Boss BOSS DS1 / Distortion Pedal Reviews 4

Boss BOSS DS1 / Distortion Pedal

I like the simplicity of this unit and when I gigged with it years ago I really like it a lot. While I have one now as a back up, I don't actively use it anymore but I think it is perfect for what it is and it is truly an old standby. Hard to find anyone in my group that hasn't used this at one point or another. Yes there are better units out... [read more on Audiofanzine]

tonmazz rated this unit 4 on 2012-08-08.

The Boss DS-1 is one of the easier effects to tailor in your pedal board. This effect should be one of the first in your signal chain, before all time based effects but after and compressor or envelope type effect, like a wha. As with any distortion based effect you will want to add or decrease levels so they are most complimentary to you... [read more on Audiofanzine]

MountAnDewMe rated this unit 4 on 2012-07-21.

My favorite things about the DS-1 is the simplicity and AWESOME sound. It's so versatile, and I love the grit and crunch. I have no complaints about it. It's a well built piece of equipment with a great sound. I got mine for 50 bucks. I would pay 300. If you are considering this, buy it. It's a professional piece of equipment for an amateur price. [read more on Audiofanzine]

johnrae rated this unit 5 on 2012-06-21.

Overall this is a good pedal for a beginner to intermediate player with a single channel amp that needs some distortion sounds, but the experienced player with a taste for tone will probably be better served going in another direction. Boss tried to make a jack of all trades pedal and came out with a pedal that does neither low or high gain well... [read more on Audiofanzine]

Fireguy8402 rated this unit 3 on 2011-11-19.

Overall, I've used the cheapest and the most expensive distortion pedals/pre-amps over the years (tube and solid state), and this one has remained my go-to for a long time. In my opinion, it's very versatile, and works best in front of an awesome tube amp. I've never tried to achieve the modern metal sound with this pedal, so I can't comment on ... [read more on Audiofanzine]

yoTrakkz rated this unit 4 on 2011-10-20.

You can pick these up cheaply used and they make great platforms for modifications to change the tonal structure. I do not like this pedal in its stock form, but when modified they can turn into a much better sounding pedal, with a smoother attack that takes away some of the inherent graininess that I dislike so much. They're cheap enough to pic... [read more on Audiofanzine]

King Loudness rated this unit 3 on 2011-05-01.

The pedal is cheap on the used market, and there are tons of them out there. The sound, however, is fairly mediocre. I usually prefer using something like an overdrive to boost my amp. Back in the old days, amps didn't have that much gain. Instead, they had to rely on super high output pickups and distortion boxes like these. Today, amps ha... [read more on Audiofanzine]

Hatsubai rated this unit 4 on 2011-04-07.

The thing I like most about this pedal is the price, it can be picked up used for pretty cheap and It's a passible distortion unit. I also really like how useable this pedal can be after modification. I dislike the buffered bypass and the harshness of the distortion produced most about this pedal. Overall I think this is an okay first distorti... [read more on Audiofanzine]

badgerific rated this unit 4 on 2011-04-07.

Overall, unless you are comfortable modding guitar pedals, then I have to suggest that you stay away from this pedal. It might work OK if you had a VERY dark guitar, baring that there are many better distortion pedals out there to choose from. I have to say though, for the price that it is, it's a very good platform for modding. I do want to ad... [read more on Audiofanzine]

Stormleader rated this unit 3 on 2011-03-22.

I like the color of the pedal. That is about all I can say that was good about it. It made me want an ice cream pop but not want to pick up my guitar and jam. One more good thing I can say which is not exclusive to this pedal is that Boss makes very rugged and road worthy products. If you decided to use this pedal I believe it would last you fo... [read more on Audiofanzine]

iamqman rated this unit 1 on 2011-03-16.

The Boss DS-1 Distortion is probably the best way for beginners to get involved with using distortion. The super cheap price will attract players of all kinds however, as it's definitely the cheapest quality distortion pedal out there. It's not going to give you a plethora of sounds, but is great at what it does. It's not the best distortion ... [read more on Audiofanzine]

moosers rated this unit 5 on 2010-12-16.

This is hands down the best distortion pedal I've played. I won't say it's the best out there, because I'm new to the world of pedal distortion, but there's really not much way you can go wrong if you are looking for a great way to rock out. Again, for soloing, it's great with compression so strongly consider buying a compressor or sustainer if ... [read more on Audiofanzine]

mooseherman rated this unit 5 on 2009-04-15.

I've had this pedal for about 8 years. I have recommended it to several people, and wouldnt mind having a spare myself. I cant say that it is a quiet pedal, it comes with some noise and you can achieve feedback when you want. It's a fun pedal for anyone wanting some simple distortion with an easy interface. The Boss name is undeniably reliable. ... [read more on Audiofanzine]

rains_en rated this unit 5 on 2009-02-06.

Okay, the DS-1 sells new for $40. At that price, you can pretty much afford to hate it. For a basic distortion pedal, I think there is very good sound here which makes it an incredible deal. I've heard more expensive pedals that I didn't like so much. Anyone who is looking for a distortion should give this one a shot. I bought this pedal ju... [read more on Audiofanzine]

rarson rated this unit 4 on 2008-03-26.

I've had this pedal for about 5 years, it was my first pedal. I like this pedal for the specific heavier distortion in produces. I use it mostly for rhythm guitar but doesn't sound bad for lead. I also have a BK Butler overdrive pedal to satisfy that sort of overdriven sound. However, the reason this pedal is so popular is the price. Since it is... [read more on Audiofanzine]

soccerplayer25 rated this unit 4 on 2008-03-25.

i wouldn't recommend anyone to buy this pedal. Someone who wants a deal should buy a Danelectro Pastrami or DOD Supra Distortion [read more on Audiofanzine]

The one who knows rated this unit 2 on 2002-12-07.

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