PRODUCT REVIEW
quencies are being filtered. With the current values you will find it’s
filtering everything above 7k, which helps to smooth things out a
little bit. If it’s too bright, replace R14 with a resistor valued at 3.3k,
allowing more highs to be filtered out, or try a 4.7k resistor to filter
out everything above 3.3kHz.
After traveling through the diodes and the capacitor, the signal
goes through a Big Muff ; inspired tone control. There are many
things we can do to manipulate the tone here, and a great resource
is the Duncan Tone Stack calculator, available at duncanamps.
com/tsc/. Experiment with different values to find the tone you’re
looking for. In the stock version of the pedal, the tone is a bit
“scooped” meaning that there is little mid frequencies allowed
through making the tone a little “thin” sounding. We can change
that quite easily however. Check out the suggested changes in the
charts below to get a warmer tone, a scooped mid tone or simply
less highs.
After the tone control the signal travels through the level control
and then out through R18, which is a 10k resistor, and then on to
Q7, which is the other side of the JFET switching circuit. In its on
state, it goes past Q7, through C13 – which is a .047µF capacitor
– through yet another output buffer and then a resistor, a capacitor
and finally through the output.
Let’s look at some modifications that will have your DS- 1 doing your
bidding in no time.
LOCATION CHANGE TO:
C3 .033
R17 15k
C2 1µF
D4 1N4148 Connected in Series to another 1N4148
D5 1N4001 Connected in Series to another 1N4001
C5, C9 1UF
R13 OPTIONAL - Change to 1k for tons of gain, if you
do this, also change c8 to 1µF
Classic JCM-type Marshall Tones:
LOCATION CHANGE TO:
R16 1k
R14 10k
C10 .001µF
C5, C9 3.3k
D4 LED
Modern distortion tones
LOCATION CHANGE TO:
D5 LED
C3 .033µF
R16 1k
C11 .01µF
Vintage distortion tones
LOCATION
C10
C10
C10
C10
C10
Less shrill highs
If you like the general sound of the DS- 1 but are looking less highs and more of
a tonal range change C10 to a capacitor with a larger value. Stock is .01µF for a
frequency roll-off of 7.2kHz.
CHANGE TO
.015µF
.022µF
.027µF
.033µF
.047µF
FREQUENCY ROLLOFF
48kHz
3.2kHz
2.6kHz
2.1kHz
1.5kHz
All in all, the Boss DS- 1 Distortion is an inexpensive pedal that can rival many of
the best boutique pedals simply by changing the circuitry a little. While this may
seem difficult, technical and out of reach it really is very simple if you know what
to change and where to change it. I hope that I’ve given you the knowledge
and courage necessary to change your pedal from a mouse into a monster.
Happy soldering!
Brian Wampler
Brian Wampler is an author, effects designer/builder
and operates IndyGuitarist.com and Wamplerpedals.com.
His books include How to Build Effect Pedals, How
to Modify Effect Pedals, and Advanced DIY Effect Pedals
available at Guitar Tone.net.
