Honestly, that sales clerk probably gave the same advice I would give to a budding 16 y/o guitarist: grab a $100 pedal that can sorta emulate some of your favorite rock tones, and have fun playing. We didn’t have the funds, much less the technical knowledge, to make it very far on the quest for the perfect tone back then!
😂 100% agree. The sales guy did the right thing, even if it wasn’t what I wanted. The problems were in my head: expectations that exceeded my budget, difficulty appreciating/enjoying what I had, impatience… you know, all of the good qualities I had as a teenager. … and young adult… and adult 😅
This was my first ever pedal as well, a gift for my 12th birthday from my dad. Over a decade later and it still gets stomped on at gigs, jam sessions and everything in between. I definitely have been on the fence about it at times but the sheer variety of sounds achievable always keeps me coming back.
Love to hear that yours is getting stage time! I don't think either of mine (current or teenage-owned) ever graced a stage... that needs to go on the to-do list!
@@JordanSeal I will say it is currently competing for space at the end of my drive section with my OCD. I'm sure I'll come to my senses soon enough though ;) Or maybe they can be happy neighbors some day once I get some more real estate.
Thanks for the review! Yesterday I rescued an OS2 that was in the drawer while using two separate pedals for drive and distortion. Today it is back on my board.
This pedal is versatile depending on how you dial each knob. It can play any genre and mimic different types of amp and gain effects; also as booster. Many says this is crap but only few knew this is gold!
Totally agree. I am so glad that I revisited this pedal: it is now my workhorse drive effect. Does it contain bad settings? Sure! But more good ones, and they’re easy to find. For the breadth of sounds, this pedal is a steal.
@@GretchZ I've never even tried a MZ-2, but would love to. The EQ section, alone, makes it one of Boss's most interesting pedals. But I'm really hankering for a HM-2W, because I have a OD-20 and love the HM-2 emulation. The distortion has such an interesting sound, even at low gain.
I have this pedal on my board and I like it; although I realized that it will sound quite differently depending on the amp/speaker combination you use it with!
You may want to take a look at the Boss MDP pedals for distorted chord articulation. The OD-1X Overdrive, DS-1X Distortion, and the DA-2 Adaptive Distortion do a great job in keeping the chord defined through the distortion. They're about $120 USD used. BTW, this was a very thoughtful video. Well done! 🤘🏾
Thank you! For the positive feedback and the suggestion. I was eying the DA-2 the other day, though I’ve never played any of the MDP pedals. Do you have preferences among them?
@@JordanSeal Sorry for the delay. I just found your reply. I like the DA-2 the best. The DS-1X is cool but has a little mid-scoop that I'm not fond of. My go-to sound is for the ProCo Rat just so you know where I'm coming from. These other pedals provide a little variety but in the same vein.
My fav guitar player uses OS-2 and I learned to love it very easily. btw I had a similar story, clerk sold me (as my first pedal) Boss mega distortion... I hate it (and him) to this day :D
It's all about expectations! I'm glad you found it easy to love the OS-2. And it's comforting to know I'm not the only person holding a little grudge over their first pedal 😂
@@JordanSeal we'll, i found it easy to love now, after playing guitar for 20 yrs but as my first i would probably hate it too :D I use it as a boost in front of a dirty amp for some kind of thrashy tones
Tone at 12 o'clock , drive at 9 o'clock, color at minimum 7 o'clock. Fender Princeton Chorus Amp set clean with reverb and USA Telecaster in. Great Crunchy Overdrive in that sounds really good.
I've spent a lot of time playing with similar settings, and they sound great. I usually keep the Tone below noon, but that's a matter of taste (and pretty dependent on the rest of my rig).
Light overdrive is exactly how I used it with a 100watt Marshall clone with a strat.. kind of worked. For clean sounds I used the Ce-2. Two pedals, what strange days😊
Oh wow. That was my first pedal too. I was 15 though, but close enough. I got from Guitar Center too. It was Chicago’s only Guitar Center at the time, so everybody went there. At the front of the store they had a killer demo rig setup where you could try out virtually every effects pedal they sold. It was f-ing awesome. Every Boss, MXR, Ibanez, DigiTech multi-effects, and DOD. I don’t remember there being any Electro Harmonics pedals there, but I could be mistaken. I was a few months in to playing guitar, and needed a distortion pedal so I could finally play Smell’s Like Teen Spirit the way you’re supposed to. I talked my dad into giving me half the money for it if I came up with the other half. I only hustled up about half of my end, so I just told my dad it was more expensive than it actually was to make up the difference. lol. I sat at the display for around two hours, trying every pedal there. They looked so cool. All the different colors, and the various casings. The MXR pedals looked kind of strange. They were so plain and simple. A very industrial, utilitarian look. It was the mid 90’s, so they had the DOD lamb series, with the crazy names and graphics. Back then, that whole series was looked at as like the trailer trash of the effects pedal world. People would look down on you I they saw you using one of those. They were just lame. Even the quality was bad. They were made cheap and marketed toward the younger Gen X musicians. Disposable. There were a lot of people who thought everything by DOD was junk because of it.
My settings: volume on full, all other knobs set at 9 o'clock pushing a slightly overdriven amp. With that you get a crushing metal distortion, especially with older tube amps from the 80ies.
You can get a lot of sounds out of this one: I wish I'd known that long ago, when it was my first and only pedal. Good luck with the Big Muff search! Are you looking at any particular model? My third pedal was a Little Big Muff and, as with the OS-2, I was initially disappointed. Not because it's a bad pedal -- it's amazing. But because my expectations were wacky. If you can play some in person (before buying), I highly recommend it.
@@JordanSeal I'll probably go with the russian or bass big muff if i can, but I'd also get a non-bass one if i can find it used for cheap. I play my guitar through the os2 into a bass amp, and it's amazing because it makes the amp sound more like a guitar amp. It sounds extremely bassy without the pedal. I sometimes turn the drive knob all the way down to get light overdrive
@@gardenofnightmare That sounds like a great setup. The OS-2 can definitely cut off some bass frequencies, and I also usually prefer it with the drive pretty low (below 9:00). I had the Russian reissue and it sounded great. I sold it because I was in a honeymoon phase with another Muff-style fuzz (Way Huge Swollen Pickle), but I think I made a mistake 😬
This is so similar to my experience lol I was in a guitar center and wanted a distortion pedal for the punk band I was in. This guy after talking to me for like an hour recommended the OS-2. It’s so wild that that was his recommendation. All I needed was a DS-1. It probably would’ve changed my life lol Instead I used the OS-2 and some shitty Line 6 modeling amp. I was playing shows back then and really stinking it up with my guitar sound.
😂 tbh, my sales guy should have sold me a BD-2. If he asked me what I liked, all of my answers would have been blues-based classic rock. ... though nothing could have saved me (or anyone else) from the quality of my playing haha.
First timer, you seem a little nervous in front of a camera and you shouldn’t be, you’re a very good communicator. I enjoyed this video. I own that pedal.
I think I was pretty nervous (and usually am). It's hard to act naturally when you're alone in a room, talking to a device 😂 But I'm glad you found the video and enjoyed it... it's a great pedal!
Great demo if this pedal. I like the lighter OD and the fuzzy DS tones. Its a bit 2 dimensional for leads for me but could really work double tracked with different tone settings👍😎
Thanks for watching! I used this a bunch in a recording project (after making this video), I'd say I was happiest with the fuzzy sounds. Some of the lead stuff was a bit thin, which worked in that project (and might have been a function of using my tele), so I can see how you'd hear that.
I got mine used at guitar center already owning a SD-1 and liking it but not owning any other Boss distortion. Full distortion settings through a clean amp don't sound great in my experience, it does a great mid hump Tube Screamer SD-1 sound. I hear it sounds better through an amp on the verge of breakup.
Thanks for your comment! I also like the Screamer-ish sound, probably even better than the Screamer I used to own. But I've grown really fond of the "DS" side of the Color knob. I used this pedal to track a lot of guitar on a recent project, and I used the DS settings much more than I thought I would. With the Tone below noon, I found a lot of sounds that worked in that mix. But YMMV! And it probably depends on what instrument you play. I'm a Tele guy, and that may explain why I've never really connected with Screamer-style effect.
I had bought this pedal- and hated itsstone. But I was trying to find anything, within a low budget, to bring back some tones of my 100w silver face Fender Twin. I "LOST" the amp, plus a'70s original Big Muff. a Ts-808, a ProRat, and I can't remember what else. I never did find an equipment match for my setup. All thanks to a nasty, nasty, horrible EX-wife. So remember: "The f$uKking you get, ain't worth the fu&king you get"
Sorry the Boss didn't work for you... but for whatever it's worth, I remember hearing that the Klon was designed to sound like a cranked Fender Twin... maybe look into one of the clones, like the Soul Food. Good luck!
The OS 2 is my absolute favourite pedal of all time. For whatever reason it only has amazing sounds in my setup. ❤
The amp and speaker are a huge factor in the tone. A lot of people buy a pedal without thinking about the amp+speaker combination.
Honestly, that sales clerk probably gave the same advice I would give to a budding 16 y/o guitarist: grab a $100 pedal that can sorta emulate some of your favorite rock tones, and have fun playing. We didn’t have the funds, much less the technical knowledge, to make it very far on the quest for the perfect tone back then!
😂 100% agree. The sales guy did the right thing, even if it wasn’t what I wanted. The problems were in my head: expectations that exceeded my budget, difficulty appreciating/enjoying what I had, impatience… you know, all of the good qualities I had as a teenager.
… and young adult… and adult 😅
This was my first ever pedal as well, a gift for my 12th birthday from my dad. Over a decade later and it still gets stomped on at gigs, jam sessions and everything in between. I definitely have been on the fence about it at times but the sheer variety of sounds achievable always keeps me coming back.
Love to hear that yours is getting stage time! I don't think either of mine (current or teenage-owned) ever graced a stage... that needs to go on the to-do list!
@@JordanSeal I will say it is currently competing for space at the end of my drive section with my OCD. I'm sure I'll come to my senses soon enough though ;) Or maybe they can be happy neighbors some day once I get some more real estate.
Thanks for the review! Yesterday I rescued an OS2 that was in the drawer while using two separate pedals for drive and distortion. Today it is back on my board.
Bradley Nowell used this pedal. Good enough for sublime.
I did not know that. Thanks for telling me!
That's why I bought it so many years ago! Helps get that Sublime tone!
This pedal is versatile depending on how you dial each knob. It can play any genre and mimic different types of amp and gain effects; also as booster. Many says this is crap but only few knew this is gold!
Totally agree. I am so glad that I revisited this pedal: it is now my workhorse drive effect. Does it contain bad settings? Sure! But more good ones, and they’re easy to find. For the breadth of sounds, this pedal is a steal.
@@GretchZ I've never even tried a MZ-2, but would love to. The EQ section, alone, makes it one of Boss's most interesting pedals. But I'm really hankering for a HM-2W, because I have a OD-20 and love the HM-2 emulation. The distortion has such an interesting sound, even at low gain.
I have this pedal on my board and I like it; although I realized that it will sound quite differently depending on the amp/speaker combination you use it with!
Thanks for this tip! I've only "rediscovered" this pedal using my Fender-style setup... what amp/speaker do you think pairs best with it?
@@JordanSeal
Transforms a strat into a champion.
I speak from experience on that front.
Excellent video thanks man!
Thanks for watching!
You may want to take a look at the Boss MDP pedals for distorted chord articulation. The OD-1X Overdrive, DS-1X Distortion, and the DA-2 Adaptive Distortion do a great job in keeping the chord defined through the distortion. They're about $120 USD used. BTW, this was a very thoughtful video. Well done! 🤘🏾
Thank you! For the positive feedback and the suggestion. I was eying the DA-2 the other day, though I’ve never played any of the MDP pedals. Do you have preferences among them?
@@JordanSeal Sorry for the delay. I just found your reply. I like the DA-2 the best. The DS-1X is cool but has a little mid-scoop that I'm not fond of. My go-to sound is for the ProCo Rat just so you know where I'm coming from. These other pedals provide a little variety but in the same vein.
love your videos keep up the great work. Ken :D
My fav guitar player uses OS-2 and I learned to love it very easily. btw I had a similar story, clerk sold me (as my first pedal) Boss mega distortion... I hate it (and him) to this day :D
It's all about expectations! I'm glad you found it easy to love the OS-2. And it's comforting to know I'm not the only person holding a little grudge over their first pedal 😂
@@JordanSeal we'll, i found it easy to love now, after playing guitar for 20 yrs but as my first i would probably hate it too :D I use it as a boost in front of a dirty amp for some kind of thrashy tones
Tone at 12 o'clock , drive at 9 o'clock, color at minimum 7 o'clock. Fender Princeton Chorus Amp set clean with reverb and USA Telecaster in. Great Crunchy Overdrive in that sounds really good.
I've spent a lot of time playing with similar settings, and they sound great. I usually keep the Tone below noon, but that's a matter of taste (and pretty dependent on the rest of my rig).
Light overdrive is exactly how I used it with a 100watt Marshall clone with a strat.. kind of worked. For clean sounds I used the Ce-2. Two pedals, what strange days😊
Strange days indeed. Tbh, I miss those simpler days… and I guess I could just sell all my gear 😅
Hi Jordan, great video! This is my first ever pedal as well, however I barely used it. Now I got it out of my garage and learning to love it❤
My favorite
It's quickly entered my top 5. A great, versatile pedal.
Sounds awesome man
Really appreciate it!
Oh wow. That was my first pedal too. I was 15 though, but close enough. I got from Guitar Center too. It was Chicago’s only Guitar Center at the time, so everybody went there. At the front of the store they had a killer demo rig setup where you could try out virtually every effects pedal they sold. It was f-ing awesome. Every Boss, MXR, Ibanez, DigiTech multi-effects, and DOD. I don’t remember there being any Electro Harmonics pedals there, but I could be mistaken. I was a few months in to playing guitar, and needed a distortion pedal so I could finally play Smell’s Like Teen Spirit the way you’re supposed to. I talked my dad into giving me half the money for it if I came up with the other half. I only hustled up about half of my end, so I just told my dad it was more expensive than it actually was to make up the difference. lol. I sat at the display for around two hours, trying every pedal there. They looked so cool. All the different colors, and the various casings. The MXR pedals looked kind of strange. They were so plain and simple. A very industrial, utilitarian look. It was the mid 90’s, so they had the DOD lamb series, with the crazy names and graphics. Back then, that whole series was looked at as like the trailer trash of the effects pedal world. People would look down on you I they saw you using one of those. They were just lame. Even the quality was bad. They were made cheap and marketed toward the younger Gen X musicians. Disposable. There were a lot of people who thought everything by DOD was junk because of it.
My settings: volume on full, all other knobs set at 9 o'clock pushing a slightly overdriven amp. With that you get a crushing metal distortion, especially with older tube amps from the 80ies.
I bought this as my first and still only pedal. It's pretty versatile. I think my next pedal will be a big muff
You can get a lot of sounds out of this one: I wish I'd known that long ago, when it was my first and only pedal. Good luck with the Big Muff search! Are you looking at any particular model? My third pedal was a Little Big Muff and, as with the OS-2, I was initially disappointed. Not because it's a bad pedal -- it's amazing. But because my expectations were wacky. If you can play some in person (before buying), I highly recommend it.
@@JordanSeal I'll probably go with the russian or bass big muff if i can, but I'd also get a non-bass one if i can find it used for cheap. I play my guitar through the os2 into a bass amp, and it's amazing because it makes the amp sound more like a guitar amp. It sounds extremely bassy without the pedal. I sometimes turn the drive knob all the way down to get light overdrive
@@gardenofnightmare That sounds like a great setup. The OS-2 can definitely cut off some bass frequencies, and I also usually prefer it with the drive pretty low (below 9:00).
I had the Russian reissue and it sounded great. I sold it because I was in a honeymoon phase with another Muff-style fuzz (Way Huge Swollen Pickle), but I think I made a mistake 😬
Great video! Thanks!
Thank! Glad you found it! (Or that it found you... idk how the algorithm works)
This is so similar to my experience lol I was in a guitar center and wanted a distortion pedal for the punk band I was in. This guy after talking to me for like an hour recommended the OS-2. It’s so wild that that was his recommendation. All I needed was a DS-1. It probably would’ve changed my life lol Instead I used the OS-2 and some shitty Line 6 modeling amp. I was playing shows back then and really stinking it up with my guitar sound.
😂 tbh, my sales guy should have sold me a BD-2. If he asked me what I liked, all of my answers would have been blues-based classic rock.
... though nothing could have saved me (or anyone else) from the quality of my playing haha.
First timer, you seem a little nervous in front of a camera and you shouldn’t be, you’re a very good communicator. I enjoyed this video. I own that pedal.
I think I was pretty nervous (and usually am). It's hard to act naturally when you're alone in a room, talking to a device 😂 But I'm glad you found the video and enjoyed it... it's a great pedal!
Great demo if this pedal. I like the lighter OD and the fuzzy DS tones. Its a bit 2 dimensional for leads for me but could really work double tracked with different tone settings👍😎
Thanks for watching! I used this a bunch in a recording project (after making this video), I'd say I was happiest with the fuzzy sounds. Some of the lead stuff was a bit thin, which worked in that project (and might have been a function of using my tele), so I can see how you'd hear that.
I got mine used at guitar center already owning a SD-1 and liking it but not owning any other Boss distortion. Full distortion settings through a clean amp don't sound great in my experience, it does a great mid hump Tube Screamer SD-1 sound. I hear it sounds better through an amp on the verge of breakup.
Thanks for your comment! I also like the Screamer-ish sound, probably even better than the Screamer I used to own. But I've grown really fond of the "DS" side of the Color knob. I used this pedal to track a lot of guitar on a recent project, and I used the DS settings much more than I thought I would. With the Tone below noon, I found a lot of sounds that worked in that mix. But YMMV! And it probably depends on what instrument you play. I'm a Tele guy, and that may explain why I've never really connected with Screamer-style effect.
I had bought this pedal- and hated itsstone. But I was trying to find anything, within a low budget, to bring back some tones of my 100w silver face Fender Twin. I "LOST" the amp, plus a'70s original Big Muff. a Ts-808, a ProRat, and I can't remember what else. I never did find an equipment match for my setup. All thanks to a nasty, nasty, horrible EX-wife. So remember: "The f$uKking you get, ain't worth the fu&king you get"
Sorry the Boss didn't work for you... but for whatever it's worth, I remember hearing that the Klon was designed to sound like a cranked Fender Twin... maybe look into one of the clones, like the Soul Food. Good luck!
so i sale my sd1 and buy an os2😁
I've never played a SD-1, but for what it's worth, I used to have a Tubescreamer, and I sold it... but kept the OS-2.
The reason it didn't sound good when he first got it was 100% because he didn't know how to use the pedal and/or wasn't good at guitar
Confirmed.