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The Boss DS 1 Distortion pedal is an icon in the guitar-playing world. For many of us, it was our very first effect pedal. The sheer affordability of this pedal makes it available to just about anybody – and the truth is, they are actually a pretty decent distortion pedal.
Plus they are fun to mod!
The Boss DS 1 Distortion’s simple circuitry, alongside its easy-to-understand circuit board labels, makes it a staple in the DIY effect pedal modification world. A quick Google search will yield thousands of results for various DS 1 modification guides, and many of these mods can be performed in a surprisingly short amount of time (given that you have a decent understanding of soldering – if you don’t, here is a rather resourceful guide). Simply changing a few components can help bring your DS 1 up to speed with some of the world’s most sought-after boutique distortion pedals.
However, there is one Boss DS 1 mod that is very fun to do, easily reversible and requires nothing more than the pedal itself, some wire, a soldering iron, and a few minutes of your day – The Octave Fuzz Mod.
What You’ll Need for This Boss DS 1 Mod
A Boss DS 1
A bit obvious, but you’ll definitely need a Boss DS 1 in order to perform these modifications! You can typically pick them up for pretty cheap at your local music store or occasionally in a pawn shop.
Where to Buy a BOSS DS-1
A Soldering Kit
You’ll also need a soldering iron. There are a number of soldering iron options available, but this soldering starter kit from Amazon has all of the essentials.
Here is one of the easiest Boss DS 1 mods you can do. Happy modding!
Boss DS 1 Octave Fuzz Mod
This is the first modification I had ever done to a guitar pedal. It can be done in just about five minutes, using nothing but a strand of wire and a soldering iron. Essentially, this DS 1 mod will bridge a circuit within the pedal – creating some huge sounding octave fuzz tones.
Note: This mod is really gnarly-sounding, and might not work like the ‘octave fuzz’ you’re thinking of… Although it does have a certain ‘octave fuzz’ character, it is a bit squealy and weird… some may say “experimental”. That said, it is really fun and a cool learning experience! Plus, it is easy to undo if you hate it – just remove the wire you installed and you will be back to stock.
How to do the BOSS DS 1 Octave Fuzz Mod
Pictured above are two ways you can perform the Octave Fuzz Mod on the BOSS DS 1.
BOSS DS 1 Octave Fuzz Mod with Switch (Blue)
In Blue is the mod with an optional switch that allows you to turn the mod off, which returns the DS 1 to its stock sound (recommended). If you’d like to do the mod with the switch, these mini On/Off Toggle Switches will work just fine.
Note: You will need to drill a hole in the DS 1 enclosure to mount the switch.
BOSS DS 1 Octave Fuzz Mod Without Switch (Red)
If you’d prefer to not drill a hole in your pedal, you can do the same mod without the switch – which you will see in Red above. Just simply solder a wire connecting those two solder points on the circuit board and you are done!