From private collection up for sale very rare near mint condition made in Japan 1981 Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive “Silver Screw”.

Very sought-after, made for just a few months, before the normal thumbscrew version.

Fully working, complete with box and paperwork.

NEC C4558C equipped.

Serial number 0400 March 1981 Made in Japan Black Label.

World famous overdrive pedal, like the one used by Josh Homme from Queens of The Stone Age, Kyuss and Them Crooked Vultures and many others guitar players and musicians.

I also throw in a boxed Boss ACA-230G Power Adapter and a genuine brand-new era-alike Toshiba 9V S-006P battery.

Photos speak for themselves.

Worldwide shipping, ask for quotes.

Follows description from Equipboard:

The Boss SD-1 "Silver Screw" Super OverDrive is the rarest, first-edition production run of the iconic Boss SD-1 pedal, manufactured in Japan for only a brief period during its launch year in 1981.

The name refers to the distinctive silver metal thumb screw used to secure the battery compartment. Boss rapidly phased out this metal hardware in late 1981, replacing it with the standard black plastic thumb screw found on all subsequent models.

Key Technical Specifications

• Production Era: Early 1981 (Made in Japan, "Black Label" series).
• Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp): Features early-era integrated circuits, most notably the NEC µPC4558C or early JRC4558D chips.
• Power Requirement: Designed for the vintage Boss ACA 12V DC unregulated power adapter or a standard 9V battery (will not power correctly via standard modern 9V PSA isolated power supplies unless daisy-chained or modded).
  

Sonic Characteristics

• Asymmetrical Clipping: Inherited from the 1977 Boss OD-1, this unique diode structure mimics the natural, warm overdrive and even-order harmonics of a saturated tube amplifier.
• Focused Mid-Range: Features the legendary focused "mid-hump" EQ curve that shelves extreme lows and highs, allowing the guitar to cut cleanly through a dense band mix.
• Vintage Response: Guitarists highly prize the original silver screw units for their smoother, creamier high-gain compression and organic, transparent note definition compared to modern surface-mount technology variants.
  

Collector Identification Visual Anchors

• Thumb Screw: Solid polished silver metal screw rather than black plastic.
• Serial Number: Formatted as an inked 4-digit stamp (e.g., 0400 or 0500) inside the battery compartment instead of a paper sticker.
• Enclosure Details: Features slightly rounder housing corners, a black bottom label with the “use a coin” line.
  

Disclaimer: minor characteristics due-to-age such as light pots scratching /  hums / hisses / clicks on every 10+ years old electronic equipment for sale may occur. 

During the life span of these items, repair or restoration actions to the equipment and/or it’s accessories may have been made and different era / craftsmanship components may have been used.

For mentioned items are sold as-is according to the description and provider / e-commerce platform rules.

Please make sure that your shipping address is correct prior to purchasing, incorrect addresses and failing to fulfil eventual customs fees and instructions will result in additional costs.