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Goran
Double Platinum Member
Sweden
2203 Posts |
 Posted - 01/02/2010 : 18:34:15
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quote:
Originally posted by PaulH
Personally, I don't see the point in the mods.
If you don't like, say a DS1, then buy something else.
I have, politely  , another opinion. I have tested 4-5 different DS-1 mods, I take this pedal as an example, and all of them has sounded better than a stock DS-1. Sometimes much better.
A DS-1 is a cheap pedal and throwing in components for $5 can make it sound like a boutique pedal, that�s the point.
A Fulltone distortion cost several times more money than a DS-1, and sure I would like to have the Fulltone. But it�s a good feeling to have a DS-1 that can, sound/tone wise, compare to a expensive pedal.
Also it�s a lot of fun to mod pedals, and I would never try to mod a rare or vintage pedal.
I agree that a modded pedal, if not a Keeley etc, is going to be worth the same or less than an original
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chrissydamage
Silver Member
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2010 : 21:14:29
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Yeah antiques and collectables always have to be original to command a premium
I think its fair to say Boss will have a huge amount of money and time in designing all of their pedals, then once designed refining them, testing them, making sure they are reliable, getting feedback from players; indeed when they are built the design process doesn't even stop there, hence the many revisions made to pretty much every model during its lifetime........
I don't see myself how anyone with a soldering iron and $5 worth of parts can compete with that myself!
OK I do agree that some modded pedals (like the DS-1, which I don't like particularly anyway) can sound a lot better than the stock ones for sure.....
But do they last? Do they even work properly anyway? Are there any side effects to the mod? Is the current draw affected? Has the person modding it even checked? Will it overheat/catch fire? Is the function of any removed/changed componants understood completely? etc etc etc
Of course a proper modding shop would (probably) check all the above, but for some 'homebrew' mod done by some kid in his bedroom the reality is you just don't know, its a lottery, and a lottery that a lot of people would rather steer well clear of.......... |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2010 : 00:38:54
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quote:
Originally posted by chrissydamage
But do they last? Do they even work properly anyway? Are there any side effects to the mod? Is the current draw affected? Has the person modding it even checked? Will it overheat/catch fire? Is the function of any removed/changed componants understood completely? etc etc etc
Of course a proper modding shop would (probably) check all the above, but for some 'homebrew' mod done by some kid in his bedroom the reality is you just don't know, its a lottery, and a lottery that a lot of people would rather steer well clear of..........
A DS-1 going on fire in the middle of a gig on the pedalboard would be pretty cool....  .....i can see where Goran is coming from with the throwing a a handful of components into a DS-1 and getting a better pedal..i thought about doing this as well and the one thing that bugs me about boss distortion/overdrives/fuzzes/compressors.. is their lack of volume compared to other brands...i've often wondered is the idea behind the original design to get your amp kicking a bit louder before turning on the effect...? as we all know most (tube) amps sound better with a bit of poweramp volume...but in the end i went with a real tube overdrive pedal as all solid state distortions/overdrives/fuzzes sound a bit false to me now...but then i like classic rock so tight nu-metal type sounds aren't important to me.... don't mind a bit of splutter in the low end from time to time.....  |
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natthu
Gold Member
Australia
756 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2010 : 01:05:58
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quote:
Originally posted by chrissydamage
I think its fair to say Boss will have a huge amount of money and time in designing all of their pedals, then once designed refining them, testing them, making sure they are reliable, getting feedback from players; indeed when they are built the design process doesn't even stop there, hence the many revisions made to pretty much every model during its lifetime........
I don't see myself how anyone with a soldering iron and $5 worth of parts can compete with that myself!
Sure, Boss would spend a lot of money on R&D. That's how they have maintained their status as most popular effects pedal manufacturer for so long. However, one of the reasons they are so popular is that their product is price-point. They have struck a balance between cost and quality. To do this they do cut corners. Boss are not building "the ultiumate pedal" they are building "a good pedal at a good price". Boss use inferior components to keep prices down. That's why you can grab a soldering iron, put $5 worth of parts in and make a pedal sound better sometimes. Those parts, if put in by Boss, would jack the price of the pedal up. Most people don't care or realise that their DS-1 could sound better, so why would Boss change it? Boss are selling to the majority. This makes perfect business sense. Boutique pedals, on the other hand, are pitched at a very niche market. How many people actually own a Keeley DS-1 compared to a stock Boss one? I know I'm in the latter category.
IMHO Modding a pedal can make it sound much better. The best examples I can think of are the MT-2, DS-1 and EHX Big Muff. If you don't like these pedals in the first place then modding them probably isn't going to change that.
I don't understand why everyone seems to be so precious about modding. Boss pedals aren't sacred, they are a mass produced consumer product. If you don't like mods, then don't mod your pedals. Having said that, I don't own any modded pedals myself, I don't feel the need, but if others like mods then good for them.
Of course, modding vintage pedals will reduce their re-sale value, but that's not a priority for some people. |
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Modded Boss-pedals
