What are your thoughts on the Boss Blues Driver? It surprised me how versatile these still are all these years later. ►Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/a12RWb ►Thomann - bit.ly/3ARp8OY ►Sky Music - alnk.to/44Q3y4a (affiliate links)
Nice playing, what a great sounding pedal. I have the Angry Driver a combo of the Boss Blues Driver and JHS Angry Charlie but I’ve rarely switched it from the pure Blues Driver mode as it sounds great.
Shane i like the idea of going back to demoing pedals that you did years ago, especially Boss. They're available worldwide and their prices are usually reasonable. It's also refreshing to see something other than a boutique or budget pedal. Boss is simply great, Pedals makers like Analogman, JHS and Keeley started their careers by modding Boss pedals.
@Jay Knudson I bought the Keeley Aria earlier this week and then discovered the Super Phat which I will definitely grab in the next week. I love the Boss Blues Driver but opted for the J. Rocket Blue Note instead.....both are great though.
There's a reason Boss Pedals have been the industry standard for so long. They do the basics so well. And if you can't get a good sound using the basics, all the fancy pedals in the world are not going to help you.
Yeah, but it's not like they are cheap but they are ugly and I can get the same tone in more boutique variants with cool art work and a much nicer aesthetic.
The Boss SD-1 and BD-2 are my drives of choice. And at $49-99 respectively they are the bomb diggity. Reliable and so easy to replace at almost any music store if needed. Excellent video as always!
Great, isn’t it? I’ve got a WAZA one at the front of my board. I just have the drive at about 2 o’clock, a bit of treble rolled off and unity gain. With Gibson humbuckers it gets used pretty much all night! Love it. I think a lot of ‘classic’ pedals are either underrated or overlooked by modern guitarists, they’ve sold truckloads of these things for a reason!
Shane I've been listening to you for a few years now and I can tell your playing has really gotten a lot better with just your playing. The gear aside. Just thought I'd add that to the discussion.
I got BD2 about a year ago and I love it. The range of sounds from sweet blues, to grungy blues and great rock tones. Linked up with my vox wahwah pedal and played through my Marshall amp, its a dream. If you want to sound like Hendrix or Cream Clapton, then this is the pedal to make that happen.
Yeah I find the OD-3 has a bit more harmonic overdrive but I use the BD-2 as booster into a DS-1 and that's just awesome fun. For straight up ballsy rock Od-3, for classic bluesy gain onto almost fuzz BD-2. BD-2 into a DS-1 is Marshally blues.
Just picked one up. This pedal has never really been on my radar but I was intrigued by your review. Thought I might try it as a lead boost. Love it! I was getting tired of mid boosted lead tones and this is essentially like a "more" pedal. Step on it when you need a little more but don't want to drastically alter your original tone. Thanks Shane. Cheers!
I have used a stock Blues Driver, always ON into a cleanish Fender Blues Jr. amp, since 2000. The brightness of the BD-2 into my darker/midrangey BJ has always been a perfect fit. The cleanup from guitar Volume is so good, that I just leave pedal ON, and set its Gain to how much distortion I want to hear when I actually do turn my guitar all the way up. A true no-brainer for me, and it really let's any pickup combination, any guitar ( for me Fenders, Dano, SG) come through. LOVE IT!
Thank you for the review of the Boss Blues Driver BD-2. Your demo is closer to the sounds I'm interested in than any other reviews I've seen. Thank you for the new perspective about this pedal. Please keep them coming!
Such a great overdrive that can go from nice transparent boost to almost fuzzy territory. Stands right beside many boutique options easily, I prefer it to basically all Blues Breaker derived pedals.
This is probably my fav overdrive/distortion pedal that isnt trying to be a specific amp. Its simple but extremely versatile. From light overdrive to serious gain crunch that still sounds clear on chords.
I find the Blues Driver to be the real king of tone. I’ve used it for 25 years now. On my third version as I keep trying to find more expensive and fancy pedals to replace it. But it’s irreplaceable as a mild, always on OD.
Terrific playing you're an awesome guitarist. The pedal sounds good.Greetings from Sweden. By the Way. I am also lefthanded, but i cant play lefthanded guitars. I play righthanded guitars .
I’ve played multiple overdrives over the years. Then in lockdown one here in the UK I got on eBay and got a Blues Driver. It made me question why I’d waited so long - great overdrive. I also discovered that Mark Knopfler had one on his rig for his 2019 world tour. That’s a pretty good endorsement.
Nice video, it made me remember those old videos of yours. It brought me back to the time when I discovered the channel with those videos of the Behringer drive pedals. I'm so happy about the direction you've taken your channel. Regards from Peru.
Thanks for the great review. You put a lot of thought and effort making these videos, and compress it into a very informative video. nice job and such a practical selection of examples with optimal tone. Really enjoy your videos.
THANK YOU. You’re the only one who advised that you can use a 9v or the power supply. I know BOSS pedals usually have that option (which is why I prefer them) but I wanted to be sure before I bought one. The sound is awesome. Can’t wait to get it!
Great video Shane. Same thing here, i personally didn't like it much when i first tried it many years ago. Maybe i wasn't mature enough as a guitar player or my tastes were different back then. Blues Driver is an amazing versatile pedal. I usually prefer it with a darker tone and gain at 1 or 2 o'clock. It also stacks great with other pedals.
After listening to you, my BD-2 just looked at me with disgust and asked why it was being wasted on me. Certainly my favorite pedal. My first died on me. But I had to have another. Well done Mate.
Really liked all the bluesy grit the pedal added to already good tone. Funny that the old pedal is superior to the new. I practice at low volume levels, so I use my (ancient) Belcat Blues Drive pedal to get my treble back. No filters for my guitars with this thing!
You do a great job on this channel explaining in detail the subject. Love the Marshall dsl40cr awesome amplifier. I always learn what's needed to get good blues tones. Well done. Keeping them coming.
Nice Vid Shane! I’ve used this pedal for years now and just love it!! Great for Blues and Rock as you said. Please keep up the Good Work mate and Cheers from Salem, Ohio US.
Wow Shane so well done... You get a warmth band sweetness out of this pedal that's very unique as it's a testament to your touch and Dynamics...tones like that are coaxed from the instrument...not just heaped on an amp...super sweet man
He continues to improve his playing and his videos. If you want to know how a pedal can sound, he is one of those reliable go-to channels to really hear it, well-demoed. Always good content. Come for the pedals or gear, and stay for tones, playing and inspiration.
@@braddietzmusic2429 been following his channel for a couple years now..he's fantastic and really nice guy..very approachable and engaging and kind and has some great ideas along w demos..🤘😁🎸🎶
The BD 2 is the first pedal I ever bought and one of the only pedals I haven't sold that dates back so far. I still use it for the blues.Its a great pedal for the money and sounds alot better then many more expensive overdrive pedals that I bought and sold because I thought they would sound better.
This is the first pedal I ever purchased, maybe 8 or so years ago and I’m still tinkering trying to find the right tone. Found it likes my Epi with the p90’s more than my humbuckies
I've got the Angry Driver which is basically a JHS Angry Charlie distortion and Boss Blues Driver in a a single pedal. You can input one into the other or run them in parallel in just a single pedal, so the number of dirt options are incredible. But if I have in single pedal mode, it's usually the BD. It doesn't colour the tone as much as other pedals too and gain gets into classic rock territory which is nice.
Damn that was sweet! I loved the licks you used on the Harley Benton. The one with the bends and pull offs could be great for metal too! When playing blues, I usually put my TS-9 into my clean channel (dirt channel for higher gain blues like Weiss Heim) but I might pick this up when I make a separate pedalboard for blues!
The BD-2 is my favorite drive pedal without a doubt. Great on both bass and six string. My favorite setting is with the gain and my guitar volume dimed. Sounds like a more articulate fuzz pedal.
I've been using a CS-3 for most of my blues/rock applications while getting most of the mud out of my amplifier, but you've convinced me of the need for a second pedal. I'm on it. Thank you.
Just bought one....old school pure joy....I run a Boss GE7 eq into a Boss DS1 with the tone at zero and slight gain into the BD2 and get any driven tones I want...great pedals. Been using the same 6 Boss pedals for decades
Great video. Love your playing! I received my 1st BD2 yesterday. What a fantastic pedal. I used the DS1 and the SD1 a lot. The BD2 makes a great mariage with the SD1.
Nice. I ordered a used one last weekend. Ha! Pretty great. Happy Thanksgiving from Conneticut to Melbourne (I have friends there so, this...they probably don't watch this.)
You always find a way to get your optimum tone and I get the impression it wasn't so hard with the Blues Driver. I have one and you just gave me some ideas to explore.
This is a great pedal which I had years ago...I gave it as a gift to my young nephew a few years back then bought the Waza version which I don't like so I'm about to revert to the BD-2. Great review intheblues.
Nice overview. I’ve been running one of these for years, keep thinking (insert fancy new pedal here) will displace it but it never happens. Well, ok, I replaced the old one with a Waza Craft one a couple of years ago, but still…
There is a trick you can use the BD2 for. I often play a PRS Core Custom 24. Sometimes it is too thick on the bridge if I need a jangly tone for let’s say an early Beatles tune. I turn down the gain, up the level and ride the guitar around 7. It is a solid state pedal so it gets bright doing this yet I can keep the tone where I like around noon. Try it. I play a lot of country as well and there are times where I am not quick enough to go back to my Tele so I do this! Great video as always!
I keep my SD-1 and BD-2 together as a pair, SD-1 > BD-2 I've more recently added a DS-2 to that mix, DS-2 > SD-1 > BD-2 though not usually all three at once ...
Awesome Demo! I just bought that same 50's Reissue Tele and love it!!! Was looking at buying that pedal too as I've never really used pedals, I have an old analog Ibanez Delay though I do use, was looking at the RAT Overdrive/Fuzz Pedal too, but after seeing your Video I just might buy the Blues Driver and call it a day! Please do other demos on the gear you use, pedals, amps, guitars! You do a great job! Merry Christmas 2021 from the San Francisco Bay Area and a very Happy 2022 as well to you and Family!!! Keep on Rockin'!!! I also bought the Standard Professional II Tele, I like the 50's better in the Butterscotch Blonde.. Love the neck and 50's Pickups, the Professional I bought in Tri Burst, slimmer neck profile and rosewood fretboard.. Nice Guitar too, just a bit different
I love the Blues Driver. I've owned it twice. It's a great all-around overdrive/boost. For whatever reason, I do not currently own one except for the modeled version in my GT-100 board which is a very close emulation (IMO).
I have been using my BD-2 *for years and years* powered with 12 volts instead of 9 volts. You get more volume, more headroom and improved, amp-like growly overdriven sound texture. Try it. It's simply a much better sound.
I still haven't found an overdrive pedal that can go from crunch to clean in such a tight volume range from my guitar. I can get proper crunch when I dig in with the volume on 10, really nice low gain on 9, and a clean boost with. the volume on 8. Nothing else like it.
Man I used to always have the Blues Driver on my board. I also own the WAZA craft. I think I actually like the original better because it's a little more low fi. It's actually been off my board for a while because I've been trying out other pedals. You Know, GAS.
Nice video. Many thanks. Waiting for mine to arrive. I like how you didn’t dive straight to metal and heavy rock which is where most distortion pedal reviews go.
Yes, one of my favorite OD pedals along with the OCD and Tone City Sweet Cream...all three of them stacked sounds amazing too! Also the Liquid Sunshine by Subdecay. The Blues Driver is super versatile though, can be a clean boost, just enough for a little sauce, or a blown out 60s fuzz if you turn the gain up and tone down on your guitar. But my favorite settings are the same as yours Shane, about 1 o clock and 11 o'clock. Just a solid overdrive, great gritty tone. I've come back to this pedal like 4 times, also had modded versions and the stock just hits hard. Also it's very dynamic, very responsive to your playing, cleans up real well if you play softer.
A really good demo. with a range of levels and guitars. Spot on. Here's my experience. Fattens up sound. I run mine always on, with gain at zero or near zero. Puts the slightest, almost undetectable hair on the guitar. That's through a clean amp. When I hit the crunch channel that BD2 on zero fattens the sound of the old DiMarzio's in this 1983 Hondo 335 copy, and it sounds just like Leslie West's guitar on Mississippi Queen. Or, sometimes I go like you just did. Clean amp, pedal at 50%, guitar's volume knob. A no messing around basic rig that will get anyone through most gigs.
My go to pedal. Shane nailed the tone, and I also recommend using it between 11 and 2 O'clock. I have been using the same one for many years (probably over 20 years), and cannot find anything I like better. I bought and sold a Tube Screamer as it just didn't do it for me like the BD. I have a King of Tone on my board as well, but I prefer to use the BD. A great drive pedal.
Great demo. I might have to get one for my reverend kingsnake tube amp. That Les Paul special with that p90 sounded great. So did the Harley Benton. All of them did, but especially those two I thought. Very cool. Thanks man..
Haha I just connected my Boss BD2w to my pedalboard last night which had been out of use in favour of the Electro-Harmonix Soul Food as my main OD just to get an option in tones and was going to do some research today. So this item will be helpful at just the right time!
i have 3 of these and luv 'em. 1 is a Keeley modded one and the other 2 are stock. very versatile and with gain turned down are one of my favorite clean boost pedals. depending on the amp they also sit right in the sweet spot for midrange frequencies... less mid-hump than a tubescreamer. keep the tone knob at about 9-10 o'clock on mine. my rule of thumb is the higher the gain setting the lower the tone setting.
Given that I own a basic BD-2, this review inspired me to dust mine off today, trying to dial in a good Robert Cray tone for "Smoking Gun." Well, instead of the Zoom G1X I'm using a ton lately for all sorts of sounds, I plugged the BD2 into my Vox VX50, turned the gain down on the Vox "Marshall" type channel, maybe 6 p.m. at most, set the BD2 for Level: 1 p.m., Tone middle, and Gain: just about 11 pm, Vox amp levels Vol. noon, power atten. noonish, and I managed to get a pretty convincing Robert Cray tone! I guess a Fender amp would be even better, of course. The only issue was the gain on the BD2 is indeed higher than I recalled! I had to turn my guitar vol. half down for the verses, and then crank it all the way to max. for the solo bits. That makes sense. Or you can turn the gain on the BD2 down a lot for the rhythm parts. Now I know why pro. players need pedals because you do not always want that gain or distortion for the quieter bits in a song, etc. But i would say this pedal is optimum for dialing in those type of tones, Robert Cray isn't really a high gain player, but when he's soloing, well, you want some good boost! For Stevie Ray Vaughan well....I can see why he was more of a Tubescreamer dude. Or maybe both? I dunno. Diming out the Gain on the BD2 will give you a good dirty hard rock sound, ZZ Top, whatever, even Aerosmith at times, "No Surprize" type dirty sound. I guess you could get those tones with the Boss Distortions/ODs or HM medals, too. I'm starting to think the BD-2 though, really is a lot more versatile. And, it's easy to dial things in. The only thing my Tubescreamer has over this is even more gain, and that "boost" switch for insane power boost. But, the BD-2 is more "musical" and creamy sounding, at lower gain levels.
My very favorite OD. I upgraded to the Keeley Super Phat Mod (a proprietary version of Keeley’s modded BD-2s) for a little extra girth. But if any new guitarist is ready to explore pedals, I’ll always recommend this first.
I still compare other overdrives to this pedal. I always will ask myself, is this better than the blues driver? 80% of the time the answer has been no. You were able to buy them used for $25 US. Used prices have gotten a bit crazy.
I don't really play blues but this is my single favorite pedal. It does so many things and does them so well. Mine hardly ever comes off my board and is on more often than not.
I have the angry driver jb-2 that has a bd-2 and angry charlie circuits in one pedal and the bd-2 is always on as a boost. When I need more juice I turn the Angy Charlie circuit on in parallel. Love it's sound. Bd-2 is a sure value.
Yes I have had one for a while and hadn’t been using it but decided to plug it in recently and man, I just fell in love with it again. Don’t shop around for all these other expensive boutique overdrives, get a Blues Driver
It's the cure for Tube Screamer Fever! I've read that it's an FET preamp-style circuit, rather than a traditional overdrive. All I know is that I love kicking this in while playing my Strat through my Gladio SC!
thanks Shane and always like to hear the noodling and licks you can play..nice guitar collection also...I dont own any pedals but will look at this one seriously.....
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What are your thoughts on the Boss Blues Driver? It surprised me how versatile these still are all these years later.
►Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/a12RWb
►Thomann - bit.ly/3ARp8OY
►Sky Music - alnk.to/44Q3y4a
(affiliate links)
Thanks for the video. Good sounding pedal!
I just bought the Limited Edition SD1. I hope it sounds good into my AC15 🤞🏻
Nice playing, what a great sounding pedal. I have the Angry Driver a combo of the Boss Blues Driver and JHS Angry Charlie but I’ve rarely switched it from the pure Blues Driver mode as it sounds great.
Shane i like the idea of going back to demoing pedals that you did years ago, especially Boss. They're available worldwide and their prices are usually reasonable. It's also refreshing to see something other than a boutique or budget pedal. Boss is simply great, Pedals makers like Analogman, JHS and Keeley started their careers by modding Boss pedals.
@Jay Knudson I bought the Keeley Aria earlier this week and then discovered the Super Phat which I will definitely grab in the next week. I love the Boss Blues Driver but opted for the J. Rocket Blue Note instead.....both are great though.
There's a reason Boss Pedals have been the industry standard for so long. They do the basics so well. And if you can't get a good sound using the basics, all the fancy pedals in the world are not going to help you.
Yeah, but it's not like they are cheap but they are ugly and I can get the same tone in more boutique variants with cool art work and a much nicer aesthetic.
@Nicko Lps I don't NEED any of this shiz. I like it. Yes, I like visual art.
@Nicko Lps Did I say I had a problem ? I have preferences, not problems.
@Nicko Lps you need more 🤣 on you comments
@Nicko Lps did I say I was hurt? YOU are hurt. People and their 1st world weakness
The Boss SD-1 and BD-2 are my drives of choice. And at $49-99 respectively they are the bomb diggity. Reliable and so easy to replace at almost any music store if needed. Excellent video as always!
I’ve owned the SD-1 and BD-2 for a decade now. I’ll never remove them from my board!
I was about to say the same thing. I have a lot of OD and these two are the ones on my board at the moment. The BD2 in particular is crazy versatile.
I also have both! SD-1 into BD2 Stacked together gives a beautiful lead tone
I only use my BD-2, awesome, use it to give my cigar box some depth
The quality vs price on boss pedals is amazing. Pro stuff that’s affordable.
Great, isn’t it? I’ve got a WAZA one at the front of my board.
I just have the drive at about 2 o’clock, a bit of treble rolled off and unity gain.
With Gibson humbuckers it gets used pretty much all night!
Love it.
I think a lot of ‘classic’ pedals are either underrated or overlooked by modern guitarists, they’ve sold truckloads of these things for a reason!
@@chrise.3814 you have a problem? You must be such a poser..
Oh, wait, ‘this channel has no content’
I’m shocked.
Not
One of the best pedals ever.
Simple as that.
Shane I've been listening to you for a few years now and I can tell your playing has really gotten a lot better with just your playing. The gear aside.
Just thought I'd add that to the discussion.
Thanks, Steve. I am always trying to improve the jam tracks and stuff for the videos. :)
It is my 'always on' pedal. It is really dynamic, depending on how hard you hit the strings and that is what I really like. I love it!
I got BD2 about a year ago and I love it. The range of sounds from sweet blues, to grungy blues and great rock tones. Linked up with my vox wahwah pedal and played through my Marshall amp, its a dream. If you want to sound like Hendrix or Cream Clapton, then this is the pedal to make that happen.
@davidburns9219 -> which Marshall amp you were mentioning? Searching for smth nice for this effect.
BD-2 and OD-3 stacked. My favorite overdrives. OD-3 is unreal
Yeah I find the OD-3 has a bit more harmonic overdrive but I use the BD-2 as booster into a DS-1 and that's just awesome fun. For straight up ballsy rock Od-3, for classic bluesy gain onto almost fuzz BD-2. BD-2 into a DS-1 is Marshally blues.
My 2 faves as well
I’ve been using an OD-3 for the longest time..I’ve bought numerous drives along the way and keep going back to the OD-3 ..
@@ghairmichaud5765 👍 it is unreal
Just picked one up. This pedal has never really been on my radar but I was intrigued by your review. Thought I might try it as a lead boost. Love it! I was getting tired of mid boosted lead tones and this is essentially like a "more" pedal. Step on it when you need a little more but don't want to drastically alter your original tone. Thanks Shane. Cheers!
I have used a stock Blues Driver, always ON into a cleanish Fender Blues Jr. amp, since 2000. The brightness of the BD-2 into my darker/midrangey BJ has always been a perfect fit. The cleanup from guitar Volume is so good, that I just leave pedal ON, and set its Gain to how much distortion I want to hear when I actually do turn my guitar all the way up.
A true no-brainer for me, and it really let's any pickup combination, any guitar ( for me Fenders, Dano, SG) come through. LOVE IT!
6:00- I never realized the Boss Blues Driver could pull off an “Edge of Breakup” sound… great run through 👍🏻
I would say from my experience that’s it’s sweet spot.
Man - that’s it’s best feature! Ver pleasant breakup too!
Why is that?
All overdrive pedals do that.
@@richardjones2811 not really I’ve used some OD pedals that couldn’t do edge of breakup for anything.
@@thomaslthomas1506 Then you've been buying really bad pedals
Thank you for the review of the Boss Blues Driver BD-2. Your demo is closer to the sounds I'm interested in than any other reviews I've seen. Thank you for the new perspective about this pedal. Please keep them coming!
Such a great overdrive that can go from nice transparent boost to almost fuzzy territory. Stands right beside many boutique options easily, I prefer it to basically all Blues Breaker derived pedals.
This is probably my fav overdrive/distortion pedal that isnt trying to be a specific amp. Its simple but extremely versatile. From light overdrive to serious gain crunch that still sounds clear on chords.
I find the Blues Driver to be the real king of tone. I’ve used it for 25 years now. On my third version as I keep trying to find more expensive and fancy pedals to replace it. But it’s irreplaceable as a mild, always on OD.
Terrific playing you're an awesome guitarist.
The pedal sounds good.Greetings from Sweden.
By the Way.
I am also lefthanded, but i cant play lefthanded guitars.
I play righthanded guitars .
That H-B Fusion sounded fantastic. Another great review Shane, thank you.
I’ve played multiple overdrives over the years. Then in lockdown one here in the UK I got on eBay and got a Blues Driver. It made me question why I’d waited so long - great overdrive.
I also discovered that Mark Knopfler had one on his rig for his 2019 world tour. That’s a pretty good endorsement.
I’m not even a Boss fan (although I thoroughly enjoy my Boss ME-25) but this Blues Driver just sounds SO RIGHT
Usually I don't like blues guitarists on TH-cam, but your style is so good, I dig it mate. Useful pedal demo too. Keep it up!
Nice video, it made me remember those old videos of yours. It brought me back to the time when I discovered the channel with those videos of the Behringer drive pedals. I'm so happy about the direction you've taken your channel. Regards from Peru.
Thanks for the kind words and support :)
Thanks for the great review. You put a lot of thought and effort making these videos, and compress it into a very informative video. nice job and such a practical selection of examples with optimal tone. Really enjoy your videos.
That’s the best blues tone in that class of pedal. The Great playing Really made that pedal shine
THANK YOU. You’re the only one who advised that you can use a 9v or the power supply. I know BOSS pedals usually have that option (which is why I prefer them) but I wanted to be sure before I bought one. The sound is awesome. Can’t wait to get it!
Glad I could help!
Great video Shane. Same thing here, i personally didn't like it much when i first tried it many years ago. Maybe i wasn't mature enough as a guitar player or my tastes were different back then. Blues Driver is an amazing versatile pedal. I usually prefer it with a darker tone and gain at 1 or 2 o'clock. It also stacks great with other pedals.
After listening to you, my BD-2 just looked at me with disgust and asked why it was being wasted on me. Certainly my favorite pedal. My first died on me. But I had to have another. Well done Mate.
I own one that is Keely Modified. Awesome pedal. Great playing Shane. Teriffic review.
Blues On....💙
Really liked all the bluesy grit the pedal added to already good tone. Funny that the old pedal is superior to the new. I practice at low volume levels, so I use my (ancient) Belcat Blues Drive pedal to get my treble back. No filters for my guitars with this thing!
Another great review Shane, love the way you play.. think I will pick up one of those pedals
You do a great job on this channel explaining in detail the subject. Love the Marshall dsl40cr awesome amplifier. I always learn what's needed to get good blues tones. Well done. Keeping them coming.
Shane, I have to be upfront with you: sometimes I play your reviews just for that early jam! 😅 great soulful playing!
I appreciate that! thanks mate.
Nice Vid Shane! I’ve used this pedal for years now and just love it!! Great for Blues and Rock as you said. Please keep up the Good Work mate and Cheers from Salem, Ohio US.
Wow Shane so well done... You get a warmth band sweetness out of this pedal that's very unique as it's a testament to your touch and Dynamics...tones like that are coaxed from the instrument...not just heaped on an amp...super sweet man
He continues to improve his playing and his videos. If you want to know how a pedal can sound, he is one of those reliable go-to channels to really hear it, well-demoed. Always good content. Come for the pedals or gear, and stay for tones, playing and inspiration.
@@braddietzmusic2429 been following his channel for a couple years now..he's fantastic and really nice guy..very approachable and engaging and kind and has some great ideas along w demos..🤘😁🎸🎶
The BD 2 is the first pedal I ever bought and one of the only pedals I haven't sold that dates back so far. I still use it for the blues.Its a great pedal for the money and sounds alot better then many more expensive overdrive pedals that I bought and sold because I thought they would sound better.
Yeah, you managed to pull some great tones out of that box. I agree with your assessment the rhythm tones were exceptional.
My BD-2 has had permanent home on my board since I got it 6-7 years ago. Definitely an awesome pedal!
This is the first pedal I ever purchased, maybe 8 or so years ago and I’m still tinkering trying to find the right tone. Found it likes my Epi with the p90’s more than my humbuckies
Great vid Shane! I had no idea of the range of tones this pedal can generate! 🎸🔥🎸
This a killer review Shane! I love my BD2!
I’ve had a BD-2 (original) for near 25 years and it’s my fav dirt box.
Informative review , but I find that I’m tuning into your channel more for your playing and cool riffing and comping. Well done!
Thanks a lot Bill. :)
🤔 do I need another pedal?? Perhaps this one!!!😆😆😁 Great jam Shane! 🎸🤙🏾
I am surprised you don't own this classic pedal Jamal. Built like a tank.. It was my first pedal.
Blues On....💙
I've got the Angry Driver which is basically a JHS Angry Charlie distortion and Boss Blues Driver in a a single pedal. You can input one into the other or run them in parallel in just a single pedal, so the number of dirt options are incredible. But if I have in single pedal mode, it's usually the BD. It doesn't colour the tone as much as other pedals too and gain gets into classic rock territory which is nice.
Damn that was sweet! I loved the licks you used on the Harley Benton. The one with the bends and pull offs could be great for metal too!
When playing blues, I usually put my TS-9 into my clean channel (dirt channel for higher gain blues like Weiss Heim) but I might pick this up when I make a separate pedalboard for blues!
this pedal went on my board when I got it, and it has never left.
Surprised at how good it sounds with the Harley Benton fusion.
That means that the H Benton is not a bad guitar also :)
@@Magnum_Opus_Music Correct. Affordable does not mean rubbish these days unlike the 70's when the only shredding done was to my fingers !
The BD-2 is my favorite drive pedal without a doubt. Great on both bass and six string. My favorite setting is with the gain and my guitar volume dimed. Sounds like a more articulate fuzz pedal.
I've been using a CS-3 for most of my blues/rock applications while getting most of the mud out of my amplifier, but you've convinced me of the need for a second pedal. I'm on it. Thank you.
Just bought one....old school pure joy....I run a Boss GE7 eq into a Boss DS1 with the tone at zero and slight gain into the BD2 and get any driven tones I want...great pedals. Been using the same 6 Boss pedals for decades
Nice video Shane i like the blues Driver like you Said a lot a gain but sound good !
Truly wild how great this pedal sounds. Shout out to all who get weird with some BOSS pedals!
Well done Shane. As always a thoughtful and balanced review. Good on 'ya
Great video. Love your playing!
I received my 1st BD2 yesterday. What a fantastic pedal. I used the DS1 and the SD1 a lot. The BD2 makes a great mariage with the SD1.
Some of SRV's Tube Screamer settings dialed in the Blues Driver really make the guitar sing... great video!
Nice review once again Shane.
I'm using the BD-2 and OD-3 on my current board... sweet drive tones for days.
Nice. I ordered a used one last weekend. Ha! Pretty great. Happy Thanksgiving from Conneticut to Melbourne (I have friends there so, this...they probably don't watch this.)
That was super useful, been thinking about one of these for a while, nice demo,thanks!👍
Recently became interested in this pedal and of course…. Shane already had an awesome demo.
You’re the man
Great playing as usual, I have the waza version and it’s my overdrive of choice. It really covers so much ground.
You always find a way to get your optimum tone and I get the impression it wasn't so hard with the Blues Driver. I have one and you just gave me some ideas to explore.
Heck, I still use my BD2 constantly and I have had one for 20 years. First pedal I ever bought and still one of if not my favorite pedal I own
This is a great pedal which I had years ago...I gave it as a gift to my young nephew a few years back then bought the Waza version which I don't like so I'm about to revert to the BD-2. Great review intheblues.
Another great review, Shane. As you said at the end, you can also get some great tones out of this with a dirty channel. It's a classic alright!
Nice overview.
I’ve been running one of these for years, keep thinking (insert fancy new pedal here) will displace it but it never happens.
Well, ok, I replaced the old one with a Waza Craft one a couple of years ago, but still…
There is a trick you can use the BD2 for. I often play a PRS Core Custom 24. Sometimes it is too thick on the bridge if I need a jangly tone for let’s say an early Beatles tune. I turn down the gain, up the level and ride the guitar around 7. It is a solid state pedal so it gets bright doing this yet I can keep the tone where I like around noon. Try it. I play a lot of country as well and there are times where I am not quick enough to go back to my Tele so I do this! Great video as always!
I keep my SD-1 and BD-2 together as a pair, SD-1 > BD-2
I've more recently added a DS-2 to that mix, DS-2 > SD-1 > BD-2 though not usually all three at once ...
Awesome Demo! I just bought that same 50's Reissue Tele and love it!!! Was looking at buying that pedal too as I've never really used pedals, I have an old analog Ibanez Delay though I do use, was looking at the RAT Overdrive/Fuzz Pedal too, but after seeing your Video I just might buy the Blues Driver and call it a day! Please do other demos on the gear you use, pedals, amps, guitars! You do a great job! Merry Christmas 2021 from the San Francisco Bay Area and a very Happy 2022 as well to you and Family!!! Keep on Rockin'!!! I also bought the Standard Professional II Tele, I like the 50's better in the Butterscotch Blonde.. Love the neck and 50's Pickups, the Professional I bought in Tri Burst, slimmer neck profile and rosewood fretboard.. Nice Guitar too, just a bit different
Love my BD2, it hasbeen on my board for a while now. Sounds like it inspired you to some really tasty playing!
Great video Shane I just picked one up and I haven't been able to use it yet but after this demo I must get on top of that. Have a great day Sir 👍. ☮️
I love the Blues Driver. I've owned it twice. It's a great all-around overdrive/boost. For whatever reason, I do not currently own one except for the modeled version in my GT-100 board which is a very close emulation (IMO).
I have been using my BD-2 *for years and years* powered with 12 volts instead of 9 volts. You get more volume, more headroom and improved, amp-like growly overdriven sound texture. Try it. It's simply a much better sound.
Good pedal, I’ve had one for a few years, also have it as an option on the Boss ME-80 multi effects unit.
I still haven't found an overdrive pedal that can go from crunch to clean in such a tight volume range from my guitar. I can get proper crunch when I dig in with the volume on 10, really nice low gain on 9, and a clean boost with. the volume on 8. Nothing else like it.
Man I used to always have the Blues Driver on my board. I also own the WAZA craft. I think I actually like the original better because it's a little more low fi. It's actually been off my board for a while because I've been trying out other pedals. You Know, GAS.
Classic Pedal
I agree completely. Better at low to mid gain.
Very usable pedal.
Had my BD-2 for years. Still love it. Great for blues but also good for classic rock tones, especially when playing rhythm parts.
Nice video. Many thanks. Waiting for mine to arrive. I like how you didn’t dive straight to metal and heavy rock which is where most distortion pedal reviews go.
Yes, one of my favorite OD pedals along with the OCD and Tone City Sweet Cream...all three of them stacked sounds amazing too! Also the Liquid Sunshine by Subdecay. The Blues Driver is super versatile though, can be a clean boost, just enough for a little sauce, or a blown out 60s fuzz if you turn the gain up and tone down on your guitar. But my favorite settings are the same as yours Shane, about 1 o clock and 11 o'clock. Just a solid overdrive, great gritty tone. I've come back to this pedal like 4 times, also had modded versions and the stock just hits hard. Also it's very dynamic, very responsive to your playing, cleans up real well if you play softer.
Over 10MM sold? They must be doing something right. Great demonstration, Shane.
A really good demo. with a range of levels and guitars. Spot on.
Here's my experience. Fattens up sound. I run mine always on, with gain at zero or near zero. Puts the slightest, almost undetectable hair on the guitar. That's through a clean amp. When I hit the crunch channel that BD2 on zero fattens the sound of the old DiMarzio's in this 1983 Hondo 335 copy, and it sounds just like Leslie West's guitar on Mississippi Queen. Or, sometimes I go like you just did. Clean amp, pedal at 50%, guitar's volume knob. A no messing around basic rig that will get anyone through most gigs.
My go to pedal. Shane nailed the tone, and I also recommend using it between 11 and 2 O'clock. I have been using the same one for many years (probably over 20 years), and cannot find anything I like better. I bought and sold a Tube Screamer as it just didn't do it for me like the BD. I have a King of Tone on my board as well, but I prefer to use the BD. A great drive pedal.
Great demo. I might have to get one for my reverend kingsnake tube amp.
That Les Paul special with that p90 sounded great. So did the Harley Benton. All of them did, but especially those two I thought.
Very cool.
Thanks man..
Sounds good! Nicely done. Think I’m going to have to finally pick one of these up.
Haha I just connected my Boss BD2w to my pedalboard last night which had been out of use in favour of the Electro-Harmonix Soul Food as my main OD just to get an option in tones and was going to do some research today. So this item will be helpful at just the right time!
Great video Shane. I have been wanting to pick one of these pedals up for some time now.
i have 3 of these and luv 'em. 1 is a Keeley modded one and the other 2 are stock. very versatile and with gain turned down are one of my favorite clean boost pedals. depending on the amp they also sit right in the sweet spot for midrange frequencies... less mid-hump than a tubescreamer. keep the tone knob at about 9-10 o'clock on mine. my rule of thumb is the higher the gain setting the lower the tone setting.
Given that I own a basic BD-2, this review inspired me to dust mine off today, trying to dial in a good Robert Cray tone for "Smoking Gun." Well, instead of the Zoom G1X
I'm using a ton lately for all sorts of sounds, I plugged the BD2 into my Vox VX50, turned the gain down on the Vox "Marshall" type channel, maybe 6 p.m. at most,
set the BD2 for Level: 1 p.m., Tone middle, and Gain: just about 11 pm, Vox amp levels Vol. noon, power atten. noonish, and I managed to get a pretty convincing
Robert Cray tone! I guess a Fender amp would be even better, of course. The only issue was the gain on the BD2 is indeed higher than I recalled! I had to turn my guitar
vol. half down for the verses, and then crank it all the way to max. for the solo bits. That makes sense. Or you can turn the gain on the BD2 down a lot for the
rhythm parts. Now I know why pro. players need pedals because you do not always want that gain or distortion for the quieter bits in a song, etc. But i would say
this pedal is optimum for dialing in those type of tones, Robert Cray isn't really a high gain player, but when he's soloing, well, you want some good boost! For Stevie
Ray Vaughan well....I can see why he was more of a Tubescreamer dude. Or maybe both? I dunno. Diming out the Gain on the BD2 will give you a good dirty hard rock
sound, ZZ Top, whatever, even Aerosmith at times, "No Surprize" type dirty sound. I guess you could get those tones with the Boss Distortions/ODs or HM medals, too.
I'm starting to think the BD-2 though, really is a lot more versatile. And, it's easy to dial things in. The only thing my Tubescreamer has over this is even more gain,
and that "boost" switch for insane power boost. But, the BD-2 is more "musical" and creamy sounding, at lower gain levels.
My very favorite OD. I upgraded to the Keeley Super Phat Mod (a proprietary version of Keeley’s modded BD-2s) for a little extra girth. But if any new guitarist is ready to explore pedals, I’ll always recommend this first.
I still compare other overdrives to this pedal. I always will ask myself, is this better than the blues driver? 80% of the time the answer has been no. You were able to buy them used for $25 US. Used prices have gotten a bit crazy.
I don't really play blues but this is my single favorite pedal. It does so many things and does them so well. Mine hardly ever comes off my board and is on more often than not.
I have the angry driver jb-2 that has a bd-2 and angry charlie circuits in one pedal and the bd-2 is always on as a boost. When I need more juice I turn the Angy Charlie circuit on in parallel. Love it's sound. Bd-2 is a sure value.
Introduced in 1995 and still being played in 2022, that says a lot. Need to try the Waza Craft version at some point and get a feel that one
Nice video! I’ve owned one of those for years and I’m going to try your settings.
I use a Keeley super phat mod all the time (basically a BD with option for more low end) in front of a clean Deluxe and it always sounds great.
Great pedal. I keep asking myself why did I ignore this pedal for so long? On my board all the time now...
Yes I have had one for a while and hadn’t been using it but decided to plug it in recently and man, I just fell in love with it again. Don’t shop around for all these other expensive boutique overdrives, get a Blues Driver
I think the BD-2 is awesome! I use mine as a "stay on" pedal, with the gain at 1.00, and use my volume knob to control the drive.
It's the cure for Tube Screamer Fever! I've read that it's an FET preamp-style circuit, rather than a traditional overdrive. All I know is that I love kicking this in while playing my Strat through my Gladio SC!
thanks Shane and always like to hear the noodling and licks you can play..nice guitar collection also...I dont own any pedals but will look at this one seriously.....
Just as I was considering getting one of these👍🏻