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I was thinking about the question: "What is the original design behind the OD-1?" Was thinking, it is a copy of something? Was thinking about the OD-1 in the same vein as the SD-1 and TS-9 since all sound so similar and could not help feeling they all worked along a similar principal but none of them were copies of each other.

Found something here which most of you may have seen before but you still may like:

ttps://www.distortionltd.com/rootsradical/2019 ... over-drive

That’s an interesting article which I hadn’t seen before. Thanks for the link.

I remember someone (probably someone famous), saying they used the OD-1 to cut through for solos. My experience with it is that is does just that. It can sound thin but you can make that up through the amp.

Just now I don't have the time to read the article. I always found the TubeScreamer too mid-heavy. The OD-1 (or at least the OD-1R's Turbo Off mode, which is said to sound very, very similar) doesn't alter my guitar's sound in the way like a TS does. I really like that behaviour of the BOSS OD and it must be the main reason why I simply cannot bond with a TubeScreamer.

Interesting article. But where does the SD-1 fit in there? I've owned the OD-2 and OD-2r and I'd say I like the OD-2r better as it seems to have more gain. But I think the OD-2 sounds warmer.

I'm primarily a strat player. My strat has a two-piece maple neck and is very bright. I'm finding that I like rosewood fingerboards much better because I think it sounds warmer. I like the Tube Screamer with my strat, it knocks off the harsh high end. I also only use it as a clean boost, volume all the way up gain all the way down, tone at about 12 o'clock to cut the high end. The tube screamer does not sound good as an OD to me. I like the SD-1 and OD-3 much better as ODs.

tunghaichuan wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 24, 2020 10:45 pm

Interesting article. But where does the SD-1 fit in there? I've owned the OD-2 and OD-2r and I'd say I like the OD-2r better as it seems to have more gain. But I think the OD-2 sounds warmer.

I'm primarily a strat player. My strat has a two-piece maple neck and is very bright. I'm finding that I like rosewood fingerboards much better because I think it sounds warmer. I like the Tube Screamer with my strat, it knocks off the harsh high end. I also only use it as a clean boost, volume all the way up gain all the way down, tone at about 12 o'clock to cut the high end. The tube screamer does not sound good as an OD to me. I like the SD-1 and OD-3 much better as ODs.

Hello tunghaichuan,
My SD-1 mention is the question about original design: At some point these pedals appeared and they all seem to do the same thing (roughly) but what were the original designs behind the pedals. The was my main question, and I still do not know, apart from the quest from players to add a bit more (clean gain) to boost the sound to achieve a little bit of crunch.

These days there are many pedals which will do similar thing but in late 70s it was a little different.

The original OD1 used a very different chip--a quad op amp RC3403D. Still had the asymmetric diodes and the expected gnarly tone. This version was more dynamic, amp-ish and had more low end vs the later versions.
Later versions went to the JRC4558D or other 4558 chips and some smaller caps that cut some lows. These were more similar to the SD1.

I built an equivalent to the original OD-1 years ago using a modern manufacture 3403 chip and all modern components.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upFJytwqTCo

laurie wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:03 am

I built an equivalent to the original OD-1 years ago using a modern manufacture 3403 chip and all modern components.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upFJytwqTCo

I have one of these and I can confirm, after many gigs using it, that it sounds exactly like my oldest OD-1. All the tone of the original without the worry of taking a vintage pedal out in the road.

I scored my OD1 for $80 a few years ago. It was clearly an older one and had a silver screw. When I got home and opened it up, it was revealed that it had some version of the 4558 chip. I wish it were the previous version with the 3403. Oh well, it was a great deal anyway!
I considered the chip and cap mods to make it more unique compared to my old SD1, the OD2, etc... but will probably just leave it alone.

Bringing this subject back up because of this video here and also relates to people wondering why I mentioned the SD-1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMpE7o0_6JA

SD-1 does have a different feel compared to OD-1, as we probably all agree on. Same for OD-3. Brian even mentioned about the OD-3 in another video that it is a distortion circuit.

When you check out the video you will find the frequency analyser towards the end, interesting to notice those different curves.

Anyway, just found it interesting and some of you may not have seen it before. Wish the video would have carried on for longer, but I understand, it is only used as a kick starter for discussion. Out of this discussion another pedal mod. may occur, or not...............