I'd tried about 12 different drive pedals until I got an SD1 about 3 yrs ago. Only drive pedal I use now. I love it. Great for rhythm and lead and works well with humbuckers or single coils. So, personally, I not only think it's the best drive at that price point but one of the best drives of all time. Can go from light boost to heavy rock and is usuable all the way round the dial. Just great IMO.
Beautiful playing. If an SD-1 'isn't good enough' to make great guitar music and help present beautiful phrasing/dynamics/rocking joy - practice more. SD-1 rocks. Always #1 for me.
I'm playing it everyday. Walrus compressor ---> Boss BD-2W ---> Boss SD-1W ---> BUT it eats bass frequencies too much so I EQ it back ---> Walrus Delay ---> Walrus R1 reverb... In stereo to Fender × Mesa That's pretty much my strat rig. Those two ODs stack beautifully!
nice playing and backing track. wonderful. i had a od-1 which i liked, now i have an od-3. boss have a lot of different yellow pedals. i have a turbo over drive also. they are all yellow.
great playing and tones! interesting to hear the higher noise floor and interference in these sounds vs your modeling rigs. that's something I notice more now when playing traditional pedalboards vs helix...
I use an OD-3 and love it. I had a blues driver but couldn't get on with it, it was too bright with my Blues Deluxe. Then got the OD-3 and I love it! So versatile and so fat!🤩
Never could get on with Blues Driver, but a friend could get real good sound with it, he was using hot rail pickups and I think that made a big difference to it.
In my Helix it's a big part of my presets, if I need more gain I use the ZEN-drive (or in combination with a Timmy), as it is in the same tone zone, just with more gain ;-)
Nice info. I love and have a Boss one, but does anyone know a tiny pedal version of the SD-1? Tons of Tube Screamer styler mini pedals, but I don't know about any SD-1 style mini pedals.
The SD1 seems to be less mid forward than the Tube screamer which I rather like and just as Strat friendly. Yes. Worth a try. Get one while they're cheap. Especially a Boss pedal.
The only application I don’t like the SD-1 in is into a clean amp. It really shines when pushing a dirty amp, or another dirt pedal. It is just a perfect overdrive. I like the Waza version even better. Lower noise floor, and the fatter custom mode is amazing with single coils.
All I really need are Boss and EHX pedals; and my Source Audio UltraWave. Everything else is conspicuous consumption. 😁 FWIW, my main Boss "pedal" is a SY-1000.
I’ve been messing around changing up stuff and usually I play a nobels odr 1 but sometimes it adds too much low end. Just retried the sd1 and I’m starting to dig it. What surprised me the most was the big muff at low volume it breaks up really nicely right before the fuzz kicks in if you keep it on mid way volume and roll back volume on guitar it’s kind of a weird overdrive. Haven’t tried the iconic blues driver yet as that’s the next one on my list to pick up.
Had one, sold it. Now you're making me regret selling it! Another good relatively inexpensive drive pedal is the EHX East River Drive (TS 808), but not sure if it's under 70 pounds.
I got SD-1 not so long ago and I'm trying to like it but it sounds somehow flat with my amp. Into clean amp it sounds kinda harsh and too compressed, not very pleasant to me, I much prefer Timmy for this application. Into crunch amp, I like it better but If i compare it directly with Timmy or Ibanez TS mini, I suddenly have no reason to plug SD-1 again. And into high gain (6505) I probably still prefer TS mini. SD-1 changes the tone too much for me, in a weird way. Altough it adds some gain, it kinda polishes too much of the grain in the tone. It cuts more bass than TS mini though so it's a bit better for downtuning. But for that I have an EQ in fx loop. If i had only SD-1, I would be satisfied but next to TS mini I just don't use it often. Of course this varies from amp to amp and guitar to guitar. I just recommend Ibanez TS mini, it's an alternative to this, both are very good.
Lovely playing as always, sold an SD-1 recently as part of the gear reduction phase i am (trying to be) in and i have a Fulldrive that does this job for me already. But for $50 (what i paid for it second hand a few years back) you cant really fault it can you?
Hey John, I have an idea for a video you could do. I notice that you (and many other strat players) tend to switch from the neck to bridge pickup, and also use positions 2 and 4 on a strat, but rarely if ever use the middle pickup on its own. Maybe do a video about what the middle pickup is good for, or about why it's not good for anything?! (For years, my only electric was a mid-70s Strat with 3-position switch, and I used the middle pickup a lot. It had a very harsh bridge pickup with no tone control!)
Good question as I never use the middle pickup either and haven't worked out what it's really for. I rarely play on position 2 or 4 either so in many ways could just get rid of the middle all together
@@tonystartup3817 If you get rid of it though, you would lose the "quack" sounds of positions 2 and 4, which many Strat players are fond of. Before Strats had the 5-position pickup switch (circa 1977), Strat players like Hendrix would balance the 3-position switch in-between positions to get that sound (e.g., Little Wing, Castles Made of Sand).
Love your channel and content, but really wish you would dig in when playing a bit more. The legato is getting a bit stale. Would be cool to hear some more rock / indie / raw chording. Most your audience can’t play like you, and virtually every pedal sounds good with single note lines.
I'd tried about 12 different drive pedals until I got an SD1 about 3 yrs ago. Only drive pedal I use now. I love it. Great for rhythm and lead and works well with humbuckers or single coils. So, personally, I not only think it's the best drive at that price point but one of the best drives of all time. Can go from light boost to heavy rock and is usuable all the way round the dial. Just great IMO.
Beautiful playing.
If an SD-1 'isn't good enough' to make great guitar music and help present beautiful phrasing/dynamics/rocking joy - practice more.
SD-1 rocks. Always #1 for me.
Great demo. I use this pedal to boost my amp, fuzz and EQD AG pedals. Love love love it.
Bloody marvellous playing mate!
Sounds great, John makes everything sound great! Love his playing.
of all drive pedals in the HX Stomp, the Stupor OD is my favourite (model of the SD1)
My first OD pedal which I bought 15 years ago and it's still in my pedalboard 🙂
I've recently started using the SD-1 model in my Headrush, this gives me a lot more options that a standard tube screamer 👌🏽
Can’t go wrong with a boss overdrive this one’s seems to be highly underrated due to boutique drive pedal market.
Great video. I have wondered about the SD-1 and OD-3... I will see about trying one of these out.
Thanks.
It was my first pedal, and I still love it
I'm playing it everyday. Walrus compressor ---> Boss BD-2W ---> Boss SD-1W ---> BUT it eats bass frequencies too much so I EQ it back ---> Walrus Delay ---> Walrus R1 reverb... In stereo to Fender × Mesa
That's pretty much my strat rig.
Those two ODs stack beautifully!
nice playing and backing track. wonderful.
i had a od-1 which i liked, now i have an od-3. boss have a lot of different yellow pedals.
i have a turbo over drive also. they are all yellow.
The best od pedal for me, boost or stand alone it will never go wrong. And btw try boss od3 too. Its really2 amazing
I bought one last week, haven't been able to play without it engaged. for £63 its an absolute winner
The first drive pedal I owned, way back. Good workhorse.
The SD-1 is what the TS-9 wanted to be. I much prefer the DS-1 when a mid boost is needed. I prefer it’s EQ and it’s asymmetrical clipping as well.
great playing and tones! interesting to hear the higher noise floor and interference in these sounds vs your modeling rigs. that's something I notice more now when playing traditional pedalboards vs helix...
I use an OD-3 and love it. I had a blues driver but couldn't get on with it, it was too bright with my Blues Deluxe. Then got the OD-3 and I love it! So versatile and so fat!🤩
Never could get on with Blues Driver, but a friend could get real good sound with it, he was using hot rail pickups and I think that made a big difference to it.
Wish you would have tagged on a part about the sd-1 in the helix
Yes Prince used this pedal extensively 🤘🤘
I love my old taiwanese one, other good drives for inexpensive are pretty much any of the Demonfx or Caline stuff. Can't go wrong with a TS-9 as well.
It’s the best pedal! So great as a boost or lite overdrive. Best $50 I ever spent!
Yes, he is !
In my Helix it's a big part of my presets, if I need more gain I use the ZEN-drive (or in combination with a Timmy), as it is in the same tone zone, just with more gain ;-)
Nice info. I love and have a Boss one, but does anyone know a tiny pedal version of the SD-1? Tons of Tube Screamer styler mini pedals, but I don't know about any SD-1 style mini pedals.
How does this compare to a conventional tube screamer? Could you get Stevie Ray Vaughan/John Mayer tones from it?
same question here
My lead setting is sd1 into a blues driver, into the clean channel of amp with gain up a bit. Sounds fat with a Gibson and my Marshall
The SD1 seems to be less mid forward than the Tube screamer which I rather like and just as Strat friendly. Yes. Worth a try. Get one while they're cheap. Especially a Boss pedal.
The only application I don’t like the SD-1 in is into a clean amp. It really shines when pushing a dirty amp, or another dirt pedal.
It is just a perfect overdrive.
I like the Waza version even better. Lower noise floor, and the fatter custom mode is amazing with single coils.
All I really need are Boss and EHX pedals; and my Source Audio UltraWave.
Everything else is conspicuous consumption.
😁
FWIW, my main Boss "pedal" is a SY-1000.
I’ve been messing around changing up stuff and usually I play a nobels odr 1 but sometimes it adds too much low end. Just retried the sd1 and I’m starting to dig it. What surprised me the most was the big muff at low volume it breaks up really nicely right before the fuzz kicks in if you keep it on mid way volume and roll back volume on guitar it’s kind of a weird overdrive. Haven’t tried the iconic blues driver yet as that’s the next one on my list to pick up.
You really cant go wrong with an SD-1
Can you also demo a boss DN-2? I’m interested to see how you’d use one.
I will say that I don’t use many analog pedals anymore. The few I do have are all drive pedals and the SD-1 is one of them
my first drive pedal 🔥❤️
Is that reverb or delay on the end of this? Whatever it is sounds great with the Boss SD-1
Great video!!
I thought the b pedal was the 33. I’m glad for the sd1 coz that was my preference
que solo lindo meu amigo, parabéns!!!
Had one, sold it. Now you're making me regret selling it! Another good relatively inexpensive drive pedal is the EHX East River Drive (TS 808), but not sure if it's under 70 pounds.
Ok, now you gotta run it against the Helix Stupor OD.. er, um, when you find a spare moment.
I just bought 1 on craigslist for $25 lol I love it! a lot of idiots still buying boutiques pedals spending more then $200 to $400 🤦♂️
You should check out the T-Rex Diva Drive! It’s a really versatile overdrive pedal
I got SD-1 not so long ago and I'm trying to like it but it sounds somehow flat with my amp. Into clean amp it sounds kinda harsh and too compressed, not very pleasant to me, I much prefer Timmy for this application. Into crunch amp, I like it better but If i compare it directly with Timmy or Ibanez TS mini, I suddenly have no reason to plug SD-1 again. And into high gain (6505) I probably still prefer TS mini. SD-1 changes the tone too much for me, in a weird way. Altough it adds some gain, it kinda polishes too much of the grain in the tone. It cuts more bass than TS mini though so it's a bit better for downtuning. But for that I have an EQ in fx loop.
If i had only SD-1, I would be satisfied but next to TS mini I just don't use it often. Of course this varies from amp to amp and guitar to guitar. I just recommend Ibanez TS mini, it's an alternative to this, both are very good.
Been on my board since1994 😎
Wow John really love the harmonic content you are getting from the SD1. Are you playing thru an amp or a DAW?
Lovely playing as always, sold an SD-1 recently as part of the gear reduction phase i am (trying to be) in and i have a Fulldrive that does this job for me already. But for $50 (what i paid for it second hand a few years back) you cant really fault it can you?
What a great tone! What AMP are you driving this into? Sounds bliss
6:03 the lick
Hey John, I have an idea for a video you could do. I notice that you (and many other strat players) tend to switch from the neck to bridge pickup, and also use positions 2 and 4 on a strat, but rarely if ever use the middle pickup on its own. Maybe do a video about what the middle pickup is good for, or about why it's not good for anything?! (For years, my only electric was a mid-70s Strat with 3-position switch, and I used the middle pickup a lot. It had a very harsh bridge pickup with no tone control!)
Good question as I never use the middle pickup either and haven't worked out what it's really for. I rarely play on position 2 or 4 either so in many ways could just get rid of the middle all together
@@tonystartup3817 If you get rid of it though, you would lose the "quack" sounds of positions 2 and 4, which many Strat players are fond of. Before Strats had the 5-position pickup switch (circa 1977), Strat players like Hendrix would balance the 3-position switch in-between positions to get that sound (e.g., Little Wing, Castles Made of Sand).
@@jakollee I realise that but I don't tend to use the quack position these days. Neck and bridge gets 99% of the use
@@tonystartup3817 I live on 4 and ocassionally venture over to 5. Never use the bridge (1) though...
If you own a Marshall amp.... you must have an SD-1.
Amen! ;-)
I feel like the BD-2 is not getting enough love here...
First
🥇
What do we get?
@@jimmcdougall9973 🥇
Love your channel and content, but really wish you would dig in when playing a bit more. The legato is getting a bit stale. Would be cool to hear some more rock / indie / raw chording. Most your audience can’t play like you, and virtually every pedal sounds good with single note lines.
It’s his trademark style. Don’t ask John Mayer to play like Steve Vai or Polyphia. 😅
Nah, dude has a point. Reviewers should play a couple different styles @@pepeowen
ruclips.net/video/IoHPzg0ufnk/видео.htmlsi=-e2XR2QmdjDnOpQ4
why all this awful reverb ?
There isn't any Reverb here
😂