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Boss Pedals

Stampy

Stampy

Jun 30, 2008
970
3
40
Connecticut
#1
I have always thought that they were great imho but it seems like other members on here say that they are garbage. In the near future I mayt be buying a SYB-5 bass synthesizor pedal, D-1 Distortion, ans the TU-2 tuner and maybe one of there multi effects processors way down the road. Should I stay away, I know many people that have them and love them and then I hear people bashing them. So I would like to hear some opinions please.
 
#4
rustynuts said:
Play what you like, like what you play. Don't let others' preferences influence your ears.
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PastryChef said:
definately get the tu-2!
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hahaha



Edit: I don't know what sounds you're looking for, but you could do a lot better for bass synth sounds, distortion, and tuners.

The TU-2 is accurate within 3 cents, but most of Korg's tuners are accurate within 1 cent. The best bass synth (if your actually going for bass synth rather than a "******** saxophone" sound) would be the EHX BMS imo. Distortion is WAY too personal to go into... I just think you could do a lot better than the D-1.



Double Edit: That being said, I do want a Boss DC-3, maybe even a DD-7 or SL-20.
 
#5
Stampy said:
...it seems like other members on here say that they are garbage. ...I know many people that have them and love them and then I hear people bashing them.
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Pay attention to details when you read. I have never once seen anyone bash Boss pedals overall here. Not even the snobbiest boutique pedal elitist here has said all Boss pedals are bad.

The ODB-3 gets bashed regularly, and some of their other distortions are bashed for low end loss, and the various synth pedals are bashed by people who have spent hundreds more on more advanced units, but not bashed by those who found the Boss synths to be good value for the price.

At the broadest, sometimes Boss pedal bypass footswitches are bashed in a general sense; but a careful read of threads about bypass switching systems will show why those generalized bashes are not to be taken at face value.

IOW, you've not in fact seen bashing of Boss in general here, only specific pedals or specific (debatable) experiences with their bypass switching.

Barring certain specific pedals that suck, Boss is generally good value for the price, and I've seen more pro touring artists with Boss on their pedalboards than any other brand.
 
#7
There's nothing inherently wrong with Boss pedals other than the fact that their bypass isn't so good. They've got good, solid construction and very reasonable prices.

It's all personal preference. Personally, I don't like their chorus or flangers because they have a very metallic sound, something other people really like. Then again, I think their delays are quite good. It all comes down to what you like.

One word of caution though. I would definitely give the SYB-5 a good workout before buying. I thought the synth sounds from it were pretty good sounding, but the tracking was pretty off IMO.
 
#9
As far as Boss pedals go on TB, I've noticed that the second generation of pedals seem to be the ones to get bashed. For example, people will rave about the PS-2, and slate anything which came after. A rare exception seems to be the OC-2, which the majority seem to prefer over the OC-3.
 
#10
My Opinion on the TU-2s Accuracy: For the most part +/- 3 cents is good enough. Especially for punk or rock :p Anyone who says otherwise has ears that are way too good and should cut them off and send em to the GF/BF :D ;) :p :hiding:

rustynuts said:
Play what you like, like what you play. Don't let others' preferences influence your ears.
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+1.

Actually, the more I use the PH-3 the more I find myself thinking I'd really miss the rise and fall settings.
 
#14
jschwalls said:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Korg-Pitch-Black-Pedal-Tuner?sku=210087


As far as stompbox tuners go... the new Korg PitchBlack is on the top of the list.. it is true bypass, very accurate and tracks extremely fast. I have found that the TU-2 tends to rob some tone and doesn't track very fast at all..

Just my opinion.
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I heartily agree with this. You get the most accurate tuner you'll ever have for even less than a new TU-2. It's made of metal and looks rugged from what I can tell. Those large LED's looks much easier to see than the boss' dot LED's
 
#15
DanielTulip said:
It might do. If your using a noisy bass (or like me, only one single coil on a jazz type bass) then it will cut that noise. If its grounding issues it might not.
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before you buy I would try the electro harmonix hum debugger!


btw, boss pedals are not bad at all. they are build well, small footprint (you will like that later)... I have the dd-20, a friend of mine the re-20 and they are both great sounding units.
and just to put it in perspective, I use them along with zvex, moog, ehx, fulltone.
 
#18
the tone suck could have changed for the better with the newer pedals? just a guess...

I don´t notice anything with my dd-20, and I a/b-ed it on my studio monitors.
also, if the picky woolly mammoth works after an oc-2 this says something.
 
#19
I personally don't like Boss pedals because they sound too synthy to my ears and they have kind of a buffered tone even when bypassed. It's hard to hear but it drives me crazy.

That said, if you dig 'em then sweet. Buy all the boss pedals you want.
 
#20
SpankyPants said:
The best bass synth (if your actually going for bass synth rather than a "******** saxophone" sound) would be the EHX BMS imo.
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"Retarderd saxophone" sound, I'm intrigued. :)
Did you mean that you get that from the Boss SYB-5 (or SYB-3)?

If so, on what setting? I'll try it out in the local music store.
A EHX BMS they don't have to test out. Can you get a less retarderd saxophone sound from that?


My ideas on BOSS pedals: about half their pedals are great, and about the other half or bad and have better alternatives. (The price is also something to be considered.)

What I think are great pedals: bass equalizer, limiter/enhancer, compression sustainer, MT-2 (on guitar but in some ways it works on bass), the DS-1 and OD series are great on guitar but not on bass, the EQ-20 is great...

What are terrible pedals: the ODB (a much better alternative is the Ibanez PH-7 as overdrive), the bass chorus,...

It all comes down to the sound you prefer.
 

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