Defouler

[Erik S]

Build Rating

5.00 star(s)

The Defouler! Billed by Robert as a dumbed down Boss DF-2 super feedbacker, and as far as I know, the best stand-in in the PPCB catalog for the classic DS-1.

Sounds great to me. I’ve actually never played a real DS-1, but when I started buying pedals last year not knowing very much my local shop had a DS-1x and I grabbed it thinking “maybe that’s just the current DS1”. When I realized I’d payed triple for a less cool digital version of what I wanted I was a little bummed and moved on to other stuff pretty quickly. After I built the defouler I was inspired to pull the DS-1x back out and it’s actually pretty good despite being very uncool.

I tend to load up my ppcb wishlist when I see cool build reports and demos, then by the time they’re getting assembled I don’t even remember what they are. If I had remembered this board was gonna make DS-1 sounds I would have put it together sooner and maybe picked a better color. I think this is Candy yellow from tayda. Not my favorite.

Other than the crap color, I like this one a lot and will definitely get some use out of it.

I talked up a big game on another thread about how I was gonna start posting some sound clips. I did make a couple attempts but got frustrated and never got back to it. I haven’t given up completely, but I figured I’d get this posted before the photos get buried and I forget about it.

 

[DailyDovetails]

Good looking build as always. I didn’t realize that board was a decent stand in for the ds-1. The first pedal I ever bought was a DS-1 probably around 2001 or so. I may have to build one for nostalgia sake mine is long gone, also then I can put the jacks in the correct place.

 

[Erik S]

I may have to build one

Do it!

You’ve already got the DS-1 orange filament!

@Guardians of the analog put up a great reminder of why we all want a DS-1. I suspect that’s how this ended up in my wishlist to begin with.

DEMO - Defouler

So here is the defouler, the distortion side of the backfeeder. It's sort of a modded/updated DS-1. It's got a lower noise floor and and the way the gain pot is incorporated is different. The overall tone and feel is a tad darker and smoother. It has around the same max amount of gain but the...

forum.pedalpcb.com

 

[DailyDovetails]

Do it!

You’ve already got the DS-1 orange filament!

That’s funny I was thinking that color is almost the same orange. This board has atleast made it onto my wish list.

 

[chris.knudson]

Other than the crap color, I like this one a lot and will definitely get some use out of it.

I know how you feel about gold... Otherwise, it's beautiful.

 

[eh là bas ma]

There are lots of DS-1 available on the used market for cheap (around 40 euros/$).

Many are through-hole versions (made before 2016), but it's better to ask the seller directly, or look at pictures of the inside before buying.

It's very fun to modify them, there are lots of interesting and popular mods, and it can easily become an amazing effect.

I would even say that modding a DS-1 is probably one of the quickest and cheapest way to get a very good distortion, carefuly calibrated to satisfy the player's tastes, in a sturdy enclosure with a perfectly silent activation footswitch. It's among the most popular and modified boss circuit, so there are countless mods documented online, all designed to shape the circuit in a specific manner.

"DS-1 is a brilliant circuit, unfortunately Boss just ruined it by using wrong values and cheap parts" is the most common educated opinion about this circuit, from what i could understand.

There isn't a lot of space available in the original enclosure, but it's still possible to add 1 or 2 toggles, or a couple of 9mm pots in there.

The most impressive mod i could try is the Mondo-MIJ mod (p.18) :

https://www.diystompboxes.com/DIYFiles/up/Build_Your_Own_DS-1_Distortion.pdf

2N3859 is obsolete, but there are a few substitutes available.

 

[Erik S]

There are lots of DS-1 available on the used market

All the pedal building I’ve been doing this year has kept me from shopping for commercial pedals very much, but I will definitely grab an original at some point.

“DS-1 is a brilliant circuit, unfortunately Boss just ruined it by using wrong values and cheap parts”

Modding pedals seems like a good business opportunity for a diy pedal person, but I don't think it’s for me. If I like something enough to pay for one, I’m probably going to leave it alone. When I want to explore other takes on a circuit I’ll do it on pcbs or breadboards. I do have some HM-1 boards from God City Instruments - supposed to be a combination of a DS-1 circuit, and part of an HM-2. Should be interesting!

 

[Erik S]

I know how you feel about gold... Otherwise, it's beautiful.

Thanks Chris.

I actually like the other gold shades from tayda.