The PastFX OG-2 is a distortion pedal built as a take on the early version of the Boss DS-1 Distortion, with extra features layered on top of that circuit1. Where a stock DS-1 gives you three knobs and nothing else, the OG-2 adds switches for gain range, bass contour, mids, treble character and four different clipping flavors, while keeping the original-spec parts that made the early DS-1 sound the way it did: obsolete Toshiba TA7136AP ICs and vintage 1S1588 diodes1.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reviewed it at launch in July 2026 and found it works on both gain settings2:
"I really like it on both Lo and Hi Gain Modes - and it has a wonderfully warm and rich character by default"2
"The Red LED is possibly my favourite by a hair's width - but I really love the Hybrid Germanium clipping too"2
The pedal was released in July 2026 and is available now from the PastFX webstore for $299 AUD / $209 USD / £159 and equivalent2. PastFX notes that for a short time US customers can purchase direct with tariffs covered by PastFX1.
A DS-1 style distortion with obsolete parts
The Boss DS-1 has a very simple circuit: a single op-amp followed by a passive tone filter and volume control, with a clipping approach similar to the Pro Co RAT distortion pedal3. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes the vintage DS-1 as offering "a compressed, British stack style distortion with an easy control layout"4.
The OG-2 takes the early version of that circuit and reproduces it with the original parts. PastFX states the pedal "includes obsolete TA7136AP IC & 1S1588 Diodes"1, the same op-amp and diodes found in early DS-1 units. Because these are new-old-stock components that are no longer manufactured, Guitar Pedal X reported that PastFX's 2026 releases, the OG-2 among them, are all limited by rare component availability5. In practical terms, the pedal exists in whatever quantity the parts allow.
PastFX has form with this approach. The company's earlier releases include the Mischief, a RAT-style distortion with the original LM308 op-amp and four clipping configurations, the distortiion, a revival of the discontinued MXR Distortion II, and the BLD, a compact recreation of the TC Electronic Booster/Line Driver/Distortion2. The OG-2 applies the same formula to the DS-1.
Players who want the early DS-1 character without buying a vintage unit have a couple of other routes: Griffin Effects offers a DS-1 The One mod service and a DS-1 The One kit, both designed, in Griffin Effects' words, "to get a more 'old school' type distortion sound" from an existing DS-1. The OG-2 differs in being a complete pedal built around the early circuit rather than a modification of a current one671.
The controls
The OG-2 keeps the DS-1's three-knob layout and adds switching on top of it1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tone | Treble cut, as on the DS-11 |
| Distortion | Gain amount1 |
| Level | Output volume1 |
| Bass switch (3-way) | Stock (down), Pre Bass Boost (up), Post Bass Boost (middle)1 |
| Mids boost pushbutton | Adds midrange1 |
| Bite pushbutton | Bypasses the active low pass filter and restores the original ice-pick highs1 |
| Gain range switch | High / Lo gain mode1 |
| Clipping rotary (4-way) | Selects clipping configuration, with a 4-color LED indicator1 |
The Bass switch is worth a closer look for anyone who has fought a stock DS-1's thin low end: it offers two different bass boost points, one before and one after the distortion stage, which changes whether the boost is clipped along with the signal or added after it1.
Bite does the opposite of what its name might suggest. Rather than adding treble, it removes a filter: PastFX says it "bypasses the active low pass filter and restores the original ice-pick highs"1. With Bite off, the pedal keeps the harsh top end in check; with it on, you get the unfiltered brightness of the original circuit.
The four clipping settings
The 4-way clipping rotary is where the OG-2 departs most from a stock DS-1. Each position changes what clips the signal, which changes the character of the distortion1.
| Position | Clipping |
|---|---|
| White | Stock symmetrical 1S15881 |
| Blue | Asymmetrical silicone1 |
| Red | Red LED1 |
| Pink | Unique configuration using several components, including germanium diodes1 |
White is the early DS-1's own symmetrical diode clipping. Blue's asymmetrical silicone clipping is the configuration associated with a range of other distortion designs. Red uses an LED in the clipping path, and Pink is PastFX's own multi-component setup built around germanium diodes1. Karlsson's favorites were the Red LED setting, "possibly my favourite by a hair's width," and the hybrid germanium option2.
Power
The OG-2 runs on 9V DC through a 2.1mm Boss style negative tip jack, the same connector and polarity as a standard Boss pedal, so it drops onto an existing 9V pedalboard supply without adapters1. There is no battery option listed.
Current draw differs by gain mode: 55mA in Lo mode and 20mA in Hi mode1. If you run the pedal in Lo mode, budget for the higher figure when sizing your power supply, especially on an isolated output shared with nothing else.
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Questions
Is the PastFX OG-2 true bypass?
Yes. PastFX lists true bypass among the OG-2's features, so the pedal's circuit is fully out of the signal path when it is switched off. It runs on 9V DC through a 2.1mm Boss style negative tip jack, drawing 55mA in Lo gain mode and 20mA in Hi gain mode.
What does the Bite switch do on the PastFX OG-2?
Bite is a pushbutton that bypasses the pedal's active low pass filter and restores what PastFX calls the original ice-pick highs. In other words, it takes the treble limiting off and returns the bright, cutting top end associated with the early DS-1 circuit.
What are the four clipping settings on the OG-2?
A four-way rotary switch with a four-color LED indicator selects clipping: White is stock symmetrical 1S1588 diode clipping, Blue is asymmetrical silicone, Red uses a red LED, and Pink is a unique configuration using several components including germanium diodes.
Does the PastFX OG-2 run on a battery?
No. The OG-2 is powered by 9V DC through a 2.1mm Boss style negative tip jack, and no battery option is listed. It draws 55mA in Lo gain mode and 20mA in Hi gain mode, so a standard 9V pedalboard supply is what it expects.
What is the difference between Hi and Lo gain mode on the OG-2?
The OG-2 has a High/Lo gain mode switch. Lo mode runs the pedal at its higher current draw of 55mA and Hi mode at 20mA, giving two overall gain ranges from the same circuit. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer liked the pedal on both settings, describing a wonderfully warm and rich character by default.
What diodes and IC does the PastFX OG-2 use?
It uses obsolete Toshiba TA7136AP ICs and vintage 1S1588 diodes, the parts found in the early version of the Boss DS-1 circuit it is based on. Because these are original NOS components in limited supply, availability of the pedal is tied to how many PastFX can source.
Sources (7)
- OG-2 Distortion, PastFx, 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-07-24
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME
- DS-1 Distortion (Vintage) by BOSS, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-07-17
- Boss DS-1 The One Modification Service, griffineffects.com
- Boss DS-1 The One Modification Kit, griffineffects.com
