Analog Man SD-1/808 Clipping Selection Mod

Very easy to use, good sound at all settings.

I'm very impressed with this pedal in its modded form. It basically was too brassy and tinny in its stock form. Compared with a tube screamer it was a joke, but with the analog.man modifications it turned it into an impressive pedal with 2 great sounds with the push/pull clipping option. It still is a tad bit brighter than the tube screamer but that is not meant as a bad comment. It is a great sounding pedal now. Very versatile. I play an American Deluxe Strat through a Mesa Boogie Lonestar 2x12 and get great warm distortion playing on the clean channel. I also have a Les Paul with P90's that I play through a silverface Bassman head with a 1x12 Mesa cabinet and I use the pedal with the level knob in the "pull" mode for great gritty old-school punk rock ringing tube distortion (think, The Clash, Social Distortion, Sex Pistols).

Boss pedals seem to be pretty rugged, I've never had one fail. I"m fairly hard on my gear and have broken other brands pedals at gigs or in transit so I always have a back-up OD pedal.

They got the pedal back to me in a decent amount of time considering what was done to it and how far it had to be shipped (3000 miles). Mike responded to my email in less than 24 hours.

This is now a great pedal. I would definitly get another one if I lost this one. I've been playing for about 15 years and have had crappy pedals come and go and thought the Boss SD-1 was just another one of those in a long line of tone sucking synthetic sounding boxes until the Anolog.man mod. I highly recomend it. Get the dual clipping option and have two great pedals in one.

This pedal sounds good on any setting

My set up is as follows, ESP with Gibson 496r and 500t pickups and Schector C1 Classic with JB sh4 and 59 Jazz pickups. I run the guitar into Cry Baby 535q....Boss TU2...Modded SD1/808/silver/push pull clipping...Boss CE2...EVH Phase 90...MXR vintage Flanger....Boss DM2....JCM DSL 2000 100watt...JCM 900 1960a. I run the SD1 level at 2 o'clock tone at 12 o'clock and drive at 5 o'clock at these settings I don't have any problem with noise. I just had my first practice with it so I really haven't had a chance to really crank the amp but tonight I had no problems.

The sound I get is like guitar staraight into a tube amp, very warm creamy distortion. My band plays a verity of songs from various metal/classic rock bands, From Kiss to Iron Maiden. You can play all these bands with this pedal but bands like Maiden the sound is a little weak. I'm going to purchase the Analog Man MT2 Metal Zone to switch on for these songs. But if I had a gig to play tomorrow I wouldn't be affraid to use this pedal on all of our songs. If and when I ever decide to write original music I would only need this pedal to get the distorted guitar sound I like. It's a very classic tube guitar sound.

I have various vintage Boss pedals and there still going strong. Add the quality of craftmanship of Analog Man (Mike) and think this pedal will be around for a long time.

I'm poor so I have to chose wisly when it comes to equipment, I only buy top notch stuff so I can't afford to buy backups for this stuff. But even if I could I don't think I would need to--I haven't yet.

Never needed them for anything as far as problems, but I did e-mail and ask a few question and received quick responses.

Over all I love this pedal. I use to play when I was younger and took the older equipment for granted. The I got out of playing for 10 or more years. When I got back into I had more money to spend and a ton of stuff to chose from like Processors and modeling amps. But I couldn't find my old sound. Many of nights I would sit and fiddle with my GT5, Roctron Replifex, Line 6 POD, JMP-1 and I could not find that sound I got from just a Les Paul copy a crappy amp and a distortion pedal. So I'd sell and re-buy, finally I started going back to the basic. Heck it was cheaper $50. for pedal as opposed to $380. for a used GT5, $250. for a used Replifex, $375. for a used JMP-1, but the stomp box didn't have it either. Why? Why? Why? can't I find my sound? What am I missing? "Analog" even the pedals these days are digital or have some cheap parts for mass production. I can't believe the difference is sound over the stock pedals. Line6 don't compair everything else doesn't compair a modded pedal is the way to go. It's the best $150.00 I've spent on guitar equipment since I bought my Marshall.

It's very easy to get a good sound out of this pedal. I've found several useful settings which I've written down for future reference.

I'm using a 1982 Les Paul Standard with Jazz/JB pickups, and an ESP LTD Goerge Lynch Skulls and Snakes model guitar (Alder body) w/Hot Rails/Screamin'Demon pickup combo. The pedal can a get a bit noisy if you turn up the gain too much, but I never really use set the gain above 2 o'clock. This pedal sounds great. I had a Tubescreamer in the early '80's, and this thing sounds much better. It's the Tubescreamer sound I remember as a kid learning to play in the '70's, but better and cleaner. I suppose a lot of it has to do with my gear being better now than back then, lol. It's a stronger sounding pedal than my old one. My rig is a 5150 with a Randall 412 (70 watt Celestions), BBE 401 Sonic Maximzer, Alesis Nanoverb, BOSS DD-3, BOSS CH-1, BOSS NS-2, Crybaby Wah. I run the DD-3, CH-1, BBE, and Nanoverb through the amp's effects loop. The guitar goes to the wah, then the SD-1/808, and straight to the normal gain input. I get a fantastic George Lynch tone with this pedal going through my rig while playing the Lynch guitar. The harmonics are much better with my Les Paul and this pedal, and sustain on both guitars is great. It's exactly the tone and drive I was looking for. I had recently bought a Digitech Tone Driver, then I came across Analogman's site while searching for gear and I had to order one after reading about the mods he does. This review is about the SD-1/808, so I won't say what the comparison is between the Tone Driver and this pedal (I think you can guess, lol). I give it a 9 for sound quality just because of the noise thing, but that's not really a big deal for me as I never use that much gain with it.

I would use this on a gig without backup and if it broke (which I don't think it would being a BOSS case) I would definitely buy another one, no question. It's become an integral part of my sound now.

Mike was very nice through e-mail communication. I have not had to use Customer Support yet, but if I did, I don't anticipate any problems. I'm sending him my DD-3 for a high-cut mod soon.

I play hard rock, '80's rock and metal, '70's classic rock and metal, and some alternative from the '90's. This is perfect for what I play. I've actually been missing my Tubescreamer for years. When Ibanez reissued them, I couldn't see spending that much money for one so I went without. Then when I read what Mike does to the SD-1, I had to get one. I've been playing for 27 years and this is by far the best pedal I've ever owned. I'm glad I got the clipping option as both types are usable and I do play around with both. I think the Tubescreamer clipping type is my favorite, though. There's nothing I don't like about this pedal. I decided to get this because after reading about what Mike does to it and reading the reviews and descriptions, it made more sense to me to get something BETTER than a reissue Tubescreamer. I find myself inspired by the tone I'm now getting out of my gear, and writing more than I have been recently. I'd definitely buy it again without a doubt.

This is a very easy pedal to get a good sound out of. The clipping switch is useable in both positions

I wanted a overdrive that I could keep in my guitar case to use at local jam nights. So I used this box with my Gibson Les Paul and a Bassman reissue. Right out fo the box it sounded great, no EQ bump, just a nice overdrive that sounded like my guitar and amp. But when I turned the SD-1 off is when the trouble started, there is a slight ghost of the overdrive under the clean note. I was very disapointed, this is a great sound but the ghost makes it unuseable to me. I guess if your playing the amp distorted and using the SD-1 as a lead sound, it would be fine, I guess. But if the amp is clean, you'll hear that ghost if you really listen. I have found out after sending the SD-1 back to Analog man that this leaking is a flaw in the bypass design from Boss.
I give the SD-1 a seven because it does sound great but the bypass sucks.

It's a boss pedal, bulit like a tank.

Mike is a good guy, he responded quickly to my emails and refunded my money when he learned of the problem. I would be happy to buy from him again.

Again, the sound is great but if your using a clean amp you will hear that ghost, I guess you could use a true bypass loop box if you really loved the SD-1. That was just to much trouble for me.

3 knobs. Easy. The push/pull pot on the level control changes from TS808 mode to Boss BD-2 type OD.

Wow! I can't believe this is the same pedal I sent Mike to mod. More bass, smoother, warmer. The TS808 mode is very warm, but with more bass and a maybe a little less of that midhump that some people harp on about Tube Screamers.. Personally I love that hump when I'm on the bridge pickup of my Teles. Pull the level pot and you get more drive, no hump, and more edge, but no shrill. I find both modes extremely useful depending on the guitar/amp setup I'm using.

It's still a Boss and hard to kill.

Mike is awesome! He answered my emails right away and was very informative. And I got the pedal back in just over a week.

I'm reaaly happy I paid the extra $25 for the dual clipping. I love both modes. I bought the SD-1 new on clearance for $30. For $100 total I got the best OD I own. They include original TS9, modded TS10, Reverend Drivetrain II, Nobels ODR-S, Rat, and Route 66. This pedal is great for anyone who wants a transparent OD with up to moderate drive. Not a metal pedal, but I don't want one.

Super easy. Three knobs volume, tone, and drive. The volume knob has a tiny push/pull switch that changes the clipping style from asymmetrical to symmetrical or from 'Boss' style to 'Tubescreamer' style. I found the settings I liked in both modes in a matter of mintues.

My set up is always changing. I'm always swapping this pedal out for that one, changing the order things, etc. Whatever. I play rare old Ovation solidbodies tuned down to C. I like a real thick sound with out being too overdriven. Yes, I like QOTSA.

In Tubescreamer mode it has that nice smooth overdrive sound that the good Tubescreamers are known for. Perfect for bluesy stuff or for a nice little boost with some dirt to it. You know basic Tubescreamer territory. Heck after Mike does the mod it is a Tubescreamer just with a better footswtich.

Imagine you went up to a tubescreamer at a bar and called it's mother a whore. That's the Boss style clipping. It's louder and a more aggresive. With the asymmetrical clipping there's a lot more volume and drive available. It adds a nice crunch with great dynamics.

Both modes are very usuable. Mike told me that the differnces would be subtle and they aren;t glaringly obvious at first, but mess around with it for awhile and you'll see the differences. Since I like to change things up alot I like knowing I have more to tinker with. I run this on both the clean and dirty channel of my amp. Switch it on on the clean channel and you in O.D. heaven. Switch it on on the dirty channel and you'll reeaaaally like it.

Right now I'm running this before my wah because SD-1 and the wah really like each other. When I play on the clean channel I can switch on the SD-1 and still have a very defined wah sound. When I play on the dirty channel swiching on the SD-1 really lets the wah shine through all the mud I'm slinging.

It's been said by just about everyone, in fact it should be their new slogan - it's a Boss. On top of that it's a Boss modded by Analog Mike. Even if you're stupid it would be tough to break.

Well Boss's warantee is void becuse of the mods. Oh well. Mike however is awesome. I'm not famous, I'm not in a well known band, but Mike always treats me as if I'm just as important as the guys who are. I get responses to my e-mails right away usually within a matter of hours. He'll answer my questions even if they are totally stupid. He sends stuff out fast. I've bought a lot of stuff from Mike (Clone Clone, Comprosser, RMC wah, SD-9 mod) and I've never been let down by his quality or service.

$125 for a reliable, great sounding, versitle overdrive pedal that doesn't take up a lot of room on your pedal board? Come one, what more do you need? i know I know true bypass right? Well, I'm super anal about pedals that effect my "tone". In fact I'm notorius as the returner at the local shop in my area. I've bought and returned many "high end pedals". Yeah people think I'm nuts. Whatever, it's not their rig. This pedal sounds great to my ears. If your a nut about true bypass Mike can build youa true bypass box, but you don't need it with this one. Okay, so I've given all 10's. And yes, IMHO it's that good. If you like to play heavy music you need this pedal. If you like to play blues, you need this pedal. If you like to play rock, you need this pedal. If you want a good O.D. pedal - you need this pedal. This was the best $125 I spent on a guitar pedal. Now quit reading this and go buy one.