boss sd-1 question

[Fragle]

recently i purchased a boss sd-1, used @ ebay. it arrived today, and i just put it in front of the marshall to check it out.
well, i noticed that even just HAVING it in the signal path greatly affects the tone. there's quite a bass roll off, and a very noticable midrange bump. overall it sounds thinner and "narrow". keep in mind this is with the pedal switched off.
i wonder if this is normal for the sd-1, or did i purchase a broken one?

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: boss sd-1 question

I'd say, Normal... I can't even use them on my rig, sounds like a transistor radio. Kills my freq range.

[toddstaples]

Re: boss sd-1 question

check your cable too.....
I used a sd1 for years with no problems. (It was a older japaneese one tho)

[pusikurac]

Re: boss sd-1 question

well, if you have passive electronics, you're signal will degradate through cables and stomps

[Fragle]

Re: boss sd-1 question

i'm sure it's not the cable, because all i did was replacing the tubescreamer with the SD, no cable change involved.

i need to give it a proper test drive tomorrow (now it's too late for high volume action), though....

ah, and thanks for the SUPER fast replies [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

edit: only used it with my EMG loaded jackson so far

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: boss sd-1 question

If you have a lesser amp, you won't notice. The higher end your equipment gets, the more blatant it becomes. I have several around the house, which are upgraded and modded, and use George L cabling, and I can see exactly what they do to my tone of my amp. Like using some Midpass filter.

Plug it into a lesser amp and you don't even notice.

[hippietim]

Re: boss sd-1 question

tone snob [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: boss sd-1 question

is it a newer model SD-1? I have one that I bought in 82 and never noticed that much of a difference when the unit was bypassed.

[jgcable]

Re: boss sd-1 question

I notice with my Soldano that any pedal that is not true bypass literally sucks the life out of my tone. The only pedal I use is a Morley Bad Horsie 2 that is true bypass.
The best way to tell if a pedal is true bypass or not is to remove the battery. If the signal still passes through when the pedal is off its true bypass. The SD-1 can be a tone sucker but it also can be modded for true bypass. Your Tube Screamer could possibly be true bypass if it was modded. I have noticed higher end Ibanez pedals to be a little more transparent. They probably have a different buffer circuit in them.

[buddyfuzz]

Re: boss sd-1 question

SD-1's on high-end equipment will destroy your tone, or so my experiences has been.

Two words:
Keeley Tubescreamer

[hippietim]

Re: boss sd-1 question

John - I hate to burst your bubble but the Bad Horsie 2 is not true bypass. It has a really good buffer though.

[hippietim]

Re: boss sd-1 question

[ QUOTE ]
is it a newer model SD-1? I have one that I bought in 82 and never noticed that much of a difference when the unit was bypassed.

[/ QUOTE ]

So these guys are saying the rest of your gear is no good then [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: boss sd-1 question

Ehhh, I have TOO much frequency range. Just gives me more freqs to irritate me with...

My rig now, makes half the stuff I own bum me out. My 600 dollar sure wireless is a tonecoffin on my rig, and sounded awesome on all the rigs before that... bah....

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: boss sd-1 question

with the sd-1 you should run your bass and mids up full and use the level on the sd-1 cranked and the gain real low. and adjust the tone knob to taste as well as the rest of the controls on the amp. this pedal with old marshalls was the bay area thrash sound.

[jgcable]

Re: boss sd-1 question

[ QUOTE ]
John - I hate to burst your bubble but the Bad Horsie 2 is not true bypass. It has a really good buffer though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Your right Tim. Its so good I never even bothered to check to see if it is true bypass.

Its the most transparent clearest buffer I have ever heard. It doesn't affect the tone in the slightest when not in use. I guess they call it a clear tone buffer. Its just as good as true bypass until your battery craps out!!