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...and it's kickin' major butt!!! I've sent John aka STRATDELUXER97 my stock Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal for the mods as fellow members have been talking about the mods that he does to these pedals and turning them into TONE MONSTERS. Well, i found out first hand about the TONE and all i can say is, holy smokes!!! The modded DS-1 is absolutely happening!! The improvement in TONE and response is absolutely amazing. It sounds more like a quot;REALquot; Tube Amp and not like an effect pedal now with John's mods. The Tube-like response and characteristics are awesome. It responds to the dynamics of your playing, and it feels ''ALIVE''! I took my old Japanese Boss DS-1 out of my pedalboard and replaced it with John's quot;Mods For Tonequot; DS-1 and it will be staying there. I can't stop playing this thing eversince i got it this morning!!! John also installed a bigger LED that lights up in YELLOW!!! Overall, John's DS-1 mods has more gain, clarity, individual note response, transparency, dynamics, smoother and just tons great great TONE. John, thank you again Brother! This has given me a lot of inspiration to play again. My hats off to you
To those of you fellow forum members out there with stock DS-1's, send it to John for the mods. You'll be glad you did.

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I just got my DS-1 back from SD a few days ago. Flat out awesome. I got a big ass blue led that looks tits. I'm just amazed at how you can turn up the gain on that bad boy yet you can still hear the individual notes. Thanks John!

What's that famous slogan again? Oh yes!

quot;A JCM800 in a box.quot;

Thanks guys....Man,these reviews really make my whole night and into tomorrow....These types of things mean alot more than the few bucks I charge to mod your all's pedals...!!!!

Let me explain the deal with the LEDs....I have a drawer with orange,blue,yellow,red,and green...If a guy doesn't specifically ask for a color(Most guys don't realize I'm changing the LED) they get whatever I pull out of the drawer....A blue LED is twice as much money to buy and I usually save blue for the special request guys,or a guy I've done more than 1 pedal for....Sometimes a guy lucks out and gets blue though...Everyone loves blue(So do I)....LOL...Just don't want anyone to wonder why the LED colors are so random...This is why....


Originally Posted by STRATDELUXER97Thanks guys....Man,these reviews really make my whole night and into tomorrow....These types of things mean alot more than the few bucks I charge to mod your all's pedals...!!!!

Let me explain the deal with the LEDs....I have a drawer with orange,blue,yellow,red,and green...If a guy doesn't specifically ask for a color(Most guys don't realize I'm changing the LED) they get whatever I pull out of the drawer....A blue LED is twice as much money to buy and I usually save blue for the special request guys,or a guy I've done more than 1 pedal for....Sometimes a guy lucks out and gets blue though...Everyone loves blue(So do I)....LOL...Just don't want anyone to wonder why the LED colors are so random...This is why....

Do you know if those LED's use any more battery juice compared to the stock ones?


Originally Posted by gOgIverDo you know if those LED's use any more battery juice compared to the stock ones?

I don't change the actual amount of voltage to the LED,only the LED color gets changed...Battery consumption is the same...

John

Actually, they'ld all be the same except the blue LED. If John doesn't change the LED resistor, it will use slightly less current from the battery. Thats because blue LED's, (and white), are constructed different than the rest. They have a higher voltage drop, and require a smaller resistor.

The same resistor that will supply 20ma to a red LED, will supply about 12ma to a blue. So, the blue will be slightly dimmer than it was designed to be, but not enough to be an issue in a pedal.

More info than you needed . . . right?


Originally Posted by ArtieTooActually, they'ld all be the same except the blue LED. If John doesn't change the LED resistor, it will use slightly less current from the battery. Thats because blue LED's, (and white), are constructed different than the rest. They have a higher voltage drop, and require a smaller resistor.

The same resistor that will supply 20ma to a red LED, will supply about 12ma to a blue. So, the blue will be slightly dimmer than it was designed to be, but not enough to be an issue in a pedal.

More info than you needed . . . right?

Artie........I use the Kingbright brand leds...These LEDs are alot brighter given the same voltage that the smaller leds I remove get...The blue led still sees the identical voltage and I don't knock down the 3.9k resistor that Boss uses,I just install the new LED and they are just alot brighter...I haven't actually measured the voltage drop across the LED,but they are alot brighter given the identical incoming voltages....I always use adapters,so this is really a moot point I guess? I see what you're saying I guess....Because the led is brighter,it's actually pulling more from the battery as a voltage drop across the led...

John

I can vouch for the blue LEDs being brighter. I can use my DS-1 as a flashlight.


Originally Posted by TheJangusI can vouch for the blue LEDs being brighter. I can use my DS-1 as a flashlight.

My Duncan SFX-01 is blinding when I Kick that blue led on in that pedal...LOL

I keep forgetting that the technology on this stuff changes so fast. I imagine the newer blue LED's are much different than when they first came out.

Live and learn.


Originally Posted by ArtieTooI keep forgetting that the technology on this stuff changes so fast. I imagine the newer blue LED's are much different than when they first came out.

Live and learn.

The idea with the Kingbright brand and depending on which LEDs you choose,is to get a brighter led output with smaller incoming voltages...I guess you could say that these LEDs are more efficient since they are quot;alotquot; brighter,but with small voltage requirements...I use the 5mm size which are not only brighter,but alot easier to view...The little 2mm leds are crappy,cheap LEDs that are too small and not bright enough for my old eyes to see! LOL

John, if you were to buy a dist/od pedal to mod (improve) which would it be? Do you have a fave?

John,
Well since we're in the LED/Voltage subject, i have this qustions i've been wanting to ask you about my old Japanese Boss pedals that requires the ACA type adaptor. I've been using batteries to power my old pedals for god knows how long since i bought them new back in the early 80's. I've never used the ACA adaptor in any of these old pedals before but recently, i found that Boss still sells the ACA adaptors for older Boss pedals that require such adaptor type. As far as i know, these old Boss pedals run on higher voltage ( pls. correct me if i'm wrong.). I started using the ACA adaptor on some of my old Boss pedals and i noticed that when i kick the pedal ON, the LED is dimmer. When i pull the plug out of the pedal and it goes back to running on 9V battery, the LED gets brighter! I've tried it on all of my old Boss ACA powered Pedals ( OD-1, DM-2, HM-2, CE-2, CE-3, DS-1, SD-1, GE-7 and DD-2 ) and it does the same thing. The LED gets dimmer. I tested the ACA adaptor's output voltage and it reads 12VDC. How is it making the LED dimmmer with a higher output voltage than the 9V battery i'm using? Also the Boss ACA adaptor specs says the output is 9V ? Is this something to be concerned about or just normal? I jsut didn't want my pedals to get damaged. Thanks John!

The only thing I can think of here, is that maybe the AC adaptor doesn't have the current capability that it needs to power the pedal. Not likely, but possible. If you try to draw more current from a supply than it can handle, the voltage will drop.

Is there any way you can measure the voltage while its plugged into the pedal, and turned on? Just be careful. Shouldn't be any dangerous voltages, but be careful all the same.

So is the LED switch simply a matter of unsoldering the old one and soldering in a new one? I've been taking apart (screwing with) and putting back together my BD-2 for quite a while now and I think that it'd be cool to pop a blue LED in. Am I going to screw anything up if I do a straight replacement of the old LED?


Originally Posted by ArtieTooThe only thing I can think of here, is that maybe the AC adaptor doesn't have the current capability that it needs to power the pedal. Not likely, but possible. If you try to draw more current from a supply than it can handle, the voltage will drop.

Is there any way you can measure the voltage while its plugged into the pedal, and turned on? Just be careful. Shouldn't be any dangerous voltages, but be careful all the same.

Thanks for the input ArtieToo! What i did was tested the output of the ACA Adaptor with my Multi-Tester while it was plugged in the AC outlet. I was surprised to see the readings gave me 12V! The ACA Adaptor Spec on the adaptor itself says: IN: 120V 6W OUT:9V 250mA. I measured the the output several times and the readings still gave me 12V. As far as i know, the old Japanese (and some Taiwanese) made Boss pedals that required the use of the ACA Adaptor run on higher voltage than the current Boss pedals that require the PSA type adaptor which has a 9.6V output. I was wondering why it's making the LED dimmer while the voltage going in the pedal is 12V and when i pull the adaptor lead out and the 9V battery takes over, the LED lights up brighter! I'm not sure if this is something that could be harmful to the pedals. Or maybe it's normal?


Originally Posted by Old GhostThe ACA Adaptor Spec on the adaptor itself says: IN: 120V 6W OUT:9V 250mA. I measured the the output several times and the readings still gave me 12V.

Ok . . . thats the problem. You're measuring the output in an quot;unloadedquot; condition. If you were able to measure it while it was plugged in to the pedal, it would probably read closer to 6 - 9 volts.

All power supplies measure high with no load.

What kind of amp do you have?


Originally Posted by ArtieTooOk . . . thats the problem. You're measuring the output in an quot;unloadedquot; condition. If you were able to measure it while it was plugged in to the pedal, it would probably read closer to 6 - 9 volts.

All power supplies measure high with no load.
Sorry, havin a brain fart here again. I'll try measuring the voltage when it's connected to the pedal. Thanks ArtieToo