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Boss Effects Pedal Guide: Distortion
What does a distortion do to my sound?
Would you like to make your sound rougher or want to go wild with high gain sounds ? Or just "drive" your amplifier harder to saturate your guitar sound? Then a distortion pedal or a combination of several distortions is exactly the right choice for you. However, the selection when it comes to distortion is large. In this guides we will explain to you what different distorters there are and what sounds they produce.
What types of distortion are there?
The distortion effects include the effect types Boost, overdrive, Distortion and Fuzz, each of which has its own unique sound and different properties. Opposite you is the compressor, which is actually not a distortion, but rather is used to give a clean signal the finishing touches and a little character on the way into the effects chain. Below we will introduce you to all effect types in detail.
To give you a brief overview of the most important Boss distortions, Olli grabbed all the pedals he could carry and tested them extensively. You can listen to the result in the video.
compressor
Compressors were originally used in studio technology. It manipulates the dynamics of the guitar signal, making quiet tones louder and loud tones quieter, so that all notes in a solo can be heard at the same volume. Many guitarists shy away from using a compressor because it requires a lot of experimentation to find the right setting for you and your sound . However, once set up correctly, it can become an important tool for you. A compressor hardly distorts the signal, but can still put its own stamp on it.
Boost
Boosters, like compressors, are not actually distortions, but are an important means of creating a distorted sounds. If a boost pedal is connected in front of the other distortions, it increases the guitar signal and thus drives the pre-amp of your amplifier into saturation earlier. The result is a more distorted sound. If the booster is used behind the distortion, the signal becomes louder, which is ideal for highlighting solos.
overdrive
Of the actual distortions , overdrive is the effect with the lowest level of distortion. The name says it all: The sound of an overdriven tube amplifier is imitated here. If the gain control is not turned up too high, an overdrive can be used as a booster to additionally fire up the amp.
Distortion
The sound of a distortion pedal is significantly more distorted than that of an overdrive. It compresses the guitar signal very strongly and delivers robust distorted sounds with an extra pinch of sustain. Such a high level of distortion brings with it a certain amount of background noise, but this can be easily controlled with a good noise gate, such as the Boss NS-2 or NS-1X, which suppress the noise, especially in the breaks between different songs or grip parts lets get.
Fuzz
The Fuzz offers the strongest distortion and the coarsest sound of all pedals, which is why it is particularly popular in the hard rock sector. However, it is important to note that there are many different fuzz sounds and that they are also suitable for a variety of other genres. For example, Keith Richards and Jimi Hendrix are also famous fuzz lovers. Even with a fuzz, the additional use of a noise gate is recommended to avoid background noise.
Combination options
Some Boss effects also combine several types of distortion in one enclosure. The Boss OS-2, for example, has overdrive and distortion sounds. Of course, it is also possible to connect several distortions in series and combine their sounds with each other. It is advisable to sort the pedals according to the degree of distortion from low to high.
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The most important distortions from Boss
Here we introduce you to the best-known and most popular boosters, compressors and distortions from Boss . Clicking on the product image will take you to the product detail page with even more images and all information about the respective pedal.
Boss BD-2
Effect type : overdrive
The Blues Driver is perfect for creating a bluesy, natural Vintage tube amp sound . From a mild, warm overdrive to a strong, earthy distortion with plenty of level. expressiveness. The BD-2 is a little more aggressive than the OD-3 and can also be used for typical rock.
For fans of John Mayer, Green Day, Rage Against the Machine, Prince, Royal Blood, The Cure
Boss CP-1X
Effect Type : compressor
The intelligent internal processor analyzes the incoming guitar signal on multiple levels at the moment of playing, for advanced dynamic control. Unlike many conventional compressors, the CP-1X prevents discoloration and dilution of your tone.
For fans of Michael Jackson, Alice Cooper
Boss CS-3
Effect Type : compressor
Particularly loud tones are lowered, while very quiet tones are raised: This gives you an even, fat guitar sound, which can also be adjusted using the attack controls . With the integrated sustain function you can make your tone sound extremely long.
For fans of U2, Oasis, blink-182, Blur, Journey, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Boss DS-1X
Effect type : Distortion
The DS-1X represents the new generation of the popular Boss DS-1 - for guitarists who value the legendary Boss sound , which has shaped the guitar sound for 35 years. The DS-1X includes the latest technology from BOSS and stands for both sound innovation and proven and robust design.
For fans of Green Day, Steve Vai, Thin Lizzy, Alice Cooper
Boss DS-2
Effect type : Distortion
With its two sound modes , the Boss DS-2 covers a wider spectrum than the Boss DS-1: from distorted riff rock to earthy rock sounds to singing leads and solos, everything is possible. Turbo mode can also be activated using an additional switches on the remote socket.
For fans of Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Muse, Pearl Jam, Prince
Boss FZ-1w
Effect Type : Fuzz
For the FZ-1W, numerous pedal legends from the 60s were analyzed in detail. Combined with Waza craftsmanship, the all-analog pedal delivers the inspiring sound, original feel and unique vibe of these fuzz classics in a reliable, modern design.
For fans of Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Gaslight Anthem
Boss HM-2w
Effect type : Distortion
After three decades, the legendary floor treader is being reissued in a special Waza Craft edition . The Boss HM-2W delivers the authentic analog sound of the original, expanded with numerous modern functions and details for even improved performance.
For fans of Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, Johnny Marr
Boss JB-2
Effect type : overdrive
The JB-2 Angry Driver features the classic Boss Compact design and combines the sound of the legendary Boss BD-2 Blues Driver with the renowned JHS Angry Charlie pedal. The JB-2 Angry Driver features three dual knobs for independent control of drive, tone and level for each overdrive type.
For fans of Andy Timmons
Boss ML-2
Effect type : Distortion
This is the most aggressive distortion that Boss has ever built - for the hard core of the metal fan community! Extreme distortion with extra-biting attack for the hardest riff work. Where brutal distorted sounds are required, the ML-2 Metal Core is the right weapon: Death Metal, Industrial, Grind Core, Extreme Metal, etc.
For fans of Six Feet Under, Babymetal
Boss MT-2
Effect type : Distortion
With its dense, saturated sound, the MT-2 is perfect for metal styles as well as heavy rhythms and singing solos in other genres. Thanks to exceptionally wide sound shaping options and extremely smooth sustain, the MT-2 enriches any style of music with a variety of powerful distortion sounds.
For fans of Megadeth, Korn, Periphery, Biffy Clyro
Boss OD-1X
Effect type : overdrive
The OD-1X represents the new generation of Boss overdrive - for guitarists who value the legendary Boss sound , which has shaped the guitar sound for 35 years. The OD-1X includes the latest technology from BOSS and stands for both sound innovation and proven and robust design.
For fans of Alice Cooper, Steve Vai
Boss OD-3
Effect type : overdrive
The Boss OD-3 impresses with a rich, warm and fat overdrive sound as well as enormous dynamics. Thanks to the new two-stage overdrive circuit, the sound sounds more voluminous and full than ever before - the luxury distortion for the best blues and blues rock sounds from Boss.
For fans of Radiohead, Eagles, Oasis
Boss OS 2
Effect Type : overdrive and Distortion
This pedal smoothly covers the entire spectrum between smooth overdrive sounds and mercilessly hard distortion sounds . This makes the OS-2 probably the most versatile distortion pedal in the Boss range and is suitable for all types of blues and rock.
For fans of Bryan Adams, Johnny Marr, Eagles
Boss SD-1
Effect type : overdrive
The SD-1 is a real workhorse and forms the gain center on countless pedalboards in a wide variety of musical genres. Based on the OD-1 overdrive 's revolutionary clipping circuit , the SD-1 delivers dense, smooth and musical overdrive sounds.
For fans of Red Hot Chili Peppers, The White Stripes, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Queens of the Stone Age
Boss ST-2
Effect type : overdrive
The ST-2 Power Stack offers the sound of old Marshall tops including 4x12 speakers from the 60s and 70s in one pedal. All you have to do is connect the ST-2 Power Stack in front of any clean amplifier to achieve the classic rough, powerful and powerful sound at any volume.
For fans of AC/DC, Megadeth, Tash Sultana, Pete Thorn
Haven't found the right sound yet?
The effects we have presented to you here do not yet offer the right sound for you or would you like to discover more? Here you can find an overview of all Boss distortions:
Large selection
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