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Boss Effects Pedal Guide
The History of Boss Effects
In the world of effect pedals there are few companies that can look back on as long and successful a history as the Japanese effects manufacturer Boss. Boss was launched in 1974 as a brand of parent company Roland and first became known for the CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, which combined all the key functions of the Roland Jazz Chorus amplifier into a compact effect pedal. In 1977 Boss started serial production of effect pedals for guitar and bass, which became famous for their robustness and their colourful enclosures. Even today Boss effects are present on most pedalboards and remain very popular with guitarists.
How you can put together your own pedalboard with Boss effects is revealed in this guide. We introduce the individual effect types such as distortion, time-based effects, modulation effects and useful utility pedals and explain their impact on the sound, and we tell you which effects are particularly popular with guitarists.
The different types of effects
In the world of Boss pedals there are numerous different effect types that can be sorted into various categories. For clarity we have organised our range into the following categories:
By clicking on the respective category you'll get more information about the individual effect types and the associated Boss pedals.
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Technical and visual characteristics
Enclosure
The most striking feature of Boss pedals is certainly their enclosure. Boss compact pedals all feature the same robust metal enclosure, which makes the pedals almost indestructible. This housing is so compact that even small pedalboards have room for the most important pedals.
Boss pedals have always been known for their bright colour schemes, which makes them easy to tell apart. With a few exceptions, such as closely related pedals, all Boss compact pedals come in different colours. Most guitarists who have used Boss pedals for a while will of course recognise the bright orange of a DS-1 or the sky-blue of a CS-2.
Buffered Bypass
Technically, it's worth noting that almost all Boss compact pedals have a buffered bypass. This buffer ensures that the highs are preserved in a long signal chain by converting the high-impedance signal into a low-impedance one. That gives you the option to build a very long effects chain without significant signal loss, but it also means you need to take a few things into account when planning your pedalboard. Whether your Boss pedal has a buffered bypass can be found on the respective product detail page.
Standard vs. Waza Craft
The pedals from the Waza Craft series are based on Boss's standard floor pedals and are higher-quality versions of their originals. In Japan "Waza" is the term for art and technique, and these pedals carry the Waza emblem to represent the top level of Boss design and craftsmanship. The Waza Craft series is finalised by Boss in Japan and, thanks to carefully selected analogue components, refined circuitry and meticulous attention to detail, offers a remarkable sound and excellent responsiveness.
Waza pedals are significantly more expensive than the standard pedals, which perform their job just as reliably. In terms of sound the Waza pedals differ from the originals, but only trained ears will notice the difference. You should consider beforehand whether you need the features of the Waza variant, or whether a Boss standard pedal will be sufficient for your purposes.
The right order
Is there even THE right order?
Of course there is no single correct order within an effects chain, so experimenting with the arrangement of different Boss pedals is essential. Still, a few important tips should be observed so that your setup works sonically.
Where should I place utility pedals?
If you want to use a Boss floor tuner, such as the TU-3, instead of a clip-on tuner, it's important to place it right at the start of the effects chain, because the aforementioned buffer strongly influences the signal within the chain and can negatively affect the accuracy of a floor tuner if it's placed in the middle of the chain. If you use a Wah-Wah, such as the AW-3, place it directly after the tuner.
The position for the other utility pedals depends on the function of the respective pedal and what you want to achieve with the effect. An equaliser can, for example, be used at the start, after the distortion pedals or at the end of an effects chain. A noise gate is normally placed after the distortion pedals.
All Boss utility pedals:
Position of distortion pedals
Next in the signal chain are the distortion, booster and compressor pedals. A booster or compressor can be placed either before or after the distortion pedals in the chain, depending on personal taste. Placing a booster or compressor before the distortion increases gain, i.e. produces more distortion. If the boost is placed after the overdrive section, it simply makes the overall signal louder, although it can still add its own character to the overall tone.
Distortion pedals among themselves can be integrated in any order. They are often arranged in ascending order of gain, as different distortion pedals are then easier to combine. For example, an overdrive can be used to "push" a distortion pedal.
All distortion, booster and compressor pedals from Boss:
Placing modulation pedals correctly
After that come the modulation pedals in the effects chain. Examples of this effect type are phaser, flanger, Uni-Vibe and chorus. These effects create cancellations in the sound by playing back the original signal with slight time shifts, which gives each effect its characteristic tone. Tremolo, which affects the dynamics of the output signal, is also a modulation effect. There is no single recommended order among the individual modulation effects — this is a place for experimentation.
All Boss modulation pedals:
Last but not least: Delay and Reverb
Finally come the time-based effects. These include, among others, delay and reverb (echo and hall). Both effects give your sound more depth and create the impression of a larger space in which you and your guitar are located. They should be added at the end of the effects chain, because expressive reverb tails and echoes can otherwise be cut off by distortion pedals or noise gates. If you want to use a looper, place it at the very end of the chain so it perfectly captures the overall sound of your setup.
All Boss delays and reverbs:
The right power supply
So that your sound isn't negatively affected and your pedals are supplied correctly, you should invest in a suitable power supply. Boss pedals require a 9 volt DC power supply with the negative pole on the inside (centre negative). Alternatively, you can power a Boss pedal with a 9V battery, but you should unplug all cables after playing, because the battery discharges as soon as a cable is connected. You can find out the current consumption of your Boss pedal on the respective product detail page.
Power supply for effect pedals:
Wide selection
From pick to amp, from stick to kit: we're your one-stop shop for everything you need!