My DS-1 Mods ... with sound clip.

[Melanhead]

unfortunately you are correct .... a lot of tone is in the fingers, but a great pedal helps ...

If I plugged it in direct it would probably sound awfully as there would be too much high end.... I'd need some kinda cab simulator....

I think this pedal is best suited to add extra gain to an amp that's allready a bit distorted ....

But your best bet is to pick one up used if you don't have one and try it ...

It definitely sounds better than the original! ... I have 2 of 'em

[Phorhas]

Sounds absolutly awsome

[Connoisseur of Distortion]

that is a fantastic sounding DS-1. i just missed the chance to get one for $10! damn!

[MartyMart]

Nice one Melanhead !
I've sold about 30 DS-1's now, similar kind of mod but a bit less of the
"low end"  
They really can sound fantastic with about 12 bucks of parts in 'em !
It takes a while, and I must have spent about 4 days just "tinkering"
with the values .... !!! ( so not much profit then !! )

Cheers for the sound samples,

Marty.

BTW: Re C10, because of the diode change to LED's using a very small
47 - 80pf cap will still benefit the sound by rolling off a touch of high
"grit"  caused by using the LED's ... !!    IMO

[Prive]

I have the same idea here but there is a very large cap in parallel with the diodes, if i don't remember the exact value i'm sorry but maybe .01.

Saludos, Marcelo.

[Melanhead]

Thanks guys! ... It's just a bit of fun and a lot of tweaking ... have to trust the old ears sometimes

Marty and Prive ... thanks for the input about the cap accross the LED.

Now I need to buy another ... I have a bunch of idea to make it even more different then the Keeley mods ... I'd love to stick switches all over the thing for the ultimate in tweakability

I didn't think I'd be able to use it much but It's finding it's way into my FX board ...

[Burstbucker]

Wow, I just figured out who "Melanhead" is, I live in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada , this guy's hometown.

At first I didn't recognize him, since the last time I seen him he had really BIG hair, back in the late eighties maybe?

This guy was the first guy that I ever seen around here able to absolutely nail Van Halen's thing and really shred.  And it turns out that we both have mutual friends too.  I'll drop you a line when I get a chance dude.

Oh yeah, and your mods on the Boss DS-1 are very sweet indeed!
8^)

[Burstbucker]

I've been toying with the idea of picking up one of these Boss DS-1 pedals secondhand and trying out some of these mods for myself. 

After having done a few mods on a used Boss Metal Zone (a pedal I thought that I'd NEVER own), I'm a believer of taking cheap pedals and tweaking them into something rivalling boutique stuff at a fraction of the cost.

My idea of a really good OD/distortion pedal is one that doesn't mess with your basic EQ, like the Boss BD-2.  I used to have a Boss DS-1 a few years ago and I remember it being pretty shrill and harsh.  I'd like to make it so that the guitar's natural tone get's through and is treated to a nice tube-like crunch.

I read somewhere that one guy disconnected C12(0.1uF) which is attached to the tone control, which apparently makes the pedal have a less radical effect on the guitar's tone.  I'm not sure if this is true however.  Does that ring true?

[Melanhead]

Wow, I just figured out who "Melanhead" is, I live in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada , this guy's hometown.

At first I didn't recognize him, since the last time I seen him he had really BIG hair, back in the late eighties maybe?

This guy was the first guy that I ever seen around here able to absolutely nail Van Halen's thing and really shred.  And it turns out that we both have mutual friends too.  I'll drop you a line when I get a chance dude.

Oh yeah, and your mods on the Boss DS-1 are very sweet indeed!
8^)

Got you PM .... Cool!   a fellow Monctonian ...

[mhk]

great  soundclip , i did this mod today and i'm very pleased with the sounds so far
cant wait to thake it to rehearsal and do a "big" volume -test ( with a yamaha b-212 combo)

so thanks for the info , not "muddy" indeed , it keeps it's character very well !!
thxx!!

[Melanhead]

great  soundclip , i did this mod today and i'm very pleased with the sounds so far
cant wait to thake it to rehearsal and do a "big" volume -test ( with a yamaha b-212 combo)

so thanks for the info , not "muddy" indeed , it keeps it's character very well !!
thxx!!

Gee thanks! ... I'm glad to hear it worked out for you ... I've done this mod to a friends pedal as well and he loves it.

[vanhansen]

I know this is an older thread but what the heck, the mods are cool and the clips sound great.

Bob, I'm going to be picking up a DS-1 this week (had one before and got rid of it before my DIY days) and doing these mods to it.  What color/type/size LED did you use for D5?  I'm assuming a 3mm Red.

[Melanhead]

I know this is an older thread but what the heck, the mods are cool and the clips sound great.

Bob, I'm going to be picking up a DS-1 this week (had one before and got rid of it before my DIY days) and doing these mods to it.  What color/type/size LED did you use for D5?  I'm assuming a 3mm Red.

Cool ... yup a bit old but still good 

I used the Red 3mm on/off LED as I replaced it with a white super bright ...

[vanhansen]

I know this is an older thread but what the heck, the mods are cool and the clips sound great.

Bob, I'm going to be picking up a DS-1 this week (had one before and got rid of it before my DIY days) and doing these mods to it.  What color/type/size LED did you use for D5?  I'm assuming a 3mm Red.

Cool ... yup a bit old but still good 

I used the Red 3mm on/off LED as I replaced it with a white super bright ...

Ahh, that'll work.  I'll have to pick up some small LED's.  I might try a 1N4001 in that slot too.  I have a few of those and some 1N4003's laying around.  The 4001's sound great in the SD-1 (D4 & D5).

[joelap]

Would it be Kosher, Melanhead, to ask for a link to the book you are referring to?  I'm new to pedal modding and a book about it would significantly help me out!  And also, where did you get the information about the Keeley mods?  Website or something you could show me?  Thanks.

[vanhansen]

Joe, I think he's referring to the book from www.indyguitarist.com that Brian sells.  I haven't gotten a copy yet but I've heard good things about it.  The Keeley mods are on his old web site.  The page is still up actually, it's just not visable from the new site.

I got my DS-1 today from my favorite local shop.  Let the mods begin! 

[gulliver]

Here's my recent mod with www.mouser.com part numbers. When ordering from Mouser on-line, put the board placement letter/number in the information box for each part. When you get the parts, each bag will have the number on it and it makes it really easy to swap parts with the correlating number on the board. Also, thanks to all in this forum for your help!!!


DS-1 Mod with stock red 3mm Diffused LED status indicator kept as stock:

[mouser.com part #]

C1 - 0.1 UFMetal Film [5989-250V.1-F]
C2 - 1 UF Metal Film [5989-250V1.0-F]
C5 - 0.1 UF Metal Film [5989-250V.1-F]
C8 - 1 UF Metal Film [5989-250V1.0-F]
C9 - 1 UF Metal Film [5989-250V1.0-F]
C11 - 0.033 UF Metal Film [5989-250V.033-F]
C12 - 0.1 UF Metal Film [5989-250V.1-F]
C14 - 1 UF Metal Film [5989-250V1.0-F]
D5 - Any 3mm LED – will light up when playing
(put in 7/64 hole in front of unit for light show)
R14 - 1.5K, 1% Metal Film [271-1.5K-RC]
R39 - 20K, 1% Metal Film [271-20K-RC]

High gain mod:
D4 - Add any 3mm LED in series with stock diode
*wire in switch for on-the-fly changing
*LED will also light when playing

Overdrive/Treble Booster mod (not popular):
D5 – Remove diode, open connection (I think opening D4 does the same thing)
*use switch for on-the-fly changing
*LED(s) will not light up

*On a new LED the "longer" pin is positive, shorter pin negative.
*On a diode, the striped end is negative.

[vanhansen]

Good stuff, gulliver.

I started the mods to mine tonight.  For C3, I used the silver mica 0.068uf that was from another location since I didn't have any metal film.  Mine are a mix of Keeley's and Melanhead's.

C1, C10, C11 ----- .047uf
C2, C8, C14 ------ 1uf
C3 ----------------- .068uF
C5, C12, C13 ----- .1uf
C9 ----------------- .47uf
D4, D5 ------------ Red 3mm LED

So far so good.  It sounds 100 times better than stock.  Major improvement.

I don't have any 2.4k or 20k metal film resistors for R13 or R39 respectively.  Is it ok to use "close enough" values here that are carbon film?   I have 2.2k or 2.7k, 22k or 18k.  I do have 4.7k in carbon film for R16 and will use that.  Just want to be sure about R13 and R39.  My hunch is telling me, "sure, why not" but I always appreciate other's opinions.

[alltherightpills]

I'd go ahead and use those resistors.  Chances are pretty good that your mod will sound at least 99% perfect with the values you have on hand.  You might have a little more noise w/ carbon film rather than metal film, but it shouldn't be too much at all.  my $.02...

[Melanhead]

Would it be Kosher, Melanhead, to ask for a link to the book you are referring to?  I'm new to pedal modding and a book about it would significantly help me out!  And also, where did you get the information about the Keeley mods?  Website or something you could show me?  Thanks.

Yup it's Brian's Book ( known here as wampcat1 ) ... you can get it here http://www.guitartone.net/ .... It's a great book and explains what the changes/mods do ...

I bought the Keeley mod sheet from Fuzzcentral but I believe there's one floating around if you look hard enough ... search around here and you'll probably find the old link from Keeley's site ... Good luck!