Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
- Thread starter Gearjoneser
- Start date
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
Let me start by saying that There are VERY FEW boss pedals that I would piss on if they were on fire HOWEVER...the OLD (NON compact Boss pedals are ALL pretty good) and as the compacts go the CE-2 is a great chorus, the OC-2 is a classic octave divider with a signature tone that NOTHING else on the market can copy, the PH-1r is a pretty unique sounding phase shifter the TR-2 Tremolo is a decent tremolo...IMO it's a LOT better than most people lead on but there are better trem pedals out there (however most of them cost a LOT more!). The TU-2 Tuner is a standard these days. The DC-2 is a very cool (all be it a bit funky and not the most user friendly pedal out there). The DD series have also become work horses and while I do have (and use) a DD-5 I still think that the DD-2 and older DD-3's sound the best out of the DD line...
Let me start by saying that There are VERY FEW boss pedals that I would piss on if they were on fire HOWEVER...the OLD (NON compact Boss pedals are ALL pretty good) and as the compacts go the CE-2 is a great chorus, the OC-2 is a classic octave divider with a signature tone that NOTHING else on the market can copy, the PH-1r is a pretty unique sounding phase shifter the TR-2 Tremolo is a decent tremolo...IMO it's a LOT better than most people lead on but there are better trem pedals out there (however most of them cost a LOT more!). The TU-2 Tuner is a standard these days. The DC-2 is a very cool (all be it a bit funky and not the most user friendly pedal out there). The DD series have also become work horses and while I do have (and use) a DD-5 I still think that the DD-2 and older DD-3's sound the best out of the DD line...
Closed Eye
New member
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
PS-2 - awesome noise maker/lo-fi delay/phat riffer
PS-3 - see above, just as awesome but sounds a little less lo-fi
RV-3 - The 'verbs and the delays are good, but the 'verb/delay combos are sweetness in a box!
TR-2 - Beautiful tremolo
PH-2 - Mode II sounds like a flange and the phasing is top quality!
OC-2 - Excellent one trick pony...but what a trick!
DD-3 - Best of the Best, no question, workingman's delay
DS-1 - Love/Hate/mostly Love
PS-2 - awesome noise maker/lo-fi delay/phat riffer
PS-3 - see above, just as awesome but sounds a little less lo-fi
RV-3 - The 'verbs and the delays are good, but the 'verb/delay combos are sweetness in a box!
TR-2 - Beautiful tremolo
PH-2 - Mode II sounds like a flange and the phasing is top quality!
OC-2 - Excellent one trick pony...but what a trick!
DD-3 - Best of the Best, no question, workingman's delay
DS-1 - Love/Hate/mostly Love
Pink Unicorn Horsey
Megä Pöny Rÿdr
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
My very favorite Boss pedal is the CS-2 Compressor/Sustainer. It adds a roundness and punch that meshes very well with my Fender Super Reverb for some nice, clean blues.
My next favorite Boss pedal is the BD-2 Blues Driver. Mine has the Analog Man Super mod. I've never played a stock BD-2, so I can't tell how much better the Super mod is versus the original, but I can say that my version is quite versatile -- gets me everything from a clean boost to nice crunch.
The TU-2 Chromatic Tuner is a mainstay, though I've been ruminating over a StroboStomp.
I own, but don't use, two DS-1 distortion pedals and a GE-7 equalizer. As others have mentioned, the GE-7 is kinda noisy. I find the DS-1 to be a bit too much, but I should try it as a boost, as Lew uses it.
- Keith
My very favorite Boss pedal is the CS-2 Compressor/Sustainer. It adds a roundness and punch that meshes very well with my Fender Super Reverb for some nice, clean blues.
My next favorite Boss pedal is the BD-2 Blues Driver. Mine has the Analog Man Super mod. I've never played a stock BD-2, so I can't tell how much better the Super mod is versus the original, but I can say that my version is quite versatile -- gets me everything from a clean boost to nice crunch.
The TU-2 Chromatic Tuner is a mainstay, though I've been ruminating over a StroboStomp.
I own, but don't use, two DS-1 distortion pedals and a GE-7 equalizer. As others have mentioned, the GE-7 is kinda noisy. I find the DS-1 to be a bit too much, but I should try it as a boost, as Lew uses it.
- Keith
Rich_S
HomeGrownToneBrewologist
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
My board is mostly Boss. I presently have a stock CE-2 and BF-2; time-based modulation pedals are really Boss' forte. I owned and foolishly sold a DC-2; that was an awesome sound. Not so the DC-3 (pink digital chorus) I never liked that one - very artificial sounding.
I also have TR-2 that really works well. I did two minor mods to increase its "active" volume compared to bypass, and brighten it up a bit. It's pretty durn good now, nearly as good as a real Fender amp tremolo, but works with any amp, even my Marshall.
I had a DM-2 that was a great box, but got stolen years ago (along with the rest of the van full of gear). The DD-2's that followed were too clean and bright.
For years, my only overdrive was pounding the input of a Marshall with a GE-7 - loved it. I never found it to be noisy.
Unfortunately, that method only worked well with a Marshallish tube amp - do it to a Fender or other clean amp and it just makes it reeeeeally loud. For that reason, I've lately begun experimenting with SD-1's and DS-1's. Hate the stock DS-1. I had a Keeley Ultra DS-1, it was pretty good, but I want better. Right now I have another stock DS-1 on the workbench and an Allums Recto Mod kit for it. We'll see...
I like the stock SD-1 except for the bleed problem. Right now, I have an Allums GT Mod SD-1 on my board. It's sounds good and is very versatile, but I think he took it too far. There was a point that I passed through during the mods - better op amp, some clarity mods, but before we got to messing with the clipping diodes and gain, that I thought sounded better. So, I bought another used SD-1 for $17. I'm going to re-create that midpoint, then A/B it against the full GT mod. The winner will be my primary overdrive, augmented by the DS-1 Recto perhaps.
BTW, the DS-1 and SD-1 together are a great sound. Insane amounts of gain, but the EQ's of the two pedals complement each other. The DS-1 is all lows and highs, and the SD-1 is all about mids. Fun stuff.
As a casual player, I love Boss stuff. It's tough, cheap, and compact. Stock or with some inexpensive tweaks, they can come pretty close to boutique stuff, but at a price I can afford. My biggest complaint with Boss is their constant drive to turn everything into a 4-knobber. I'm not a big fan of gobs of features and versatility, if it's impossible to dial it in. I'll take my CE-2 over a CE-5 any day. It sounds great, and there's nothing I can do with the knobs to mess that up.
Edit: Oh, yeah, I had a CE-3 for a while last summer, too. It was pretty good as-is, and much better with the Allums Opto mod kit. I simply decided that it's me - I simply don't like compressors. But if I did, that would be a good one.
My board is mostly Boss. I presently have a stock CE-2 and BF-2; time-based modulation pedals are really Boss' forte. I owned and foolishly sold a DC-2; that was an awesome sound. Not so the DC-3 (pink digital chorus) I never liked that one - very artificial sounding.
I also have TR-2 that really works well. I did two minor mods to increase its "active" volume compared to bypass, and brighten it up a bit. It's pretty durn good now, nearly as good as a real Fender amp tremolo, but works with any amp, even my Marshall.
I had a DM-2 that was a great box, but got stolen years ago (along with the rest of the van full of gear). The DD-2's that followed were too clean and bright.
For years, my only overdrive was pounding the input of a Marshall with a GE-7 - loved it. I never found it to be noisy.
Unfortunately, that method only worked well with a Marshallish tube amp - do it to a Fender or other clean amp and it just makes it reeeeeally loud. For that reason, I've lately begun experimenting with SD-1's and DS-1's. Hate the stock DS-1. I had a Keeley Ultra DS-1, it was pretty good, but I want better. Right now I have another stock DS-1 on the workbench and an Allums Recto Mod kit for it. We'll see...
I like the stock SD-1 except for the bleed problem. Right now, I have an Allums GT Mod SD-1 on my board. It's sounds good and is very versatile, but I think he took it too far. There was a point that I passed through during the mods - better op amp, some clarity mods, but before we got to messing with the clipping diodes and gain, that I thought sounded better. So, I bought another used SD-1 for $17. I'm going to re-create that midpoint, then A/B it against the full GT mod. The winner will be my primary overdrive, augmented by the DS-1 Recto perhaps.
BTW, the DS-1 and SD-1 together are a great sound. Insane amounts of gain, but the EQ's of the two pedals complement each other. The DS-1 is all lows and highs, and the SD-1 is all about mids. Fun stuff.
As a casual player, I love Boss stuff. It's tough, cheap, and compact. Stock or with some inexpensive tweaks, they can come pretty close to boutique stuff, but at a price I can afford. My biggest complaint with Boss is their constant drive to turn everything into a 4-knobber. I'm not a big fan of gobs of features and versatility, if it's impossible to dial it in. I'll take my CE-2 over a CE-5 any day. It sounds great, and there's nothing I can do with the knobs to mess that up.
Edit: Oh, yeah, I had a CE-3 for a while last summer, too. It was pretty good as-is, and much better with the Allums Opto mod kit. I simply decided that it's me - I simply don't like compressors. But if I did, that would be a good one.
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ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
I agree about the OD-1. It's one that a buddy of mine had that I grew up playing guitar with. Incredible sound pushing an amp. Now that I can make my own pedals, I've been thinking about making a clone of one for myself. Heck, I've got the schematic.
I agree about the OD-1. It's one that a buddy of mine had that I grew up playing guitar with. Incredible sound pushing an amp. Now that I can make my own pedals, I've been thinking about making a clone of one for myself. Heck, I've got the schematic.
daemon barbeque
Zuhahahaologist
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
I mostly use hi-gain amps ,so i don't care for the OD pedals.
I used MetalZone ,and i hate it's buzzy and dark character.
I dig the Mega Distortion on SS amps.But not on hi-gain amps.
I own and use the TU-2..But i want to get rid of it.It's not precise enough if you play the same note on two strings...And not bright enough to read on "day gigs".
Actually ,Boss has no gear that i am interested in...At least no stomp boxes.
I mostly use hi-gain amps ,so i don't care for the OD pedals.
I used MetalZone ,and i hate it's buzzy and dark character.
I dig the Mega Distortion on SS amps.But not on hi-gain amps.
I own and use the TU-2..But i want to get rid of it.It's not precise enough if you play the same note on two strings...And not bright enough to read on "day gigs".
Actually ,Boss has no gear that i am interested in...At least no stomp boxes.
brit84
Active member
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
well excuse yourself quietly if youre going to do things like that
well excuse yourself quietly if youre going to do things like that
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
i've always thought the Boss Chorus pedals were never 'drippy' enough for me. It was like the chorus was barely there.
I use the CS3 for really squeezed sounds, and the new favorite is the DD-20 for delays and looping with variable feedback (yay!!).
The RC-2 looper is pretty good for practice, but like the rest of the Boss loopers, it has severe limitations for live use (for me). I have one to work out solos and stuff, but for pedal looping, I much prefer the DD-20 or the Line6 DL4.
i've always thought the Boss Chorus pedals were never 'drippy' enough for me. It was like the chorus was barely there.
I use the CS3 for really squeezed sounds, and the new favorite is the DD-20 for delays and looping with variable feedback (yay!!).
The RC-2 looper is pretty good for practice, but like the rest of the Boss loopers, it has severe limitations for live use (for me). I have one to work out solos and stuff, but for pedal looping, I much prefer the DD-20 or the Line6 DL4.
baritone
Well-known member
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
Oh yeah, the ODB-3 Bass Overdrive sounds awesome when used with guitar. The level of distortion gets pretty heavy, but you get to mix in your desired level of clean tone. It's like 2 guitars with different sounds playing in perfect unison.
Oh yeah, the ODB-3 Bass Overdrive sounds awesome when used with guitar. The level of distortion gets pretty heavy, but you get to mix in your desired level of clean tone. It's like 2 guitars with different sounds playing in perfect unison.
Robert Delahunt
Showmasterologist
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
Hmmm.. Maybe I'm different, but I had only seen others in bands I had been in using them, mainly the first band I was in: the lead played a Boss chorus ensemble. I bought the ME-50 purely from research, and I'm still using it: never been disappointed.
Hmmm.. Maybe I'm different, but I had only seen others in bands I had been in using them, mainly the first band I was in: the lead played a Boss chorus ensemble. I bought the ME-50 purely from research, and I'm still using it: never been disappointed.
James Rock
Active member
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
SD-1 - Alright better as a booster then as pure overdrive but not the most satisfying.
RV-3 - Terrible I mean it is ok at best. Reverbs were a little unnatural and fake. Delays were too harsh if you had multiple notes playing over each other it was an ear bleeding mess. Decay was quite bad.
SD-1 - Alright better as a booster then as pure overdrive but not the most satisfying.
RV-3 - Terrible I mean it is ok at best. Reverbs were a little unnatural and fake. Delays were too harsh if you had multiple notes playing over each other it was an ear bleeding mess. Decay was quite bad.
wahwah
GumbyLoveologist
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
I've had a few Boss pedals over the years, and I still use a couple of them regularly. I haven't liked any of their overdrive or distortion pedals, they all seem to sit on top of the sound rather than integrating into it. I've had and sold a couple of CE-2's, much preferring the CE-1 for straight chorus and the DC-2 Dimension C, which is the only Boss pedal I have a backup for. I had a GE-7 when I was a kid, but it was just too rude and noisy. The Boss pedals I use now are integrated into my rig via true bypass loops, because Boss pedals tend to suck tone in a destructive way. The Boss digital delays all sounded horrid. I've played through several Boss multi effect boxes but they all seem like toys. I've known a few guys to use them for awhile, but eventually come back to individual analog pedals. Here's my current list.
CE-1 Chorus Ensemble - The grandaddy of chorus, vibrato mode is cool too...too bulky for gigs
DC-2 Dimension C - the best chorus type pedal I've found
DM-2 Analog Delay - The sweetest, warmest analog delay, along with the Ibanez AD-80
TW-1 T-Wah - Funky little envelope filter wah, easier to carry around than my Mutron III
PN-2 Tremolo/Pan - Cool trem and stereo panner, does a good "helicopter"
SG-1 Slow Gear - Good idea, interesting effect, but nothing you can't do with a volume pedal
OC-2 Octave - Sludgy, slow tracking octaver, eaten alive by my Octron 2
Here's my collection...
Cheers................................wahwah
I've had a few Boss pedals over the years, and I still use a couple of them regularly. I haven't liked any of their overdrive or distortion pedals, they all seem to sit on top of the sound rather than integrating into it. I've had and sold a couple of CE-2's, much preferring the CE-1 for straight chorus and the DC-2 Dimension C, which is the only Boss pedal I have a backup for. I had a GE-7 when I was a kid, but it was just too rude and noisy. The Boss pedals I use now are integrated into my rig via true bypass loops, because Boss pedals tend to suck tone in a destructive way. The Boss digital delays all sounded horrid. I've played through several Boss multi effect boxes but they all seem like toys. I've known a few guys to use them for awhile, but eventually come back to individual analog pedals. Here's my current list.
CE-1 Chorus Ensemble - The grandaddy of chorus, vibrato mode is cool too...too bulky for gigs
DC-2 Dimension C - the best chorus type pedal I've found
DM-2 Analog Delay - The sweetest, warmest analog delay, along with the Ibanez AD-80
TW-1 T-Wah - Funky little envelope filter wah, easier to carry around than my Mutron III
PN-2 Tremolo/Pan - Cool trem and stereo panner, does a good "helicopter"
SG-1 Slow Gear - Good idea, interesting effect, but nothing you can't do with a volume pedal
OC-2 Octave - Sludgy, slow tracking octaver, eaten alive by my Octron 2
Here's my collection...
Cheers................................wahwah
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Low_fidelity2100
New member
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
I really like The CH-1. Its basically the only chorus pedal I've ever liked. Seems like alot of people complain that its not dramatic enough, but thats what I like about it. It just adds a slight shimmer (unless you max the depth and speed), and works perfectly for thickening up clean stuff, and helping leads stand out a bit without being to over the top. I tend to keep the speed set at its lowest point and the depth maxed out, sorta like a really subtle flange. And I also like how when ya run it stereo its so subtle that you don't even notice its doing anything, until you turn it off, and lose that thickness.
I also Really love the HM-2 "heavy metal" distortion. It totally sucks for metal, and really it sucks if your useing it as your main distortion sound. Its really a pretty terrible sounding pedal actually. But If ya keep the distortion at 0, and set the volume at max, its a great booster infront of a fuzz.
I have a love/hate relationship with the DS-1. Some amps it sounds great with, but most it sounds like a big mess. I actually don't like it as a boost like alot of people seem to. To me as a boost (gain at 0, volume at 10) it just seems to make everything mushy and indistinct.
I really like The CH-1. Its basically the only chorus pedal I've ever liked. Seems like alot of people complain that its not dramatic enough, but thats what I like about it. It just adds a slight shimmer (unless you max the depth and speed), and works perfectly for thickening up clean stuff, and helping leads stand out a bit without being to over the top. I tend to keep the speed set at its lowest point and the depth maxed out, sorta like a really subtle flange. And I also like how when ya run it stereo its so subtle that you don't even notice its doing anything, until you turn it off, and lose that thickness.
I also Really love the HM-2 "heavy metal" distortion. It totally sucks for metal, and really it sucks if your useing it as your main distortion sound. Its really a pretty terrible sounding pedal actually. But If ya keep the distortion at 0, and set the volume at max, its a great booster infront of a fuzz.
I have a love/hate relationship with the DS-1. Some amps it sounds great with, but most it sounds like a big mess. I actually don't like it as a boost like alot of people seem to. To me as a boost (gain at 0, volume at 10) it just seems to make everything mushy and indistinct.
Tor
Riffologist Extraordinaire
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
Oh-oh..... I am a fan of the Frippy looping stuff, and while I have played around with my DD-20, I don't think I realize its fully potential. I have looked into the loop-master delight page, but I don't think it's all that intuitive and user-friendly..
Can you say a few words on how you use your DD-20 for looping?
Oh-oh..... I am a fan of the Frippy looping stuff, and while I have played around with my DD-20, I don't think I realize its fully potential. I have looked into the loop-master delight page, but I don't think it's all that intuitive and user-friendly..
Can you say a few words on how you use your DD-20 for looping?
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
The only bad part about the DD-20 for live improv looping is that you have to pre-set the delay time. I have one preset on 15 seconds, with about 90% feedback. Everything I play, gets looped, but gradually fades. If I turn the preset off, I can play over top of the loop and not add to it- if I want to add something, I just turn it on. The loop constantly evolves. If I switch to another preset, the loop keeps going too! Very cool.
For more basic looping, I use the Sound on Sound mode, which functions like all other Boss loopers.
The only bad part about the DD-20 for live improv looping is that you have to pre-set the delay time. I have one preset on 15 seconds, with about 90% feedback. Everything I play, gets looped, but gradually fades. If I turn the preset off, I can play over top of the loop and not add to it- if I want to add something, I just turn it on. The loop constantly evolves. If I switch to another preset, the loop keeps going too! Very cool.
For more basic looping, I use the Sound on Sound mode, which functions like all other Boss loopers.
Pink Unicorn Horsey
Megä Pöny Rÿdr
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
That did sound slightly naughty, didn't it? :naughty:
That did sound slightly naughty, didn't it? :naughty:
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
I've only really used a few Boss products over the years:
AC-2 Acoustic Simulator - cool little pedal, but the excessive noise killed any sort of use for me. It did do a decent cheap acoustic sound through an electric rig though, so I give Boss credit for delivering on its marketing.
TU-2 Tuner - pretty much the standard stompbox tuner out there. I've found it to be a good all around tuner without too much tone suckage in my chain. I've moved onto more accurate tuners (the Strobostomp II is my most recent acquisition), but the Boss is a great pedal for folks who want to get "close enough" fast live. Out of the few Boss pedals I've owned - this one has been my favorite, hands down.
NS-2 Noise Suppressor - really liked this one the first time I bought it. I ended up selling it for the ISP Decimator and when I thought that the ISP didn't kill as much noise, I ended up buying the NS-2 again. The second time around I did some serious A/Bing in my rig and discovered that it completely wrecked the tone of my rig (the dynamics and feel of the notes completely altered), so it got sold a second time with no regrets. Now I use no noise suppressor at all and deal with the little excessive noise in my rig, it really hasn't been that bad to warrant changing any dynamics of my rig for it.
I've only really used a few Boss products over the years:
AC-2 Acoustic Simulator - cool little pedal, but the excessive noise killed any sort of use for me. It did do a decent cheap acoustic sound through an electric rig though, so I give Boss credit for delivering on its marketing.
TU-2 Tuner - pretty much the standard stompbox tuner out there. I've found it to be a good all around tuner without too much tone suckage in my chain. I've moved onto more accurate tuners (the Strobostomp II is my most recent acquisition), but the Boss is a great pedal for folks who want to get "close enough" fast live. Out of the few Boss pedals I've owned - this one has been my favorite, hands down.
NS-2 Noise Suppressor - really liked this one the first time I bought it. I ended up selling it for the ISP Decimator and when I thought that the ISP didn't kill as much noise, I ended up buying the NS-2 again. The second time around I did some serious A/Bing in my rig and discovered that it completely wrecked the tone of my rig (the dynamics and feel of the notes completely altered), so it got sold a second time with no regrets. Now I use no noise suppressor at all and deal with the little excessive noise in my rig, it really hasn't been that bad to warrant changing any dynamics of my rig for it.
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Stratman
Guitaris Maximus
Re: Boss Pedals. The good, bad, and mediocre.
I moved away from most of my Boss pedals, but still keep these three
SD-1, BD-1, and Metal Zone
Still have original boxes, just never got around to getting rid of these pedals, for Fulltone or Carl Martin.
PS: Still have the Klon, AnalogMan, Kreeley, etc.... Same condition, Those pedal don't get much use
I moved away from most of my Boss pedals, but still keep these three
SD-1, BD-1, and Metal Zone
Still have original boxes, just never got around to getting rid of these pedals, for Fulltone or Carl Martin.
PS: Still have the Klon, AnalogMan, Kreeley, etc.... Same condition, Those pedal don't get much use
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