ROLAND BOSS PEDALS

RockaRoller89
What's the difference between Overdrive and Distortion ?

Often for those of us who make a distinction it has to do with the way the electronic circuit actually produces the distortion. 
 
But if you looked at the waveforms, what's called "distortion" tends to be more obviously clipped whereas "overdrive" is smoother, more touch sensitive and closer to the original.
 
And "fuzz" is a totally different animal. 

RockaRoller89
So I am starting to like the sound of BOSS SD1 over DS1. Or perhaps I was wrong on what the sound of distortion is, What's the difference between Overdrive and Distortion ?

Scale really and tone really. Distortions distort more and compress more, though some distortions can work well at lower gain settings. The Rat being one example, and an SD-1 with its gain set high produces quite a lot of distortion. Another way of looking at it is that overdrives are intended to hit an amp with a higher input signal to push it into distortion plus add some clipping of their own as well. Good overdrives usually "clean up" by reducing the guitar volume, distortions not so much.

Many overdrives also produce a mid boost to increase focus so soloing/lead work will cut through a mix, the Tubescreamer being a good example. The SD-1 also adds a mid boost, but it's a bit less pronounced. Distortions often have a scooped mid, the Big Muff being an example. Some guitarists use overdrives with the pedal volume set high and the pedal gain low or even off altogether, using the pedal's compression and mid boost to push their amp.

RockaRoller89
I have BOSS DS1 any suggestions on how I could get more of a SD1 tone with it instead of distortion.?

Try turning the gain down. Though the two pedals are different even though both use diodes to generate the cliping. The SD-1 produces asymmetric distortion where the two halves of the wave-form are clipped to differing amounts, which is closer to how valves behave than symmetric distortion. The Sd-1 is also less bright and more mid heavy.

RockaRoller89
Now I know VST vs real pedal would and could be different but what do you guys think ?

No "would" or "could", they are very different. Having tried the SD-1 emulation in Amplitube and the similar effect in Guitar Rig and TH2 they sound, respond and feel completely different to the real thing. Vintage fuzz emulations, especially of the Fuzz Face are even worse. To get anywhere close to the response and tone changes you get from the real thing simply by turning the guitar's volume pot out of an emulator requires considerable eq-ing and fiddling with the gain levels throughout the software rig.

The easiest way to get the SD-1 sound is to get an SD-1. They're an absolute bargain pedal. The design is essentially the same circuit as the Tube Screamer but with assymetric clipping, flatter tonal response, a better bypass buffer and they cost about a third of the Ibanez or Maxon Screamers. If you use humbuckers the SD-1 might be a bit mid heavy, though not so much a s a Screamer. Desoldering the capacitor marked, if I remember correctly, C6 on the board can open them up quite a lot. And if you don't like the result, just put the capacitor back.

I've put aside all my Boss pedals and have rebuilt my pedal board with Mooers. The Boss pedals are way to big so I like these new micro pedals both for tone and size. Boss Pedals are just plain outdated and overpriced.
 The Mooer green Mile is one of the best Overdrives I've used to match up with my Fender Princeton. I can now get my "11" sound at 5. I will add a Distortion Pedal next. But right now I got side tracked by purchasing a Blackstar amp. But it does not "overdrive" like my Princeton. It's all "Distortion" It seems stupid to have to use an overdrive pedal on an amp that has a zillion settings for effects. I'm keeping it and will see what can be done. 

VST's never feel right to me.
 
 
might SOUND right,
but never feel right.
 

tlw

RockaRoller89
So I am starting to like the sound of BOSS SD1 over DS1. Or perhaps I was wrong on what the sound of distortion is, What's the difference between Overdrive and Distortion ?

Scale really and tone really. Distortions distort more and compress more, though some distortions can work well at lower gain settings. The Rat being one example, and an SD-1 with its gain set high produces quite a lot of distortion. Another way of looking at it is that overdrives are intended to hit an amp with a higher input signal to push it into distortion plus add some clipping of their own as well. Good overdrives usually "clean up" by reducing the guitar volume, distortions not so much.

Many overdrives also produce a mid boost to increase focus so soloing/lead work will cut through a mix, the Tubescreamer being a good example. The SD-1 also adds a mid boost, but it's a bit less pronounced. Distortions often have a scooped mid, the Big Muff being an example. Some guitarists use overdrives with the pedal volume set high and the pedal gain low or even off altogether, using the pedal's compression and mid boost to push their amp.

RockaRoller89
I have BOSS DS1 any suggestions on how I could get more of a SD1 tone with it instead of distortion.?

Try turning the gain down. Though the two pedals are different even though both use diodes to generate the cliping. The SD-1 produces asymmetric distortion where the two halves of the wave-form are clipped to differing amounts, which is closer to how valves behave than symmetric distortion. The Sd-1 is also less bright and more mid heavy.

RockaRoller89
Now I know VST vs real pedal would and could be different but what do you guys think ?

No "would" or "could", they are very different. Having tried the SD-1 emulation in Amplitube and the similar effect in Guitar Rig and TH2 they sound, respond and feel completely different to the real thing. Vintage fuzz emulations, especially of the Fuzz Face are even worse. To get anywhere close to the response and tone changes you get from the real thing simply by turning the guitar's volume pot out of an emulator requires considerable eq-ing and fiddling with the gain levels throughout the software rig.

The easiest way to get the SD-1 sound is to get an SD-1. They're an absolute bargain pedal. The design is essentially the same circuit as the Tube Screamer but with assymetric clipping, flatter tonal response, a better bypass buffer and they cost about a third of the Ibanez or Maxon Screamers. If you use humbuckers the SD-1 might be a bit mid heavy, though not so much a s a Screamer. Desoldering the capacitor marked, if I remember correctly, C6 on the board can open them up quite a lot. And if you don't like the result, just put the capacitor back.

Thanks for the Info. I just scored a REAL SD1 Mint still has box for $30 on EBAY.
 
Yeah another thing is, I now use Very Light Gauge Fender Strings so I think since they are thinner strings I am simply not getting the FULL DS1 Effect, As Distortion I was once told works best with heavy Strings. The SD1 with Thin Strings I think would be alot different Ball Game.