You're Using Your Boss DS-1 All Wrong! [No Really, You Are]

It’s over 40 years old and it’s still amazing. But are you using it all wrong?
Life too short for long KZbin videos? Please see the ‘Interesting bits and go-to sections’ information below.
Welcome to the show! I have to say I wasn’t looking forward to this one - Mick here, hello. But dear Daniel, resilient, courageous and overflowing with enthusiasm, managed to convince me it was worth it.
For the venerable Boss DS-1 is over 40 years young and it has been purchased more than any other guitar effects pedal, like, ever, at least according to the information we have. How can so many people be wrong?
Thusly, armed with only a real vintage one, a new one, a couple of classic amps and a RAT for good measure, we charge onto the field of battle and cry, "They can take my dignity, but they’ll never take my distortion!" (And it better be a DS-1, Wallace.)
Confused by the noise/hiss at 11:02 ?
Whats the deal with the noise up and down? When we’re talking, you’re hearing the voice mics above our heads which are gained WAAAY higher than the amp mics, so you hear the hiss from the amps unrealistically loud. When we’re playing, you’re hearing the mics on the amps and some separate room mics that are gained way, way, way lower. It's really obvious when we fade the voice mics up and down, and that's what we're hearing. We never use any sort of noise cancelling software on the amp mics. Cheers!
Enjoy the video!
Pedals & stuff in this episode…
• TheGigRig Three2One
www.thegigrig....
• Sonic Research ST-200 Turbo Tuner
Australia: bit.ly/2mR1s8c
• 1980 Boss DS-1 Distortion
No longer available new
• Boss DS-1 Distortion
UK & Europe: bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
Australia: bit.ly/3IRLqWx
• ProCo The Rat
No longer available new, links to Rat 2
UK & Europe: bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
Australia: bit.ly/3vAcHpD
• Diamond Memory Lane Jr
www.diamondped...
• Catalinbread Topanga Spring Reverb
UK & Europe: bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
Australia: bit.ly/2qVOTyJ
• TheGigRig G3
www.thegigrig....
* Why do we have preferred retailer links? Find out here: www.thatpedalsh...
Interesting bits and go-to sections…
0:00 RAWK!
2:00 How many?
3:00 Amps for today
3:45 Let’s go back to 1978
7:45 Difference between distortion & fuzz
9:26 Let's have a listen
13:50 DS-1 pick attack
14:45 DS-1, clean Deluxe Reverb
19:10 That Deluxe needs to be turned up
20:20 Why have we ignored the DS-1 for so long?
21:10 The difference between the DS-1 and modern distortion units
24:40 Both amps, New Vs Old DS-1
30:55 How close are they?
32:40 Modder's delight
33:50 All hail the ’61 Les Paul Junior
35:30 Don’t forget the pedal volume changes the tone
36:45 DS-1 Vs RAT quiet, Deluxe
38:30 DS-1 Vs RAT into LOUD Marshall
41:10 DS-1 into LOUD Deluxe
43:10 Boosting the RAT with the DS-1
46:20 Jazzmaster
48:20 Jason Isbell Telecaster
49:20 Huber Krauster II
50:40 Epiphone Casino
52:35 Red
55:34 Final thoughts
Guitars in this episode:
• Fender American Vintage ’62 Stratocaster - Mick’s video here bit.ly/2qVOTyJ
• 1965 Fender Telecaster - no video yet
• Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard - Dan’s video here: • That Pedal Show - Our ...
• Ibanez JEM Jr - no video yet
• 1961 Gibson Les Paul Junior - Dan's video here: • That Pedal Show - Our ...
• Fender Classic Series Jazzmaster Lacquer - no video yet
• Epiphone Casino - Mick's video here: • Epiphone Casino Pickup...
• Nik Huber Krautster II - Dan's video here: • That Pedal Show - Our ...
• Fender Custom Shop ’63 Telecaster - Dan's video here: • That Pedal Show - Our ...
Fender Custom Shop ’52 Telecaster (2001) - Dan’s video here: • That Pedal Show - Dan'...
Gibson Custom True Historic ’57 Les Paul Murphy Aged - no video yet
Gibson Memphis 1958 ES-335 (2017) - Mick’s video here: • Gibson Memphis 1958 ES...
Amps in this episode
• Marshall 1987x & 1960Ax cab with Celestion G12M Greenback speakers
UK & Europe: bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
• Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb with standard speaker
UK & Europe: bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
We hope you enjoy this episode. Please subscribe to our channel.
You can buy TPS merch to support our efforts www.thatpedals...
We are on Patreon - crowdfunding for creatives
/ thatpedalshow
Please visit our preferred retailers!
UK & Europe: Andertons Music bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
Australia: Pedal Empire bit.ly/2mWmJQf

[@FuzzWoof]

Gigged and did hundreds of sessions with a DS-1 for years, as did pretty much everyone else back then. Sounded great. Never heard anyone criticising it until internet guitar forums happened and it became the 'accepted wisdom' that it sucked.

[@ThatPedalShow]

AWESOME! Some positivity here. Thank you!

[@davidfaustino4476]

Cool. I bought one and hated it long before thegearpage existed. Maybe the criticism is due to good sounding pedals existing now?

[@PaavoLammikko]

Your friends were just being nice and didn't want to hurt your feelings... ;-)

[@Riffmaster227]

Exactly it was good enough for Kurt Cobain but Megashred54 who still lives in moms basement and has never gigged in his life, can’t make it work!

[@elduderino4579]

@@Riffmaster227 hahaha! Well said 👏😉

[@AndyDemos]

When PGS asked me to demo the DS-1 years back I honestly didn’t want to! I soon discovered similar things: Deluxe at edge of breakup and tone at 10..sweet!! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Supernautiloid]

Andy

[@Thurston86]

🤘💀

[@petmoxey2177]

Afternoon. I own this pedal. Used in conjunction with Fender Tele and a Fender 68 princeton Reissue 12 watt. Similar settings as the deluxe for best tone?

[@albertplaysguitar]

Any thoughts on the custom 78 by mxr? That crunch setting sounds great, a la keeley mod... digitrch hothead gets pretty close with it's independent bass and treble settings.

[@Supernautiloid]

@@albertplaysguitar Is the MXR custom 78 based on the ds-1?

[@chrisfrank9288]

I love the concept of revisiting older, influential gear and looking at in the context of what else was going on musically and culturally upon release. This was quite illuminating. I hope you do more of these kinds of videos in the future!

[@chr15tree]

Yesterday would have been a good time to buy up all the old DS1s on Reverb.

[@c.p.1589]

It's never a good time to buy a DS1.

[@weschilton]

@@c.p.1589 LOL

[@voided76]

All you have to do is look in a few old soda boxes, shake your accoustic guitar upside down, look in your friends attic. You'll probably find 4 of them. I got mine from some guy getting out of the navy for 25 bucks. God it's so good too.

[@alexreilly5003]

no one buys a DS1, everyone just naturally owns one

[@violinmiata]

Fun stupidity: I gutted my ds1 and recasted it with an extra foot switch for a synth mod. Then made a ds1 in the old ds1 case. lpb input buffer and sho for the output buffer. It rips!

[@mo6020_]

Once upon a time I was in a relatively successful pop-punk band and the three pedals I had on the deck in front of me were a DS1, a Metal Zone, and a Boss Flanger. That sounds like it should be a joke but I promise it's not. I used the DS1 as a boost for lead, stacked it into the metal zone when I wanted to get really wild, and the flanger because flangers are fucking awesome.

[@JacksterDude12]

Sounds fun bro

[@AlexSoutheyMusic]

Love this

[@corporaterobotslave400]

My set up now consists of Boss Delay, Boss Flanger, DS-1, Metalzone, Big Muff Pi Bass, Rat, and a funky weird Fuzz Moo. Mostly old school. The DS-1 & Metalzone together can create epic metal sounds. I run all this thru chorus and reverb fx on my rig. All these new fangled pedals are just trying to copy these originals, anyway.

[@pedroleal7118]

Hi Ed, I know it's an old video, gigged for years with an MT-2 and a 'Super Chorus', both from Boss. No one complained about the sound. I used it, opening for Marilyn Manson, in front of 20K persons, in one of the most prestigious venues in Lisbon (Coliseu). For people buying boutique pedals (that cost the price of a car), they just can't accept that a second hand, 40€ pedal, can do the thing, when properly used, and sound great! Boss made it affordable, for every guitarist, to have some sort of effect (sturdy and practical). I used to switch several at once, to alternate sounds, so, I do enjoy the format. Still use them today. Part of my rig is just > Volume (passive,Boss FV 50h), MT-2 and Chorus (CH-1 or CS-5), all Boss. At home, been using Chorus pedals as 'splitter'. Recently, have added an DD-3, and an SP compressor. All I need to gig, easy to transport, reliable. Budget 150 bucks. Sometimes I play in the street too, electric guitar.Same rig. ps I do pass any kind of guitar thru, and adapt (tweek a bit) it to the type of guitar. And Yes, I do have all sorts of Distortions/Overdrives, for different flavours. With a little attention and time, with the Metal Zone, I can, almost, replicate the charazcteristics of any Distortion. The DS-1 beeing the most coomon Distortion of that era, not everyone understanded how to use it, ence the ' bunch of bees' reputation. Just oofered one to a begginer guitarist (one of the original japanese ones, blue label I believe...). Take care and sorry for my English...

[@pedroleal7118]

*150 bucks . Not really, more like 300, but you get the point.

[@andyhightides]

I really wanted to see you plug into a Peavey Bandit at bedroom levels with the gain dimed on the DS1.

[@KriegdenSeekrabben]

Have a DS2 on my board and a Bandit in the rehearsal space. Spent 10 minutes last rehearsal wondering why it sounded like farting through a blanket, until I realised the power soak on the bandit was all the way up

[@martint3431]

🤣

[@fairweatherfriends.]

@@KriegdenSeekrabben do you mean the trans tube knob? Are you saying it sounded better with it turned way down? Having trouble getting my red stripe to sound good.

[@KriegdenSeekrabben]

@@fairweatherfriends. That knob, yes. And no, ir sounded absolutely dreadful with the knob down, it's best to keep it up all the way

[@Healcraft]

Are you attacking me?

[@paulitik7]

Khruangbin’s guitar player’s tone is a Strat into DS-1in to a Deluxe Reverb. It’s amazing and blew my mind when I saw his rig rundown

[@jancreighton]

touché - just what I was thinking. Mark Speer I think you call him - wow does he have tone

[@paulitik7]

@@jancreighton yeah, I believe he plays with the distortion and the tone all the way down, but it adds that perfect tiny bit of sparkle and grit. I think he uses a humbucker like a hot rail in the bridge.

[@MrAwesomeSaucesome]

That guy is a wonderful player, yea some kind of Hotrail pickup. Plays through a DR but uses a holy grail for verb (and a healthy dose of El Capistan as well I think)

[@Dnell-tb1yd]

@@paulitik7 all three pickups in his strat are Dimarzio.

[@krisdelacourt3977]

with a permanently cocked wah in the mix.

[@christurner2398]

I've been trying to learn some jazz triad stuff this week. When Mick had the Jem going my wife walked behind me and casually murmered "that ain't jazz" as she passed 😂

[@ThatPedalShow]

😂🤣

[@asims1066]

One can never get rid of their DS-1. They’re like the tribbles in Star Trek. You put the one you have away in a cabinet or wherever you store your disused pedals, and when you come back for a rummage you find there’s like 20 DS-1s where you left the one. Seriously though, the DS-1 is a great pedal when headroom isn’t a concern. There’s a reason it sold 1.5 million units

[@gunkanjima3408]

I’ve gotten rid of two DS-1’s. One modern and one black label MIJ. Never jived with it - maybe because the mid cut is so prominent. I do, however, own a DS-2

[@asims1066]

@@gunkanjima3408 to be fair, they’re not really my thing either, but it’s not because they’re a bad or bad sounding pedal. This video perfectly demonstrates why I don’t really use the DS-1. I use clean amps like the Deluxe with loads of headroom to get the most out of the pedals I do use, so I’m not in that “sweet spot” the DS-1 loves

[@kassandjohnbolles3522]

My oldest son had my 1978 DS-1 (unbeknownst to me) and recently returned it. It was not a vintage purchase; I got it in 1978!

[@paulcowart3174]

I know right....well Steve Vai and Joe Satch know what's what I always keep falling back on my older pedals Tried and true Nothing new has stayed on my board except for an Xotic Super Clean boost

[@HenritheHorse]

@@kassandjohnbolles3522 Great kid!

[@MadMetalMan]

I have had a long romance with this pedal. An Ibanez RG220, a Boss DS1, and the cheapest 4x12 and head (I believe it was a barely working, beat to hell Peavey) I could find was my first stage rig. Over the years, things changed but the DS1 always stayed. I've used it as a boost for solos, basic rhythm tracks and as a bass distortion. It truly is a damn awesome pedal. Great video, guys! As a side note: Type O Negative's frontman/bassist, Peter Steele, got his bass tone from a Boss DD3 (digital delay) into a CH1 (chorus) into a DS1 and then an EQ before the amp.

[@krzychood]

DS-1 was my first ever guitar pedal, it taught me what a pedal can do and how to mix it with your amp. I absolutely love it and still have it. I don't know why people hate on it so much, I think it's just the price of its success.

[@Jagermaster13]

I was really hoping this video would change my mind by showing me some trick I didn't know about. I guess it's just a matter of taste. For me that hard clipping sound is nails on a chalkboard. It's good for its time but we've come a long way in making solid state gain sound pleasant to the ear. I think the reason they've sold so many is it's been traditionally their cheapest pedal

[@Jagermaster13]

@rob witt No, like I said it's a matter of taste and subjectivity. I don't like the sound of how the pedal clips and short of using it as a clean boost or post eq'ing the hell out of it, that character to the distortion that I don't like is always going to be there. Yes, it's in this video. If you think the tones they're getting sound good, good for you. I've experimented with gain stacking DS-1's with various tube amps for hours and the info presented in this video isn't new by any stretch. Check any guitar forum's archives if you don't believe me

[@shaunk413]

I think Dan was on speed with the humbuckers today - tapping - fast legato - shred arpeggios... all of it. 🤪

[@paddyfloyd]

Must be the top-wrapped strings...

[@robinmiller7958]

Yep, when Dan is on a humbucker guitar his 80’s rock instincts kick in. I personally prefer the jazzbo Dan who really should pursue that more often or at least release some instrumental song form videos like Tim P or other KZbin guitar slingers.

[@hoagyguitarmichael]

Fascinating. I was gobsmacked by how nicely it cleaned up when you backed off the guitar volume or played with a lighter touch. Didn't expect it to be so dynamic.

[@BladeDoomer86]

I absolutely love my DS1.. it took me a while to really understand how to properly use it, and videos like yours.. Now i can't go without it, especially for more subtle distortion, it sounds amazing..

[@rafaelalonso5654]

Boss pedals sounds so good. I would love to see a Blues Driver show. There's a lot of things you can do with it, a lot of pedals on the same idea. Please a show about BD-2.

[@bryanherward4679]

The BD2 is so versatile it has appeared an a ton of other TPS shows in Waza, Keeley and stock form. Not sure there's much you can't do with a bd2 and sd1

[@heggy_69]

The bd2 sounds great from what I heard (and from a friend's one I played)

[@bryanherward4679]

@@heggy_69 I 7sed to hate them..now it's the core of my tone...it's a better live pedal...it can be harsh, but it works better in a live mix because of it...for bedroom playing an OD3 has a similar feel, a bit more compression in the sound, but a great natural cranked amp sound

[@timeconsumer325]

Man i absolutely love the BD2. I've got a wampler ecstacy, and not that it's exactly the same or anything, but the BD2 scratches a very similar itch to me.

[@bryanherward4679]

@@timeconsumer325 just got an ecstasy and to me its the same...not the same circuit, but a flattish amp like pedal...I could use either on my board with the same results...that said my main OD is a visual sound VSXO...the left side is an open road/ reverend drive train...both modded Nobels ODR circuits...another great natural amp like OD

[@kjphoto]

Mick played as many Teles in this show as Dan did. We're definitely in end times.

[@t3hgir]

lol!

[@less_concerned1221]

I have one from 1984, and a more recent one. They sound very different.

[@risteardohaodha23]

🤣

[@less_concerned1221]

Really great episode guys. It’s easy to tell when you guys are really having a great time!

[@mrredritehand]

Play em if ya got um

[@cheenu711]

I was struggling with this pedal initially but then I always felt there has to be something missing here. All my guitar heroes have used this thing for some of the best tones I've ever heard. I got myself a new amp which and I started using my amps a bit distorted and all of my pedals started to make sense. My big muff started singing and the DS1 took me to the 80s and back. Completely changed how I looked at my gain pedals.

[@johnretana2072]

so it was the amp?

[@realtruenorth]

​@@johnretana2072he's trying to say., it's a balancing act between the guitar, pedal, and amp. Sweet spot is a key word here.

[@picksalot1]

Fascinating about the pedal design as being part of an ecosystem to pair with an appropriate Amp's tone characteristics. That provides a lot of insight into how to run the DS-1 to get the desired results. Thanks

[@Anjohl]

I just got one again after 25 years of not owning one, and it's got a *ton* of versatility, even just as a tone pedal! I got a sweet tone into my Traynor with the tone on 10 o'clock, level on 12, and distortion barely on!

[@oldmanzen6682]

Dan: Give the bottom end some love. Mic: I may have to twiddle with the knob. I feel those quotes should be on the back of some of your shirts.

[@peterstroughairart]

Lads! I bought a 2021 custom shop 51 tele heavy relic this week!!! I can't believe how stunning it is. Thanks for the inspiration and the entertainment!

[@smelltheglove2038]

Dang, you could’ve bought a clean one, let me borrow it for twenty years and then I would’ve gave it back to you with the most honest wear you could get.

[@burnsyblues]

Im all for the relics! Congrats dude i bet it gorgeous!

[@smelltheglove2038]

@@burnsyblues me too, I just like being a smart ass, and have a soft spot for telecasters.

[@paulcowart3174]

Congrats....I just picked up one of those lmtd ed's CS Troposphere hard tail Strats Absolutely love it It's a 56 replica aged really nice Great stuff they are doing and man they are gonna sound so good in 20 or 30 year's from now Building great guitars out there now

[@danmist]

You've talked about gain stacking with overdrives before but this is the first time you've done it with distortions and it sounded awesome. That last 20 minutes is what I watch this show for. (Dan- if you've not tried the DS1 into your Hampstead yet then you're in for a treat, especially at lower gain.)

[@chipsterb4946]

IKR? The DS-1 into the Rat was rock ‘n roll! Got me thinking maybe the DS-1 should be before at least 1 or 2 overdrives. (Currently distortions are post ODs)

[@albertplaysguitar]

I prefer stacking distortion pedals at lower gains. Something about the clarity!

[@stevenbeecheymusic]

Gain-staging with Compressors is where its at if you can keep the noise floor down.

[@periloustemple8290]

Dan's face lit up that special way Mick - when you did that killer bit on the Jazzmaster. That was pretty damn fantastic. This was yet another "ear opening" mind blowing episode. You have done it again.

[@MattVogt2]

That was Mick actually discovering shoegaze :) It's not about reverb into distortion, it's about complete fascination with the sound your equipment is making...

[@jimjamarch]

My favourite part of your videos, exemplified beautifully in this one, is where you enter the quiet part after playing and become mutually meditative, like you’ve just taken communion. :-) great watch guys. Thank you.

[@CelebrateRecovery-xy8eh]

You just taught me that I don't need pedals. I need solid amps. Awesome video. And I do love my DS-1 - the first pedal I ever bought.

[@Momentum88]

I’ve been telling people the ds-1 has an edge and a bite to it that I love. To watch this video and hear it reiterated is awesome! Great tones. Great show. And amazing dynamics gents. Thanks so much!

[@atozee7189]

In the 80s we used master volume JCM800 heads. The DS-1 was an essential pedal back then to drive the jcm hard and get high gain out of it and it sounded mean.

[@wannabweiland]

The next t-shirt or sticker available from the TPS store should have Dan’s silhouette from the D&M drive with the line, “Love in the Bottom End.”

[@Pstaines439]

My first pedal ever. Bought new in 1985. Played it through the solid state stereo my dad gave me, and an DIY MDF cab and 12” Jansen speaker. Life changing.

[@barthrvatin8297]

Mick's delivery of hand signals to identify the amp volume always cracks me up. So official and serious! Great tones in here gentlemen!

[@bobberino98]

Just watched this on my lunch break, went home, dialed in a little crunch on my amp, and kicked in my neglected DS-1, and WOW. This a sound I've been looking for lately for my cover band. Perfect for those 70s hard rock tunes.

[@ThatPedalShow]

Yaya!

[@deesee2008]

I usually stack overdrives , an OD-3 with either an SD1 or Blues Driver. But to add a DS1 every now and then ,just makes me appreciate how Boss have made it possible for everyone to rock.The other pedals I love are the EVH 5150 , a RAT Deucetone and the EHX Glove. Not really expensive but plenty for me. Thanks for another informative show.

[@arphod]

Dan: "Oh, man, they were tight as fff......as a very, very tight thing." Me: "I think I need to lie down for a bit."

[@markkoher3468]

Mick, Dan.... you would have the same revelation and grins if you put the early 80's SD-1 in the very same context... a semi-cranked/cranked amp and it is really hard to beat !! Thank you for giving the DS-1 the recognition and love it deserves !! :-)

[@rickya3877]

A little noise and hiss is not a bad thing... it's just the equipment letting you know it's ready to rock

[@t3hgir]

live mix with acoustic drums, bass... yeah hiss & 60hz hum didn't seem to bother everyone at Woodstock 69

[@johnrasicci]

It lets the singers know too.. and a passing plane. Or local radio.. Someones tv. Techs will know...

[@bigassdummy46]

People sometimes forget they are playing an electric instrument

[@fisheyedblues6489]

This could be my favorite TPS to date...we all have a DS-1, so cool to see it broken down like this..great show Mick and Dan

[@onbedoeldekut1515]

That list of 1978's artists showed what came PRIOR to the DS-1. A second list, showing the musical explosion AFTER its introduction would add necessary context. Whether or not 1979's artists using pedal distortion used a DS-1, that year brought a great many albums of note with ever more dirt.

[@achodesign]

What I heard in this show was an enormous library of shoegazing distortion sounds! The pedal is killer, definitely will find myself one! Awesome show, guys! Cheers

[@bradylambert6820]

1978... my dad purchased a Harman Kardon HK-430 receiver... all these years later it sounds just as good as it ever did. Not tube based, but a great solid state amp. Some old designs just got it right.

[@iancurrie8844]

I remember visiting Steve's Music in Ottawa in the early 1990s to buy that orange pedal that Kobain used on Teen Spirit. Good times.

[@ripster8766]

It’s a fantastic piece of equipment and we’re all lucky to have one. It’s like a blank canvas, once you find the inspiration and a bit of technique it becomes invaluable.

[@skypekai]

It's crap

[@edryba4867]

It’s. what you like or it isn’t. I bought a new one a few weeks ago from Sweetwater, and it sounds EXACTLY like the one I bought when they first came out. The DS-1 is one of the few things on Planet Earth you can depend on to be what you expect it to be.

[@timhopkins3810]

I saw it hit 109 decibels at least twice in that which is pretty much equivalent to a chainsaw from 1m away… that must have been fun! 😂

[@jimmymarchisotto8152]

Back in the earlier 80's the D.S.-1 through the Sovtec Mig-50 into a 4-12 cab was a huge HUGE sound!! It was dubbed the Mamaloosha tone! You got all your dynamics by using your guitars volume and pickup selector. So easy!!! Great job covering this wonderfully under rated pedal!!! I promise to buy some of your shirts and other gear soon, now that I know you rely on it for these very informative videos! I've learned SO MUCH from you two guys I couldn't thank you enough!!!

[@jimmymarchisotto8152]

I've actually been really getting into the AMP gain from muh Orange Rocker-32! It's a great little amp!

[@hotrodjones74]

Sovtek! Made of Russian Army stuff. 💪🇷🇺🎸

[@MeatSteeple]

Odd that I bought my first DS-1 a few days ago, and then I see this video in my feed. Brilliant, guys! Thanks for this.

[@JB_Eckl]

My first band was in a saloon in central Mexico. Our median age was 17. My rig was a Gibson L6-S through a DS-1 into a Music Man amp. It was the wrong tone for the Woodstock-era classic rock we played (except for ‘Born to be Wild’), but I made it work! It may have made my right hand sound better for life, trying to minimize the bite of that pedal.

[@Theaquaponic12345678]

Every time I see a DS-1 at a Pawn shop, most of the time with the box, I offer them $20-25 bucks.... I have 6 now. I give them to my students as their first pedal. But most importantly is to know how to use them. DS-1 and most any amp, you just can't deny it. Yet people fight them, and BOSS in general, until they mature I think. Young, you buy because the look cool and are cheap, but you sell them cause in the long run you don't know how to use them. I am so glad you fellers covered this subject. Oh yeah, DS-1 Volume cranked, Tone Cracked and Distortion cracked driving virtually any other drive is awesome. Right now my Direct Pedal Board has a DS-1 Drive in front of a MT-2... Keep the gain down and volume high, omg.... love it. I could go on all day... I

[@matthisheluc4648]

If I may, about this first tangent, the first album of The Police "outlandos d'amour" came out in 1978, and what a brilliant record !

[@jackgreenwood1817]

Great album

[@Ellington_Industrial_Arts]

I love how much fun you guys had rediscovering this ubiquitous distortion pedal! 😊

[@keithfreedman9040]

Truly magic tones in a pedal that so many people would overlook for something more boutique. Personally I’m excited for another orange colored dual overdrive that I’ve finally saved up enough cash for!!

[@merlijn1998]

6:46 Yes! A Saab 900 mention! Never thought I would hear that on TPS

[@RollingPunches2012]

I bought a DS-1 based on its sound through a solid state amp in the store. Got home, put it into my Deluxe Reverb and got the same results you guys did-SUPER underwhelming. I suspected it had to do with SS vs. Tube, but I couldn’t find anything remotely close to confirming that till I came upon this episode comparing it between the two for an hour. EXACTLY what I needed. I can now confidently return my DS-1 knowing that I don’t have the best amp for it at the moment. (Unfortunately, I can’t turn up to 6-7 w/o royally pissing off the neighbors in my flat.) THANKS GUYS!

[@tomashguitar638]

Try Maxon SD-9 Sonic Distortion with tone off… it’s everything a DS-1 wishes it was

[@jimmymarchisotto8152]

You both are awesome players! In case no one else has mentioned, you BOTH play extremeley well your both VERY different players so you compliment each other perfectly. This show is THE most entertaining pedalshow on EARTH 🌎

[@ThatPedalShow]

Thanks Jimmy 🙏

[@guitarsimon1]

I think it speaks a bit to human nature that Boss’s most polarising widely panned pedals are also their best-selling. We don’t want good tone, not really, deep down there’s a primordial urge in all of us for the nasty, the proverbial car crash that we can’t turn away from, the sonic punishment we’re all secretly striving for, unbeknownst even to ourselves. Anyway there’s a fart pedal coming out soon.

[@nickk8650]

Fart pedal? What a broad topic. That’s like saying there’s a distortion pedal coming out. What kind of fart? Wet? Dry? Open anus? Clenched? Maybe a shart? I’m a bit of a fart snob- I won’t go anywhere near any wet fart pedals, but that’s just me

[@bip321boom]

@@nickk8650 every fart pedal needs a wet/dry knob

[@chipsterb4946]

@@bip321boom it has a wet/dry switch with 3 positions. Emily Hopkins has a demonstration! 😎

[@nickk8650]

@@bip321boom Brilliant hahaha

[@theresejardinier3913]

Is it true bypass?

[@phmassi]

From my personal experience, the DS1 is very picky about where you plug It in. It does not sound good in cheap transistor amps. I used my Ds-1 to test amps. If the Ds1 sounds okay, any other pedal would sound great. But the Ds1 can sound great in some amps. I got some great tones playing in a Hot Rod Deluxe, and it goes from a mid-gain distortion to a fuzz-like pedal. So it becomes a versatile pedal that can be both distortion or a fuzz for those who don't want to spend on a fuzz. You can play "Sorrow" with one of these. Thanks for another great video.

[@shakyblues2099]

Great video. Really insightful. I love the DS-1. It's been part of my rig for years. I have one I bought in the late nineties. It sounds great into most clean amps I've had. The break up and decay are a classic sound for a lot less money than many other pedals on the market that don't really get there. I can get from AC/DC to BB King with it and everything in between. Wonderful piece of kit.

[@joelewis7072]

Exactly the tone I hope to never have in this lifetime... But fun watching you both make a fantastic go of it.... however I truly love the show and you both cheers 😎👍👍

[@martintaylor1701]

Yay, a pedal I own...not that I don't love the more uh, aspirational hardware, but a little inspiration and encouraging noises never hurts.

[@nickharrington12]

The Jem Jr. returns!! I love that Mick "can't play it" yet sounds glorious every time with it. What a fantastic sounding episode. I do have to say WTF though. Here I am looking for an old DS1 to buy and mod, and now Dan goes and announces to the world how good they are for modding. I guess it will cost more to find now, haha. Part 2 of this episode should be the Keeley, Analogman, and JHS modded versions compared with the originals. Cheers guys, I hope the first experience day went well today.

[@mattelder9147]

Killer show. That last bit with you guys just hammering through with different guitars and exploring for your and our enjoyment/edification was pretty cool.

[@rjc7289]

This was my first effect pedal ever -- bought new in the early / mid 80's. Sounded kind of ratty through my Kustom combo amp. I've since had the Keeley mod done to it, and the sound improved dramatically.

[@NewFalconerRecords]

Two years ago I recorded a song with my band that required a 60s Kinks style riffy fuzz tone. I had no fuzz pedal at that time (aside from a broken Shin-ei Fuzz Wah) so the best I could do was use my old (late-80s) DS-1 with the tone rolled off on a Les Paul-style guitar for the rhythm and a second track where I went straight fuzz tone for lead sounds (quite Yardbirds-y as it turned out). The result was more than satisfactory. Spectacular actually. However, since the global you-know-what, I've become obsessed with fuzz and, no thanks to you two or the JHS show etc, I've spent god knows how much money on god knows how many fuzz pedals (not complaining, mind). I recently bought a CD copy of XTC's psychedelic offshoot band The Dukes of Stratosphear (where they reinvented themselves as a psychedelic band complete with mellotrons etc, trying to exactly recreate 1960s sounds). I'd always wondered what vintage fuzz the guitarist used on their recordings, but reading the liner notes it was.. guess what? Yep, a friggin' Boss DS-1. And yes, of course Dan, it's your old mate Dave Gregory. Hilarious!

[@redkingeye]

I read some where that the Dukes had 2 rules for recording: 1. No equipment that was older than 1968. 2 two takes maximum. Not saying you're wrong, I eat up any new details regarding the Dukes!

[@NewFalconerRecords]

@@redkingeye Yes, you're right, those were the original rules, but they had to relax them once they realised that they simply didn't own enough vintage gear. Even the Mellotron M400 that they used was not introduced until 1970. More shocking to me was the fact that they used a Roland synth for the organ sounds. (By the way, guitarist Dave Gregory -- aka Lord Cornelius Plum - used a Boss Compression Sustainer as well as the DS-1). In the liner notes they admit that they may have broken the two-take rule once or twice as well, but the band were given a five thousand pound budget to do the mini-LP and managed to give the record company a Grand back in change. The entire recording was done in less than three full days, and the band did the whole thing wearing full psychedelic garb. Bloody fantastic record. Still sounds amazing. Every single track is killer. It actually outsold the current "legitimate" XTC album at the time by quite a stretch.

[@redkingeye]

@@NewFalconerRecords produced by the great John Leckie too. I read the Stone Roses wanted John to produce their debut album based on his work with the Dukes. I love XTC but the Dukes records are just so incredible. Thanks for taking time to share your knowledge my friend.

[@NewFalconerRecords]

@@redkingeye Have you seen Warren Huart's interviews with John Leckie on the Produce Like a Pro channel? Fantastic. It was the reason I sought out the CD copy of the Dukes' debut record. My vinyl copy from back in the day is completely worn out.

[@redkingeye]

@@NewFalconerRecords yeah its amazing mate, there's also a video knocking around of them going back to the studio where they recorded which is really great.

[@joybuzzer]

I've got a a DS-1 with the Analogman mod w/ the Midrange knob added and I think it's just superb with my Deluxe Reverb.

[@paulcowart3174]

Yeah I have a TS that he modded in the early 90's and it's still going strong and actually it's the pedal I always keep coming back to All the Klon clones and so many have come and gone and the TS is still my go to Amazing The only new pedal right now on my modest pedal board is an Xotic Super Clean boost Old AD9 and TS and EPH3 That's it

[@LPMojoGL]

I have the same pedal. It's great with my Fender DR & Dual Showman, Mesa .50+ and 82 Marshall 2204. Level maxed, gain at 3 oclock, tone to taste. It's the only distortion pedal I need.

[@javiermp81]

This was truly a revelation!!! I always wondered why my sound was great when I used my UA OX at night to practice, but not so great during the day when I played through a speaker but at low volume. It’s because with the OX, I am turning the amp wide open and the EQ curve changes when the amp is really working! It’s not just which amp you just, but how you set the amp up! Thank you D&M!

[@rachelandryan]

Enjoyable show, as always. One thing I wanted to mention, Joe Satriani famously used a DS1 for a number of years on his Silver Jubilee Marshall on a clean setting, which is how he got his lead and rhythm tones, along with two boss dds and a rack reverb unit. His lead tone on The Extremist is one of the greatest lead tones of all time.

[@AlanDavid]

i used a homemade pedal board of three boss pedals and an ernie ball volume pedal, it worked on the road for years.Into a 62 Vibrolux it was a very notable tone.

[@TVoltG]

I've always looked at my DS-1's as more of a fuzz style pedal than a distortion. To me they were more in common with a fuzz. I have two of them. Both sound very similar. One was my father's and he bought it new in 81. My second is one I got on a trade about 14 years ago.

[@jvin248]

Make sure you stack the two pedals, keeping both below 50% on the gain and tweak from there. I use one with nearly zero gain and the other about 25% and they are great together.

[@TVoltG]

@@jvin248 oh yeah, I've stacked them before. Can get some great lead tones. Love combining my old Peavey Delta Stomp's "Octaver" setting with it as well. Monstrous sounding.

[@kalebaldwin5398]

With a dying battery (or the sag feature on the Pedal Power), it really sounds like a nasty fuzz. And I mean nasty in a good way.

[@billkeithchannel]

Back in the mid/late 80's my buddy and I had one of these. Because we would practice late into the night and early AM at his parent's house we would plug the guitars into the aux-in on my Sharp QT-77W dual deck cassette portable and use headphones after 8pm. Each of us would be on a separate channel. It made it nice to record our sessions. We could then use the balance control on playback to isolate each of us. We also had the blue Chorus pedal. I don't remember what other pedals we had but one was gray and not a Boss.

[@billkeithchannel]

@Jason Croz That actually sounds familiar. It probably was. Thanks.

[@oliverlangrall2014]

My current pedal chain right now is a rusty fuzz into a kongpressor into Boss OC-5 octave pedal into a DS-1 into T Rex sweeper bass chorus (I don't like chorus but this bass chorus works sounds fantastic!). It's such a sweet, rich, harmonic dirt punch of a tone :)

[@acdclexu6296]

SG‘s in cranked amps are just magic stuff😂😅

[@RandyWillcox]

Mick: "I'm about as Rock as a tree." *picks up Jazzmaster and channels Kim Thayil of Soundgarden* Dan and the rest of us: "Nope, not rock at all."

[@elusivemoose2325]

First an ODR-1 Episode and now a DS-1 episode 👀!?! Two of my favorite pedals that don't get near enough love. Pinch me I'm dreaming lol😂 You guys are killing it even more than usual lately, I'm loving it! ❤

[@matthewgurlitz3514]

Guys, I know this comment is two years late, but I love how you talk about the knobs on the DS-1 (and other pedals) as interactive. For example, that the volume knob is not just the volume, it can be a tone shaper. I think understanding how all three knobs work together on a simple pedal like that is really crucial. Thank you for that insight.

[@danabnormal5892]

I’d love to see the boss OD-3 in an episode. I think it’s one of the most underrated overdrives out there!

[@Supernautiloid]

Love my OD-3.

[@viceroyraydeen1796]

Agreed, it has a chime no other overdrive can create.

[@Bilsuburbians]

Never been better option

[@ashleybrooks985]

Keep coming back to it. Great light overdrive, really musical. Never see anybody else using them?

[@kimmolingonheimo]

WAS goin to get it, but kinda too bassy/boomy...I already have the BOSS DA-2, OD1X and just bought the Dyna Drive...😎

[@martinsutcliffe5824]

Great episode! A real eye opener. DS1 was my first pedal …and I used it into clean amps, of course. But I’d be surprised if the designers really did design it for use with overdriving amps.

[@wriglarzzz]

Im glad you guys posted this because I bought it and it was the go to pedal for me now. Sounds amazing

[@collectYaNeck]

1978 - Wire "Chairs Missing" , Magazine "Real Life', Devo "Are we not men, we are devo', Wipers "Better Off Dead" single, Radio Birdman "Radios Appear" (US)... wow... some serious stuff

[@ruiseartalcorn]

Great vid! I use my DS-1 with the gain off (which is still not clean) in front of my BD-2 and it works great as a boost!

[@chrisegg7936]

“now let’s have a listen to the rat” **cue gif of marty mcfly getting blown backwards**

[@chadwickhurlburt6529]

A modified DS-1 was the heart of my guitar sound for longer than I can remember. Before that, it was a standard Japan-made DS-1. My mods include led diodes replacing the clipping diodes and about half of the caps replaced with silver-mica caps. Also, the tone control circuit had a resistor value changed to give it a more usable range.

[@gregalon]

Great demonstration of how dynamic it can be with a Tele. You pick softly and it chimes. Go a bit harder and it crunches. Hit it even harder and it’s squishy and fuzzy. Just a blast to play.

[@JRBell-ev8lt]

I love my ds-1. Got twin pro Junior amps and set the pedal on minimal level; tone midway and volume at 9:00. Volume on amps 6 to 7, (above that volume control starts altering tone.) Still waiting for pro Junior review! I love these amps!

[@VonBlade]

This video is a brilliant example of pedals helping your headspace as a player. Dan was absolutely wailing, Mick threw in some Hot For Teacher licks, it was glorious. (Although as someone who was alive when Van Halen appeared on the scene, I love the DS1 sound as it's the basis for much of my beloved music).

[@matthewpollard2843]

Mick has always loved the DS-1 and has always extolled its virtues and I admire his integrity. great guy.

[@saccharineblack5436]

At last Mick made the Jazzmaster come to life in an alternative way, it’s been a long time coming but sounded great. Please do it more often.

[@thesunabsolute]

Never was a fan of the DS1, still not crazy about it. Thoroughly enjoyed the video though! The tone you guys got with the Deluxe on 6, no pedals, Les Paul was IMO the best of all.

[@SwirlyWhirlyXYZ]

*Jazzmaster with high gain causes Mick to go into a “droney rhythm thing”* Dark Lord: Yes, let the shoegaze flow through you

[@topa1798]

My 1st ever guitar pedal,DS1,still in my pedal board since 2001

[@jonathananthony1901]

I swapped out the clipping diodes in my DS-1, and it made a WORLD of difference! I swapped in a clipping diode from an old vintage OD pedal I have that was broken, and added an LED in series. Made it louder, smoother, and have a wider range in the distortion.

[@guitarfreak585]

Best thing I've ever read about the DS1 was on a gear selling group, some guy said he hated the pedal and wanted to get rid of it and went on this rant about how bad it was. The BEST COMMENT EVER SAID "Cool, let us know when your Surfing With the Alien comes out. Don't blow that 15 bucks all in one place."

[@hoboroadie4623]

I met Joe some time after the Squares lost their vocalist and I remember he was one of the onliest people with more than a single pedal, he had a DS-1 and the first SD-1 I ever saw, and a DM-2 I think and maybe a Space Echo. I should have paid more attention or something, like the band that I worked for shared a rehearsal space with them, &c,

[@vincentl.9469]

The fact that there are so many videos on here showing people how to use the DS 1 or that they are using it 'wrong' tells me this unit does not suit everyone-that it's harder to EQ and get the sound you want than other pedals

[@cheenu711]

@@vincentl.9469 It's not harder to EQ, it was designed for a certain application. You need some gain behind it and if you have used a big muff, this EQ is exactly the same. The problem is not the EQ itself, it's the wide range it provides. Most people have shitty setups and no knowledge of what to do with that EQ which results in those reddit posts where this pedal is getting slandered. Back then amp in a box wasn't a thing. Those pedals sound great on most settings. This is completely different.

[@vincentl.9469]

@@cheenu711 I've not tried the SD1 but I would think the DS1 moves things further from that into saturated distortion?

[@Riffmaster227]

Interesting! I would have asked him when he was gonna write an anthem (Teen Spirit) for his generation that is still a classic 30 years later that completely changed music forever! But yeh cool sentiment regardless

[@Giag451]

I really wish one day you will record a show with Dave Simpson

[@tungtobak]

But he is the DS2 man!

[@Chrono205]

no no no, please, no no

[@rod9050]

Get dave simson on your show guys

[@fenderberg]

Yes. I think I did a request for this a long time ago. Don’t know if you ever read it, but so happy you’re doing this.

[@geliasr2562]

The real thing… Kurt proved it! Many thanks for dedicating an episode on this amazing device!

[@blashuvec]

my favorite DS-1 user right now might just be Mark Speer from Khruangbin. his tone is ✨IMMACULATE✨

[@warburgaby]

great guitarist!

[@chrisopherhoness8292]

This is absolute madness, what a fascinating show!

[@philchapman1463]

Put this in front of a TC Electronics MojoMojo pedal and the results are AMAZING! Im so glad you did this video, especially when mentioning the part about putting the DS-1 in front of a slightly saturated amp (amp aready on slight breakup). This made me think of my MojoMojo pedal which does a nice slightly starurated breakup but the pedal always seemed a bit dark and lacking an edge. well I thought, the MojoMojo is almost acting as an amp so why not try the DS-1 in front it. Well the results were spectacular! The DS-1 gave the edge and extra saturation and the MojoMojo filled out the mids and bottom end. They really complement each other. The total cost of the two pedals was a stagering $80! I run the pedals into a Peavey classic 20 mini head on the clean channel, sounds great! The DS-1 in front of my Joyo amp in a box (American and British) also sounds great!

[@simonpark843]

Another informative and entertaining episode - I also owned a DS1 many, many years ago and wound up selling it because I couldn't get a sound I liked out of it...but we live and we learn.

[@druwk]

I enjoy so many styles of music. Growing up in the 80’s, wanted to learn how to play guitar, sound “good”, and not having any mentors, I was an easy mark for advertisers. These tutorials are Amazing! I’m still more of a low-medium gain OR Fuzz kind of guy.

[@Rumpole1000]

Yeah that would have been tough. All we had to go on in the 80's was advertising, salesmen and books (which could be out of date or not available). I was learning drums back then and fell into the same issues.

[@averagemike7554]

The DS-1 is totally capable of good fun tones! I swear, people just don't give it a chance. Crank the level, and keep the tone down and you're good to go!

[@vladzubac5360]

also the amp is very important...DS-1 sounds good through good amps...or a Boss katana for example...but put it in a Marshall..damn!!!

[@johnrasicci]

@@vladzubac5360 I gave it a chance. Tried, many times..

[@TheRealChrisLopez]

I don't understand the hate. Turn the distortion just before it's fizzy and the tone to just past the hump where you lose the treble and just before you lose the bass and you've got a super clean top end that pierces through everything and a nasty growl, very tight sound to it. Every other drive i've tried is just muddy to me. The DS1 is the only one that's always on.

[@grandelusion1148]

@@TheRealChrisLopez blues driver is like that for me. I can get all the rock gain I need out of it usually but If I need more I turn on the TS-9. anything beyond that is a job for the Big muff. The BD also cleans up incredibly well when I turn down my guitar The DS-1 is great tho. people who say its not probably don't know how to find the sweet spot on a pedal or amp.

[@TheLadsBandLive]

Still have my ‘80 DS-1 and, regardless of the hundreds (thousands?) of hours of abuse it’s suffered, it looks brand new. What a tank!

[@Saitir942]

Sitting here watching and wearing my new orange thing with knobs on (delightfully comfy as ever guys) and remembering my first truly falling in love with distortion... My first flat in 1989, my friend's JCM 800 4x12 stack, a Jackson Charvel and a DS1, no one around and much much too loud.... It's just a whole other experience.