All the grind you'll ever want.

From screaming loud to whisper soft, the Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal can faithfully reproduce the dynamics of your playing style. Level and distortion controls give you complete command of the amount of signal processing. Tone knob lets you tailor EQ right on the unit. The Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal is a tough stompbox that can take whatever your boot can dish out. Includes 5-year warranty.

Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal Features:

• Tone, level, and distortion knobs on face
• Super-tough construction
• Lets your true guitar tone shine through

Sometimes you need a soft, clean, pure tone to express your musical vision. The REST of the time, you need the DS-1. Put it in the cart!

Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal

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Average of 628 User Ratings

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As essential as a tuner.

Posted by DJ from Calexico, CA on Feb 1, 2010

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Musician for 9 years

Reviewer's Play Style: Rock, alternative, jazz, blues

Well, to start off I can say that this pedal is used by a lot of people like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and a lot more. It pretty much has all the features that you need to get your tone. Let me warn you that it doesn't have a lot of gain, but it has enough. This pedal is mostly used for people that want that light gain for a song or for the bluesy solo. A great pedal to own, the next step after this pedal on gain, i recommend the radial tonebone classic tube distortion.

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Nice Little Pedal

Posted by RickBarnes from NC on Jan 26, 2010

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active Musician

Reviewer's Play Style: Christian, Christian core, Praise & Worship

I got this pedal looking to slop up some tone like low tone. I kinda failed there. What really happened to take place was I had gotten this pedal that can take your tone chunky and then take your sound and make it bright and similar to a Dual Rectifer head. I use it for a lot of brightening, the only problem is you get some signal loss when this things on. But other than that it's a pretty awesome purchase, go for it if you can use it.

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Super Crunch

Posted by Acdcdrummerjake from Blossburg PA on Jan 24, 2010

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active Musician

Reviewer's Play Style: Rock

this pedal, well its really really crunchy. It does take out some tone but if you know your way around your amp and learn the way around this pedal you can get alomst all of that back. Its not a clean like smooth distortion either its really really raw and crisp. If you like extreme amouts of crunch i say go for it but you really should try it out or hear it first.

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Also a good bass booster

Posted by 2013 metal bassist from ATX ,son!!!! on Jan 23, 2010

Experience w/product: I have used it

Reviewer's Background: metal basssist

Reviewer's Play Style: metal or anything

I tried this pedal out on a ibanez going to an ampeg mini stack at the store.And just like how cliff burton(metallica bass player)used a EHX big muff to boost and give his tone a lil bit of grip(very lil distortion). I did the same, the ds-1 doesnt take away a lot of low end if you set the tone knob low. It gives you bass a gripped low to mid range rumble kinda like an overdriven amp without overdriven amp.You can do other EQ set ups too along with a boosted to distorted sound. Its a good cheap alternative to a $70 bigg muff or a boss Bass overdrive which is $100!BUT if you want something a lil less primitive get a boss bass overdrive ODB-3,it does the same job but with more features and a lot more money.

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All the tone you could ever lose

Posted by Ehrkeith from Elizabeth City, North Carolina on Dec 10, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active Musician and Audio Engineer

Reviewer's Play Style: Metal, Screamo, Hardcore, Indie

Based off alot of use of this pedal and many other peoples use, this pedal is pretty much terrible. It may be the first distortion pedal you buy and may sound good to a beginner but once you start playing its just atrocious. I gave features a 3 because it has horrible distortion and destroys any tone that you might have. Quality is highest because it will last forever and ever and ever, the worst gear always does. The value is low because you get what you pay for.

Overall this might be a good beginner distortion or first pedal but after about 2 months you'll probably regret the purchase, save your money and buy something decent. Please I'm begging you.

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Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal

Read 628 Reviews