Boss SD-1-B50A Super Overdrive / 50th Anniversary Edition

There is something special about this pedal. Hard to explain, but the sound it gives you is very BOSS.

A classic, you have no worries getting this one

I have a Keeley modded Boss SD-1 where the capacitors and resistors have been changed out to metal film. They also changed out the chip and stacked a TI4558P, which gives it more overdrive/saturation than the stock SD-1. So when I bought this standard off the shelf Boss SD-1 as a backup, it was a bit of a let down to be honest. It feels like I have to play with a more aggressive attack than I usually play with, to get it to respond like it should. It seems anemic, weak. I also have a Seymour Duncan 805 overdrive that's very similar to this pedal, but costs over twice as much as the Boss SD-1. The 805 has bass, mid and treble frequency controls. And without any changes to EQ, this pedal sounds and feels spot on. It has about the same amount of overdrive as the stock SD-1, but it is about twice as good. The 805 is the best stock overdrive pedal I've ever played through.

I've always been a fan of the SD-1's sound, especially in comparison to a stock Tube Screamer 808 or TS-9. The Tube Screamers really aren't that good, in my opinion. They add so much coloration to the sound of the guitar, but in so doing, they benefit two types of situations - 1. An amp like a JCM800 or a Plexi already pushed into overdrive - the TS-9 tightens the bass response (kind of decreasing bass) and gives the sound a forward push in a mix, a more aggressive immediate sound, with the mid bump. It adds a little compression as well. 2. Lead work or melodies on a strat, or to fatten up a strat sound - the single coils on a strat benefit from the mid push of the TS-9. That's why people like the Tube Screamer. But if you want any clarity underneath your overdrive, this is not the pedal. A Fulltone OCD or this Boss SD-1, the Boss SD-1 Wazi or the 805, are the kind of pedals that will keep your guitar sound intact. The Tube Screamer will muddy it up.

Overall, The Boss SD-1 is my go to overdrive, but with the Keeley mod. I would recommend the Boss SD-1 Wazicraft instead of the stock SD-1 if you're really serious about tone. The SD-1 is a hallmark of what an overdrive should be, but the examples I've given you (Seymour Duncan 805, Keeley mod SD-1 and Boss Wazi SD-1) push that sound to much more desirable places. If you're playing a Katana, on that level, this stock Boss SD-1 pedal will be awesome.