I finally got done modding my SD-1!

[Code001]

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What if I made R6 2.2K? That's what I found on the link Soc posted above.

And what will happen if you start switching out diodes?

It'll have less gain with the 2.2K. The capacitor is there to maintain the bass response of the pedal. By increasing that number, you get more bass response. If you just change the resistor, it will affect your bass. Changing out the diodes affects the clipping section. LEDs clip very late so they really push the front of the input. Stock 808 specs are just 2 1N914 diodes. Remember, when doing diodes, you must make sure they're facing opposite ways. My favorite mod is a 3 way switch that selects between multiple diodes (or 2 diode choices and a clean boost in the middle).

 

[Code001]

You could also try his 5-Star GE mod shown here:

http://www.robertkeeley.com/audio6l6/sd1mods.html

 

[soc_monki]

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This really has my interest peaked. First off, great clips (as always).

Did the mod add more gain? I don't suppose you could do a clean clip with just the pedal on and off showing the range of gain and tone?

If I could mod my SD-1 to have a bit more gain and bass while keeping the Boss sound, I would be a very happy man. How would I do that?

yea, it added more gain...although in the clip i had the gain off, just had level maxed and tone at 12 o'clock, and the Pod settings are thus...JCM 800 model, 75 cab...gain 12:30, bass max, mids 11 o'clock, treble maxed, presence 11 o'clock, 57 on axis, 45% room. like i said i was going for a Children of Bodom tone, and i think i still have some tweaking to do, but its getting close! LOL

ill try to do some clean clips with the pedal on and off here soon...although running through the Pod im not sure how thats gonna work. i did do some clean playing with the pedal on and off and it was ok, not super-high gain, but it would work for some rock-type stuff definitely! ill see if i can get some more clips up tomorrow or something...nothing fancy but some examples.

if you just wanted more bass and gain, that would be a lot simpler than the mods i did (which was basically to turn it into a more TubeScreamer-like tone with the Boss gain tone and more bass). youd only have to change a capacitor and a resistor and youd be set i think i used a .1uF for the bass, so my mod was mild.

like Code said, just two parts need to be changed to do what you want really. it was kind of intimidating at first, but once i started working on it it was really simple and easy to do, just not a lot of room to work in LOL if youre pretty handy with a soldering iron its really not that hard, and is a good learning experience!

 

[Everlone]

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yea, it added more gain...although in the clip i had the gain off, just had level maxed and tone at 12 o'clock, and the Pod settings are thus...JCM 800 model, 75 cab...gain 12:30, bass max, mids 11 o'clock, treble maxed, presence 11 o'clock, 57 on axis, 45% room. like i said i was going for a Children of Bodom tone, and i think i still have some tweaking to do, but its getting close! LOL

ill try to do some clean clips with the pedal on and off here soon...although running through the Pod im not sure how thats gonna work. i did do some clean playing with the pedal on and off and it was ok, not super-high gain, but it would work for some rock-type stuff definitely! ill see if i can get some more clips up tomorrow or something...nothing fancy but some examples.

if you just wanted more bass and gain, that would be a lot simpler than the mods i did (which was basically to turn it into a more TubeScreamer-like tone with the Boss gain tone and more bass). youd only have to change a capacitor and a resistor and youd be set i think i used a .1uF for the bass, so my mod was mild.

like Code said, just two parts need to be changed to do what you want really. it was kind of intimidating at first, but once i started working on it it was really simple and easy to do, just not a lot of room to work in LOL if youre pretty handy with a soldering iron its really not that hard, and is a good learning experience!

I'm not looking for high gain out of my SD-1, I have a Fireball for that. :wink: I just want an overdrive pedal to give me "mid gain" tones. The stock SD-1 is close and fits real nice with the FB, there is just too little bass and too little gain. When I go from the clean+SD-1 to the gain channel the change is too drastic. I think this might fix that. :thumbs:

 

[soc_monki]

well im uploading a clip of the SD-1 going from clean to dirty. i clipped the input of the pod a little, and its just a quickie...ill try to do another later and avoid clipping the input! its a nasty sound...but youll get the idea. i go from lower gain to higher gain settings. its not super-high gain like i said, but its more than a stock SD-1! LOL

uploaded at my soundclick in my sig!

edit : something else happened upon recording as well...my sound card is crap, so theres weird clicks here and there, as well as clipping the pod input LOL oh well, just dont turn the speakers up TOO loud!

 

[Everlone]

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well im uploading a clip of the SD-1 going from clean to dirty. i clipped the input of the pod a little, and its just a quickie...ill try to do another later and avoid clipping the input! its a nasty sound...but youll get the idea. i go from lower gain to higher gain settings. its not super-high gain like i said, but its more than a stock SD-1! LOL

uploaded at my soundclick in my sig!

edit : something else happened upon recording as well...my sound card is crap, so theres weird clicks here and there, as well as clipping the pod input LOL oh well, just dont turn the speakers up TOO loud!

That is quite a beefy SD-1 you have there. I'm impressed.

 

[eternal_idol]

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I modified my SD-1 with the Monte Allums kit too. I did the 808 mod and it just kicks all kinds of ass. Best $20 I ever spent.

the New GT mod takes the thrown for me. i still love the 808 but the new mod is just secks.

Brae

 

[Qweklain]

That definately sounds pretty fucking sweet. Just need a little more chunkiness to it :roll:

EDIT: Actually i take that back because there actually isn't a fuck-ton of gain there. After listening to it a few times I can tell now.

 

[Telephant]

it still sounds like an SD-1 to me. Has that signature top end (lots of teeth and modern sounding).

Its hard to tell what exactly sounds different though since I cant listen to the same clip with a stock sd-1.

But thats a good sounding POD clip none the less!

 

[Code001]

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it still sounds like an SD-1 to me. Has that signature top end (lots of teeth and modern sounding).

Its hard to tell what exactly sounds different though since I cant listen to the same clip with a stock sd-1.

But thats a good sounding POD clip none the less!

Replacing C2, C3, C7 and C10 with metal stack film caps should help do that. Replacing R2 with a 620k resistor will also help the bypass of the unit.

 

[Everlone]

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Replacing C2, C3, C7 and C10 with metal stack film caps should help do that. Replacing R2 with a 620k resistor will also help the bypass of the unit.

I made a trip to Radio Shack and did the R6 and C3 swaps you told me about, and like you said, more bass and more gain. Very nice. :thumbs:

 

[soc_monki]

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That is quite a beefy SD-1 you have there. I'm impressed.

thank you...thank you very much i think i like it better as a boost, but for lower gain tones its pretty cool...probably would sound tits through a cranked tube amp though! i could see it being VERY useful for some nice bluesy stuff a la SRV and such!

rips as a boost though. with the extra output and wider frequency response...you can go mondo gain and it helps retain clarity big time IMO.

 

[soc_monki]

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That definately sounds pretty fucking sweet. Just need a little more chunkiness to it :roll:

EDIT: Actually i take that back because there actually isn't a fuck-ton of gain there. After listening to it a few times I can tell now.

yea...if i want it really chunky i would probably go with a diode swap or something, and mod it for even more bass as well!

 

[soc_monki]

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it still sounds like an SD-1 to me. Has that signature top end (lots of teeth and modern sounding).

Its hard to tell what exactly sounds different though since I cant listen to the same clip with a stock sd-1.

But thats a good sounding POD clip none the less!

Thanks dude! i really appreciate the compliments! i like that signature top end...one of my favorite tones of all time is Zakk Wylde's on No Rest for the Wicked, and a modded SD-1 is a big part of that tone. as well as Alexi Laiho's earlier tones. now that he has the ESP with the EMG boost he doesnt use his SD-1 anymore. but i think im going to start using it a lot more!

 

[Code001]

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Thanks dude! i really appreciate the compliments! i like that signature top end...one of my favorite tones of all time is Zakk Wylde's on No Rest for the Wicked, and a modded SD-1 is a big part of that tone. as well as Alexi Laiho's earlier tones. now that he has the ESP with the EMG boost he doesnt use his SD-1 anymore. but i think im going to start using it a lot more!

I like that tone as well, along with Akira Takasaki's tone (same Lee Jackson modded amps). :\m/:

 

[soc_monki]

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I like that tone as well, along with Akira Takasaki's tone (same Lee Jackson modded amps). :\m/:

yea...if i could get a GP1000 preamp or one of those Lee Jackson amps i would. even though i can get close with my 5150, or my Pod, its not the same LOL

 

[Code001]

I Lee Jackson Modded my JCM800. With a boost, it sounds badass. :m/: I also did a few Solando-type mods to it as well. If you get a GP1000, make sure you get the one based on the Marshall circuit and not the one based on the Fender circuit. Wylde really didn't use the preamp that much.

 

[soc_monki]

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I Lee Jackson Modded my JCM800. With a boost, it sounds badass. :\m/: I also did a few Solando-type mods to it as well. If you get a GP1000, make sure you get the one based on the Marshall circuit and not the one based on the Fender circuit. Wylde really didn't use the preamp that much.

yea, i heard about the two different versions of the GP1000...id definitely want the Marshall circuit. just dont know how i would tell...i think i read something about the serial numbers and how to tell which is a Marshall circuit and which was the Fender.

i know Zakk didnt use that preamp a whole lot...his JCM800s were always his main amps. after playing around with the SD-1, i can see where his tone came from though. it definitely has that top-end enhancement that is so present in the tone on NRFTW.

 

[Code001]

"(1/4 inputs for marshall, XLR for Fender I believe)"

That's what I found on the internet. You can always email Lee Jackson as well.

 

[soc_monki]

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"(1/4 inputs for marshall, XLR for Fender I believe)"

That's what I found on the internet. You can always email Lee Jackson as well.

cool!

oh, i posted another clip on my Soundclick, you might wanna check it out i tried to cover Bodom's Children of Decadence...LOL at least most of it.