Why Isn't The BOSS SD1 More Popular?

[@SpaceJockey805]

It IS loved, and everyone had one in the 80s and 90s. And then the boutique hipsters came along and decided that Boss wasn’t good enough, even though a lot of the boutique companies started out by modding Boss pedals.

[@rangerdoc1029]

But there's almost no clones & there are zero mini SD-1 available

[@PabloMars99]

@@rangerdoc1029 the Ibanez TS is a clone of the SD1.

[@TAkahashiryu]

I'm a HUGE Boss SD1 fan. Got the Wazacraft version. The versatility is amazing. I use it by itself to play hard rock and boosting my Peavey Valveking to tighten it's distortion and play Metal.

[@ColtonMiller14]

I was sold on the whole tube screamer thing for awhile and got one of these used for cheap. Best impulse buy I ever made. Never left my board since.

[@Shodanrua]

Lol I just had an impulse and bought it. Probably going to be here for my birthday as well! Really eager to use it, do you still have it?

[@earthstrong-43.72]

I bought one of these a while back. When one of my guitar player friends and former co guitarists in a project passed away, I put my sd-1 in his casket with him. Bought another one a year later. Great pedals.

[@ziotomasi2581]

You do it very, very well in this video. You know how to use pedals and equipment. I've been using the SD1 for about 40 years. No other overdrive pedal other than the OD1 has impressed me so much. Even when recording in the studio, he is always my loyal companion with various Marshalls. You can achieve low gain really well with this part. And the little headroom is enough to get good low gain blues sounds. It's all about the right dose If you use a booster (Spark Mini) correctly in front of the SD1 (low gain), then you will never have to look for another overdrive again. I think the SD1 is really good. It works extremely well with British amps. It is still very popular today, especially in the UK/Europe.

[@trilogyopus]

Probably one of the best overdrive pedals ever. Especially if you like vintage tones. Use it with tube amp, SS amp, processors, different other pedals...whatever. The result is always impressive. But it has one problem to become more popular, it is a cheap affordable pedal.

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

This is it, I expect if it was £300 people would be going nuts over it.

[@sassulusmagnus]

It's simple, affordable, and so useful. I think it gets taken for granted. The JCM800 2203 loves this pedal.

[@ThePaddedPedalroom]

I agree with you the SD1 is my all time favourite pedal. I have always had one on my board since the early 90's. It sounds so good, I prefer the asymmetrical clipping. I have never owned a tube screamer either, lol. I recently picked up a 40th anniversary sd1 which is totally black, it looks good. Great video Mike, Cheers!👍

[@Doomlord777]

This is the number one essential pedal that everyone should own. Mine has been on and off my board for 20 years or so, ive had many an expensive boutique overdrive but always seem to go back to my sd!1 or bd-2. Boss just got it right all those years ago! As always Mike, great review!

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Couldn’t agree more with you.

[@TheDizzyFPV]

Ordered mine today, can’t wait for it to get here

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Good man!

[@ozozerene]

You certainly sold it to me so I ordered one. Never seen your channel but will now. Will subscribe, thanks

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Amazing to hear, and even better to know you have found me! :)

[@ericgronkiewicz7318]

This is my go-to overdrive, it’s an absolute workhorse, I’ve had one for 15 years and I love it. Super responsive and dynamic, sounds great on its own and stacks really nicely with other drives and distortion pedals if you need a more saturated sound.

[@gonebymidnight2881]

I had tons of boutique pedals,and this is gold, it sounds better in the mix than most ODs

[@kyle27085]

I just picked up my very first Boss SD-1 I love it so much. I owned an 808 tube screamer when I was a kid, but it did not suit the music I was playing at the time. So I traded it to my buddy and ended up with a fulltone full drive 2 the original blue one. And that was my main overdrive for a long time. Ever since then I have always had TS style overdrives. Great video by the way.

[@toddsteele72]

This was my very first pedal when I was 16 (1988). Playing my Torch strat copy (sunburst with black pick guard and matching headstock) through a small 8 watt Jordan amp.

[@FarmerSlideJoeBob]

I bought the SD-1, cos I was needing a normal kinda sounding distortion and I was using the DS-2 for years. The SD-1 is perfect for blues and slide stuff and I'm glad I bought this😃

[@gobodega5226]

Another gem next to the SD-1 is the OD-3. The two deliver boutique sounds but cost comparatively small thalers. Nice video 😃👍

[@michealclark3495]

I run both the SD-1 and OD3 (as well as a klone) on my board. Agree. Both boss pedals are awesome.

[@thetanman2233]

My go-to drive. Sounds awesome stacked with a BD-2 blues driver

[@mrwolfsang]

I bought my SD-1 in 2008. The best $39 I've ever spent on a pedal! It feels like people don't want it just because it's not expensive...

[@GuitarsRgood7]

I just finally bought one. It was $45 so I couldn't pass it up. It really sounds amazing! I won't be using it for my main board, because I have a Rat and D&M Drive that I love so much, but it will go on my second board. I was AB testing the Rat and SD-1. The SD-1 is much smoother, but I love how gritty the Rat makes other pedals and the amp.

[@lomoholga]

Ive found a TS with humbuckers introduced a wet blanket over the speaker sound With an SD-1 you can get classic hard rock sounds to mild overdrive

[@hemmelight]

An SD-1 is basically essential with a Marshall imo. It's the perfect chunk-adder / low-end tightener for a rock sound! It's the only overdrive / gain pedal I've got. :)

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Well said!

[@jessemuscato8432]

All you need

[@CC-fi3pp]

Tele - SD-1 - Marshall

[@duaneanderson6393]

great tone, lovely slide very fine demo.

[@x7stringinJSCx]

It's funny that i stumbled across this video bc this weekend I'm looking into buying the Waza version of this pedal. So great. I love this pedal but the waza has the custom mode that puts a little more gain to it and I think that makes it even better. Great video as always.

[@jcsk8]

Just here in my pedalboard. Tried the Bad Monkey (Second favourite), Tube screamer, OD-1, but the SD-1 is the one that best matched my Peavey Classic 30. Love it.

[@glassslide]

Have only had the SD-1 for a year or two but cannot believe how great it sounds at its price point. They are particularly awesome on front of Marshalls and if you put an EP Booster to push the SD-1 into the Marshall its a pretty fun tone. Great video and FANTASTIC Stones like playing in the intro, the SD-1 and Tele are a great match too, really enjoyed that whole bit, your slide touch sounds like Mick Taylor, well done, cheers!!

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Thank you for the kind words, means a lot.

[@danni.youtube]

Hi Mike, I totally agree. There is some tonal magic in the SD1 which to me just sounds like rock and roll. To my ears I also hear Keith Richard’s tone when I hear it (especially when playing in open G), even though I don’t think he ever uses one!

[@joemarshlljmp]

I have been tryin out different over drives (od1, od2, ts9, Klon clones) today I just bought the sd-1 and I love it with my tsl100.

[@tinroof4816]

Sd1 kicks ass. Always has.

[@AllTheCoolNamesAreTaken84]

Such a great pedal. When I first got it, I didn’t like the tone that much because I wasn’t using it right. Boosted the gain on my amp like you did and lowered the mids to compensate for the mid hump and I love it. Money well spent!

[@Romacito76]

Great demo!

[@JayTheLane]

Great playing mate... Might purchase this for my board 😊

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Let me know how you get on with it

[@SomeKindOfMadman]

Agreed kind sir. I’ve never been a fan of the Tube Screamer. Honestly, my always on is the LovePedal Tchula; or the LovePedal Plexi (alternating between those two) into a Nobles ODR-1. I barely have the gain on the Nobles on.

[@GPLP335]

Great video. I've had mine longer than I can remember.

[@I.am_Groot]

The SD-1 is a solid pedal and I use my OD-2 Turbo Overdrive as much as my Tube Screamer. They don't get talked about much because they are not flashy and fun. I see a lot of guys spending a lot more for pedals that don't do any more than the Boss models

[@crowhaven200]

After a merry go round of OD pedals, I am back to my first OD pedal the DS1 on my board. I like it best.

[@JanneKuronen]

I actually got one of these beasts a few months back because my bassist friend recommended me it for re-amping sessions. I use it mostly with my Digitech Trio+ Band Creator because the stock sounds of the looper aren't the best and they also lack gain for rock tones. I love the dynamic overdrive sound of this pedal and it looks cool

[@MarkanthonyChester]

Oh yes!!!! That's some tone right there sir 🔥

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Thank you sir!

[@dobrostarr3759]

I have the yellow one and the orange one on my pedal board. The ds1 sounds great w/ slide. Roll the tone way back to 9’oclock.

[@Javier-qk7ms]

THis was my first pedal ever based on the Boss audio samples you could hear back in the day at stores. Back then I did not have a tube amp or did not know how to tweak eq so I failed :( but recently I have an amp that sounds decent and finally I was able to use this properly. I just set my amp for a crunchy rhythm then I engage the SD-1 if I need more gain and sustain without a big jump in volume. But certainly you can also get a nice crunch rythm sound out of this, this is a hard rock sound in my opinion.

[@jeanaimarre]

Thank you for your videos which are really superb...I loved the pedal tests with your brother ;) hey yes this pedal is new to me because I had never tried it and it sounds really very good, I like it a lot...adopted I should say

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

@@jeanaimarre aww thank you so much for your kind words, truly means a lot. Glad I have introduced you to the SD1 😀

[@tokk3n-hj4xg]

I just ordered one from ZZounds I'm suppose to be getting this thurs. I am gonna pair it with the big muff pedal, and see how it sounds.

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Great to hear, let me know how you get on with it.

[@Brykk]

First pedal i ever bought

[@GtrPknMama]

Love the SD1 stacked with KOT😎👍🏼🎶

[@BFahz]

Jake E Lee and Zach Wylde. I even saw the SD1 in EVH's Van Hagar live rig.

[@aalperuzun]

It's the only one overdrive pedal that i use since 2007. Add a fuzz before it and you have everything.

[@edmondlaw6146]

I’m sold. Just got mine a brand new SD-1 at HKD425 (GBP43.5) in Hong Kong. Yes, you see it right. At price 43.5 pound in freaking year 2023😆

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Welcome to the SD-1 club!

[@joescmoe4784]

Good stuff, Mikey. See you in the next one

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Thank you Joe!

[@petestone31]

I bought an SD-1 (used) a few years ago. (I thought it was a Rover car! He lied! 🤣), because I liked the shape, colour, and knew the name BOSS. I knew, and still do, know nothing about pedals. I’ve never played around with it but I will replay your video with your preferred settings and get to know the pedal better. See you soon, Buddy x

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Hahaha a Rover!.. Nice one, let me know how you get on with it.

[@MikeJBlues]

Just ordered one, looking forward to putting it on my board bumping my TS9 LOL

[@stevedixon8567]

you're kidding, it's everywhere... in Marshall forums it's always up there as the best thing to hit the front of a crunchy Marshall with

[@BoozyBeggar]

I've never owned a tubescreamer, either. I got a BOSS OD-3, yellow as well, and similar to the SD-1, but just a little different here and there.

[@billmangan603]

Love my SD-1

[@Estraiper]

Lo acabo de comprar nuevo por 47 dolares! incluido shipping y taxes. muy expectante para probarlo!

[@greggaravet4932]

I used a TS9 until the switch fried during a gig and cut out my petal board. Replaced it with a SD1 and am not going back. It not only sounds better but is built like a tank . I’ve never had a boss petal fail. Ever.

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Indeed, Boss pedals are made for life!

[@FRANCISCOCARLA22]

Es el pedal que tengo. Gracias por tus consejos

[@KaddysJamKave]

The SD1 is KING as far as I'm concerned when it comes to boosting a high gain amp. Tube screamer is a close 2nd for me.

[@Ray-Angel]

I agree with you about preferring the SD-1 over the Tube Screamer and I've owned them all. But the overdrive I really love is the Boss BD-1 Blues Driver.

[@I.am_Groot]

I want to try the BD-1 haven't seen any for sale in forever

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Yes, I must get round to getting one of those.

[@Ray-Angel]

@@MikeBradleyofficial The Blues Driver is a little "fuzzier" than most overdrive pedals.

[@BrenQ99]

The Waza BD-1 is beyond phenomenal.

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

@@BrenQ99 I’ve yet to try one, would be interesting to hear them side by side.

[@bobowrathsovine.]

I've watched as many streams comparing this pedal to all the tube screamers and clones. To me this Boss Super Overdrive just has better kick/sustain/presence when set low in conjunction with your amplifier's distortion maxed out. I once had an Ibanez Tone Lok Screamer and loved it at the time but traded it for partial rent payment and regretted it for years but not anymore.

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Can't say i've heard of the Tone Lok Tubescreamer, will have to check it out. But yes, the SD1 def has it's own"Thing"

[@jazzguitarwithandy]

Sounds great Mike. I think it's easy to overlook Boss with the crazy amount of pedals out there! Out of interest, does your Hamstead have a lot of clean headroom?

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Indeed. Yes, I mean it’s a 20 watt head but it’s a loud 20 watts.

[@mikehenry7509]

Been my go-to since 1990. I keep trying other things, but it’s still the only OD I’ll use.

[@dwightgarcia9197]

After having had several boutique drives, some of which were a TS, something about the SD1 under fingers and tonal range is more musical to me than a TS or it’s variants.

[@patfloyd]

Definitely guilty of getting a tube screamer as a result of SRV! I have a Way Huge Green Rhino version of it these days.

[@I.am_Groot]

For sure the TS is an SRV must I haven't played with the Rhino but hear it is pretty sweet. I play a lot through an old Carvin that has some nice headroom and find the OD-2 is more versatile if you are just looking for some drive

[@brianrollins7275]

Have you tried the east river drive from Electro-Harmonix? It’s the best tube screamer type pedal in my opinion. SRV tones all day with that one. 👍🏻

[@physiciansassist1]

Bought my 80s version for 25 bucks lol. So lucked out. Killer tone for sure

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Good man!

[@billtice5057]

I paid $82.00 for my SD-1 in 1985. I toured the US in 87-88. I pushed a Marshall JCM 800 100 watt stack with it. Today I’ve owned a SD-1 Waza Craft version for about the last 7 years and I still love this circuit after all these years. As for the TS/SD-1 saga. Both are great, but honestly I use them both very differently. But if I had to choose one, it would be the SD-1W without pause. The reason for this is the asymmetrical clipping that the SD1 has. It’s just more natural and amp sounding.

[@perro_8688]

The problem is it cuts bottom end drastically and boosts mids in a weird way. Otherwise it's pretty good booster and it's got lots of gain if needed.

[@gerardmaas9136]

i have mine for forty years its the juice on top of a tube amp

[@McCambira]

Hey guy! SD1 and TS9 are the two best overdrive pedals in the world for me.

[@cbr8206]

Joe Walsh just choked on his lunch. His tone secret is out!

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Haha love it

[@destroso]

I am waiting for an od-1 waza but own an sd-1

[@antoonhermans8953]

yep , first pedal i ever bought , many followed 🤣

[@ChrisMacdonald-z8x]

There is a simple mod online somewhere .. to clip one component and improve the tone knob response. Worth it. SD-1 with my Custom Valve Traynors or vintage SS Peavey Special 150 Sounds ,,,err Boss

[@stringlocker]

I think they're called capacitors anyway I removed four of them and it still rips LOL I removed the whole diode section. I was trying to turn it into a clean boost. I like it.

[@zaqintosh]

How’s the waza version ? Worth it?

[@MrTroy808]

It is a fantastic pedal. I love my Boss SD-1. I dont get all the hate it gets. Prince, David Gilmour and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin used the Boss SD-1.

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Absolutely! So many amazing players just use Boss pedals.

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

@@Erich823 he uses a DS-1 I believe.

[@korph]

I run a SD1 in my tiny pedalboard setup, pushing a friedman be od, sounds incredible!

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Nice!! 👌

[@jimmyjimmy951]

And my go to is the Boss BD2. All in the users preference..👍🇦🇺

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Yes I really need to get hold of one of those!

[@jimmyjimmy951]

@@MikeBradleyofficial You wont regret it Mike. Had one for years and it is a icapable little thing in competent hands..👍🇦🇺

[@rdanalytics9197]

I think it’s psychological. For some reason people think if something is affordable and common it must suck. We think everything has to be a rare, expensive secret for it to be good. The Shure SM57/58 also falls into this category.

[@Fenderlove76]

I put an BBE Sonic Stomp (both Knobs on 12) after the SD-1. With this together a little Amp sounds so much fuller. Very secret Trick 🤐

[@vintagetone22]

I just bought my 2nd boss sd1 first year 1981 now i have 2 of them.along with the boss ds1 silverscrew 79 and an od1 14 pin from 1978.and nothing comes close to them ever .

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Noice!!! That’s very cool man.

[@vintagetone22]

@@MikeBradleyofficial ive tried all the rest .but boss is the best.the od1 is a monster pedal.

[@gilly2bad]

Bought one yesterday at Cash Converter for £29.95p. Best 30 quid I've spent in years!😎

[@I.am_Groot]

Nice. Not long ago I would see them pop up on Craigslist for $20 sometimes. Great pedal and doesn't hurt the wallet lol

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Amazing to hear!

[@jasonlee8497]

Secret weapon in the 80s. Cuts the boomy bass in big stacks.

[@mr.pickitt5426]

Two weeks ago I gifted myself a Blackstar Mk II amp and - after some research - the Boss SD-1. I never had the intention before to get into pedals, but now I thought, if I get a tube amp, I perhaps should get a pedal, too. Mostly as a boost for solos. Boy, am I glad to have it! The sounds I can create with the pedal are so good, and in combination with the tone and volume knobs an the guitar and of course the amp, the possibilities are limitless. The amp is great, but without this pedal, I would be missing out on so much fun. I am really happy that I made that purchase and € 79,-is very reasonable.

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Great to hear! Enjoy tonal bliss!!

[@ToneNailer]

Leon Todd playing through an orange was my main reason.

[@Fenderlove76]

So true so true!!! ❤

[@ozzyfarrow9872]

Yes I have one got it 2 nd hand 7 years ago for £35 nearly new

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Good man!

[@jchabo82]

I've been using one since 2002. $35 at guitar center. It's never coming off my board.

[@ozzyfarrow9872]

Not getting any notifications that this was live

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Unfortunately this doesn’t surprise me! 😔

[@monkyman404]

Got one in the late 80's and MAN did it do what I wanted. I wanted those squealing Pinch Harmonics that I could not get with just Peavey Solid State distortion and it because part of my permanent signal chain for years (Play clean?, HOW DARE YOU!). KZbin wasnt around so I had to rely on Guitar Magazines to teach me and they were not helping me get those squeals Zakk Wylde was getting till I got the Yellow Boss Pedal!

[@PlainVanilla308]

someone stole my BD2. I only used it as a booster now considering OD3 or SD1.

[@cepafaux1257]

I've always been a fan of boss pedals and not only the pedals, the amps too...I owned an Ibanez TS9 in the 80s and at the time I had few pedals but only pedals which are very worth expensive today and I practically gave them away...what an idiot I am loool. Anyway, the Ts9, I loved it a lot and I would like to buy one again, but I think we are glorifying the past a lot and at the price it is at, I refuse to buy it again.

[@vaalcantara3289]

i am a boss sd1 fan, actually i have one sounds great👌

[@Mr.Steve-O]

TS pedals are overrated, personally, I have had a BD-2 and never looked elsewhere. Never fell into the SRV fan camp, hot texas pickups, and Hendrix recycled riffs, nah. With that said the SD-1 and OD-3 are truly great pedals. Love that you mentioned Prince's boss rig. He was a beast with modest-priced pedals !!

[@mountainpeakcloud8442]

Hey man, I'd love to get your opinion on this pedal. I have an Orange Rockerverb MKii, which is voiced to push the lower mids. It's a great sounding amp, but depending on the mix, it runs the chance of getting lost, so I've been looking for a pedal that can push the upper mids a bit while adding some saturation and aggression (I'm more of a metal player). My Boss BD-2 (Blues Driver) sounds crap with the amp, cause it's a very warm sounding pedal which doesn't really match were with an already very warm amp, and have been using my Boss GE-7 eq pedal to boss some upper mid frequencies in the loop, but it just sounds a bit honky or something when I do that, so I've been looking for something that can drive the front end of the amp. I'm kind of split between the Maxon OD808 (basically a TS9), and this Boss SD-1. I know that the 808 pushes the mids and adds saturations, but from some clips, it sounds like the SD-1 pushes the high mids slightly more, and is a bit more open sounding and less compressed... is that true, or am I just hearing things? Do you think one would brighten a dark sounding amp more than the other? Cheers.

[@LiamBrightman]

Literally just ordered one from seeing RHCP on friday. If John Frusciante has it so must I 😂

[@riangarianga]

The funny thing is the Ibanez TubeScreamer actually is a knockoff of the Boss OD-1, to which they added a tone control, removed one of the clipping diodes (at the time, Boss had a patent on asymmetric clipping), and slightly tweaked cap/resistor values. So in order to keep up with the competition Boss had to come up with the SD-1, basically being an evolution of the OD-1 with an added tone control. Then we forget history due to gear hype and we get it all backwards. 😂

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Ooh I didn’t know that!! It’s funny so many company’s copy each other. Fender copied the fender bassman, but couldn’t get the same tubes, so got EL34’s and the plexi was born. But it’s basically a fender bassman!

[@kevlarkarma]

I own one, It's great at what it does, a very smooth drive, it's just not to my taste or style, I've tried to like it, I put it back on my board from time to time just to check. I prefer a crunchy blues sound, the sd1 is the opposite of that.

[@gregholmes1289]

I had one for years, before it quit on me, but never found a good use for it. Maybe because I play mainly blues, and the TS9 works great for that. Also, I mostly play through solid state amps, and I thought it sounded harsh through those. It probably sounds better through tube/valve amps.

[@squirelova1815]

BOSS has always been "Boutique" to me from their earliest days. Even their original CE-1 chorus ensemble pedal is absolutely Great just for its Pre-Amp and is being cloned and reproduced by other companies to this day.

[@moriyokiri3229]

This is the standard overdrive pedal I see everywhere for the last 20+ years. This video is like saying "Why isn't the Fender P bass more popular?" or "Why isn't the Ampeg SVT-3Pro more popular?"

[@Harzurner]

I see do them on peoples pedalboards.