Boss Pedals

Novawind
Novawind Posts: 836
edited June 2006 in Musicians and Gearheads
My girlfriend just got me a DS-1 for my birthday and I'm loving the hell out of it so far. I was thinking for my next one in a few months I would try either the Compression Sustainer or the BD-2 Blues Driver. Anyone have experience with either and/or a preference?

Before I get another pedal I'm investing in a hard case for my strat.
If idle hands are the devil's workshop, he must not be very productive.

7/9/06 LA 1
7/10/06 LA 2
10/21/06 Bridge 1
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • BinFrog
    BinFrog MA Posts: 7,314
    Neither, get a DD-5 or a DD-6 and a good wah pedal and you'll be set for a long time.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • Thumbing My Way
    Thumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    BinFrog wrote:
    Neither, get a DD-5 or a DD-6 and a good wah pedal and you'll be set for a long time.

    I was looking into a DD-3 or 5 or 6 :) But the Line 6 DL4 I think will take it when I end up buying a delay......

    I also have the DS-1 and the next pedal I bought was the Crybaby 535Q....after that the Boss SD-1 (Overdrive) Which I use more than the DS-1, I just like the tones from it better.

    If I could get another Overdrive pedal by Boss I would go with the BD-2 for sure, even over my SD-1 I think, it was just to expensive at the time.....

    The BD-2's are like $130 CAN and I bought my SD-1 used for $40.......
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  • dont_go_on_me
    dont_go_on_me Posts: 877
    look into getting all your boss pedals modded...improves them more than you'd believe. I have a Keeley BD-2 and it's fantastic. I also have an unmodded DD-5 that's a great delay (by digital delay standards).
    "I'll do whatever the song dictates - if it doesn't need a real lead, then I won't do one. But if it does, then I'll fuckin' go off." - Mike

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  • Dirty_Frank
    Dirty_Frank Posts: 957
    THe BD-2 is a great pedal, even unmodded. The modded one is a very good pedal, but can be a bit of an investment. The stock pedal is just fine though. I have a DD-3, and it's a great pedal. It can do all sorts of cool stuff, and costs a bit less than the DD-5 or DD-6.

    I had the Compression/Sustainer, and I hated it. In my opinion, it wasn't a very good sounding pedal. It may have been my setup and style, but I could not for the life of me get it to sound good.

    I'll add another +1 on the SD-1. I've been using the SD-1 for about 6 years now, and it's probably the only pedal that has remained a mainstay on my board.

    Boss pedals are good for the money, and will cover the basics of electric guitar tones and effects. It's when you get a bit more disconcerting that you start to wander into the booteek stuff. :)
  • HailHailVitalogy
    HailHailVitalogy Posts: 6,020
    I have had

    BD-2
    DD-3
    DS-1
    DS-2

    I hated the DS-1...the DS-2 wasn't bad but when I got my BD-2 I was a lot happier.

    The BD-2 is an amazing pedal with a strat or any single could guitar. I usually run the tone down low with the gain at half way or a little more, with my strat on the middle or neck pickup, that is an AMAZING tone.

    The DD-3 is great too. Very simple delay pedal that does the job, I love it.
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2 | 2025: Florida x2, Atlanta x2, Pittsburgh x2
  • harrisonmerwin
    harrisonmerwin Posts: 766
    i would take the DL4 over a DD-3,5,6. I have both, since the addition of the DL4, my DD-3 is just a "chink in the chain" or whatever the saying is. as for distortion/overdrive, i run to the hills from boss
    2005.09.04
    2005.09.05

    "how many people did die from that?...did P.Diddy kill them?" - Eddie Vedder 2006.02.19
  • BinFrog
    BinFrog MA Posts: 7,314
    I have an assload of pedals and can answer questions if you have any. Here's my list:

    Boss PW10 V-Wah
    Boss Auto Wah
    Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter
    Boss DD-5 Delay
    Boss MT-2 Metal Zone
    Boss DS-1 Distortion
    Boss CH-1 Chorus
    Boss CS-3 Compression/Sustainer
    Boss GE-7 Equalizer
    Boss RV-2 Digital Reverb

    Dunlop Cry-Baby Wah

    Ibanez Flanger Soundtank

    Akai D1 Shred-O-Matic Distortion
    Akai E1 Headrush Delay
    Akai P1 IntelliPhase

    Zoom RFX-300
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • jbd
    jbd Posts: 65
    Boss sucks.


    Sorry !



    But the dm-3 rules though !
    "Fuck the kids ! Except the ones who are buying our records! They're fucking themselves!" - Mark Arm
  • BinFrog
    BinFrog MA Posts: 7,314
    I disagree thoroughly. Boss pedals are built like tanks and there are so many different kinds to choose from. Sure they are mostly pretty standard, and I have a few I never use anymore, but a couple of their pedals are core parts of my setup.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • Puck78
    Puck78 Posts: 737
    I have a DS1 as well, but I'm unhappy with the sound... since I'm a beginner, can I ask to the ones of you that are happy with it to tell which combination do you use of distorsion/tone, together with the gain/middle/bass/tremble of the amp to get a sound that you like?
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  • jbd
    jbd Posts: 65
    I'm getting a ds1 pretty soon (no I'm not buying it someone's giving it to me !), I'll tell you then. But really, the sound you'll get will vary depending on what guitar/amp you use... So I don't think I'll really be of any help.
    "Fuck the kids ! Except the ones who are buying our records! They're fucking themselves!" - Mark Arm
  • BinFrog
    BinFrog MA Posts: 7,314
    Puck78 wrote:
    I have a DS1 as well, but I'm unhappy with the sound... since I'm a beginner, can I ask to the ones of you that are happy with it to tell which combination do you use of distorsion/tone, together with the gain/middle/bass/tremble of the amp to get a sound that you like?


    I don't use my DS-1 anymore, but I found it to be a great pedal to use in combination with other distortion pedals, usually after them in your chain. It mixed nicel with my Akai distortion pedal to create some real tight sustain.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • Puck78
    Puck78 Posts: 737
    jbd wrote:
    I'm getting a ds1 pretty soon (no I'm not buying it someone's giving it to me !), I'll tell you then. But really, the sound you'll get will vary depending on what guitar/amp you use... So I don't think I'll really be of any help.
    my guitar is a fender strato-squier. The amp is a fender 15G frontman. it doesn't have a switch pedal, so I'm always devided between using the ds1 with a clean tone or with some gain.
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  • Dirty_Frank
    Dirty_Frank Posts: 957
    BinFrog wrote:
    I disagree thoroughly. Boss pedals are built like tanks and there are so many different kinds to choose from. Sure they are mostly pretty standard, and I have a few I never use anymore, but a couple of their pedals are core parts of my setup.


    +1.

    Boss pedals are fantastic for any musician. You can find any tone you're looking for with a wide assortment of reasonably priced pedals. Sure, there's better pedals out there, but finding, and affording them is a major issue for some people.

    To the average musician, usable, and GOOD tones can be found in a large assortment of Boss pedals.

    There's a lot of gear paradigms that are thrown around, but in the end it all comes down to what SOUNDS the best to you. A quick example would be the Digitech Bad Monkey Overdrive. I would just pass that one by without looking at it twice or even trying it out. It's got a great reputation as being a great OD pedal for a super cheap price.
  • Puck78
    Puck78 Posts: 737
    so, no suggestions on which are the best amp and ds1 knobs position? :(
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    www.amnesty.org.uk
  • BinFrog
    BinFrog MA Posts: 7,314
    Puck78 wrote:
    so, no suggestions on which are the best amp and ds1 knobs position? :(



    The best position is the one you figure out that has the sound you are going for. There is no right or wrong.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • jbd
    jbd Posts: 65
    BinFrog wrote:
    The best position is the one you figure out that has the sound you are going for. There is no right or wrong.

    exactly. I just traded my Classic 30 for a Delta Blues (That's the Stone sound I'm telling 'ya), and my Ts9 just doesn't seem to sound the way I want it to anymore... I'm worried. So you see, it all depends on your amp and guitar, but I'll tell you my Ds1 favorite settings once I get it... Don't think it'll be usefull though.
    "Fuck the kids ! Except the ones who are buying our records! They're fucking themselves!" - Mark Arm
  • keeponrockin
    keeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Ok, I would reccomend a CE-5 Chorus Ensemble and a DD-6. I have those two plus the DS-1. I prefer the MXR Dynacomp to the Boss Compressor, as I AB'd them and chose the dynacomp. As for DS-1 settings.

    Tone: 12 o'clock
    Level: 2 o'clock
    Gain: Depends on what I'm playing
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  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    i don't recommend the CS-3 compressor. it's range of usable settings is very small. i also found it quite noisy (common to most cheap pedals). lots of white noise hiss.

    i second the dynacomp recommendation for a basic compressor.
  • Dirty_Frank
    Dirty_Frank Posts: 957
    exhausted wrote:
    i don't recommend the CS-3 compressor. it's range of usable settings is very small. i also found it quite noisy (common to most cheap pedals). lots of white noise hiss.

    i second the dynacomp recommendation for a basic compressor.


    I'm going to add a +1 to this. I hated the CS-3.

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