Modding a MIJ Boss DS-1 Pedal

[VENGEANCE]

Hi fellow softies, I recently bought a MIJ DS-1 and I have to say that there's something lacking in the sound. I find the DS-1 to be a distortion pedal that lacks clarity even though it sounds thick. In addition, the tone knobs increases very fuzzy highs when turned up. I did some research saying that the DS-1 pedal sounds at its best when the tone knob is rolled down to lower levels (about 2 - 4), but still I have issues with it sounding rather muddy. I'm really interested in the Analogman mods but there are certain things holding me back. First of all, the price, shipping it there and all, it is really worth the cost? And also I do not want to spoil the value of the DS-1 Pedal. Please advice.

 

[wck]

Get a MIT DS-1 and then mod it. Its gona set you back maybe $50?

Another way is to just get the analogman modded DS-1 second hand. Either way your MIJ DS-1's value isn't affected.

 

[VENGEANCE]

$50? I highly doubt so man, seeing the prices of the mods and all on the analogman site is already more than that, plus the shipping costs haven't been taken into account yet:/

 

[dodgethis]

There are DIY mods for the DS-1 out there for less than $50. I believe all use the Taiwanese DS-1 as a base. I wouldn't bother modding a Japanese one.

Brian Wampler has an in-depth guide on modding the DS-1 with off-the-shelf components to improve and/or improve the pedal, along with a component by component description of the component signal chain on what does what.

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2008/Feb/Boss_DS_1_Mods.aspx

Monte Allums alone offers no less than four mods for the DS-1, all with different flavours. Even with shipping (only USD4.50 for 3 kits! Yes, I did specify Singapore as the destination), I believe that each mod does not cost more than $50.

http://www.monteallums.com/pedal_mods.html

If you want the Analogman or even Keeley mods, Googling around should help you locate what components are swapped out and their replacements.

Modding the DS-1 for less than $50 can be done, just how much effort you can to put into it.

 

[wck]

Yeap, the kits are pretty cheap (sorry if I wasn't clear in my 1st post). If you can do the mods yourself (even better if you have a lobang for parts) you'll save a lot of money and it'll add up to about $100 depending on how much you get the DS-1 for.

If you DIY, selling the MIJ DS-1 would cover the costs of getting a MIT and self modding. To me a lot of the mods change the DS-1 completely, from a distortion meant to saturate and push an amp to something like a MIAB type pedal.

 

[Godspeed64]

There are tonnes of DS-1 mods out there. It depends what tones you want to coax out of it.
Here is my review of Seekz own mod:
http://www.soft.com.sg/forum/guitar...s-ds-1-meat-lover%92s-mod-seekz-stompers.html

Here is my review on DS-1's in general:
http://www.soft.com.sg/forum/guitar-fx-reviews/70396-boss-ds-1-detailed-take.html

 

[kernelspy]

I say DO NOT mod an MIJ DS-1... just let it be... You'll just ruin the value of that thing. I say just buy a 2nd hand Made in Taiwan DS-1 then MOD it.