The Boss Super Overdrive is a classic. It has stood the test of time and finds itself on a diverse selection of boards (such as those of Jonny Greenwood and Steve Vai). This yellow box of fun can be seen as a not so distant cousin to the ibanez/maxon tubescreamer, as they are very similar with the key difference being asymmetric clipping diodes in the SD-1 vs symmetric clipping in the tubescreamer. Despite this, the Super Overdrive has never seen the almost universal acclaim that the tubescreamer has. The SD-1 is somewhat of a cult classic, whereas the tubescream is seen as borderline essential in a broad range of genres. What explains this difference? Is the SD-1 secretly on par with the TS, but we are just blinded by the ugly yellow enclosure? OR maybe the SD-1 is the guitar world's best kept secret? In these next few paragraphs, I intend to explore why this isn't everyone's favourite overdrive.
First of all, let me preface this article by stating that the SD-1 is a good overdrive. It can be found for ridiculously cheap, often around a fifth of the price of a tubescreamer. In typical boss style, the enclosure is pretty much nuke proof. When you turn this pedal on, you know exactly what to expect. Despite this, there a number of problems with the SD-1, and yes, I know, these are undeniably a guitarist's first-world problems.
Problemo numero uno. The SD-1 is boring. It sounds so similar to a tubescreamer that you might as well buy one. In fact, there are many mods to be found that effectively turn the SD-1 into a tubescreamer. For those who want a quality tubescreamer on a budget, fantastic! For those who want an interesting and unique drive sound, not so good. It often sounds like a TS without that crucial ability to cut through the mix so well. It is compressed and smooth, and this just does not lend itself to a large number of band situations. The tubescreamer is known for the fact that it provides a very clear 'push' to the mids, and this makes it stand out in a mix very well. The SD-1 also has this 'push' but it just doesn't feel right. It's like the mids stay the same whilst the rest of the frequencies are squished together. I don't mean 'squished' like a compressed signal, I mean that there literally seems to be a spongeyness to every single note you play.
Two. The SD-1 is cheap and good. Yep, you read that right. In the age of super expensive and quirky boutique pedals, the Boss just doesn't have star power of other pedal. For example, theres the Klon: A mysterious origin causes relentless speculation and mythology, and a lack of supply causes a hefty pricetag and a unending influx of replicas. The tubescreamer was the staple sound of so many guitar heroes that its will alway have its place, and the diversity of use means that it can be applied to reach an endless number of goals. The SD-1 on the other hand is quite the opposite. It is easily attainable, it is cheap, and it does one particular thing very well. Boss just isn't seen to be glamourous - with the exception of some pedals such as reverb, boss pedals are seen as basic, and 'standard' to the point where we've come to take them for granted.
Trois. The SD-1 is ugly. Some people love the Boss enclosure, as it is associated with durability and quality. However this vibrant yellow brick just cannot be described as pretty. Of course in this case function is more important than looks, but we are living in the instagram era. This baby just doesn't look sexy on a pedalboard. When I see a picture of a boot adorning worship guitarist's board, I just don't expect to see an SD-1 sitting alongside three Strymons and an Eventide.
Vier. The Boss is easy. It is so simple to get a solid tone out of this thing that it is easy to become complacent. The way I usually used it was with some treble rolled off, the volume just above unity, and the gain just enough give a noticeable bite. This is the only use case I found - to use it as a light drive, just thickening up my sound and walking the line between clean and driven. The problem here is that it is pretty much impossible to get anything new out of the SD-1. If I wanted to make a completely weird and harsh sound, I just wouldn't be able to do it, is just get a pushy 'fake' sounding gain. If I wanted to blur the lines between overdrive and fuzz (like a fully cranked blues driver), I've got no chance of doing it with an SD-1. If I wanted something near to a clean boost, I wouldn't expect to use an SD-1. Even on the lowest gain setting, I can hear a level of drive that just doesn't feel authentic. On the highest gain settings, you just get a noisier version of every other setting.
Don't get me wrong, the SD-1 is great. It can be much more level and smooth than a tubescreamer (if that is the kind sound that you like), and it holds exceptional value for money. It is reliable and unlikely to crap out in the middle of a gig. It is apparently a great platform for modding, and put simply, its longevity is not without reason.
Eventually, I just had to sell my SD-1. I may come to regret it, but at least they can be found for £20 if I ever find myself desperate for another. The main thing that drove me to seel was the aformentioned 'squish'. The spongeyness just made my playing sound so much less dynamic and articulate. Maybe I should have tried one of the tubescreamer style mods (I am also aware of another very popular mod which entails removing a single capacitor and apparently opens up the sound significantly). I didn't do this because I'm lazy and unfortunately very susceptible to GAS - judge, away you filthy hypocrites.
So please, let me know what you think of the SD-1. Is it a staple on your board? Do you have one that you just can't get rid of? Or do you think it is just another ugly almost-TS?
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