Boss DS-1 Distortion

About the Boss DS-1 Distortion

The Boss DS-1 Distortion is one of Boss's oldest and best-selling pedals, in production since 1978 and heard on countless records. It is an inexpensive, reliable distortion rather than a low-gain overdrive, and its circuit is one of the most modified and cloned in the format; Keeley and Monte Allums offer popular mods, and the MXR M78 Super Badass is a DS-1-flavoured take. Boss also sells a Waza Craft version, the DS-1W, and a hotter Turbo model, the DS-2.

In one paragraph

The page's figures as one paragraph, assembled for quoting; not written by hand.

Listings of the Boss DS-1 Distortion we watched from listing to sale typically went in 14 days (90 watched), a fast mover; it sells for a median of €35 over the last 90 days across 188 recorded sales, with most examples landing between €35 and €50. New, it costs €77 at Thomann (read 15 October 2026), so a used one at the median saves about 55%. There are 481 listings live right now across Reverb, eBay United States, from €19 asking, a median ask 77% over the sale median. Figures computed 18 October 2026 by Doirado from cross-platform listing data.

What owners have said elsewhere

Paraphrased from 981 discussion threads among 20 owners, 2024. No names, nothing quoted.

The DS-1 is one of the more polarizing pedals owners discuss: it is a standard heard on countless records and defended by many, but its tone can be harsh and a vocal group prefer other drives. Much of the disagreement, its supporters argue, comes down to how it is used: run with everything maxed it disappoints, but dialed in and kept moderate it earns its place. It is at its best not as a standalone distortion but pushing an amp that is already breaking up, or with the gain low and volume up as a boost stacked in front of another overdrive. It runs noisy, so owners tend to pair it with a noise gate and a clean amp tone. For plain overdrive many reach for a Boss SD-1, a Tube Screamer or the OD-3 instead, and the DS-1 is often run alongside one of those in a stacked Boss rig. The circuit is among the most modded and cloned in the format.