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Boss DS-1 Monte Allums Mod
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Thread: Boss DS-1 Monte Allums Mod

  1. #1
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    Default Boss DS-1 Monte Allums Mod

    After reading lots of positive comments about the various Monte Allums mods for various effects pedals, I decided to check out one of his mod kits for myself. One that looked particularly interesting is what he calls the "Rectifier Tri-Gain Plus" mod for the Boss DS-1 distortion pedal. The mod consists of three elements:

    1. A 3-way toggle switch for diffferent clipping choices--1N4002 silicon diodes (a little more aggressive than the stock diodes, which are a different silicon type), red LED's, and a "diode-lift", i.e no diode clipping, so it becomes just a high-gain preamp boost.
    2. Several replacement caps for the PCB of better quality and with slightly higher ratings to give better fidelity and punch up the stock pedal's weak bass & lower mids.
    3. A socketed IC replacement for the stock IC, fitted with a hi-fi Burr-Brown opamp to improve overall clarity and reduce noise.

    I bought a used DS-1 on eBay for a mere $20 (another reason I picked this particular mod to do!), which arrived yesterday. Cosmetically, it's pretty beat up, but it's 100% functional electronically, which is what I really cared about. The mod kit arrived a couple of days before, so I dug right in. The directions that he provides are pretty good, and this mod is quite straightforward to do. At this point, I have all of the PCB mods done, and the switchable clipping diodes are all wired in. All that I have left is to drill a hole in the side of the casing for the toggle switch and then reassemble the pedal.

    Since it's electronically complete, I gave it a quick test this morning through headphones (everybody was still sleeping), and it works perfectly. I won't know for sure until I hear it through the amp speaker tonight, but it sure sounds like it's got a TON of balls now, with a much more balanced bottom & middle vs. the stock sound. In particular, the red LED's have a big, Marshally in-your-face tone that's reminiscent of my Guv'nor 2 pedal with the gain cranked up.

    Before starting the mod, I recorded a clip with the stock pedal to demonstrate its natural tone, using both my LP Std. and Strat. I'll do a similar one with the modded pedal, and post a link here so that everyone can hear the difference. Just as I'd read about the DS-1, I found that the stock sound really pushes the treble & upper mids, and is quite harsh & brittle sounding. It's not a pedal I would be interested in owning in stock form. Hopefully these mods turn it into a keeper. More to come....
    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

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  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by tunghaichuan
    Can't wait to hear some clips, hint, hint
    Workin' on it. Patience!

    Quote Originally Posted by tunghaichuan
    What is the green PCB for?
    That's an adapter to be able to use the 2x4 opamp/socket with the 1x8 pin socket array on the DS-1 PCB

    Gotta go drill that hole for the switch now....

    UPDATE 1/10/08: I finished up the DS-1 mod last night, mounting the 3-way clipping mode toggle switch on the left side of the pedal, adjacent to the output jack (see stock DS-1 image below). The directions suggested mounting it up through the top of the pedal, just below the Tone knob. However, this would have entailed drilling right up through the "Tone" label on the housing and would make the mod look kind of amateurish, I thought. The risk of running the switch out the side is that it's less well protected there. So if you tend to bang your pedals around or move them a lot, you'd probably want to follow the suggestion to go through the top.

    I didn't have the time last night to get into recording the "after mod" clips, but I did spend a few minutes playing my LP Std. through my Fender Blues Junior with it. The mod certainly seems to have filled out the pedal's tone, making it less treble-heavy. It's still a pretty raw sounding distortion, considerably edgier in tone than my Marshall GV-2 Guv'nor Plus or even the modified Rat clone I built. The treble/upper-mids component of the distorted tone is still pretty dominant , but the mods have strengthened the bass and lower-mids to give a fuller and more balanced sound. The premium Burr-Brown opamp does indeed seem to keep the tone very sharp and focused.

    The two different clipping modes function as expected, with the 1N4002 silicon diodes giving a more typical DS-1 tone, while the red LEDs give a bigger, deeper and very noticeably LOUDER tone, with less outright distortion. This makes sense, since the LED's higher voltage threshold means that they clip less of the signal. I also tried the switch's middle position, the "diode-lift" mode, which takes the clipping stage right out of the signal path and turns the pedal into a preamp boost. This position is even louder than the LED's, since no portion of the signal is being dumped to ground by clipping diodes. It reduces the distortion, but certainly doesn't eliminate it, since the signal into the amp is boosted so considerably, analagous to dialing up the preamp gain in the amplifier itself.

    I'll try to record those "after" clips tonight, or over the weekend, at the latest. Then you can hear the impact for yourself....

    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

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  3. #3
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    Hey brother not sure how ive missed this post. Ive been ill lately: I have a few pedals modded with monte's stuff.I actually lived close to him in mississippi(30 miles).

    My uncle guess preached at the crossroads church and that is how we connected.I have a ds1 waiting on this mod just no time lately. Im curious as to real world sound Anyways not sure if your familiar with any other stuff monte puts out.The solid copper sheilding sheets,e-nutt, and also guitars.
    (well worth a look for anyone) I have not talked to monte since the summer and havent even been to the new site you linked.Thanks for the thread as im bored and I think im going to finish a few things.Peace brother!:

  4. #4
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    Excellent! I may have to try that on my own. I am getting used to using it more and more as stock, esp. in combination with the Monkey, which seems to smooth out the square waves it is sending (I got that info from Sir Spud). But a cool mod like this would be fun, and make it more versatile on its own. Thanks for being our resident pedal pioneer!
    Steve Thompson
    Sun Valley, Idaho


    Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
    Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
    Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay


    love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
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  5. #5
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    I got to hear the before clip and I gotta say that pedal needs modding BAD! Go Voo go!
    Guitars/Bass - MIM Fender Classic 50s Strat, MIM Fender Standard Strat, Squier Classic Vibe 50s Tele, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Epi '56 Gold Top Les Paul, Martin DSR acoustic, Sigma Martin Auditorium electric/acoustic, Squier Jazz Bass.

    Amps/Cabinets/Modelers - Model 2558 50 watt Marshall Silver Anniversary Jubilee combo w/ Celestion Vintage 30s, 4x12 Marshall cabinet w/25 watt Greenback Celestions, Fender Blues Junior w/ a couple of Billm mods, Line 6 POD 2.0, Roland Micro Cube

    Pedals/Effects - Cry Baby Classic Wah, Boss TU-2, Boss NS-2, Boss RC-2 Loop Station, Ross Compressor, MXR Micro Amp, Danelectro FAB Echo, Danelectro FAB Chorus, Danelectro Chicken Salad, Marshall Guv'nor Plus, Marshall Echohead, Duhvoodooman's Zonkin' Yellow Screamer, Digitech Digiverb, Digitech Bad Monkey, Dunlop Fuzz Face, Homemade Loop Bypass pedal, Duhvoodooman's Sonic Tonic (Maxon SD-9 clone +), Voodoo Labs Superfuzz

  6. #6
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    Hello,

    I have done this mod but without the optional opamp & socket and I feel pretty much the same. The biggest improvement I found was in the overall frequency response as my DS-1 was very thin sounding before the mod.

    One issue I noticed is that it does not seem to sound as good connected to a pedal power supply. It sounds different then with the battery. This may just be my pedal or my ears although I have not taken the time to check this out thoroughly yet.

    M29
    Last edited by M29; January 10th, 2008 at 01:06 PM. Reason: Spelling

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by M29
    One issue I noticed is that it does not seem to sound as good connected to a pedal power supply. It sounds different then with the battery. This may just be my pedal or my ears although I have not taken the time to check this out thoroughly yet.
    That's interesting; I'll have to check that out. I've only run it with an AC adapter, thusfar. I'm not big on 9V batteries....
    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

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  8. #8
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    Okey-doke, below is a link to a clip I recorded using my Epi Elitist LP Std. from the bridge pickup into my Fender Blues Junior, with the latter set to a fairly clean tone (pre-amp volume at 3). Other than the DS-1, there are no additional effects other than a bit of reverb. This guitar/pickup combo demonstrates the effect of the mods most clearly. I also did some recording using my Strat on the neck pickup, but a hotter and more trebly signal definitely does a better job of showing the tonal differences. One note--I recorded the stock DS-1 portions a couple of days ago, and the modified portions today. There's more reverb in the modded recording, but it doesn't change the tone, just makes those parts sound a little more "spacious".

    There are a total of 7 pairs of riffs played in the following sequence:

    1. Clean, DS-1 off
    2. Stock - distortion control set at 11 o'clock (~40% of full gain)
    3. Mod/silicon clip mode - distortion control set at 11 o'clock
    4. Mod/LED clip mode - distortion control set at 11 o'clock
    5. Stock - distortion control set at 3 o'clock (~80% of full gain)
    6. Mod/silicon clip mode - distortion control set at 3 o'clock
    7. Mod/LED clip mode - distortion control set at 3 o'clock

    Take a listen and see what you think. Here's the clip link (~1.4MB, runs about 1:30):

    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

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  9. #9
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    I'm finding the second sequence -2. Stock - distortion control set at 11 the harshest and the least compelling. In my opinion, the mods improved the tone dramatically. Another score, DVM.:
    Guitars: '05 MIA Fender Strat HSS, '04 MIA Fender Strat SSS, '03 Burns Steer, '83 Hondo LP copy (project)

    Amps: Fender Blues Jr., Line 6 Spider II 112

    Pedals: Boss BD-2, Boss CS-3, Boss DS-1, Ibanez TS9DX, Ibanez AW7, Ibanez FZ7, DigiTech Bad Monkey, BYOC Lazy Sprocket (in progress - almost there), Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus.

  10. #10
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    I have done several of the Monti Mods including the Rec Mod on the DS-1. Of the Mods I have done that one was the mildest changing the pedal the least. I havent tried the mod you did.
    Right now I have a pair of CS-3's with Monti mods (1 standard and 1 the opto ) and a BD-2 with the H2O. The best one was the MT-2 Sustainiac Mod. That one turned a real TURD of a pedal into a Boogie in a box!!!
    So far I have done the T-Von CS-3 standard and opto mods, MT-2 sustainic mods, SD-1 mod with the bypass, DS-1 Recto mod and the BD-2 H2O.
    Guitars
    Washburn's
    Chicago Custom Shop USA's 1995 MG 122,100,102,120, 1994 MG-122, one off 1994 Prototype, 1999 WM-4, 200 3-ST Stealth
    Carvins 1990 Pearl Pink reverse headstock X220C, 1991 Sapphire Blue Flame V220R.
    Accoustics
    LTD 88 Takamine

    Amps
    Fender Prosonic combo
    100 watt custom one off Prosonic head
    Fender 2/12 cab
    2 Avatar 2/12 cabs- Blond Oxblood with 75's and Red with Black Vin 30's
    Yamaha 4/12

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ascension
    I have done several of the Monti Mods including the Rec Mod on the DS-1. Of the Mods I have done that one was the mildest changing the pedal the least. I havent tried the mod you did.
    Right now I have a pair of CS-3's with Monti mods (1 standard and 1 the opto ) and a BD-2 with the H2O. The best one was the MT-2 Sustainiac Mod. That one turned a real TURD of a pedal into a Boogie in a box!!!
    So far I have done the T-Von CS-3 standard and opto mods, MT-2 sustainic mods, SD-1 mod with the bypass, DS-1 Recto mod and the BD-2 H2O.
    How about the H2O mod on BD-2? Are you happy with it? Is it, in your evaluation, "smoother, more transparent and dynamic etc,etc..." as described on their (Monte Allums) website?
    Guitars: '05 MIA Fender Strat HSS, '04 MIA Fender Strat SSS, '03 Burns Steer, '83 Hondo LP copy (project)

    Amps: Fender Blues Jr., Line 6 Spider II 112

    Pedals: Boss BD-2, Boss CS-3, Boss DS-1, Ibanez TS9DX, Ibanez AW7, Ibanez FZ7, DigiTech Bad Monkey, BYOC Lazy Sprocket (in progress - almost there), Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus.

  12. #12
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    Sounds good DVM how do you think it compares to your rat clone this has got me thinking of picking up a DS-1 and doing the mod or just getting his mod for my Pro Rat

  13. #13
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    Just picked one up off eBay for $20+$10. Pretty funny the mod kit costs more than the pedal itself.
    Guitars (All Lefty): Fender MIM Wine Red Telecaster
    Washburn D10SCELHBK
    Greg Bennett (Samick) Avion AV3/LH/CS
    Franken-Strat (Maple Neck / Black Body & Pickguard / 2-Point Tremolo / GFS Alnico Single-coil Pups / Gold Hardware)
    2 Fullerton Standard Strats; Sunburst w/ GFS Overwound P'ups and Black w/ GFS Lil Killer Rail 'Buckers
    Fullerton Deluxe Dreadnought
    Amp: Blackheart BH1HS Killer Ant Half Stack (Bitmo Ant Eater Kit)
    Crate V18-112 (Goodsell RGM Speaker / Accutronics Tank / Switch R4 - R10 Mod)
    Pignose G40V (Jensen MOD Speaker / DC Heater Mod / Pentode:Triode Switch)
    Fender Champion 30 Reverb (Accutronics Tank / Jensen MOD Speaker)
    Speaker Cab: Lopo 1x12 Tweed Convertible w/ Eminence GB128 Speaker
    Pedals: Korg ToneWorks AX1000G, AX5G, & AmpworksG Modeling Signal Processors
    Boss DS-1 (Rectifier Tri-Gain Plus Mod); CS-3 (Opto Plus Mod); SD-1 Super (GT Mod); GE-7 (Plus Mod)
    Fender PT-100 Tuner
    E.H. Big Muff Pi (US)
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  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by F_BSurfer
    Sounds good DVM how do you think it compares to your rat clone this has got me thinking of picking up a DS-1 and doing the mod or just getting his mod for my Pro Rat
    Well, the mod for the Pro Rat says "Sold Out", so you may have to go the DS-1 route or pick another pedal that Monte offers a kit for.

    To answer your question about the modded DS-1 vs. my modified Rat clone, I find the DS-1 edgier/rawer sounding with a stronger emphasis on the high end. The Rat, to me, has a smoother sound, with greater overall sustain and more emphasis in the mid-range than the DS-1. If I had to choose one over theother, I'd go with the Rat. YMMV.
    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

    Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!

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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adrian30
    How about the H2O mod on BD-2? Are you happy with it? Is it, in your evaluation, "smoother, more transparent and dynamic etc,etc..." as described on their (Monte Allums) website?
    Yep it was all of what was promised! The mod got rid of that nasty SPLAT that the pedal had stock. On the mod kits I have done the BD-2 was the most difficult. That's because of the second circuit board on the BD-2 it takes a little extra work to change the caps on that board.
    Guitars
    Washburn's
    Chicago Custom Shop USA's 1995 MG 122,100,102,120, 1994 MG-122, one off 1994 Prototype, 1999 WM-4, 200 3-ST Stealth
    Carvins 1990 Pearl Pink reverse headstock X220C, 1991 Sapphire Blue Flame V220R.
    Accoustics
    LTD 88 Takamine

    Amps
    Fender Prosonic combo
    100 watt custom one off Prosonic head
    Fender 2/12 cab
    2 Avatar 2/12 cabs- Blond Oxblood with 75's and Red with Black Vin 30's
    Yamaha 4/12

  16. #16
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    Ascension,

    I have had the MT-2 sustainiac mod setting here for about 5 months. From what you have said I am now looking forward to making the mod.

    M29

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