Analog Man Boss DS-1 Pro Mod

Three knob: Tone, Level and Dist.
As the 90% of all disortion pedals...
Really simple!!!

I use it with my Strato '79 and an hand made guitar with a Seymour Duncan Custom Custom on the bridge. I have a Fender Twin Amp (the last one)... i was searching for a 'pop' and 'modern' distortion... and i've found it!!! I own other wonderful distortion pedal (Rat vintage 2nd issue, a Fulltone Distortion Proand a MXR Distortion + Block Logo vintage) and i can say that pedal is not so far from 'em. Isn't surely as true and 'tubey' as the other pedals... but it's a good complement for a '90's' sound.
It's simply what i was looking for... so i'm really satisfied.
The modify is really well done... you'll have a unique pedal.. and that's good too :-). Original DS-1 is not a great pedal, and Mike cannot do miracles... but this is quite a miracle:-)

Nowadays u can have a distortion also with a 10$ amp... but with this pedal u'll always be ok!!!
U cannot do Zeppelin sounds... but it's pretty good for anything coming down from the late 70's - first 80's.

Mike is simply great!!! He replies to all my mails (lots.. maybe too much) and explained me everything about the shipment and all the other things.
I live in Italy, and here the DS-1 costs more that 60 euro, so i've done a grat business :-)
A great dealer... raccomended!!!

Not the best distortion pedal around; but the best price/quality relation i've ever 'heard'!!!
I was searching for a '90's' modern sound, and i've found it: that makes me satisfied and happy.
Not so 'tubey' as other high quality pedal... but Mike can't get anything into a little orange box :-)

Easy to dial in a great sound. The range of useable sounds is greatly increased with this mod. The surprise with this pedal is it works very well at low settings too.

I play a John Suhr strat through a Carr Rambler (clean fender) amp. After lots of trial and error with many mods and lots of pedal makers I have the following effects chain. AnalogMan TS/9 Silver > AnalogMan SD-1/808 Silver > AnalogMan BD-2 Super > AnalogMan DS-1 Pro > Boss CE-2 > Boss DM-2 > Boss TU-2. I use this pedal for great power chord crunch or as a distortion tone when I want to rock out. I don't have a Marshall so I can say it gives you a Marshall in a stomp box but it does have that feel. It has a great smooth tone for a distortion pedal with lots of range and punch. I really like the chip he uses in this pedal because it really smooths out the highs and gets ride of a lot of noise and artificial overtones. In its place a great lead tone and fantastic bark for chords. I usually play this pedal alone but it works great with both my chorus and delay. I don't use this pedal as much as my other overdrives but as a distortion pedal this is the best I have played. Most distortion pedals create a lot of unrealistic chaos that doesn't sound right in a band mix. This DS-1 Pro cuts through in a very convincing way and is a great fit for a clean Fender amp.

AnalogMan builds great mods that last. I am confident that it will last as long as any Boss pedal. I have several Boss pedals that are 20 years old and don't show any signs of slowing down.

I think he has set the standard. Everything I have bought from him has arrived within days and all transactions were conducted with ease. My email communication with Mike has always been very informative and very helpful.

I play a wide variety of styles - rock, blues, jazz, etc. I have been playing for about 14 years. I mainly play a John Suhr strat, and also use a Tom Anderson Cobra and a G&L ASAT Special (tele) through a Carr Rambler. I go for classic vintage tones that never go out of style. I have owned a lot of pedals, amps, etc. As far as other DS-1 mods, I sold my Keeley DS-1 SEM after doing a head to head with this pedal. In fairness to Keeley the SEM is very good and sounds very similar but it has some extra chaos and unwanted overtones that get in the way of the tone I am going after. The AnalogMan DS-1 Pro has all the crunch of the Keeley but it just sings better, is a little smoother - more refined, and seems to play better with my other pedals. I really am happy with this DS-1 mod and am no longer looking for a distortion pedal. This is a keeper.

It's easy. What can you say, really? Level, Tone, Drive.

Overdrive/Distortion pedals sound different depending on your pedal chain, amp and guitar used etc... Let me compare it for you against the stock Boss ds-1. First off, it's louder. All I mean is that if the level is set the same on both units the Pro is noticably louder which really isn't a reason to buy or not buy this pedal. The Tone, I will admit is more usable but still sharp past 12:00: Still the overall sweep of the tone pot is much more pleasant.
But most importantly, let me say a few words about the sound of this pedal. Let me say that if you enjoy the DS-1 stock (Japanese or Taiwanese)for whatever reason then you might want to think twice about this mod. You see, after the mod, certain DS-1 qualities will go missing. What the analogman has done is "clean up" the effect and in turn has considerably reduced the "fuzziness" of the pedal which to me was one of the qualities I liked about it. On the other hand it is "rounder" and less harsh which is, I suppose, a plus, with a little more sustain and more responsiveness. It still has that great bottom associated with the DS-1 and some of the character. But...I wouldn't say that it's improved, I would say it's just different. Listening to the sound samples from the Analogman web-site I REALLY prefered the SUPER/MOD as apposed to the PRO. It sounded more buttery and still retained the fuzz. That mod is no longer available. I e-mailed Mike because I originally wanted the SUPER and he told me that that Mod was no longer being done. Look, I don't exactly know what to say about these guys who are doing mods execpt to that they do pretty good business. I'm using by stock ds-1 and a boss compressor and it sounds more vintage that the Pro/mod. I'm not saying don't get the mod done...just be aware that it isn't going to be heaven to your ears.
My advice is try stuff out on your OWN rig before you buy...if you can. If you can't, be prepared to be disappointed now and again. Pedals, especially distortion/overdrives are so "taste specific" that even my own revue may be worthless to anyone who reads it.

Mike is very pleasant and will always answer your e-mails. But he's still a salesman.

Not bad. But not the grail.

After the mod all settings sound good. This is a basic pedal very easy to use.

Got the DS-1 pro and I must say it is much better than the stock
> pedal. I compared them side by side and there is a major difference,
> the analogman pedal has alot more girth and definition. It still
> retains the sound concept of the original pedal but with alot more depth
> and clarity. Just for kicks I tried it with the distortion knob on 11
> and my marshall took on a very Soldano like saturation level. Thanks
> and I will be making more purchases in the future.

should be good in this category.

Mike is the best to deal with, always answers emails! Very friendly and informative.

I own various guitars and amps. Tried the pedal through my old Marshall 4 input head....sounded great.

After the mod the tone is much better, so it is much easier to dial in excellent sounds. With the mod almost any setting sounds great!

Without the mod I give this pedal a 5. But with this mod I give it a 9 only becuase it is hard for a distortion pedal to be a perfect 10. I use a tele and a strat through silverface fender amps. This pedal is not noisy. The tone overall is much broader with the mod. When you hit chords with the distortion dimed you still can hear each note. More definition in the heavier strings. At lower gain settings the tone is much improved. I don't put the tone much past 10 o'clock as it can start to sound pretty brite with my single coil pickups. At 9 o'clock it is a beautiful warm sound. The gain control sounds awesome in any position. I use it at low and extreme settings. So cool to have that ability because before the mod I never would have done that.

Boss stuff lasts forever and Mike's work is the best in the buisness.

Mike is one of nicest guys out there in pedal land. He always answers your questions and he ships your pedal(s) back to you within a few days!

This pedal has earned a spot on my pedalboard hands down. With the ability to dail in various distortion sounds how could I not? If it were lost or stolen I would replace it ASAP. I love the fact that the mod has made this pedal so much more versatile and usable. Compared to a stock DS-1 this pedal blows it out of the water. Well worth the money you will pay. If you have a DS-1, send to Analogman you won't regret it. If you are looking for a good distortion pedal, buy one directly from Analogman as he has DS-1's that already have the mod and they are brand new!!

Boss pedals are pretty simple to use, Tone, Level, and Distortion knobs. Dial it where you like it and play, don't think.

I use Gibsons and pretty much always use the bridge pickup. I do use one Junior with a P-90 pickup also. I play Fender amps because I love the way they sound clean and loud. However, I need effects to drive them. That's where Analogman comes in. The DS-1 pro packs a huge punch. This is not thin distortion. This mod allows all the bass to come through, while the distortion is still very organic, crisp, and natural. The first thing I noticed is the harmonics that I never knew I was playing before this pedal. I agree that the pedal does become very fuzzy when the distortion is cranked on 10. However, any other setting sounds great. This pedal is not noisy. It's a stock DS-1 before the mods and Boss pedals have excellent switches. I don't like to use a lot of effects live, but I am using a Boss EQ after this pedal for solo boosts. The DS-1 Pro does not appear to rob me of high end tone when off either, if it does, it is VERY minimal and I couldn't tell. I plugged in a stock Boss distortion pedal after using the DS-1 Pro for a while and was surprised at how dull and thin it sounded (not necessarily bad, just thin compared to the DS-1). No pedal gets a 10, but the DS-1 Pro gets a huge 9 for sound.

It's a Boss pedal, folks. They're as sturdy as they come. I don't really believe in backups (well, my wallet doesn't anyway). I've never had a reliability issue with a Boss pedal anyway.

Mike is fantastic to deal with. He answers questions promptly by email. The pedal arrived two days after I ordered it. Mike is definitely a class act.

I'm currently playing original rock music. The kind of rock that Page and Ronson played. This pedal is perfect for that real organic, yet heavy distortion. I've owned a lot of pedals over the 16 or so years I have been playing. This is the best distortion I've owned yet (other than a 6 watt Silvertone tube amp on 10). In fact, I'm going to send my SD-1 to Mike for an 808 mod. I'd be pissed if it were stolen, would definitely replace. The best thing about this pedal is how natural the sound is as it lets the bass come through, it does not get muddy. I've been reading the other reviews, and I must agree, I don't think a Fender amp will ever sound like a Marshall, but this pedal is about as close as you can get. It's the best of both worlds, clean Fender amp, loud crunchy distortion pedal.

Easy to use.

The distortion is very usable from 1-9. It has a good overdrive distortion all the way to the singing sustain of a high gain amp. Only thing is at 10, it's a little too fuzzy. I roll it back a touch, and it's fine.

I use the tone no more past 9/10 o'clock. I think the highend gets harsh after that.

As DS-1/Pro compared to a stock DS-1, it's a 10. But it is a pedal, and it's not perfect. So I'll give a 8. I still have not found a 10 is distortion pedals for my taste yet.

Sounds great with tube amps, not all that great with solid state stuff.

no problems.

I am very happy with the sound of this pedal. It's as close to what I've been looking for in a distortion pedal that i've found. This pro mod take an unusable brand new ds-1, and makes it sounds awesome.

As soon as I unpacked my Analog Mike-modded DS-1, I plugged it in and was blown away. All the bass that was sucked out of the unmodified DS-1 pedal was right where it should be--tight, round, and enormous. Almost any tone, drive, and volume setting works extremely well for something. For my personal fave tone, it took about five minutes of twisting knobs, and I was there. Simple.

If you've owned a Japanese (better) or a Taiwanese DS-1 (oh boy...), you know that the pedal is shrill, buzzy, and way too thin to be of any use in a live situation. Sure, for home use at a very low level, maybe... But now, this pedal holds its own with my cadre of od/dist effects, and its full body outshines/competes with many of my "holy grails:" Chandler Tube Driver, Boss OD-1, Real Tube, MXR Distortion II, RAT, TS-9, etc. With a variety of Strats, super-Strats, Teles, and archtops, and a tweed Bassman and vintage Champ set to clean, I could produce any dirty tone I wanted: from swampy sizzle to overblown ferocity. I prefer the tone, even with the mod, at no more than 9 o'clock with the level set to transparent, and the drive dimed--big, perfect distortion that is as "brown" as any I've played and heard. Even at low levels, I can coax lovely harmonic feedback anywhere on the neck, without the signal breaking up into harshness. It's also very quiet, even when running in a series of many other pedals. My only wish is that it would clean up better with the guitar's volume knob, but that's not what distortion is about (and that's really digging for negativity and coming up drastically short).

I don't need the Boss warrantee; I have Analog Mike now. Send him and email or give him a call. You'll see.

I sent two pedals to Mike on Good Friday--I got them back the following Thursday! Plus, I've sent dozens of inquiring emails to Mike, even before buying anything, and he's responded fully anywhere from five minutes to two hours later. Phone? Same amount of dedication. He's the rarest of breeds in a world of crappy guitar "super-stores."

I've been playing for about thirty years. Plugging in for the first time was one of the greatest thrills I've ever experienced--tone-wise--and I don't expect that thrill to wear off anytime soon. I know what I like; I know what sounds good. I'm still just as thrilled about my original TS-9 as the day I got it. I've played just about everything I've ever wanted to, except for the ToneBone Classic, and the Mike-modded DS-1 will live in my pedalboard until it dies, which, by then, I'll have several backups.

Don't believe the naysayers out there--they don't have ears, or hearts, or souls. I live for tone--can't play without it. Mike is a top-notch guy who makes ordinary pedals sound extraordinary. Go get one now! Or, if you have an unmodified DS-1 of your own, get it modded. Trust me, it's the best chunk of change you'll spend.

super easy

While to the untrained ear this is no different sounding than an un-modded Ds-1, the subtle difference makes it truly more usable in a professional setting. People, all overdrive,distortion,fuzz,etc pedals sound like shit when the tone control is way up past 12:00.You just can't crank the tone on these types of pedals. This one kicks ass all around the tone dial! I own about 30 distortion pedals and this one made it onto every track on my new album.

Boss................solie

Excellent,ansewere all of my annoying questions

I play blues rock in the band Halfway to Gone. I've been playing almost 30 years. I have every other cool distortion pedal known to man. This pedal and my Maxon sd-9 are the best distortion pedals I've owned for driving my Marshall Plexi into a hard rock,punk,metal,skynard,sabbath realm. It sounds harmonically rich and beautifull on ring chords.While not as transparent as the maxon pedal, it sounds better with more of a rich tone.

The DS-1/PRO operates the same as the regular DS-1, but obviously has a much different tonal characteristic.

So far I have used the DS-1/PRO in every possible combination with my other equipment and have noticed the consistancy of tone over the other distortion units. The DS-1/PRO goes into territory that my other units cannot reach, meaning that there is a effortless clarity when the gain is turned all the way up and is also surprisingly quiet. I could'nt tell you how this unit would sound with a single coil guitar since I don't own one, but I have used it on a Yamaha with a Carvin and a Duncan, an ESP with EMG's, a Dean with EMG's, and a Jackson with two Duncan's running into either a Soldano/Genz Benz, a Marshall half stack, or an Ampeg solid state combo.

Seeing as how this is a modded Boss, I don't have any doubt that it will live up to my expectations regarding reliabilty.

Every question had been answered thoroughly and promptly before I even ordered the unit. I am completely satified in all regards.

I received my DS-1/PRO the other day and I must admit that this pedal has better tone than any of the other distortion pedals I have tried (Boss, Electro Harmonix, Zoom, Wild Dog's, Dan Electro, and Ibanez).
It has just enough gain to satisfy my heavy rock playing, without sacrificing the tone. Actually, this pedal has taken my sound to a higher level. It almost sounds as good as when I plug straight into my
Soldano, but lacks some of the low end that is characteristic with a unit that utilizes a single tone control knob. I feel this is an acceptable exchange, since I needed a pedal this good to put on my board before the Flangers and Phazers. I used to run my board on the effects loop sacrificing signal to the tube buffered circuit trying to get distortion from the amp head itself. Now I can get the distortion I was looking for without using the effects loop. I knew
about your DS-1/PRO modification for some time now, and I am kicking myself in the ass for not buying one sooner!