News:

Forum may be experiencing issues.

Main Menu

Blue Steele

Started by Thewintersoldier, January 23, 2023, 05:11:36 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Thewintersoldier


Welcome back friends to the boss appreciation celebration 🎉🎊 🤣. This week Im going back to the late 90s for a true modern classic and one of the pedals that helped kickstart commercial pedal modding, the boutique transparent overdrive market and a mainstay on many pedalboards to this very day. That's right, the BD-2 blues driver. As Ms. Frizzle would say, seatbelts everyone!

I never had a stock bd-2, I've played my share of modded blues drivers and owned the Keeley super phat mod but this is my first outing on a regular old bd-2. Chuck did quite a write up on it so I won't get too techy, but it's essentially a discrete opamp fender in a box type pedal. The EQ section looks like a fender and the gain texture is more gritty like a tube amp vs the standard fair opamp low gain overdrive. It's a brighter voiced pedal so if you have a dark rig you might like that but it's easy to dial the treble out. The gain range is pretty wide and the dynamics kare where this pedal really shine. Much like a tube amp or a good fuzz face, this pedal is very sensitive to pick attack and volume knob changes. This is also a fantastic alternative to the congested mid focused low drain drives, and is also great as a boost or stacked with a TS style.

Build wise it was really straightforward and the included subs switch is nice for going between different guitars. On my strat I like to add a little more bass to fill it out a little more in the bottom end. Went with smd j201s since I don't want to pay and roll the dice on thru hole jfets. Also shout-out to @StompBoxParts for having the webs best selection of dual gang potentiometers, always coming in clutch💪😤. Matte black enclosure with UV print. For the artwork I went with Davos aka the Steel Serpent. David has held the title of the immortal iron fist at times and a rival of Danny Rand.

If you are looking for a good alternative to basic soft clipping opamp drive you should definitely check out a blues driver. There are lots of available mods, it's a simple build and it's a classic for a reason.


Who the hell is Bucky?

zombie_rock123

She's a beaut! Hell even the footswitch nut is lined up  :o

Love the BD, have only played the stock version thoug
I sometimes label builds rockwright
https://www.instagram.com/rockwrightfx/

Bio77

Another banger, Chris!  8)  Always wanted to get some yellow caps, but they've never happened for me  ;D 

Thewintersoldier

Quote from: zombie_rock123 on January 23, 2023, 06:00:25 PM
She's a beaut! Hell even the footswitch nut is lined up  :o

Love the BD, have only played the stock version thoug
I really like it stock, great pedal and another great offering from Brian!

Quote from: Bio77 on January 23, 2023, 06:37:04 PM
Another banger, Chris!  8)  Always wanted to get some yellow caps, but they've never happened for me  ;D 
Tayda gives me so many wonderful colors for caps 😂
Who the hell is Bucky?

jessenator

Killer 8)

I know you have a super theme going, but I half expected zoolander lol

I totally agree (though they can be cheap crap sometimes) Tayda's selection is super deluxe.
[NOBODY CARED ABOUT THAT]

Drew Hallenbeck

Good lord Chris, you're a machine!
You ever think about (or maybe you have and I missed it) taking a group photo of all your builds?
Of course you might need a super wide-angle lens to capture tham all in one shot!
This one looks killer as always!
Building with my daughter and occasionally selling as "Daddy Daughter Pedal Works"
Not for any real profit, just trying to have a self-funding hobby.

Thewintersoldier

Quote from: jessenator on January 23, 2023, 07:45:49 PM
Killer 8)

I know you have a super theme going, but I half expected zoolander lol

I totally agree (though they can be cheap crap sometimes) Tayda's selection is super deluxe.
Unless Zoolander is official cannon it's against company policy lol

Quote from: Drew Hallenbeck on January 23, 2023, 10:52:06 PM
Good lord Chris, you're a machine!
You ever think about (or maybe you have and I missed it) taking a group photo of all your builds?
Of course you might need a super wide-angle lens to capture tham all in one shot!
This one looks killer as always!
I'm not a machine Drew, I'm efficient, there's a difference haha. Some pedals have come and gone so a full group shot no. But this boss collection I'm working on I will be taking a group shot of. It's a full vision that has come together really organically since I decided last fall to start it. I feel it's my best, most consistent work to date. I'll likely by done with them all by the end of spring.
Who the hell is Bucky?

Paradox916




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

jessenator

[NOBODY CARED ABOUT THAT]

Thewintersoldier

That would be an awesome name for a metal zone project
Who the hell is Bucky?

Bio77

#10
Night Thrasher, Iam Iron Man, God of Thunder, Total Carnage, Arch Angel  ;D  Thought you we asking for names  :P

jessenator

Black Lung also sounds like the antagonist in a Fern Gully sequel
[NOBODY CARED ABOUT THAT]