The Boss DS-1 is a distortion pedal and the SD-1 is an overdrive: the DS-1 is hard-edged and high-gain and its attack stays clear with the distortion knob all the way up, while the SD-1 is a milder, driven-tube-amp kind of drive with a focused midrange, built for clean and slightly driven amps and for tightening high-gain ones. They share the same compact box, the same three knobs and the same $69.99 price. Both are on our wall in Glens Falls as of September 25, 2026, with the DS-2, BD-2W, HM-2W and MT-2, $69.99 to $186.99, and pickup at the shop is free.
- DS-1 or SD-1: distortion or overdrive
- All six Boss drives and prices
- DS-1 and SD-1, side by side
- Boss DS-1 Distortion
- Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
- Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion
- Boss BD-2W Waza Craft Blues Driver
- Boss HM-2W Waza Craft Heavy Metal
- Boss MT-2 Metal Zone
- Which one is yours
- Questions about the Boss drives
- Powering a board of them
DS-1 or SD-1: Distortion or Overdrive
By Boss's own definition, an overdrive sets out to copy a guitar plugged into a driven tube amp, colors the source sound very little, and reacts to picking attack and the guitar's volume knob, while a distortion saturates harder and, in Boss's words, "pretty much devours the source sound." The SD-1 is the first kind and the DS-1 is the second.
The DS-1 came out in 1978 as Boss's first distortion pedal, still on its original design. Two gain stages, one transistor and one op-amp, give it the low end it keeps at high gain. The attack stays hard-edged and clear at maximum distortion, low settings work as a boost into an amp that is already driven, and the guitar's volume knob cleans it up without going muddy.
The SD-1 came out in 1981 on the asymmetrical clipping circuit of the 1977 OD-1, with an active tone control added. Asymmetrical clipping is how Boss got a driven-tube-amp sound out of a pedal: even-order harmonics, a subtle midrange boost built into the design, mild-to-moderate gain and a tight low end.
The DS-1 is distortion: hard-edged, clear attack at full gain, the top-selling Boss compact ever. The SD-1 is overdrive: a driven-tube-amp sound with a focused midrange, used as often to tighten a high-gain amp as to drive a clean one. Same size, same price. Boss's own caveat applies to both: the pedal is only as good as the amp it runs into. Which amp a first electric needs is in Best Beginner Guitars Under $300.
Paul's take: "They fit different needs. The DS-1 can be edgy and lo-fi; the SD-1 can be transparent and push a tube amp beautifully."
All Six Boss Drives and Prices
All six are Boss compacts: the same 2-7/8 x 5-1/8 x 2-3/8 inch box, 13 oz to 1 lb with battery, a 1/4-inch input and output, a 9 V battery included or the Boss PSA adaptor sold separately, and the Boss five-year warranty. The two Waza Craft pedals, the BD-2W and HM-2W, are made in Japan with a Standard mode for the original sound and a Custom mode that extends it.
| Model | Type | What sets it apart | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| DS-1 Distortion | Distortion | 1978, two gain stages, hard-edged | $69.99 |
| SD-1 Super Overdrive | Overdrive | 1981, asymmetrical clipping, amp-like | $69.99 |
| DS-2 Turbo Distortion | Distortion | 1987, Turbo I and Turbo II, remote jack | $109.99 |
| MT-2 Metal Zone | Distortion | 1991, dual-stage gain, three-band active EQ | $111.99 |
| HM-2W Waza Craft Heavy Metal | Distortion | The 1983 HM-2 reissued, Standard and Custom | $169.99 |
| BD-2W Waza Craft Blues Driver | Overdrive | All-discrete analog, made in Japan | $186.99 |
All six are on the wall as of September 25, 2026, in Boss pedals. If the one you want has sold, we can order it: when Boss has it available, it arrives in 1–2 weeks at most. Special orders are final sale. Call or text (518) 217-8695.
DS-1 and SD-1, Side by Side
The circuit and the gain decide it.
| DS-1 Distortion | SD-1 Super Overdrive | |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 1978, Boss's first distortion pedal | 1981, on the 1977 OD-1's circuit |
| Circuit | Two gain stages, transistor and op-amp | Asymmetrical clipping, active tone control |
| Controls | Tone, Level, Dist | Drive, Tone, Level |
| Gain | Mild boost to full-throttle, per Boss | Mild to moderate, subtle mid boost |
| Current draw | 10 mA | 10 mA |
| Price | $69.99 | $69.99 |
| Pick it for | The pedal is the distortion, on a clean amp | A driven-amp sound on a clean amp, or tightening a high-gain one |
Boss DS-1 Distortion
- Type: distortion, introduced 1978
- Circuit: two gain stages, transistor and op-amp
- Controls: Tone, Level, Dist
- Power: 9 V battery or PSA adaptor, 10 mA
The DS-1 is the first distortion most people buy. It is a hard-edged distortion rather than a fuzz: the attack stays clear at full gain, the guitar's volume knob cleans it up without turning muddy, and it does not hide what pickups are under it. $69.99. See the DS-1.
Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
- Type: overdrive, introduced 1981
- Circuit: asymmetrical clipping from the OD-1, active tone, buffered bypass
- Controls: Drive, Tone, Level
- Power: 9 V battery or PSA adaptor, 10 mA
Asymmetrical clipping is why the SD-1 sounds like a driven tube amp rather than a fuzz: rich in even-order harmonics, and it follows the pick. Boss describes its EQ as a mid hump, the midrange up with bass and treble pulled back slightly, which is what tightens a high-gain amp when the SD-1 is pushed into its front end. $69.99. See the SD-1.
Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion
- Type: distortion, two modes, introduced 1987
- Circuit: discrete analog, Turbo I and Turbo II, active tone, buffered bypass
- Controls: Turbo selector, Dist, Tone, Level, Remote jack
- Power: 9 V battery or PSA adaptor, 15 mA
The DS-2 is the DS-1's 1987 follow-on with two distortions on a switch, and the remote jack is what makes it usable on stage. Turbo I is the rhythm sound, midrange-focused with more low end; Turbo II is the lead switch, a harmonically richer distortion with a mid boost that pushes a solo forward without touching the amp. $109.99. See the DS-2.
Boss BD-2W Waza Craft Blues Driver
- Type: overdrive, Standard and Custom modes; Waza version of the 1995 BD-2
- Circuit: all-discrete analog, made in Japan
- Controls: Level, Tone, Gain, mode switch
- Power: 9 V battery or PSA adaptor, 18 mA
The Blues Driver is the Boss overdrive that responds to the pick and the volume knob the way an amp does. The BD-2W is that pedal on an all-discrete analog circuit, made in Japan. Standard mode is the classic BD-2 sound; Custom mode adds body and sustain. Boss places the BD-2 between the SD-1 and the DS-1: a stiffer attack, a brighter and more scooped sound, gain from a clean boost up to near fuzz. $186.99. See the BD-2W.
Boss HM-2W Waza Craft Heavy Metal
- Type: distortion, Standard and Custom modes; Waza reissue of the 1983 to 1991 HM-2
- Circuit: original HM-2 circuit in Standard mode, 3 dB more level, a more aggressive Custom mode, buffered bypass
- Controls: Dist, Color Mix H, Color Mix L, Level, mode switch
- Power: 9 V battery or PSA adaptor, 30 mA
The HM-2 was one of the first amp-in-a-box pedals, built to sound like an early '80s British stack, and with every knob maxed it became the chainsaw sound of Swedish death metal. The HM-2W is the analog reissue: Standard mode is the original circuit with lower noise, Custom mode a more aggressive Waza voicing. Backed off, it is a thick mid-'80s distortion that shoegaze and mainstream records used too. $169.99. See the HM-2W.
Boss MT-2 Metal Zone
- Type: distortion, introduced 1991
- Circuit: dual-stage gain in series, buffered bypass
- Controls: Dist, Middle and Mid Freq, High and Low, Level
- Power: 9 V battery or PSA adaptor, 30 mA
The MT-2 is Boss's second most popular drive pedal after the DS-1, with over a million sold, and the EQ is why: a semi-parametric midrange with level and frequency lets it go from scooped to honking, and the two gain stages give it thick, saturated sustain at bedroom volume. Each band is good for 15 dB of boost or cut, and the mid sweeps from 200 Hz to 5 kHz. It is a metal pedal by name, but the EQ range is wider than the name suggests. $111.99. See the MT-2.
Which One Is Yours
- First distortion on a clean amp, and the pedal is the sound: the DS-1.
- A driven-amp sound on a clean amp, or a high-gain amp that needs tightening: the SD-1.
- Rhythm and lead from one pedal: the DS-2.
- A drive that follows the pick and the volume knob: the BD-2W.
- Swedish death metal, or a thick mid-'80s distortion backed off: the HM-2W.
- The most EQ, from scooped to cutting, at any volume: the MT-2.
Bring your guitar. Every pedal on the wall plugs into an amp on the floor, and the difference between a DS-1 and an SD-1 takes about thirty seconds to hear. Call or text (518) 217-8695 and we'll hold one for you.
Questions About the Boss Drives
How much is a Boss DS-1 or SD-1?
$69.99 each, as of September 25, 2026. The other four on the wall: DS-2 $109.99, MT-2 $111.99, HM-2W $169.99, BD-2W $186.99.
What does Waza Craft mean?
Boss's made-in-Japan line, built around reissues of the classics on all-discrete analog circuits, each with a Standard mode for the original sound and a Custom mode that extends it: here, the BD-2W and the HM-2W.
What comes with it?
A 9 V battery. The Boss PSA adaptor is sold separately.
Is there an overdrive on the wall that isn't a Boss?
One. The MXR Duke of Tone, $159.99, built with Analog Man on the Prince of Tone circuit, with a Boost, OD and Distortion switch; adaptor only, no battery. The rest of that shelf is on Dunlop and MXR in Glens Falls.
Do you ship Boss pedals?
Yes, within the U.S. Pedals ship for $19, and pickup at the shop is free. Canada or anywhere else, contact us for a quote first. Rates: shipping policy.
Does a Boss pedal from here carry Boss's warranty?
Yes. Roland covers the first buyer of a Boss compact for five years on parts and two on labor, when it's bought from an authorized dealer in the U.S. Keep the receipt.
Can I play one first?
All six, yes. Call or text (518) 217-8695.
Powering a Board of Them
All six run on a 9 V battery or Boss's PSA adaptor; the current draw decides which. By Boss's figures, the 10 mA DS-1 and SD-1 last approx. 80 and 90 hours on an alkaline battery; the 30 mA MT-2 and HM-2W last approx. 23.5 and 24, and the HM-2W drops to approx. 8 hours on a carbon-zinc battery, which is adaptor territory. A board of them wants one supply with isolated outputs; we stock MXR's Iso-Brick at $179.99 and Mini Iso-Brick at $105.99 for that, and the DC Brick, $105.99, which is not isolated, for an all-analog board. Choosing between them: MXR DC Brick vs Iso-Brick.
Everything Boss on the wall right now is in Boss pedals, sorted high to low, with the distortions also in distortion pedals and the overdrives in overdrive pedals. Buying Boss from us, warranty and shipping included, is laid out on Boss pedals in Glens Falls.
Two overdrives and four distortions from Boss are on the wall now.
Paul's Guitar Hideout is located at The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, NY. Use the Cooper Street entrance and take the stairs up. If stairs are difficult or you're bringing in something you don't want to carry up, call or text us and we'll arrange access.
The Shirt Factory
71 Lawrence St., Suite 201B, 2nd Floor
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Wednesday–Sunday, 12–5 PM
(518) 217-8695 · info@paulsguitarhideout.com