The Griffin Effects DS-1 Rock Hard Mod Service is a modification service for the Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal. Griffin Effects describes the result as a "Fat sound, well controlled top end, a good midrange and no more fizzy distortion," and says the mod removes the 80s metal character of the stock pedal: "We've taken the 80's metal out of the pedal and made it a sweet tone machine."1
What the Rock Hard mod changes
Two changes define the mod. The first is the clipping: "We've also moved away from using LED's for clipping with this mod and use transistors instead," according to Griffin Effects. The second is the treble buzz: "We have eliminated all the treble buzz and what's left is a great distortion!"1
Griffin Effects also sells the same modification as a do-it-yourself DS-1 Rock Hard Kit. The kit carries the same description of the change, and the maker notes one important limit: "IMPORTANT: This kit will not work with the new SMT version." If you buy installation support with the kit, the maker will help you install it via emails and/or their online chat system.2
The Rock Hard mod does not work with the newer SMT (surface-mount) version of the DS-1. It is intended for the older through-hole version of the pedal.2
Bypass options
The stock DS-1 is not true bypass, so Griffin Effects offers three ways to change the switching when the mod is installed. All three are listed on the service page1:
| Option | How it works | Drilling required |
|---|---|---|
| 3PDT Bypass | Installs a 3PDT switch in the footpad of the pedal | Yes, a hole in the footpad |
| Silent Step | Microcontroller/relay bypass; the original Boss switch actuates the relay | No |
| Parasite | Relay bypass; the original Boss switch actuates the relay via the Boss FET switching circuit | No |
The choice comes down to whether you want the original Boss switch kept in service. Silent Step and Parasite both keep it, with no switch holes drilled; they differ in what flips the relay, a microcontroller in the case of Silent Step and the pedal's own FET switching circuit in the case of Parasite. The 3PDT option replaces the switching with a new switch but needs a hole drilled in the footpad.1
The One mod, the other Griffin DS-1 service
Griffin Effects offers a second DS-1 modification service, the DS-1 The One Mod Service, also available as a kit. The One alters the tone section to allow more range and allows more bass through, which is a different aim from Rock Hard's removal of treble buzz and swap to transistor clipping.3
Both services share the same structure. Each offers the same three bypass options: 3PDT Bypass, Silent Step, and Parasite, described identically on both pages. Each carries a limited 5 year warranty. With The One, if you choose to have the mod installed in a pedal you send in, after purchase you receive an email with the information needed to send the pedal in; you can also choose "New Pedal" to have the mod installed in a new pedal.3
Questions
Does the Rock Hard mod replace the LED clipping?
Yes. Griffin Effects says that with the Rock Hard mod they have moved away from using LEDs for clipping and use transistors instead. That change, together with the removal of the treble buzz, is central to what the mod does to the pedal's distortion character.
What is the warranty on the mod service?
Griffin Effects lists a limited 5 year warranty on the DS-1 Rock Hard Mod Service. The same limited 5 year warranty is listed on the DS-1 The One Mod Service, the company's other DS-1 modification service.
How does Silent Step differ from Parasite?
Both are relay bypass options that use the original Boss switch to actuate the relay and drill no switch holes. Silent Step adds a microcontroller that handles the switching, while Parasite uses the pedal's own Boss FET switching circuit to flip the relay instead of a microcontroller.
How is The One mod different from Rock Hard?
The One is Griffin Effects' other DS-1 modification service. Where Rock Hard focuses on removing treble buzz and swapping LED clipping for transistors, The One alters the tone section to allow more range and allows more bass through. Both services offer the same three bypass options and carry a limited 5 year warranty.
Sources (3)
- Griffin Effects Rock Hard Modified Boss DS-1 Distortion, Griffin Effects
- Boss DS-1 Rock Hard Kit, griffineffects.com
- Boss DS-1 The One Modification Service, griffineffects.com