Boss DS-1 Distortion
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The orange Boss DS-1 has been in production since 1978 and has appeared on countless pedalboards, from bedroom players to arena headliners. It's often the very first effect pedal a guitarist buys.
Controls
- Dist — amount of distortion
- Tone — brightness
- Level — output volume
Power: 9V battery or Boss PSA-series adapter. Buffered bypass, rugged Boss compact housing.
Sound
The DS-1 produces a bright, aggressive distortion that works well for punk, classic rock and grunge. Through a clean amp it sounds most like itself; into an already crunchy amp it acts as a powerful boost.
Tips
- Keep the Tone knob below halfway at first — the DS-1 can be harsh on small amps.
- Lower the Dist knob for a punchy crunch rather than full saturation.
- A modelling amp such as the Katana-50 MkII already includes distortion, so the DS-1 makes most sense with simple clean amps.
Verdict
Simple, durable and iconic. Still a great first pedal and a useful learning tool for understanding gain and tone.
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