Pricing and availability
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Average Price: $64
Budget/Beginner
$80
$181+
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Based on price data from 5 merchants for "Boss DS-1 Distortion". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
For over three decades, the Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal has been the backbone of countless classic rock and grunge records. With its unmistakable bold, crunchy tone, and robust, tour-ready design, it's the ideal companion for guitarists of all stripes.
This pedal offers a plethora of distorted rock sounds, from subtle to aggressive, all accessible through its three intuitive control knobs - Level, Tone, and Distortion. The level and distortion knobs give you full command over the gain and saturation, while the tone knob lets you shape the overall EQ, allowing you to tweak from a bass-heavy growl to a bright, articulate distortion.
Bold as it is, the DS-1 is far from a one-trick pony. Its versatility has made it a mainstay on pedalboards across the globe, being equally adept in delivering a range of tones, from the searing leads of Steve Vai to the grunge-infused chug of Kurt Cobain's "Nevermind" era.
Constructed with a sturdy metal chassis and a hard-wearing footswitch, this pedal is built to withstand the rigors of the road. Its analog circuitry, largely unchanged since 1978, is a testament to the timeless and enduring design Boss pedals are known for.
Key Features:
- Classic, versatile distortion pedal
- Three intuitive control knobs: Level, Tone, and Distortion
- Delivers a range of distorted rock sounds
- Sturdy metal chassis and hard-wearing footswitch
- Reliable analog circuitry, largely unchanged since 1978
- Ideal for all styles of rock music
- Can be powered by a 9V battery or an AC adapter
Owner's manual
Boss DS-1 Distortion User ManualProduct specs
| Pedal Type | Distortion |
| Analog/Digital | Analog |
| Inputs | 1 x 1/4" |
| Outputs | 1 x 1/4" |
| Bypass Switching | Buffered |
| EQ | Tone Control |
| Power Source | 9V DC power supply (sold separately) |
| Batteries | 1 x 9V |
| Power Usage | 10mA |
| Height | 2.37" |
| Width | 2.87" |
| Depth | 5.12" |
| Weight | 1 lbs. |
FAQs
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What kind of distortion sound does the Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal produce?
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The Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal delivers a tight, hard-edged distortion with rich harmonics, ideal for rock and metal genres. It maintains the unique characteristics of different guitars and playing techniques.
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Is the Boss DS-1 suitable for both rhythm and lead guitar playing?
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Yes, the Boss DS-1 is versatile enough to handle both rhythm and lead guitar parts, offering clarity and sustain for solos while providing a powerful edge for rhythm sections.
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Can the Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal be powered with a battery?
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Yes, the Boss DS-1 can be powered using a 9V battery, making it convenient for portable use. It can also be powered with a 9V DC power supply for extended use.
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Does the Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal work well with a buffered bypass?
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The Boss DS-1 features buffered bypass switching, which helps maintain signal integrity and tone across long cable runs and complex pedalboards.
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How does the tone control on the Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal affect sound?
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The tone control on the Boss DS-1 allows you to shape the high-frequency content of your distortion, providing a range from warm, rounded tones to sharp, cutting edges.
Equipboard's Expert Review
Equipboard tested this
The Classic Distortion
The Boss DS-1 Distortion is a pedal that's been around for decades, and for good reason. In our tests, we found it to be a reliable workhorse that can deliver a wide range of tones. The build quality is impressive; it's built like a tank and can withstand heavy use on stage or in the studio.
We appreciated the simple, straightforward controls that make it easy to dial in your desired sound. The pedal is versatile enough to cover genres from rock to punk and even some metal. For us, its versatility came through when it shined when paired with a variety of amps, giving them a much-needed boost in character.
However, the DS-1 isn't without its quirks. We noticed that at higher tone settings, it can produce a fair amount of buzz and noise. The overall sound tends to lean towards the brighter side, which some players might find tinny or thin.
Value-wise, it's hard to beat the DS-1. It's affordable and widely available, making it a great option for beginners.
The Boss DS-1 is best suited for guitarists looking for a reliable, no-frills distortion pedal that can cover a lot of ground. It's particularly good for those playing rock or punk. However, metal players or those seeking a more modern, high-gain sound might want to look elsewhere or consider stacking it with other pedals.
Videos
BOSSchannel
BOSS DS-1 Distortion [BOSS Sound Check]
![Video thumbnail for BOSS DS-1 Distortion [BOSS Sound Check] by BOSSchannel](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UKFuwErM2ZA/mqdefault.jpg)
BOSS DS-1 Distortion [BOSS Sound Check]
BOSSchannel
Boss DS-1
ProGuitarShopDemos
WILL IT CHUG? - BOSS DS-1 DISTORTION
Ola Englund
Comparing 4 Kurt Cobain Distortion Pedals | Nirvana Tone
NirvanaGuitars
This Is WAY Better Than The Tubescreamer (The Boss DS-1 Sound)
Rhett Shull
![Video thumbnail for You're Using Your Boss DS-1 All Wrong! [No Really, You Are] by That Pedal Show](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hegRB27zIdg/mqdefault.jpg)
You're Using Your Boss DS-1 All Wrong! [No Really, You Are]
That Pedal Show
Guitar Pedals for CHEAP! Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal - Thursday Gear Video
Marty Music
Is the Boss DS-1 The Best Distortion Pedal Ever? Boss DS-1 Demo & Review
PMTVUK
BOSS DS-1 Distortion Pedal Demo by Pete Thorn - Sweetwater Sound
Sweetwater
How to use the Boss DS-1 - Stop using it wrong! - Amazing tones with iconic distortion
We As A Company
Boss DS-1 Distortion | Reverb Demo Video
Reverb
What Makes This Pedal Great? Boss DS-1
Wampler Pedals
DS-1 Distortion
BOSSchannel
BOSS DS-1 Distortion Pedal Review
Sweetwater
5 Ways How You Can Use The Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal
SRGuitar
The Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal Review | How Good is it?
intheblues
Boss DS-1 Distortion (Are You Using It Wrong?)
Elmo Karjalainen
Battle of the 70s! MXR distortion plus vs BOSS DS-1 vs Proco RAT (all vintage!)
Jerry Yeaaah
Talk with BOSS - #2 DS-1 Distortion (Archive)
BOSSchannel
Reviews
PROS
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Wide range of distortion tones from mellow to harsh
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Versatile for genres like punk, grunge, and classic rock
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Tone control significantly alters sound
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Great value for money
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Durable and well-built
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Simple and easy to use controls
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Works well with both tube and solid-state amps
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Can be modified for customized sounds
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Compact and pedalboard-friendly
CONS
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High tone settings can produce unwanted buzz
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Lacks bass on certain settings
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Some find it too bright or tinny at higher settings
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May not be suitable for metal genres without modifications
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Can sound harsh with certain guitar and amp combinations
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Boss DS-1 Distortion.
Use cases and applications
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The pedal excels when used to enhance an already slightly-distorted sound, particularly in 70s-90s rock and 80s metal genres.
Source -
The DS-1 is praised for cutting through a mix with single coils, providing a harmonically rich, aggressive distortion that helps the guitar stand out.
Source -
The DS-1 is noted for fattening up a Strat's sound, adding thickness and richness often associated with Gibson guitars, especially when the tone knob is nearly off.
Source -
Despite its mixed reputation, the DS-1 is favored by some for its "trashy and grungy" sound when playing big power chords, especially with the tone knob rolled off.
Source -
The DS-1 can produce a grimy, distorted bass sound when used with a dry signal blend, particularly effective for heavier genres of metal.
Source
User experience
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Some owners report that the DS-1 can sound thin and shrill when used with a clean amp, but it pairs well with amps that are starting to break up.
Source -
A Fender Rumble 40 amp may require EQ adjustments to compensate for the DS-1's low-end cut when used with bass.
Source -
Users report that the DS-1 can work effectively when used to push into a Tube Screamer, particularly for cutting through a mix, with the DS-1 placed before the screamer.
Source
Comparisons
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The ProCo Rat and Tube Screamer are frequently recommended as alternative pedals for those seeking more versatile or specific distortion tones.
Source -
The Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive is suggested as a better alternative for bass, providing distortion without sacrificing low-end frequencies, making it suitable for heavier music styles.
Source
Value and pricing
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The DS-1 retains its resale value well, with many users noting they can sell a used unit for nearly the purchase price.
Source
Mods and upgrades
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Saturnworks' loop switcher with dry blend is recommended for maintaining the bass presence alongside the DS-1's distortion.
Source -
Utilizing a Boss LS-2 Line Selector allows bass players to blend the DS-1 with clean tones, mitigating low-end loss and enhancing the overall sound.
Source -
Owners suggest a modded version of the DS-1, such as those by AnalogMan or Keeley, can significantly enhance its sound quality, making it a worthwhile investment.
Source -
Some users recommend the MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion as a more natural-sounding alternative to the DS-1, offering improved clarity while maintaining tonal fatness.
Source -
Owners mention that clipping out a couple of diodes can transform the DS-1 into an excellent overdrive pedal with strong boosting capabilities.
Source
Features and functionality
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The DS-1 is noted for its limited control options with just volume, gain, and tone knobs, making fine-tuning challenging but offering simplicity for beginners.
Source -
Implementing an AB-Y pedal setup can maintain clean low-end tones while adding the DS-1's distorted tones, though this requires two separate amps.
Source
Critic Reviews
4.0 out of 5
Based on 230 Reviews and 1150 Ratings
191
Great!
This pedal turned me into a pedal nerd! That’s a good thing btw lol, it’s has good selection, it’s clean (for a distortion pedal), and is over all a really nice pedal would bye again!
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400
A classic distortion
My first pedal. Purchased in 2005, if I remember correctly. I do know it's not to everyone's taste, but I like the way it is, never wanted to sell it.
Preferred Settings + Usage:
Tone: 10h; Volume: 3h; Distortion: All the way up. That's the setting I like.
1778
Ubiquitous for a reason
Everyone and their mom owns one of these pedals for good reason, the DS-1 produces some of the most classic distortion tones at a bargain. The only drawback (for me) is that these and other op-amp distortion pedals that came out of the 1970s (like the MXR Distortion+) were really designed to be placed in front of an already crunchy or cranked tube amp. That's when this pedal shines, so if your philosophy is to use a high headroom clean amp as a pedal platform, the DS-1 will still sound good, but it won't sound its best.
248
561
Amazing distortion.. if you know how to use it.
This was my first effects pedal, i bought it because I was very into nirvana at the time. I started hating it very fast already because it wasn't giving me the saturated tones I hoped for, but when I learned how to use it correctly it, it became one of my fav effects. It works very well as a distortion, with nearly any amp, dirty of clean. Quite possibly the best distortion pedal ever. I wouldn't recommend using this with very hot pickups though.
395
Every guitarist has/had one for a reason.
Lots of tones to find, from Nevermind Distortion, to just a boost. Take a look around, their everywhere.
1869
Love it and the best part is its £35 new
So I bought this when I was 13/14 basically trying to mimic the tone of Kurt Cobain. That aside I love this pedal and use it for my main distortion sound I have the tone around 1/3 the way up any higher than noon I find it starts to get quite brittle sounding and crappy really and I have the gain set to around 3/4 the way up if I'm doing recording I roll it back to about 1-2 oclock. Very good for the money I find and can get a nice overdrive tone from it withe the gain set quite low. My 5 year warranty is now expired but will you ever need it? probably not. Its a very in your face mid orientated distortion and I'd buy a new one in a heart beat if I was to some how kill it.
This is now my 3rd one. It always seems to find its way back to me, although this time it was my daughter who managed to put £100 on one on ebay... -.-
41029
the 'ol DS1 gets no respect in these fancy-pants boutique times... it powered many a furious punk record
3378
It has a place in the so called "Rock History", but in all fairness it sounds like s**t.
3378
I apologise for being so cynical by the way
1869
It sounds like shit that is true but for what I play it fits the bill most the time, have finally got a replacement for it though. I might mod it, its a great modding platform!
5339
right, tone around half level and distortion 10, and wallow in the splendor :)
7287
D.O.A.
Dead On Arival. A while back I bought a DS-2 and it never worked right, they light would turn on and that's about all, I figured it was a one-off problem so I later bought a DS-1 and it didn't even light up whereas the last one at least lit up, I know Boss pedals do work with my setup as I also have a BF-3 Flanger that works fine, after those two perchases I've lost some faith in Boss but I still love the sound they make, however that's still gonna be $160 I'll never get back.
Over all I might suggest these to a friend.
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850
A CLASSIC DISTORTION
This might possibly be the most well known distortion pedal of all time. From Kurt Cobain to Steve Vai, everyone has used one of these pedals. Hell, there’s probably a DS-1 in your grandmother’s closet. With the thick metal housing, it’s almost indestructible. You could strap a bomb to one of these and it would survive. It’s also strong enough to knock someone unconscious or even kill someone. This pedal will get you that classic, grungy distortion tone of the late 80s’ and early 90s’. This pedal is a must-have for every guitarist. It’s cheap too, so why miss out?
878
Vanilla Dream
Many people will shit on the DS-1, given the chance to. The common knocks are "stale" "standard" and "cheap". But hey, there's a reason it's so standard. It does the job. It does it very well. You might think that it's vanilla, but as Josh Homme once said, "People use vanilla as a synonym for boring… When really, vanilla is the King Shit of Fuck Mountain of ice cream flavors in that, you know, it’s worked its way to the front."
41029
with so many boutique pedals around I actually get excited seeing guys rocking a ds1 or ts9 these days and sounding pretty good in a band context... I've been on this no-nonsense kick lately, just guitar and a straightforward vox amp, and a guy busting out some great rock n roll with a cheap strat, DS1 and a beatup old marshall that his dad bought him? that's pretty alright with me! No-nonsense there. Your hands are gonna make it sound good or not.
5339
yes jim, best pedal going
5339
anyone who says otherwise were going to have problems
Artist usage
Add artist
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This screenshot from the Julien's Auctions website (slightly altered to make it fit better) shows the auction for Kurt Cobain's Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal. Jeff Toste was the recipient of the pedal after Cobain threw it into the crowd. A letter from Toste accompanying the pedal tells the story:
The third show of Nirvana's iconic Nevermind tour was at Club Babyhead in Providence, RI. It was September 25th, 1991 and The Melvins opened. I was at that show.
During the show Kurt Cobain had technical problems, and at one point he was getting no sound from his gear. He must have thought his distortion pedal (Boss DS-1) had something to do with it. He smashed the pedal on the stage and threw it into the crowd. It landed between the feet of the guy in front of me. I pulled it out from between his feet.
The left hinge on the pedal is broken, but otherwise works. The pedal still has the original duct tape used to secure it to the stage. I've had it ever since.
The winning bid of this particular auction was $8,960 USD. The original source of the auction is here.
According to this rig diagram, John Frusciante uses a Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal.
This pedal was seen in the documentary Heart Like A Hand Grenade at 18:30
In the '360 sessions' video by Constantin Mogoş, a Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal is visible on the shelf behind Calvin Harris, suggesting its use alongside his 'Wine Red' Gibson Les Paul Studio.
In a photograph from Johnny Marr's official book, his Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal is visible among his collection of The Smiths' pedals. Although the original pedalboard, a BCB-6, has since broken, the pedals remain the same.
Steve's setup: "The guitar in line goes into the Wah Wah on the board - either the Dunlop automatic one or the Bad Horsie (he switches between the two). From there it goes to the two distortion boxes, the DS-1 and the Keely modded TS-10, then the EvH flanger and from there it goes back into the front of the amp. "
In an article by Scott Kahn on MusicPlayers.com, a photo of John Petrucci's pedal drawer reveals his use of the Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal.
According to The Gear Page discussion titled "Famous songs that used a Boss DS-1," Billy Corgan did not use the Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal.
According to 1996 rig diagram from Guitar Geek, Smith used the Boss DS-1 distortion pedal.
The DS-1 was a staple of Satriani's lead tone until the development of his signature distortion pedal, the Vox Satchurator. It is clearly visible on his pedalboard at 7:47.
In this video, Gary featured a selection of Boss guitar effects pedals he uses including the DS-1, CE-2, DM-2, OC-2 as well as the BF-2 Flanger.
Album Usage
The Boss DS-1 Distortion has been featured on the following albums:
Kaitlyn
Eric Dangerfield (2024)
Gone to Stay
John Norum (2022)
Fugazi (2021 Stereo Remix)
Marillion (2021)
the first glass beach album
glass beach (2019)
Artificial Selection
Dance Gavin Dance (2018)
Strange
Miles Large (2017)
Leprosy (Deluxe Reissue)
Death & Death (Metal Band) (2014)
Radiation 2013
Marillion (2013)
Jacaranda
Trevor Rabin (2013)
Future This
The Big Pink (2012)
Zug Island
Kyle Hall (2012)
Play Yard Blues
John Norum (2010)
Business Casual
Chromeo (2010)
Carnal Leftovers
Nihilist (2005)
Letters To The President
Hawk Nelson (2004)
Live In Chicago
Ween (2004)
Horrified
Repulsion (2003)
From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah (Live)
Nirvana (1996)
Ham Fisted
Local H (1995)
Wolverine Blues
Entombed (1993)
Incesticide
Nirvana (1992)
Pure Guava
Ween (1992)
Bivouac
Jawbreaker (1992)
The Pod
Ween (1991)
Spiderland
Slint (1991)
Clandestine
Entombed (1991)
Nevermind
Nirvana (1991)
Left Hand Path
Entombed (1990)
Bleach
Nirvana (1989)
Scream Bloody Gore
Death & Death (Metal Band) (1987)
Stop Making Sense (Live)
Talking Heads (1984)
Wings Of Tomorrow
Europe (1984)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Boss DS-1 Distortion, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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Community setups
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Next up is a distortion pedal, which is clearly a tribute to a very famous late-seventies distortion pedal: The BOSS DS-1 Distortion. It's a simple black design with three knobs: tone, level and dist. Full disclosure: when you dime the tone control, it basically kills you. Like, your skin literally falls off and you can't breathe. But if you turn it up, it stays smooth. It's not harsh or brittle. Just do that, and you’ll be fine.
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