Boss BF-2 Flanger on bass?

Discussion in 'Effects [BG]' started by meursault42, Apr 22, 2012.

  1. meursault42

    meursault42 Supporting Member

    Jun 21, 2006
    Any thoughts/experience? Thinking about picking one up, but don't want to waste time/money if it sux.

    Challah! :D
     
  2. Fitz

    Fitz

    Oct 20, 2009
    I think they sound awesome. Don't pay any more than $50 though. They can definitely be had for less if you are patient and look around.
     
  3. meursault42

    meursault42 Supporting Member

    Jun 21, 2006
    Thanks :)

    It seems like the going rate for MIJ "Red Line" BF-2s is in the $70 range.
     
  4. meursault42

    meursault42 Supporting Member

    Jun 21, 2006
    So this is the one I'm looking at. No more than $50 for this you think?

    photo.gif
     
  5. CHILDISHGAMBINO

    CHILDISHGAMBINO Inactive

    May 4, 2006
    Courtenay, BC, Canada
    I have a Bf-2 on my board. It's not the one in your pick, it has grey knob faces with black lines. It sounds pretty good on bass. I prefer feeding it dirt over just playing it clean. I think I paid 60 bucks(Canadian)for it. I don't know much about the values of specific model differences so I can't say how much the redline version is worth. I kind of find that type of stuff a little silly, but collectors get moist over the strangest things(to me)sometimes. What are the differences besides the knobs? Made in Japan VS Taiwan etc.?
     
  6. Yes yes yes. $50 is a great deal. They sound BEAUTIFUL on bass. You won't regret it. There are a few decent mods that can be done to really open it up into psychedelic bliss.

    There is an internal trimpot that plays with the regeneration to make things VERY trippy.

    And from what I have been told by various pedal geeks and circuitheads, the circuit is very similar between the MIJ and MIT versions. I have the MIJ and it is awesome.
     
  7. kokoshmusun

    kokoshmusun

    Feb 5, 2011
    I used to have one, got it on the basis of recommendation, great on bass, I would say $50 is a pretty good deal. I think I got mine for $40 from ebay several years ago.
     
  8. Dave W

    Dave W

    Mar 1, 2007
    Westchester, NY
    It's the only pedal that has been a constant on my board. It's excellent at what it does.
     
  9. Fitz

    Fitz

    Oct 20, 2009

    I've seen several go for $40-$50. And I'm talking about the exact one pictured, not the white knob version, though both sound identical.
     
  10. I got one and an Ibanez Airplane Flanger... The boss might go back in the line up
     
  11. kaputsport

    kaputsport

    Nov 14, 2007
    Carlisle, PA
    Atypical, not a typical...
    I used one on our first album.

    Be careful, it can get out of control.
     
  12. meursault42

    meursault42 Supporting Member

    Jun 21, 2006
    Seller was asking $70 and came down to $60. Still a no-go?
     
  13. $60 sounds pretty fair.
     
  14. jmattbassplaya

    jmattbassplaya Supporting Member

    Jan 13, 2008
    $60 is good.

    I have the BF-3, which isn't as popular with many bassists, and I like it a lot.

    To me, flanger > phaser!
     
  15. meursault42

    meursault42 Supporting Member

    Jun 21, 2006
    facilitators... :p
     
  16. bassofthe

    bassofthe

    Jun 5, 2011
    Brohoof. /)
     
  17. I love mine. Brilliant to liven up clean passages where its just me and a drummer, great with dirt, great with sustained notes. Just awesome!!

    If its good enough for Tool, its good enough for me :smug: Mine is the grey faced knob version and I'm pretty certain its stock. I haven't even played with the internal trims
     
  18. meursault42

    meursault42 Supporting Member

    Jun 21, 2006
    Cool, thanks everybody. I went ahead and bought it. Was able to negotiate $55 shipped. I'm gonna go ahead and say I did okay before anybody has a chance to tell me otherwise ;)
     
  19. lowpass

    lowpass

    Apr 12, 2012
    TN
    I have a MIJ BF-2 (the one pictured) that I bought in the mid 80's. Haven't used it much lately but have been thinking of firing it up again. It is a great pedal, but as mentioned, it is easy to overdo it.

    I saw a Peavey tech do a demo once where he bi-amped using this flanger. Ran the lows straight into the amp with no effects and only the highs through the flanger. Sounded awesome! Not as thick or muddy as running full range through it. You might want to give it a try.
     
  20. meursault42

    meursault42 Supporting Member

    Jun 21, 2006
    Yeah, I'm curious about the low-end loss. Not sure that I'd be willing to go to such lengths to correct for it though. But from the demos that I've heard of both the BF-3 and the BF-2b, the crossover freq sounds like it's too high and thereby the effect looses some of its cojones. But of course those demos are always deceiving and I could be completely wrong about that.