Martin Guitar Effects Boss SD-1/TS-808 Mod

Naturally, it is as easy to use as an SD-1. There is the level knob, tone knob, and drive knob. All do as described, and there is no reason you shouldn't find a sound you like inside of a minute.

Currently, my setup is Fender Jaguar (American Reissue) -> SD-1 (MGE mod) -> ZVex Fuzz Factory -> Line 6 DL-4 -> Catalinbread Super Chili Picoso -> Fender Twin Reverb (RI). I have had a lot of trouble finding an Over Drive pedal that sounded good in front of the twin reverb. Nothing I tried sounded very natural, and they heavily colored my tone.

The SD-1 was my first overdrive pedal. While I was looking for another to buy, I found Martin Guitar Effects and figured that, for the price, I might as well give it a shot. I wrote Eric and he readily clarified how his mod would change my pedal. He asked me if there was anything specific I was looking for from the pedal. I told him that I was primarily looking for a more transparent, pick attack sensitive, natural sounding overdrive. I sent him the pedal and he turned it around right away. I got it back, plugged it in, and it was what I asked for. The effect is vastly improved. The greatest improvement is in the liter drive settings, where you can keep you signal clean and get the drive when you really dig in. The pedal is much better at maintaining the sound of my guitar and amp. With the Catalinbread Super Chili Picoso (a mosfet clean boost) on after the SD-1, it sounds that much better through my amp. The effect also sounds better with the drive cranked up.

In the end, I am not going to say that this pedal with make any guitar and amp sound just like an old Bassman or AC30 cranked. And I have not tried enough outrageously overprice boutique OD pedals to say you couldn't do better for $300, but for the price, there is nothing I have found as good.

It is a mod of a boss pedal in a boss casing, so you know it is unlikely that any original parts would fail. As for the mod, time will tell, but the work inside the pedal all looks clean and I haven't had any problems in the month I have had it. I would, and am, gigging with it without a backup.

I emailed back and forth with Eric a number of times before sending him my pedal. He was very helpful in explaining what his mod would do physically and sonically. I have no doubt that were I to have a problem (which I again think would be very unlikely), Eric would be more than ready to help me out.

I play in an indie rock band. Our music ranges from slow, washy, and moody to power pop to noisier riff driven rock. For most of the heavier or noisier suff, I use the fuzz factory, but have the SD-1 on most other times. It suits me perfectly for the sound of smooth, progressive amp breakup. I have been playing for 8 years, and would certainly have Martin Guitar Effects mod another SD-1 were I to loose this one. I love the sound, size, and toughness of this pedal, and there isn't anything to hate about it.