Pedal Mods UK

Ddigger

I have a DS-1 modded by Pedal Mods UK.

I am happy with it, but I'd like to know exactly what the mod is (Keely, analogman, monte, SEM, ultra - whatever).

The Pedal Mods website says they will be back in action right about now (end of 2018).

Anybody know what the mod is or when/if Pedal Mods will be open again?

Cheers,

Ddig

guitartango

How does it sound @Ddigger ? 

jdgm

I also have a DS-1 (and a Rat) modded by them - I hope they come back, they were terrific.

Mine has a 3-way switch which I think is like Keeley but aren't these mods all quite similar?

And it sounds bloody amazing, made all the difference to the pedal!

Ddigger

I had a DS-1 the first time I played guitar (pre-grunge, so late 80s).  I didn't like it and traded it in for a SD-1.  I can't think why, as I was right into Husker Du at the time - should have been right up my street.

I bought the modded DS-1 recently.

Anyhoo... I don't have a straight DS-1 to compare it to, but I do like it.  I think I know which position the 3 way switch needs to be in for an un-modded sound, but I wouldn't be surprised if I was wrong.  Two of the positions have less gain and are more open sounding.

I don't have lots of drive pedals, but I think I am going to sell on some others and keep this one.

Pedalmods used to post here and judging by their webpage they are having some planned time away.

JDE

Iirc, it’s the Keeley SEM. 

drwiddly

They used to do the Keeley SEM and the Analogman mods. I had most of my drive pedals modded by Chris years ago and I have both of those. To my ears the SEM sounds better. You can tell them apart as the SEM has an added red LED fitted to the top under the controls, in the O of Tone.

Ddigger

OK, there is no LED in the 'O of tone'.  I did some searching on internet to see what was involved in the SEM mod.

I did have a peek inside the pedal and there is a red LED in the additional wiring that comes off the 3 way switch, so a it is a seeing eye mod, but I just can't see it!

roberty

Unseeing eye

drwiddly

Seriously though, if I get time later, I'll look my two out and have a look inside and report back.

TimmyO

I had a modded DS-1 (not from there) years back - it had a 3-way toggle with different clipping selections (as well as apparently general noise-reducing component changes)

I always liked it best in the middle position. After a while i opened it up. The middle position was bypassing the diodes. So i liked the sound of more of my amp basically lol 

crunchman

Ddigger said:

OK, there is no LED in the 'O of tone'.  I did some searching on internet to see what was involved in the SEM mod.

I did have a peek inside the pedal and there is a red LED in the additional wiring that comes off the 3 way switch, so a it is a seeing eye mod, but I just can't see it!

LED can be used as a clipping diode.

It has a higher forward voltage than the silicon or germanium diodes that a lot of pedals use.  The forward voltage of a silicon diode used in a lot of pedals (e.g. Tubescreamer) will be in the 0.6 to 0.7V range.  An LED will have a much higher forward voltage - maybe 1.8V although it varies with the colour of the LED.

Using an LED as a clipping diode instead of something like a 1N4148 will give you more output but less distortion from the pedal, as the signal won't start clipping until it reaches 1.8V rather than 0.6V.

thermionic

Plus, it glows as it clips, which I guess is the seeing eye mod. I had an old Marshall Valvestate, ironically, a model which didn’t have valves - all the drive channel sound was from two LEDs, which you could see if you opened it up.