Are Boss pedals "old hat"?

Heartfeltdawn

Stu_tate said:

Boss are going strong. The 500 series is amazing and the ES series are offering things that others can't do at a lower price point (parallel loops).

Boss showed they can do good digital emulations with stuff like the RE-20 and RT-20. The new 500 range are really good. 

Heartfeltdawn

Gulliver said:

they’re cheap and OK - like McDonald’s. In my youth, perfectly acceptable and wallet-friendly.

These days, I prefer better burgers and better pedals, and have a wallet capable of allowing me to do so.

Moeer and the like are McDonalds. Cheap, you don't expect to be knocked out. 

If we're going to equate burgers to pedals, then I dare say quite a number of boutique brands could be compared to Byron: too much expansion, shoot yourself in the arse. 

vasselmeyer

BOSS haven't stood still with their effects. Yes they still have the classic single-function ultra-reliable stomp boxes but they have knocked it out of the park with the 500 series. The reverb, delays and modulations are easily the equal of the equivalent Strymons. They also have their switchers/loopers in the ES-5 and ES-8 which are amazingly flexible. I have  big board based around the ES-8 and I still find stuff that I didn't realise it could do.

There is also the GT-1000 which should be arriving very very soon which is a multi-FX in the format of the Helix/Headrush and would love to see what they've done with it.

They don't just do stompboxes.

longi

I don't really care if a brand is looked at as "old hat"! If I like the sound and it's something I can get a good sound out of, I use it! Brand culture doesn't interest me I use and love the SD-1, I also have a hankering for a BF-2. I really liked the CE-5 I had too.

Looking at something that is "old hat" is silly. Valve heads and combos went through that during the 90's and early 2000's, It didn't work out so well for rackmount did it?!  Nah, I don't get that ideology.

ICBM said:

thecolourbox said:

But only the fz5 currently I believe which when I tried sounded awful sadly, the Akai £25 job I tried at the same time walked all over it.

Which is a shame as every other boss I've tried sounded pretty good even with me playing it

True, but the FZ-2 is not all that rare - although admittedly getting fairly expensive now.

Behringer actually do a copy of it - the SF300 Super Fuzz - which is under £25 new... I've been thinking of getting one as a spare. But I should have bought it a few weeks ago when they were under £20!

Funnily enough, when I sold my CE-5 to the other guitarist in our band, I'd just bought the CO600 Chorus Orkestra from GAK  for the princely some of £5.86

The C0600 sounds identical to the CE-5 so I sold the CE-5 for £50! That was 8 years ago and it still works fine!

Bargain!

thumpingrug

My first foray into FX were two Boss peddles that I bought about 30 years ago,  A DD3 and a DS2.  I still have them and they are good peddles.  However I quickly realised that I could get hooked on FX so decided it was more cost effective to go down the multi fx unit route.  For years i had a zoom thing which was ok and satisfied my lust, now a POD HD500, which is just about still doing the same though the lure of the Helix is strong.  Nothing wrong with Boss at all but it can lead to a slippery slope

Winny_Pooh

If I have to think, only modern stuff they make that is unique is the RE-20. I couldn't easily find something other that would be an improvement.

Everything else has a better sounding or more feature laden (and more expensive) competitor.

I still use a CS-2 & DD5 but I'd replace them fairly quickly if I had spare cash not already being used for things higher on the gas list. 

jamesguitar

Is a Fender Strat or Gibson Les Paul old hat? It all depends on personal taste and musical preferences.

I agree that the drives aren’t to everyone’s taste, but they tend to sound best in a band mix which is probably why they’re less popular with bedroom players. I really like the JHS Angry Charlie for Marshall style leads, but it struggles to cut through in a band mix sometimes. The Boss Blues Driver etc are the opposite of that for me.

I do feel like BOSS are really starting to nail the more complex digital reverbs and delays. They’ve always been an innovative company, but other brands like Strymon  Behind for a while with heavily modulated delays/reverbs and analog dry through etc.

The Waza Craft pedals are great too, am enjoying the Waza DM-2; one of the best analog delays around. Am also very tempted by the Waza chorus. 

meltedbuzzbox

I don't get all the praise for the 500 series. The md isn't that great, the RV wasn't either. The DD is ok but I do think there are better alternatives

Musicman20

I love Boss / Roland products. I used to avoid Boss pedals when I didn't understand effects and I only playing bass, but now I'm deep into the world of effects I get excited by their new products.

Guitar_Slinger

First pedal I bought was a second hand Japanese OD-2 in 1993. I've gigged it (plus hundreds of rehrearsals) and it's still the one I go to for a solo. I've also got an wooden Boss pedalboard, like a BCB-6 made of wood and covered in silver tolex. It's got Japanese pedals in (PSM-5, MZ-2, OD-2, CE-3, VB-2 and DD-3). I love 'em.

ESBlonde

5 of the 10 units on my board have BOSS on them. One of them is over 30 years old!

impmann

Hmmm, *some* Boss pedals are ace - I have an RT20 on my board and still love my old DSD2. The switches are great.

BUT, some aren't very good IMHO compared to other options now available (and their Flanger has always sounded awful) - and the bypass isn't as transparent as it should be. There are worse bypasses (Ibanez I'm looking at you) but, its noticeable.

I'm sure some get great sounds from those I don't like. Then again, Hound Dog Taylor got great sounds out of a crap guitar, it doesn't make it sound any better when I play one...

Keefy

impmann said:

...
BUT, some aren't very good IMHO compared to other options now available (and their Flanger has always sounded awful) - and the bypass isn't as transparent as it should be. There are worse bypasses (Ibanez I'm looking at you) but, its noticeable.

...

I'm not a fan of flanging, but I have heard Dave Gregory (ex-XTC) get a fantastic sound out of his old Boss BF-2!

ICBM

I also love the BF-2. I've had an HF-2 in the past as well, but I found it slightly too metallic-sounding when compared to the BF-2.

John_A

For funk rhythm playing I've been round the houses with compressors and come back to my CS-2, loved the sound of my DM-2 but really wanted a longer delay time, the DM2W is just the job

tone1

My total pedal board at present comprises of...Boss PH-1r Phaser, Boss BF-2 Flanger, Boss TR-2 Tremolo, Boss CE-2 Chorus, Boss DD-2 Delay....Drive duty is currently handled by my longest serving pedal, which is my Palmer Distortion but I’m going to try out some Boss drives in the near future, starting with SD-2 and OD-1. They all sound great to my ears 

Keefy

SD-1 sounds fine in this vid, as does the Rat!

TTBZ

I reckon between Boss and MXR (and proco I guess ) you have everything you could possibly want covered in a durable and affordable package. 

Marktigere1

Sorry, big Boss fan.  (TU3, SD1, DS1, CH1, DM2W, DD7) Also an ME70 for noodling.

I believe its how you use Boss pedals that can make or break a reputation of a Boss pedal on T'internet because forums love to diss them.

Take the DS1, much maligned and rightly so if you over do the Level and Distortion.  You end up with a big angry hornet thats stung itself in the arse.

Keep both between 9 and 12 O'clock and its great.

I use the SD1 with the level maxed and the Drive on min in front of a Jetcity JCA22H and it sounds big, fat and with the crunch channel preamp gain on 2 to give a nice clean, hitting the SD1 gives a fab crunch for rhythm work.  (I have currently lost this setup to my Son )

I use the DS1 for more bass in the sound for a lead solo if required.

I have no words for how musical the DM2W is, the DD7 is my Swiss army knife delay and the CH1 is the right subtle chorus for my needs.

Finally, lest not forget where the Tube Screamer was derived from.  Boss OD by chance?

drwiddly

Good, solid pedals that stand up well to the rigours of the road. I bought a few of the drive pedals from eBay a few years back and had them modded. The SD-1 I have is possibly the best OD I've ever tried and thr 'Seeing Eye' DS1 is a cracker as well (not too keen on the standard DS1 tbh).