS true bypass? That can sometimes be a big factor \m/

[@JohnWDGTandTele]

How would you compare the SD 1 to the boss OD 1?

[@TheStudioRats]

Ive never tried the OD1 I’m afraid, I’m sure its great!

[@dixielloyd6132]

has it gone more gain then the BB Pre?