As predicted on this very site - Boss finally launches Waza-Craft Edition of its best-selling DS-1 Distortion
First released in 1978 - Boss’s DS-1 remains its most enduring and successful pedal - in a unbroken stretch from the time of its first appearance - none of the original 1977 trio of OD-1, PH-1 and SP-1 made it - while the DS-1 from one year later has been continually on sale now for 44 years - and has shifted over one and a half million units in that time as far as I understand.
Fun fact - that this was my very first Guitar Pedal - and of course therefore first Boss pedal acquired - while I did not warm to it immediately. The stock version can sound a touch thin - and doesn’t really do that full-bodied BD-2 kind of thing that I was expecting. Also - most of the early applications for DS-1 involved going into an amp already with some breakup present - when going into a clean amp - it can sound a little too thin to my ears. This was until I discovered the Keeley Modded Bosses - where Robert Keeley mostly beefed up those early Boss circuits - doing some fantastic Mods for BD-2, DS-1, SD-1, and MT-2 in particular - all favourites of mine, and all in the collection. In fact the Keeley Ultra / Seeing Eye DS-1 is a long-time all-time favourite of mine (still second to his BD-2 though!), and so successful a Mod - that Mooer copied it for its Ultra Drive Mini take on the DS-1.
I currently have several iterations of the DS-1 - original, Black 40th anniversary edition - also as JHS Mod, and of course the Ultra / Seeing Eye Mod just mentioned. I had almost expected that a DS-1W would for sure have the Custom Mode as Boss's take on Keeley's Mod - similar to what they did for the BD-2W. While it seems like Boss have taken a slightly different approach here - although it is still very much about beefing up the core output somewhat and giving the pedal more extended dynamic range. I predicted last year during my Boss Month (July 2021) - likely imminent Waza-Craft pedals - and right in their midst of course is the DS-1W.
The core nature of the circuit is largely unchanged since 1978 - with some parts iterations for sure - but structurally pretty much identical. It consists of a smart mix of Opamp, 3 Transistors and 4 Clipping Diodes - typically JRC4558 or TL072 Opamp, 2N3904 Transistors, and 1N5817 and 1N4148 Diodes.
It was Kurt Cobain's distortion pedal of choice - funnily when he sort of dampened the reign of Boss's various Metal Pedals as Grunge pushed Metal / Hair Metal aside. Ironically Boss responded by creating the unsuccessful but still formidable PW-2 - which was intended to be their Grunge Pedal of choice (sort of Big Muff-ish actually) - while they would probably have been better of promoting Kurt Cobain's DS-1 as the core sound of Grunge!
Beside Kurt - who is probably DS-1's poster-boy - we have Legions of Guitar Heroes that used the pedal - including John Frusciante, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, the Eagle's Glenn Frey, Whitesnake's Doug Aldritch, and 80's Legends Robert Smith (The Cure) and of course my favourite - Prince!
For this 44th Anniversary DS-1W Waza-Craft Edition - the Standard mode is that classic timeless 1978 voicing.
While the new Custom Mode delivers a thicker sound with enhanced dynamics and less of a scooped tone-shaping for a more balanced mid-range. It brings out more presence too when used as a Boost.
In fact most of the early applications of DS-1 were as a boost into an already cooking amp. It's more latterly that it's found favour into cleaner amps - but it typically needs a little something extra to give it the full flavour on clean - and hence the added utility of the Custom Mode.
The RRP of the DS-1W will be €159 / $159 - with the pound equivalent I guess dependent on where the £ currency has landed on that day - could be as high as £159, or possibly more likely £149 - we shall see! Should be available imminently at all major Boss dealers!
I certainly look forward to getting my hands on my 5th DS-1, 6th actually if you include the DS-1X!
Are any of you fans of the DS-1 - surely every other one of you must have one by now!
Demos
12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition
