Greatest Mystery of the Effect Pedal World

sleejay · Post by **sleejay** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:15 am

If there's one thing I just don't understand about effect pedals, it would be this:

http://www.rolandus.com/go/compact_pedal_demo/

Yes, the sound of BOSS overdrive/distortion pedals.

I don't understand how a world-famous company with a long history and know-how can make tons of different od/dist pedals...

And all they do is FIZZ:?!!

Plus, people like them[:0]!!!

And please, do understand that I have nothing against BOSS and their fans. I have/gone thru a number of their pedals. Also anything other than dirt (delay, trem, etc) I totally accept and like. I'm just trying to understand.

But even after 10+ years experience with music, guitars, effects and amps, I still cannot comprehend the trademark "BOSS drive" sound.

I mean, after you've stomped on their dirt pedals, your guitar+amp turns into a complete FIZZ machine!!

FIZZ and its variations is all they do, Even on their own official demos.

For example, the Blues Driver is considered one of BOSS's best peals ever, even Keeley mods them, but seriously, folks, that's the worst FIZZ pedal I've heard. Ever.

Now help me out here guys, can someone please explain:

Why BOSS made and continues to make FIZZ pedals??
And, do people actually like the FIZZ?

Or am I just crazy for not liking/understanding BOSS:?:

Neiloler · Post by **Neiloler** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:41 am

Scott here digs the DS-1, and billynightengale here liked his blues driver. Haha, just goes to show that it's all about personal taste and preference.

sleejay · Post by **sleejay** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:33 am

I'd love to hear what they would say!
Scott and Billy, again, I'd like to emphasize that I mean no offence in saying this!

I'm really really just wondering if the FIZZ doesn't bother BOSS fans.
Or maybe it's the fizz that you guys like?

TGM · Post by **TGM** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 11:02 am

Yea, Inever like the dirt you can get out of BOSS pedals. They don't sound/feel anything like a good distortion pedal let alone an amp.

But maybe people who use BOSS aren't trying to get an amp distortion sound, at the end of the day every sound is musically valid, whether it's conventional or not.

widowmaker88 · Post by **widowmaker88** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:14 pm

I've never found them to be really fizzy myself. I've owned a DS-1 for around 7 years now, it's the pedal I go back to when I'm stuck. I'm currently using a SD-1 and I really love the sound. I've read that Mike Ness uses a SD-1 as does Jimmy Page apparently.

Le Chat Noir · Post by **Le Chat Noir** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 3:44 pm

I own and have owned a number of modded Boss drive pedals, and I have to say a few simple mods can make all the difference. Check out Monte Allums site - his mod kits are inexpensive and great, and really turn Boss stuff from solidly made, average-sounding pedals into very usable ones.

DS-1 and SD-1 are only 35 quid or so here in the UK, probably even cheaper in the US, and the mods are about 10 quid - the finished product after modding always sounds better than the meagre price tag, when you onsider what you pay for a boutique job

Neiloler · Post by **Neiloler** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 3:44 pm

I think it's also perhaps a bit of luck as far as quality control goes? Maybe some units just sound great while other units are lemons. I'm not sure.

feider · Post by **feider** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 3:52 pm

I guess it all boils down to personal tastes. I like the ds-1, for the fact it gives me a more raw sound with the amps I play. But, the modded ones turn it into a beast. I dont use a lot of gain, just prefer the raw sound. And, with the keeley modded ds-1, I have it.
Just my 2 cents, and I dont take no offense. I personally dont care for the other distortion pedals from boss.

sleejay · Post by **sleejay** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:12 pm

Okay, okay, we've gotten started without any misunderstanding, I didn't want to offend anyone, so that's good.

Now, listening to the BOSS demo sounds from the link on the first post,

are you guys still gonna tell me that their dirt pedals aren't FIZZY???

I'd rather have you guys tell me you like the FIZZ, rather than tell me that it's not.

Because, then, I'd at least know that it's a matter of preference, not my ears going bad. lol

howdy-doo · Post by **howdy-doo** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:14 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by sleejay
 Okay, okay, we've gotten started without any misunderstanding, I didn't want to offend anyone, so that's good.

Now, listening to the BOSS demo sounds from the link on the first post,

are you guys still gonna tell me that their dirt pedals aren't FIZZY???

I'd rather have you guys tell me you like the FIZZ, rather than tell me that it's not.

Because, then, I'd at least know that it's a matter of preference, not my ears going bad. lol
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

no-ones saying the fizz isn't there. they're just saying that some people like the sound of the boss distortion and some people dont

billynightingale · Post by **billynightingale** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:23 pm

I liked the blues driver decently well, but there are a lot of other things I'd take before it. Not really a fan of any other boss overdrives that I've tried. For me the blues driver was a bit of a one trick pony. After tweaking and tweaking I only found one sound I really liked, and if I tweaked any of the knobs much more in either direction that sound was gone. Kinda weird, but that was my take on the pedal. The keeley modded blues driver is much more versatile and better sounding all around, but I believe I like that one setting more that the unmodded pedal has. I don't even remember where the knobs were set for that though. It's been quite some time.

Neiloler · Post by **Neiloler** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:26 pm

I also have to say that most of the demos on the Boss web site stink. They're all played by goofball shredmeisters like Johnny "I Still Live with Mom and Dad" DeMarco who's tone I can't really stand, and the guy could be playing though my own amp. Maybe the only exception is the Deluxe Reverb demo and the new DD7 demo, but Johnny is still a dork. :p

sleejay · Post by **sleejay** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:33 pm

Okay, now - without any offence, what so ever - we've come to a semi-conclusion that BOSS pedals are FIZZY, and they do stink a little.

Now, why do you guys think so many of us like them and buy them?

For me, it was about availability: ALL the music stores had them, so I assumed there must be some use for these pedals, and went thru like 10 before I realized BOSS is a bunch of cheeseball.

Now that's MY opinion.

iwantanorangeamp · Post by **iwantanorangeamp** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:40 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by sleejay
 Okay, okay, we've gotten started without any misunderstanding, I didn't want to offend anyone, so that's good.

Now, listening to the BOSS demo sounds from the link on the first post,

are you guys still gonna tell me that their dirt pedals aren't FIZZY???

I'd rather have you guys tell me you like the FIZZ, rather than tell me that it's not.

Because, then, I'd at least know that it's a matter of preference, not my ears going bad. lol
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I used to have a stock DS-1, and I think you can dial out some of the fizz you're hearing on the demo.

guitarmy50 · Post by **guitarmy50** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:49 pm

Not all Boss overdrive pedals are fizzy. It all depends on how you dial them in. I used a simple Boss SD-1 with my Orange Rocker 30 for the longest time and I didn't notice any fizz. It was just a cheap, solid, overdrive/boost pedal.

Greatest Mystery of the Effect Pedal World

Who is online