Fulltone Distortion Pro vs. modded Boss DS-1 pedal.

[Burstbucker]

Fulltone Distortion Pro vs. modded Boss DS-1 pedal.

I've read numerous posts that the Analogman-modded Boss DS-1 pedal is actually what the Fulltone Distortion Pro pedal wishes that it could be, just people's opinions but maybe there's some truth to it?

I know that there are a lot of cool mods for the Boss DS-1 pedal floating around on the web and it's kind of neat to think that maybe this lowly modded Boss DS-1 can out-perform a high-priced semi-boutique pedal.

Anybody want to put in their two cents?

[MartyMart]

I have not used/heard a "distortion pro"  but what i can say is that a DS-1 with
10 bucks spent on it ( and a bit of your time ) can sound very good indeed, just
rolling out some "mud" and using LED's  etc ... FAB !
I like it when the gain is a bit lower, not so keen on the very high gain mods  !
Perhaps better for "live" use, but when recording, one tends to "clean up" a bit
with distorted gtr parts ....

2 c spent

MM.

[rosssurf]

Bump!!
. I found this thread (from 2005)and assume more people might now have experience with both pedals. Any thoughts?

[Meanderthal]

 I'm pretty darn happy with my modded DS-1! I use mine for bass... basically monteallum's mods except stock diodes, no carbon comp resistor, and tweaked even further for low end. Sounds nothing like the stock DS-1. It's a very easy pedal to work on, extremely sturdy enclosure, reliable switch, and a great bypass buffer(stock). 

Unfortunately, I consider monteallums mods to be intelectual property, since he sells the kits(a friend got one, then let me keep the mod sheet when I was done modding his pedal), so I can't just up and post the mods... sorry...

[Meanderthal]

when recording, one tends to "clean up" a bit
with distorted gtr parts ....

Yeah... mine does that too, but on bass.... weird! I'd thought it was mic placement, but wasn't worried about the 'clean up'... not really a bad thing for recording...

[Barcode80]

i got an original 1978 ds-1 in the box in brand new condition the other day for 20 bucks, but it is so pretty inside i hate to mod it 

[m-theory]

i got an original 1978 ds-1 in the box in brand new condition the other day for 20 bucks, but it is so pretty inside i hate to mod it

Just plug into and play through it for a few minutes.  That should cure you of your hesitation to mod it!

This is so weird.  I JUST pulled out my doorstop DS-1 last night, and started searching the web for mod information.  No mention of these things for weeks, and suddenly, the morning after I start to gather information about modding mine, a thread on the subject. 

[Bucksears]

I had a Fulltone Distortion Pro.....for a day, back in 2002. It sounded really good with the SRRI in the store, but when I got it home and tried it with my HRDeville, it sounded like crap. It was very flabby/fuzzy, not at all like a distortion pedal. I think (and this is why I'll never buy anything in the HotRod series again) that there is something in the input of the circuit that seriously affects a lot of non-buffered pedals. My (mass) commercial distortions at the time (Blues Driver, Guv'nor Plus) sounded great. But I bought a Menatone TBIAC in NYC, and later the Karr Krash on ebay, and had the same thing: flabby fuzz with no bite, or 'focus'.
I've had my SRRI for two years now and couldn't be happier; it plays with all of my pedals very nicely.
(sorry to get off track)

Even though I have two DS-1's at home that have been modded to the point of no longer sounded good, I'm seriously considering tossing those and buying yet another one and just doing the red LED mod. That is the simplest trick in the world to making a $39 pedal sound great. It adds volume, a little bass and simply sounds better. I'll go even further and say that a DS-1 with JUST those mods sounds better than the Digitech Hot Head & Bad Monkey.
Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I could still jam away with just a stock DS-1.

- Buck

[Barcode80]

i got an original 1978 ds-1 in the box in brand new condition the other day for 20 bucks, but it is so pretty inside i hate to mod it

Just plug into and play through it for a few minutes.  That should cure you of your hesitation to mod it!

This is so weird.  I JUST pulled out my doorstop DS-1 last night, and started searching the web for mod information.  No mention of these things for weeks, and suddenly, the morning after I start to gather information about modding mine, a thread on the subject. 

oh, make no mistake, i did play it and it sounds horrible, i just have this hesitance when it comes to brand new anything, especially something 29 years old that is still immaculate. not even a ding in the paint.

[Barcode80]

I had a Fulltone Distortion Pro.....for a day, back in 2002. It sounded really good with the SRRI in the store, but when I got it home and tried it with my HRDeville, it sounded like crap. It was very flabby/fuzzy, not at all like a distortion pedal. I think (and this is why I'll never buy anything in the HotRod series again) that there is something in the input of the circuit that seriously affects a lot of non-buffered pedals. My (mass) commercial distortions at the time (Blues Driver, Guv'nor Plus) sounded great. But I bought a Menatone TBIAC in NYC, and later the Karr Krash on ebay, and had the same thing: flabby fuzz with no bite, or 'focus'.
I've had my SRRI for two years now and couldn't be happier; it plays with all of my pedals very nicely.
(sorry to get off track)

Even though I have two DS-1's at home that have been modded to the point of no longer sounded good, I'm seriously considering tossing those and buying yet another one and just doing the red LED mod. That is the simplest trick in the world to making a $39 pedal sound great. It adds volume, a little bass and simply sounds better. I'll go even further and say that a DS-1 with JUST those mods sounds better than the Digitech Hot Head & Bad Monkey.
Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I could still jam away with just a stock DS-1.

- Buck

is that just replacing the diodes with red LEDs or is assymetrical clipping part of that mod too?

[mojotron]

The DP and DS-1 don't really compare that well - sound wise. The DP does a little better at a wider range of overdrive/distortion, but the DS-1 sounds better (IMO) as a pure distortion box.

The DP sounds OK as a general purpose overdrive/distortion box, but it's not any better than the average DIY project - no where near the great sound you get with a BSIAB2, Guv'nor or ROG's pedals (ThunderChief...). The DS-1, on the other hand, with the right mods sounds pretty awesome - but it has a very unique sound.

[Bucksears]

The DP and DS-1 don't really compare that well - sound wise. The DP does a little better at a wider range of overdrive/distortion, but the DS-1 sounds better (IMO) as a pure distortion box.

The DP sounds OK as a general purpose overdrive/distortion box, but it's not any better than the average DIY project - no where near the great sound you get with a BSIAB2, Guv'nor or ROG's pedals (ThunderChief...). The DS-1, on the other hand, with the right mods sounds pretty awesome - but it has a very unique sound.

Well said.
I think that as a pure distortion box, the DS-1 is hard to beat in terms of right-off-the-shelf, best-bang-for-your-buck. What I was referring to earlier was the removal of the two clipping diodes in exchange for two (small) red LEDs. This is still symmetrical, though.
The DS-1, with medium/high output pickups, is a great little 80's metal box. I've always preferred it over the Rat. All of this being said, the BSIAB II does the Marshall thing for me in spades.
- Buck

[Barcode80]

not to hijack, but i have three pairs of diodes on my ds-1 board, and i think i'm going to do the LED thing. i have:

D2/D3
D4/D5
D6/D7

anyone know off the top of their head which pair is the clipping diode pair?

[surfdaworld]

I have a Keeley modded DS-1 that I picked cheap up from a broke guitarist looking for quick cash 

it really depends on what its played into--some amps it sounds great, unfortunately most of my playing is through DI box straight to a mixer, and thats definitely not the way to get good tone from it.

I've played around with the fulltone dist., but never owned one.

[Barcode80]

I've never owned a fulltone of any kind, as i believe they are grossly overpriced. however, i went ahead and did a couple of small mods to the ds-1 (.1uF input cap, replaced ONE clipping diode with a 3mm LED) and while not my usual distortion tone, it now has a WONDERFUL sound IMHO. good and smooth, not quite as much crunch as i usually like, but still quite nice.

[96ecss]

I've never owned a fulltone of any kind, as i believe they are grossly overpriced. however, i went ahead and did a couple of small mods to the ds-1 (.1uF input cap, replaced ONE clipping diode with a 3mm LED) and while not my usual distortion tone, it now has a WONDERFUL sound IMHO. good and smooth, not quite as much crunch as i usually like, but still quite nice.

Hi,
If you want more crunch out of your DS-1, try lowering R13 from its stock value of 4.7K. I have a 1K in that spot in mine and I really like it. I've done a couple for my friends and 2.2K worked well too.

Dave

[Barcode80]

I've never owned a fulltone of any kind, as i believe they are grossly overpriced. however, i went ahead and did a couple of small mods to the ds-1 (.1uF input cap, replaced ONE clipping diode with a 3mm LED) and while not my usual distortion tone, it now has a WONDERFUL sound IMHO. good and smooth, not quite as much crunch as i usually like, but still quite nice.

Hi,
If you want more crunch out of your DS-1, try lowering R13 from its stock value of 4.7K. I have a 1K in that spot in mine and I really like it. I've done a couple for my friends and 2.2K worked well too.

Dave

HELL YEAH! that did the trick. i subbed in a 2.7k and it sounds LUSCIOUS. great little pedal witha few tweaks, wonder why boss didn't engineer those tweaks in?

[96ecss]

I've never owned a fulltone of any kind, as i believe they are grossly overpriced. however, i went ahead and did a couple of small mods to the ds-1 (.1uF input cap, replaced ONE clipping diode with a 3mm LED) and while not my usual distortion tone, it now has a WONDERFUL sound IMHO. good and smooth, not quite as much crunch as i usually like, but still quite nice.

Hi,
If you want more crunch out of your DS-1, try lowering R13 from its stock value of 4.7K. I have a 1K in that spot in mine and I really like it. I've done a couple for my friends and 2.2K worked well too.

Dave

HELL YEAH! that did the trick. i subbed in a 2.7k and it sounds LUSCIOUS. great little pedal witha few tweaks, wonder why boss didn't engineer those tweaks in?

I'm glad it worked out for you. I have an Analog Man DS-1 Pro that sounds great too. The Analog Man is warmer and smoother than mine and it's better for Classic Rock. Mine has more distortion and is better for Metal. Since I built a BSIAB2, I don't really use either DS-1 that much anymore. It's not that they sound the same, I just like the BSIAB2 more.

Dave