Boss OD-3 Overdrive

     This is a review for the Boss OD-3 Overdrive.   It's basic sound is somewhere inbetween the DS-1 Distortion and the SD-1 Super Overdrive, with a distinct overall vibe that is well worth the $80.00 price tag.   It's overall sound is bigger than the SD-1 and more amp-like, with more bottom end and less mids and high end.   It also seems to have less of a saturated gain sound.   It doesn't have the mid-scoop and super pronounced treble response of the DS-1, and the overall sound is smoother, with a lot less gain.   Overall, it's got a big bottom end and a balanced mid and treble response.   It's also got alot more output than either of the other two pedals.  It's touch responsive, much like the SD-1, and it's got nice clarity all throughout the travel of the drive knob.
     While the SD-1 is smoother and a litle more transparent in terms of coloring the tone of the instrument, the extended bottom end and more balanced mids and high end of the OD-3 may be more appealing to many guitarists.   While the SD-1 may be the better of the two for feeding into an already overdriven amp, the OD-3 is probably the better of the two when feeding into a clean amp.   It's an appealing overdrive with a vintage vibe and a big sound that would work for classic rock, blues, punk, and any other genre that doesn't require too much gain.   While it's a little more than an SD-1 or a DS-1, it's still an affordable pedal that gives the owner some major bang for the buck.
     Like the DS-1, this pedal sounds awsome with the SD-1 placed in front of it.   The SD-1 brightens up the darker sounding OD-3 and the two pedals together sound totally killer when you take the time to fiddle with the tone and drive knobs on each pedal to get the best sound.   I like the tone I get with the drive and level knobs on the SD-1 at noon and the tone knob at 10:30 and the three knobs on the OD-3 at noon.   The extra gain of both pedals running together has a excellent tube-like quality and the two pedals running at the same time is better than either pedal on it's own.   Both pedals only cost $130.00 total, which is a reasonable price that's about the same or lower than many single pedals out there and you can switch between the two pedals on their own as well as both on at the same time.   I prefer to run the OD-3 on it's own for a lower gain sound and add the SD-1 for a little more gain and sustain.  If you've already got both, try them out stacked.   You might just find the tone you've been searching for.  

Boss DS-1 Distortion

This review is for the Boss DS-1, which is probably one of the cheapest distortion pedals available at about $50.00 a throw.   It's the best selling distortion pedal of all time.   The pedal offers a mid-scooped fairly high gain distortion with a lot of sizzly high end.   Although it's not the greatest sounding pedal, it's still a good deal for the price and when the tone knob is turned down between 9:00 to 10:00, it produces a fairly decent overall sound.   It can sound pretty thin and buzzy with the tone knob turned above that, and of course the tone coming from your guitar and the tone of your amp are contributing factors in the overall sound you get. 
   One way to get a better sound out of this pedal is to place a Boss SD-1 in front of it and with the tone knobs properly adjusted and the gain on both pedals around noon, run both pedals simultaneously.   That way you have the two pedals on their own, plus the two combined, in addition to your clean tone.  
     There are many mods available online for this pedal, all sorts of variations on the basic circuit for the guitarists who aren't satisfied with the stock sounds of this pedal.   If you want to spend a little bit more than $50.00, you can also look for a vintage DS-1 made in Japan, the Japanese version supposedly being a little warmer and better sounding than the pedals from Taiwan.   In any case, whatever option you choose, this pedal is probably worth a shot if you want to add an old classic to your well-rounded pedal collection, or just need an inexpensive higher gain pedal for your rig.