Boss adds DS-1W Distortion to Waza Craft line

June 26, 2023 · 3 sources

The BOSS DS-1w Distortion is a Waza Craft version of the DS-1, the Boss compact distortion introduced in 1978. Boss describes it as a "Special edition Waza Craft pedal for the ultimate BOSS tone experience"¹, fusing "the look and character of the original with a newly revised discrete all-analog circuit for expanded range and versatility"¹. GuitarPlayer reported the pedal's unveiling on October 6, 2022, describing it as made in Japan².

The pedal has two modes, selected by a two-way switch labeled "S" and "C"². Standard mode is intended to deliver the sound of the original DS-1, with what Boss calls "the tight, hard-edged tone and singing sustain of the original pedal"¹. Custom mode, in Boss's words, "provides fatter distortion tones with focused midrange and increased touch response"¹. Boss says the available level has been increased by 6 dB in Custom mode, "providing a wider range of gain boost for driving amps and pedals," and that greater input sensitivity lets picking dynamics and guitar volume changes alter the distortion¹.

Boss lists a revised two-stage gain circuit with discrete analog components, a Tone knob whose frequency control is fine-tuned for each mode, and a premium buffer for clean tone when bypassed¹. The pedal carries a five-year warranty¹. GuitarPlayer describes the Custom mode as "an evolution of the iconic sound that retains the essence of the DS-1"².

GuitarPlayer calls the original DS-1 Boss's best-selling pedal of all time, with over 1.5 million units sold, and notes it was superseded by the DS-2 Turbo Distortion in 1987². Boss states the DS-1's "hard-edged attack and smooth sustain have made it the best-selling compact effect to date"¹. Delicious Audio, in a June 26, 2023 update, wrote that the original had begun to sound "a little passé to many guitarists due to its weak dynamic response and tendency to sound thin," and presented Custom mode as addressing that³. No US price or ship date appears in the available material.