Modify Your Boss DS-1

Step 8 Last Thoughts

About five years ago Robert Keeley was kind enough to publish how to do this modification on his website http://www.robertkeeley.com/audio6l6/dstech.html.

This is a great mod that drastically improves the tone of this pedal.

Also Overdrive Spider has had his How To up for a while. Check out his DS-1 Circuit Bends I like letter D the best.

Comments

[davidwaligora]

 so i tried this mod.  minor issue....  the seeing eye led doesn't light up, and i get no sound at all.  when i turn it on it picks up a radio station.  I had an issue getting r39 out and it may be i ruined the connection because it just wouldn't solder right.  this is my first time ever doing something like this so i'm a little lost.  any ideas would be appreciated.

[mrmerino]

It picks up a radio station? Whoa.

[teslasteroid]

Thanks a lot..........It sounds great!!!!

[DenVeR777]

Thanx James! This is very useful instruction. But I've got a problem: Dist knob at low values work perfectly, but when I rise dist value to 12h low level signal dissapear and it's treshold rise with dist level. Another thing is there about 3,5-7v dc on a input jack, its also depend from dist level. Can anyone tells what i do wrong? Sorry for my english.

[frixtor]

Hi, nice mod, i have a problem, the dist knob doesn´t anything, i did not do the step 6, has something to do with it?.
thanks

sorry for the english

[Luke Ferg]

 Hey, I've just spent the weekend modding my mates DS1. It sounds amazing now! So much better than the original. I'm thinking about buying my own pedal to mod. Thanks for such a great instructable!

[glahboo_wahbooP]

I just became a member simply to say that this is a great, detailed guide!! I'll be trying this out in the next few days

[James Haskin]

Well I sure appreciate the complement :] There's a lot of other cool projects on this site. Check out my favorites. Let me know how it turns out. Maybe post a video or some pictures.

[LeeChavezMusic]

Very detailed Instructable! I loved it. What is the purpose of installing the switch and red LED and blue LED? I know it was to install the SEM, but what do they all do?

[Schmidtn]

The LEDs (I think, don't hold me to this) act as a low efficiency signal impeder. I don't think color matters any in that. The switch is so you can bypass the bottom LED and run off the top LED -or- run off the bottom LED and ignore the top LED (switch between mods). If you only want the Ultra mod, you could just solder the diode to the LED and put them back into the board and it'll always be on Ultra mod mode. The switch just gives you the option between mods.

[AFF]

(removed by author or community request)

[James Haskin]

There are plenty of DS-1 Mods out there. The reality is, most people try one and stick with it. I like the keeley mods but I don't understand the circuit well enough to tell you what does what. You need a strong understanding of analog circuits for that.

[The Wack]

Awesome instructable! I was able to complete it with little or no previous experience, and it turned out great! Thank You!