Robert keeley s bd2 phat mod is not simply a distortion pedal, but rather a transparent tool that supplements your guitar tone, supplying nice lowend response, crystalclear highs, and great picking dynamics and detail. Im learning the blues and this seems the obvious choice and the demos show it up good but are there alternatives worth checking out. Used boss bd2 blues driver keeley mod effect pedal. I was happy with my stock bd2 but loved the keeley mod on mine. I use it as a clean boost on the clean channel of my amp or a clean lead boost stacked with my analogman sd1808 brownpushpull selector mod. There are very few overdrives i would choose other than a bd2, but none of them are better. Boss bd2 blues driver modded by keeley this is a modification to the boss bd2 done by robert kelley and folks. Turn around was fast, now i am one happy customer and will definitely be a continuing one. Used boss bd2 blues driver overdrive pedal keeley mod.
Blues tone with blues junior and keeley bd2 blues driver duration. The new super phat mod takes off by duplicating the keeley phat mod partforpart with the exception of our new super jfets. For what it is worth i had a stock bd2 and keeley at the same time, there is no denying the keeley is the better pedal, but i also really enjoyed the stock blues driver too. The keeley mod also has sweeter highend than the boss blues driver. If you have a few extra bucks to spend, robert keeley offers a modded version of the original boss bd2 blues driver. The bd2 blues driver delivers the creamy, yet crunchy sound associated with great blues guitar. All guitars sold receive a 35point inspection, ensuring an incredible playing experience. The phat switch is cool for thickening up single coil pickups. With the slight boost, it was called the phat mode. I just dont want my friend buying a kit from some guy making a quick buck when i can. So if you do the keeley mods yourself, then its not an official keeley mod, youre just swapping the.
Boss bd2 blues driver modifications fromel electronics. Home effetti overdrive keeley modded boss blues driver bd 2. Or the excellent mooer blues mood which is based on the same original mod. Okay, so i recently modified my boss blues driver with the galaxie mod from machine head pedals. While many players like the sound of the stock pedal just fine, many other guitarists like the basic tone but just want it bettermore organic, responsive and dynamic. Robert took the blueprint from hits own boss bd2 modification fat mod and has improved and evolved that and incorporated into his own blues driver style pedal. Gear diy pedal projects november 2008 boss boss bd2 mods. So i thought i should record something before and after the mod, using several different settings on the bd2 so i could see i mean hear the difference. I am on the fence between a keeley katana blues drive or a boss bd2w waza craft pedal.
Blues driver keeley mod vs waza craft vs katana blues. The bd2 phat mod is transparent overdrive with full range sound. The modded version adds a phat switch that beefs up the bottom end a bit and gives a little warmth. Boss bd2 blues driver overdrive w keeley mod reverb. Keeley mod i was looking to buy a boss bd2 with the keeley mod but noticed that boss recently released their waza edition. Keeley boss blues driver bd2 questions do i need the upgrade.
The pedal you have now is the culmination of many ideas and modifications that robert keeley had made to the pedal over the years. I didnt bond with any of them, i agree w bob argobast, at low gain they sound good but i have used other pedals that sound great low and higher gain, higher gain on the bd2 just sounds buzzy and raspy to my ears. Blues driver keeley mod vs waza craft vs katana blues drive discussion in. Austin hot mods clearly explained the problems to me and took care of my repairs. The ds1super mod takes the boss ds1 distortion pedal, and gives it a professional makeover. Keeley boss bd2 phat mod blues driver pedal n stuff music. Keeley modded boss bd2 blues driver n stuff music product. The keeley mod upgrades all the components for a warmer, more dynamic tone. Phil gates takes you on a guided tour of the bd2 blues driver. And we think youll enjoy this incredible tone we have crafted for you.
So i decided to shell out the dough and get a keeley mod version because ive never heard anyone ever say that the keeley mod wasnt worth it. Boss bd2 pedal mod kit this has become one of my alltime favorite pedals. I used a ts808 into the keeley bd2 ts808 was set very light od, bd2 was just past noon on the gain and just behind noon on the tone, both combined made a great sound. The keeley boss blues driver bd2 phat mod overdrive pedal if you are familiar with the original boss bd2, you probably wont notice any difference from just taking a quick look at the outside besides the added phat switch and the blue led and thats to be expected as most of the magic in the mod takes place on the inside. From the research i did when i was looking at bd pedals it seems like the keeley super phat mod and the boss waza are very similar sounding. Boss cs3 compressorsustain keeley mod ibanez ts9 mod plus keeley mod boss bd2 phat mod. Keeley boss bd2 blues the super phat mod you now have all of our refinements, the very best of toneshaping electronics, and modern features like truebypass. Keeley modded blues driver thats what john mayer uses. Discussion in burnt fingers diy effects started by czechone2, sep 2, 2010. Cream city music is one of the worlds finest gutar shops with selections including the used boss bd2 blues driver overdrive pedal keeley mod. The boss bd2 blues driver is one of the bestsounding overdrive pedals ever made, and modifications to it are entirely unnecessary gilding of the lily. Boss bd2 blues driver keeley electronics phat mod posted by pedal of the day on wednesday, november 25, 2015 in boss, keeley electronics, overdrive distortion boss pedals have long been staples on many a pedalboard, and one that i always found to be a real standout is the bd2 blues driver. Reviews of the boss bd2 blues driver overdrive w keeley mod only 1 available.
Transparent guitar tones if you are new to robert keeley electronics sound, try this pedal. His phat mod as well as alchemy audios mod are two that youll frequently see on reverb. Keeley bd2 boss blues driver phat mod overdrive pedal modified. Shop the top brands at the best prices all while receiving free shipping. The pedal you have now is the culmination of many ideas and modifications that robert keeley had made to. The difference in sound with our bd2 mod is easily heard at medium settings, and especially with your guitar volume rolled back a bit. The boss bd2 blues driver is an extremely popular overdrive pedal, set up as a competitor to the ts9 tubescreamer. There is an h2o mod out there and also keeley mods them. Crafted with an ear for highly refined sound, the bd2w takes the classic blues driver grit.
But in they stock configuration, they shelve off a load of low end and have a tendency to be quite noisy. Any search for a good boss bd2 will inevitably surface a number of modded specimens, with a sizable chunk of those done by robert keeley. It was done to give players two modes of bass response. If you want more bass, included are instructions for his phat mod. Passionately designed by the master engineers at boss in japan, the waza craft bd2w delivers a premium stomp experience that fans of customized pedal tone will love. The humble boss bd2 blues driver a very underrated workhorse pedal. Keeley blues driver mod page down toward the bottom of the page keeley suggests some mods for the blues driver. Transparent overdrive with fullrange sound and loads of dynamics. The bd2 phat mod is the overdrive pedal with full range sound. I have a bad monkey but am not really liking it so was looking to get a blues driver. That was an original design designed to meet many of the tonal characteristics of the blues driver. Keeley boss blues driver bd2 questions do i need the. Keeley vs monte allums discussion in effects, pedals. Ive tried stock blues drivers, modded blues drivers, and recently the keeley super phat mod which is based on the bd.
Boss bd2 blues driver keeley phat mod kit aktivlogic. I have purchased a boss bd2 blues driver and an sd1 super overdrive and i am debating between keeley and monte allums mods. When it comes to boss overdrive, the bd2 is my first and only choice. Its different than a tube screamer in that it is much more transparent and in my opinion more truly represents a driven tube amp. No longer any point in getting the keeley modded blues driver, you may as well get this instead. A demo comparing a stock bd2 to a keeley modified bd2 with the phat switch both on and off. The phat mode keeley phat mod boss bd2 blues course ramps this up significantly adding more body thickness and more oomph overall for a gorgeously rich and saturated sound at the higher reaches of the gain. Here we have a quick demo of the bd2 blues driver with phat mod from keeley electronics. The pedal you have now is the culmination of many ideas and modifications that i have made to the pedal during the course the years. Was wondering if anyone had a recommendation on which way to go with this one and if one is better than the other. Both aim to open up the harmonic spectrum that the bd2 can produce and give a it a fuller, richer tone.
The general consensus i found online was that it was basically a coin flip between the waza and keeley and that both were more liked than the original bd. The keeley bd2 was the first mod that had a switch. The boss bd2 blues driver, whos got one, is it all its cracked up to be. The parts added will increase the warmth of the pedal and add a level satisfaction to your playing. Keeley modded boss bd2 phat mod overdrive guitar effects. This is a mod that cost about double the price of this pedal.
An optional secondary phat mod adds a switch for introducing more bass into the tone. Ive tried boss blues drivers at gc and elderly instruments and read places that they give a nice warm tube overdrive, and i liked that. Straight from the factory the boss blues driver tends to have a very harsh and buzz saw type gain. Discussion in the tone zone started by jcm800gridlock, aug 31. In praise of the humble, underrated boss blues driver. Super phat mod keeley engineering keeley electronics. A tele with fralin blues specials, through a blues driver with fat switch in to a blues jr does not necessarily equal texas blues. Id venture to say its nearly as popular as the beloved tube screamer. This popular pedal provides instant access to the kind of warm overdrive and emotive distortion usually reserved for 30yearold tube amps. Boss bd2 blues driver w keeley mod price guide reverb. The pedal is kind of bright after the mod so i keep the tone control down to 9. The keeley mod has been used on dozens and dozens of chart topping songs. The bd2 is arguably one of the best boss pedals right out of the box, and with a few precision adjustments from the fromel laboratory, this pedal can rival the best boutique stomp boxes on the market.