Drunk Beaver's latest DS-1 inspired Distortion Pedal really perfects and extends the format!
Fun fact! My first ever guitar pedal was Boss’s DS-1 Distortion, and it’s the one pedal I own the most versions of to date :
- DS-1 Distortion (plain Orange!)
- DS-1 Distortion 40th Anniversary Black
- DS-1 Distortion Analog Music Co Evil Pumpkin Mod
- DS-1 Distortion Analog Music Co Evil Pumpkin Ghazala Mod
- DS-1 Distortion JHS Synth Mod (40A Black)
- DS-1 Distortion Keeley Ultra Mod
- DS-1W Distortion Waza Craft Edition
- DS-1X Distortion MDP
I actually didn’t get on particularly well with the DS-1 at the start - as I was still in the process of perfecting my clean pedal-platform methodology - in fact just starting out on that journey really. While latterly I’ve grown to really love it.
I would say there are a few varieties I like particularly well, I’m excluding the Evil Pumpkin Modded editions for now - as those are quite different pedals really :
- Boss DS-1 Distortion Keeley Ultra Mod
- Boss DS-1W Distortion Waza Craft Edition
- Drunk Beaver Distortion V2.5 (DStort1on)
- VFE Dark Horse Distortion
So I own 6 proper Boss DS-1’s, and every version of the Drunk Beaver Distortion (DStort1on) as below! In fact the V1 Distortion was my very first Drunk Beaver pedal too! :
Each of the Drunk Beaver Distortion Editions has improved immeasurably - where in the latest versions the change in Knobs and updates to the Muff Gain Stage circuit seem rather minor - but they really are massive step-ups. I didn't get on particularly well with the Muff Stage on the V2 pedal - but Vitalli has totally perfected the sound of it in this latest edition. You still get some volume drop, but it's not as pronounced as it used to be. I still like to use it with a post Strymon Sunset Treble Booster - where it just sounds stellar through every option.
For the first time the LED Clipping Mode is not my out-and-out favourite as all the others sound so good now - and some sound truly spectacular!
The pedal starts with the classic 3 Boss DS-1 Controls - Level, Tone and Distortion, but then massively expands on that topology with 3-way Mids - Stock Scooped / Less Scooped / Flat EQ, and 8 superior sounding Clipping Options :
- Silicon 1N914 - Synnetrical
- MOSFET
- Silicon 1N4001
- Germaniyum D9B
- '94 1N914 - Asymmetrical
- Red LEDs
- '78 1S1588 Silicon
- Boost
Next we get a choice of 2 Op-Amps - a Vintage-inspired BA728, and more Modern sounding RC4580.
Finally we have the Updated Muff Gain Stage via On/Off switch.
I've been mostly playing this with Level @ Max, Tone @ 2 o'c, Distortion @ 2 o'c, Mids @ Less Scooped (Middle), Vintage Op-Amp, and Muff Stage ON! The pedal positively purrs though all the different Clipping Options, but where my favourite is definitely Germanium - all those settings combine just sound amazing. And you can easily flip the Muff stage off to return to more conventional DS-1 flavours.
A lot of people will be buying this for how well it delivers all those classic Nirvana tones, while for me - once I landed on those particular settings - there was no going back!
It's a super Versatile all-rounder Overdrive / Distortion pedal - also with magnificent Fuzz flavours onboard too. It's just a really killer pedal. I've suggested a little more volume Boost needs to be added to the Muff Gain Stage so that you don't get any audible volume drop. It's amazing that the output levels are so well maintained across all the clipping options, but there is still a noticeable drop in my favourite Muff Mode. Once I apply my Stymon Sunset Treble Boosters - it's one of my favourite ever tones!
This is such a great showcase for how Vitalii Bobrow works - and this to my mind is how pedals should be Modded and Evolved - delivering something infinitely better than the original inspiration! Not just one of the best Drunk Beaver Pedals ever - but a genuine timeless classic of its kind!
A new batch has just been freshly minted - so you can get your very own courtesy of the Drunk Beaver Reverb.com Store - for the very reasonable price tag of $180.
Demos
