BOSS PS-2 Digital Delay/ Pitch Shifter

LIOGM · #1 11-27-2010, 07:51 AM

Hey guys! I was wondering if anyone could help me out with some information on this pedal. I found one for a great price on ebay (ebay from Argentina, where I'm from). First of all, if anyone owns it, or has tried it, I need to know how well it tracks for bass. I've heard sound clips of the PS-3 for bass, and I think it sounded good, should I expect the same from the PS-2? I don't really mind for the delay, I'll just be using it for some deep chorus (kind of the detune sound on a whammy) and a little fifth up or octave up somewhere. Any help at all will be welcome, since it's very hard to find information about this pedal.
Thanks in advance!

PS: Another thing that makes me kind of skeptic is, how safe is to buy a pedal that has been discontinued for almost 20 years? I mean, they stopped making them in 1994 I believe. What king of life expectancy should I be expecting from this pedal? I know BOSS pedals are solid, but still...

Bassmike62 · #2 11-27-2010, 02:10 PM

Can't say anything about the PS2, but I have a few older Boss pedals: RV-3 (which I just got ffrom local adds), EH-2 and FT-2 (both bought off EBay). I also tried (and almost bought from a pawn shop) a first-issue Touch Wah-1. All of'em work and sound very good, without any noticeable noise or other problem. Boss units are simply unkillable.

Explorer · #3 11-27-2010, 03:38 PM

The PS-3 has all the features of the PS-2, but has a few more abilities. It has the ability to detune (as opposed to shifting the pitch by at least a half-step), and has the option of producing *two* pitch-shifted and/or detuned voices. It also has the ability to plug in an expression pedal and thereby control the pitch of a shifted voices, and has "Mode 7," which turns the volume envelope around on a sound, so it sounds like it is is reverse.

Of the four PS-3 pedals I own, the one I use out most is chosen on the basis of it being the rattiest of the quartet, with nicks, scrapes and even rust. There is no way for me to further defile this pedal, so I don't feel badly about about it being in hostile environments. (In my own defense, I bought it this way, so it's not like I leave my gear soaking in beer and cigarette butts. *laugh*) On this basis, as long as the pedal is working when it arrives, I would be confident that it will continue to do so.

At some point I wondered if the PS-2 might possibly have some special quality which would make it worth having both it and the PS-3. I did get to try the PS-2 alongside the PS-3, and that thought was put definitely to rest.

Here's links to the manuals, which should answer any and all questions regarding their features:

http://media.rolandus.com/manuals/PS-2_OM.pdf

http://media.rolandus.com/manuals/PS-3_OM.pdf

Cheers!

LIOGM · #4 11-29-2010, 06:19 AM

Thank you guys, I guess I'm gonna go check it out this week, and hopefully if everything works alright, buying it.

skulletwhip · #5 11-29-2010, 09:03 AM

The delay on the PS2 is great. It sounds real lo fi.

LIOGM · #6 11-29-2010, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skulletwhip

The delay on the PS2 is great. It sounds real lo fi.

That's good news. Got any opinion on the pitch shifts? Have you tried them?

Wud · #7 11-29-2010, 11:56 AM

I love the PS-2.
I bought mine new when they were first released.
It was the first piece of music gear that I purchased, I had saved up for a while to get it, so I'm rather sentimental about it I suppose.
I got it for the Delays I must say, because at that point it had the longest available delay time.
It is gloriously dirty and lo fi, so there is added hiss (or mojo!)
The Pitch Shifting modes are OK, but nothing compared to newer models in terms of natural sounding Pitch Shifting.
All the same though, it certainly has it's place... it's just a grungy lo fi place.
The manual mode can make silly noises when the feedback is cranked up, so watch your speakers.
If it's available at a good price, I'd say go for it, but I wouldn't judge it directly next to the PS-3