I think Boss pedals are well built and mostly pretty decent sound wise. Their delays and loopers have been good to me. If you string up more than 3 Boss pedals you'll immediately sound like the 80's.
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So I take it boss pedals arent that great?
- Thread starter dra6n
- Start date
I've owned a CEB-3 & an AW-3. I didn't care about the CEB-3 and disliked the AW-3. Now I have a CE-5 and a Source Audio BEF and couldn't be happier.
Tuner: plenty good. I prefer a boss tuner to the more recent wave of true bypass tuners, because i like a buffer (and a signal split) at the start of my chain
The ODB isn't for everybody - more of a distortion than an overdrive IMO but that's fine as long as you expect it.
As for the Flanger - find a used BF-2, never mind the newer version, and enjoy one of the classic pedal flangers.
Chorus: the CEB-3 is pretty mild. I'd look to a multimode chorus like the digitech hardwire in the same price range.
AW-3: Some folks here have had good results, but this is really designed for guitar and isn't super-useable on bass. Filters are one area where boss does seem to fall short.
I've had several Boss pedals -
In brief...
Sold my TU-2 because it cut signal/wasn't true bypass/not as easy to read as the Pitchblack (which I now use)
Sold my OC-2 because it tracked poorly; Replaced it with a MicroPOD
Sold my CE-2 because it sounded kinda gutless; Replaced it with the CE-3
Sold my CE-3 because it soundd gutless; Replaced it with a CEB-3
Selling my CEB-3 because it is gutless - not sure what to buy (but it won't be a boss chorus!)
So, all that said: Boss gives you a lot for your money; I just have come to like other pedals more and I can afford to pay more for what I want.
In brief...
Sold my TU-2 because it cut signal/wasn't true bypass/not as easy to read as the Pitchblack (which I now use)
Sold my OC-2 because it tracked poorly; Replaced it with a MicroPOD
Sold my CE-2 because it sounded kinda gutless; Replaced it with the CE-3
Sold my CE-3 because it soundd gutless; Replaced it with a CEB-3
Selling my CEB-3 because it is gutless - not sure what to buy (but it won't be a boss chorus!)
So, all that said: Boss gives you a lot for your money; I just have come to like other pedals more and I can afford to pay more for what I want.
It's really a mixed bag... I have an SYB-3 that is very good, I also have an OC2 that gets used alot. Not right or wrong answer... They sell alot of pedals for a reason... Good quality that is almost indestructible
Boss has done some things quite well, and other things OK. Only a handful are really amazingly great and likewise only a handful are amazingly awful. I have kept a few over the years: TU-2, CEB-3, OC-2. The tuner is fine, with the caveat that I haven't ever had the urge to get a super fancy tuner. The chorus is above average; I don't use it much but when I do it does what I want it to. The octaver is REALLY cool. It sounds way different than my POG2 and therefore has a spot on my board.
Obviously, the tones are not always ultrasuperprimomagic but Boss has developed a reputation for generally producing a good, reliable product.
Obviously, the tones are not always ultrasuperprimomagic but Boss has developed a reputation for generally producing a good, reliable product.
Nothing wrong with them at all. My two most used effects, a CS-3 and a 80s BF-2 are good stuff. Id like an OC-2, but I wouldn't use octave enough to justify the prices. Looking into an SD-1 now.
The Boss LS2 is a pure gem, and I'd say almost a must have, as it is really versatile in terms of signal chaining.
The MetalZone MT2 is also a pure gem, although only if blended with some dry signal through the aforementioned LS2.
And they are tough and reliable!
The MetalZone MT2 is also a pure gem, although only if blended with some dry signal through the aforementioned LS2.
And they are tough and reliable!
I know that if I "hated" a brand's multi, I wouldn't be fired-up to start buying their single stomps.
That said, I think Boss are workable.
Some other reasonably priced brands that have very good bass pedals are MXR, Digitech and EHX.
Like everybody says, try before you buy, or at least drive yourself crazy with research and reading countless threads and trying to get something off YouTube.
Good luck.
s
That said, I think Boss are workable.
Some other reasonably priced brands that have very good bass pedals are MXR, Digitech and EHX.
Like everybody says, try before you buy, or at least drive yourself crazy with research and reading countless threads and trying to get something off YouTube.
Good luck.
s
The HM-2 is the best Doom-distortion/fuzz around, no need for a pricey pedal when those folks should be saving for amps & cabs
There's a reason that most pedals on touring musician's boards are either Boss, MXR or EHX. They're reliable and you can get them anywhere.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those guys that spouts off "the audience can't tell the difference so who cares?!" but on the same token, if you've found your tone that you love, you'll want effects that are transparent in order to let that tone shine through. I find some of the more boutique pedals are a little too distinct in voicing.
Again, this is all totally my subject interwebs opinion.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those guys that spouts off "the audience can't tell the difference so who cares?!" but on the same token, if you've found your tone that you love, you'll want effects that are transparent in order to let that tone shine through. I find some of the more boutique pedals are a little too distinct in voicing.
Again, this is all totally my subject interwebs opinion.
Well the OC-2 and the Micro POG aren't really comparable pedals. One is an octaver, the other is a pared down digital harmoniser. If you want a fat synthy octave sound the OC-2 will do it, if you would rather have an accurate and reliable octave voice even if it sounds thin and like it's been digitally pitch shifted, the Micro POG will do it.
Boss Pedals are decent.
OC-2,...best monophonic octaver on the market.
SD-2,...highly underrated overdrive/boost.
LS-2,...Swiss army knife.
TU-2,...effective tuner.
The Boss bypass is fine enough (IE don't buy into True Bypass hype).
Look at the Pedalboards of the Stars thread. Boss dominants that thread.
OC-2,...best monophonic octaver on the market.
SD-2,...highly underrated overdrive/boost.
LS-2,...Swiss army knife.
TU-2,...effective tuner.
The Boss bypass is fine enough (IE don't buy into True Bypass hype).
Look at the Pedalboards of the Stars thread. Boss dominants that thread.
What you're putting into the pedal matter just as much, if not more, than what the pedal sounds like. I suspect that with a great bass any pedal will sound good.
In terms of the bypass issue IMHO you need one excellent line driver and the rest of your pedals to be true bypass. That will preserve your guitar sound all the way to the amp. Unfortunately the buffered bypass on Boss pedals isn't good enough to be that line driver.
Nah. And besides, there's "good" and then "good for me". Most people shift pedals because they turned out to be unsuitable for their circumstances, there aren't that many "bad pedals" around really.
