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Boss DS-1 Distortion Compact Pedal

£69.00

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SKU: BOSSDS1

Product Description

Here's What Boss Say About the DS-1 Distortion Pedal

The Benchmark in Guitar Distortion.

The DS-1 Distortion is a true icon in the world of guitar effects. Introduced in 1978, BOSS’s first distortion pedal defined a bold new sound, delivering hard-edged attack and smooth sustain that’s been a staple of players for generations. The DS-1 is the top-selling BOSS compact pedal ever, and its original, unchanged design continues to inspire the creation of great music everywhere. The classic DS-1 tone is behind the signature sounds of numerous rock legends, and is ready to fuel your own signature sound today.

  • Legendary distortion used by guitarists everywhere since 1978
  • Classic tones for all types of music
  • Hard-edged attack remains clear even at maximum distortion settings, ideal for heavy rhythms and cutting solos
  • Works great as a booster at low distortion settings
  • Unique tone control offers a wide range of sound shaping
  • Doesn’t mask the unique sound characteristics of different guitars, pickups, and styles
  • Turning down the guitar’s volume cleans up the tone without introducing muddiness
  • BOSS five-year warranty

Genre-Defining Distortion

Before the DS-1, most distortion pedals produced harsh, buzzy tones and muddy sound at high gain settings. In 1978, BOSS engineers changed all that by developing a unique distortion circuit for the DS-1 that produces tight, hard-edged gain with rich harmonics while retaining the unique characteristics of different guitars and playing techniques. Hard rock, metal, and punk styles began to flourish in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and the DS-1’s tone had a defining influence on these genres. That trend has endured through multiple generations, and players around the world continue to seek out the classic DS-1 sound.

Gain from Mild to Heavy

From its modest three-knob interface, many different sound colors can be coaxed from the DS-1. Its pioneering two-stage circuit incorporates both transistor and op-amp gain stages. This approach is critical to the DS-1’s characteristic low-frequency fullness, which is loved by guitarists that play heavy music genres. The distortion knob offers an extremely wide range, from a mild boost for driving amps and pedals to full-throttle gain for monster rock riffs.

Powerful Tone Shaping

Unlike typical tone controls that only cut highs, the DS-1’s tone circuit features an innovative design that offers far more range. Turning the knob clockwise increases highs and decreases lows, while going counter-clockwise has the opposite effect. This lets you dial in everything from tight, cutting rhythm sounds to smooth, fat lead voices. The tone control is particularly effective for maintaining low-end definition when using the DS-1 as a booster with vintage-style amps, which often sound muddy when driven with other distortion pedals.

Specifications

  • Nominal Input Level: -20 dBu
  • Input Impedance: 470 k Ω
  • Nominal Output Level: -20 dBu
  • Output Impedance: 1 k Ω
  • Recommended Load Impedance: 10 k Ω or greater

Controls

  • Pedal switch
  • TONE knob
  • LEVEL knob
  • DIST knob

  • Indicator CHECK indicator (Used for indication of check battery)

Connectors

  • INPUT jack: 1/4-inch phone type
  • OUTPUT jack: 1/4-inch phone type
  • DC IN jack

Power Supply

  • Alkaline battery (9 V, 6LR61) or Carbon-zinc battery (9 V, 6F22)
  • AC adaptor (PSA series: sold separately)

  • Current Draw: 10 mA

Expected battery life under continuous use

  • Carbon: Approx. 50 hours
  • Alkaline: Approx. 80 hours
  • * These figures will vary depending on the actual conditions of use.

Accessories

  • Owner's manual
  • Leaflet ("USING THE UNIT SAFELY," "IMPORTANT NOTES," and "Information")
  • Carbon-zinc battery (9 V, 6F22)

Customer Reviews

4.8

55 reviews

Value

Looks

Durability

Sound

Peter Wright31st Oct 2023

Trusted Customer28th Jul 2023

Value 5Looks 5Sound 5

Mr Neil Cudlipp9th Feb 2023

Love this pedal, so bought one for my granddaughter too. Excellent pedal.

Value 4Looks 5Durability 5Sound 5

Mr Ed Wingfield23rd Jan 2023

What great tones you can get from this pedal. Have to be careful with the tone control but it should great. You can see why a lot of great musicians use it. 1 downside is it does have a bit of a hissy noise but you get good tones.

Value 5Looks 4Durability 5Sound 4

david thompson3rd Oct 2022

Perfect tone , great price

Value 5Looks 4Durability 4Sound 5

Trusted Customer9th Jul 2022

Value 5Looks 5Durability 5Sound 5

Mr James Pittis10th Sep 2021

Great for dirty grunge sounds. A little low on the output. Can border on fuzzy

Value 5Looks 5Durability 5Sound 3

Mr Damien Roberts2nd Sep 2021

This is a great peddle for creating that perfect grunge sound

Value 5Looks 5Durability 5Sound 5

Mr Martin Evans18th Jul 2021

Love the DS-1 takes me back to when I was a kid.

Value 5Looks 5Durability 5Sound 5

Trusted Customer5th Jun 2021

Not as good as I remember

Value 3Looks 4Durability 3Sound 2

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Andertons Music Company's Registered Office: 58-59 Woodbridge Road, Guildford, GU1 4RF. Andertons Music Company acts as a credit broker and not a lender and only offers credit products from Secure Trust Bank PLC trading as V12 Retail Finance. Not all products offered by Secure Trust Bank PLC are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Andertons Music Company is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm registration number 716155. Credit provided subject to age and status.