So I bought one of the new Malaysian-made Boss Super Overdrive pedals – internally named SD-1(C) – to see for myself how it is built, and how hard it would be to use it as a base for modifications. For instance, the SD-1(C) did have a tiny amount more low end and were slightly more dynamic sounding. Well I soon discovered it can be used for many other things too and it does all of them extremely well.

of deliveries are made within that time, but there are situations where items may experience a delay. Thankfully, this is not a part of the circuit that would normally be modified or repaired, but the tiny sized components does hint at what’s to come… And the power circuit – both sides of the board, to the left of the adapter jack – is actually the most probable place where repairs might be needed. It takes extra time to set up and involves running extra cables across the performance space between your pedal board and your amp.I always liked the SD1, but while its better than a TS9 with voxes I found it to fall a little short and got that MXR when I found out its just a hot-rodded SD1 and I never really looked back. When I went from playing punk with WAY too much distortion and into more indie and alt-rock tones, I wasn't sure where to start. It is not uncommon for even open chords to be played with a decent amount of overdrive (think of Malcolm Young), since higher notes and overtones contain a significantly lower concentration of energy. No such luck… 🙁 That side of the board was densely packed with super-tiny components, so there’s no way I’ll be able to do any mods to it.

You can be sure that however much you drop it, kick it, throw it and jump on it, it'll still come back for more. When I pair this with an old Marshal, it makes the amp sound so tight and cutting, the kind of tone I always wanted but for years struggled to get! It is worth noting that the level and range of focus that the SD-1 contributes makes it particularly useful for balancing out the sound of a more liberally voiced pedal, such as the DS-1 Distortion.The SD-1 has been a mainstay in the pedal market for over 40 years, largely down to its simplicity and versatility.