Boss Overdrive pedals

thermionic

Well I've finally got round to getting an OD-3. My first ever pedal was the venerable OD-1. Disappointing at the time, because what I really wanted was something to make my 5W solid state practice amp sound like a Marshall stack. However, it worked well with various Vox and Marshall amps I had later. I swapped a capacitor at the input of the clipping stage so that the bass cut wasn't so severe - a big improvement. Strangely enough, the tonal response (with Drive at zero and the Level at unity gain) of the modded OD-1 is practically identical to the stock SD-1. My OD-1 must have produced a dramatic bass cut originally. The OD-3 is a different beast altogether, hardly any noticeable bass cut and much more drive on tap.

https://i.imgur.com/oR8E3pP.jpg

I also have a DS-1, and have tried a BD-2, a decent pedal but I didn't really get on with it. Buying second hand Boss pedals is great!

JezWynd

Have you tried the OD-2? I have the R version and it's quickly become one of my fave drive boxes.

UnclePsychosis

I've been on a Boss dirt expedition recently. 

Having tried: DS-1, DS-2, DF-2, SD-1, OD-3, and OS-2 my definite favourites are the OD-3 and the OS-2 (running into the front end of a clean Peavey Bandit). 

The OD-3 is great for crunch and drive and the OS-2 excels at proper distortion. The two together sounds great. 

I also like the DS-1, DS-2 and DF-2 but I think all of them would be better into dirty amps.

The SD-1 I didn't like because I really don't like the boxy, middy, tubescreamery sound. I can see how it would work into a dirty amp but I don't run mine that way.  

smudge_lad

The SD-2 is a bit of lesser known cracker of a Boss OD, really worth checking out 

guitarfishbay

Have/had

BD2
DS1
DS2
MD2
MT2
OD3
OS2
SD1
SD2

and the ODB3 and BB1X bass pedals...

Like them all to some extent, though the ones I've got most out of are SD1 and ODB3. 

Sassafras

I've got an SD-1 but my favourite drive box along with the Pork Loin is the OD-2. I've used one of those ever since they first came onto the market.

thermionic

Damn you Fretboarders... there's a couple more I have to try now!

Lestratcaster

I have the SD-1 which I use for solo boosts, good sustain and more cut. I haven't played lead guitar in bands for a number of years though so haven't needed it on my board. Good pedal though.

Cirrus

I've liked all the boss overdrives and distortions I've ever used when played to their strengths - ie, SD-1 into a totally clean middy amp is going to sound a bit shit unless you want a very middy, flat sound, but into a distorted amp is killer....


With one exception. The BD-2. I have no idea how people make it sound good, it just sounds like a load of unrelated harmonics with fizzy, frizzy nonsense on top. User error, I'm sure.

ICBM

Cirrus said:

The BD-2. I have no idea how people make it sound good, it just sounds like a load of unrelated harmonics with fizzy, frizzy nonsense on top.

It's not surprising. The main problem with it is that it's the wrong colour. Boss overdrives and distortions are in the yellow-orange spectrum… the BD-2 must have some sort of identity crisis, like it's trying to be a compressor.



I must admit I find it hard to get a usable sound out of one too.

My favourites are the SD-1, DS-1, OS-2, SD-2, and the one to rule them all... the DF-2.

thermionic

ICBM said:

It's not surprising. The main problem with it is that it's the wrong colour. Boss overdrives and distortions are in the yellow-orange spectrum… the BD-2 must have some sort of identity crisis, like it's trying to be a compressor.

It's a bit like when Walkers Crisps swapped green and blue for Cheese & Onion/Salt & Vinegar. WRONG.

Overdrives are yellow, distortions are orange to red, metal pedals are always black, compressors as you rightly point out are dark blue, chorus light blue, flangers purple, phasers green (unless they're made by MXR, who are allowed to make them orange) and delays white (analog delays are distinguished by being pinkish-purple). 

normula1

I've had my OD2 for the best part of 30 years. I only use the higher gain mode on occasion and it's the one pedal I can't see me ever selling.

Cabicular

Cirrus said:

I've liked all the boss overdrives and distortions I've ever used when played to their strengths - ie, SD-1 into a totally clean middy amp is going to sound a bit shit unless you want a very middy, flat sound, but into a distorted amp is killer....


With one exception. The BD-2. I have no idea how people make it sound good, it just sounds like a load of unrelated harmonics with fizzy, frizzy nonsense on top. User error, I'm sure.

The name is wrong too
take a super distortion and a blues driver.. which would you think had more gain?
The Blues Driver has tons though It's actually a really good distortion pedal for any style of heavy rock apart from blues

Sassafras

normula1 said:

I've had my OD2 for the best part of 30 years. I only use the higher gain mode on occasion and it's the one pedal I can't see me ever selling.

It's my favourite pedal but I never use the turbo mode. I love it as a low gainer with the drive rarely set past 12 O'clock.

VJIves

Someone's selling a DA2 on Facebook, and I'm quite intrigued. I'm guessing they didn't do well for it to have been discontinued fairly swiftly.

JezWynd

VJIves said:

Someone's selling a DA2 on Facebook, and I'm quite intrigued. I'm guessing they didn't do well for it to have been discontinued fairly swiftly.

The DA-2 is a fabulous pedal. The clarity and string separation it gives, even with heavy distortion applied, is quite astonishing. The only clue that it's digital is that it's giving you sounds that no analog pedal can achieve. If I could shred or play anything in that style, it would be top of the list.

It might have been discontinued as Boss used the same tech in the OD-1x etc. and knowing how conservative guitar players can be they maybe figured going with a known model would be a better intro to MDP.

ThePrettyDamned

JezWynd said:

VJIves said:

Someone's selling a DA2 on Facebook, and I'm quite intrigued. I'm guessing they didn't do well for it to have been discontinued fairly swiftly.

The DA-2 is a fabulous pedal. The clarity and string separation it gives, even with heavy distortion applied, is quite astonishing. The only clue that it's digital is that it's giving you sounds that no analog pedal can achieve. If I could shred or play anything in that style, it would be top of the list.

Does a great clean boost for single coils too. Actually, incredibly versatile - I want one. 

bingefeller

normula1 said:

I've had my OD2 for the best part of 30 years. I only use the higher gain mode on occasion and it's the one pedal I can't see me ever selling.

A load of Nashville players use the OD2.

JezWynd said:

VJIves said:

Someone's selling a DA2 on Facebook, and I'm quite intrigued. I'm guessing they didn't do well for it to have been discontinued fairly swiftly.

The DA-2 is a fabulous pedal. The clarity and string separation it gives, even with heavy distortion applied, is quite astonishing. The only clue that it's digital is that it's giving you sounds that no analog pedal can achieve. If I could shred or play anything in that style, it would be top of the list.

It might have been discontinued as Boss used the same tech in the OD-1x etc. and knowing how conservative guitar players can be they maybe figured going with a known model would be a better intro to MDP.

I have a DA-2.  It's one of Boss's better distortion pedals and has versatile EQ.  I don't really use mine as I prefer the Powerstack and think it's the best standalone dirt pedal has has ever made.  If you have a clean amp and want to use a pedal for dirt, then I'd recommend the Powerstack over the DA-2.   The Powerstack is more overdrivey sounding, and the DA-2 has more grit and hair on it.

clarkefan

I wish the SD-1 had one change, the same amount of level the BD-2 has, which is unreal.  I wasn't a fan of the BD-2's sound but holy crap the level of clean boost available... maybe I need another one...

ICBM

clarkefan said:

I wish the SD-1 had one change, the same amount of level the BD-2 has, which is unreal.  I wasn't a fan of the BD-2's sound but holy crap the level of clean boost available... maybe I need another one…

I only wish they would fix the bypass bleed issue. Everything else is perfect.

thermionic

Yes, I remember the clean boost of the BD-2. None of my yellow ones can do that in the same way. If you're using it as a clean boost, the bleed is not an issue of course.