Boss Archives - Pedal of the Day

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Who doesn’t love a good funky bass line, ’70s-tinged fast chords or a quack-quacky lead run? Well, I sure do, which is the main reason I was stoked when the AW-3 Dynamic Wah from Boss showed up on my doorstep. Just playing a wah/filter pedal is instant fun, but when it has as many options as the AW-3 does, it brings a new wave of inspiration and exploration to the table. Get ready to bust out your sweet disco dance moves,...

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Following in the footsteps of the awesome DS-1W Waza Craft Distortion we saw a couple weeks ago, we’re excited today to bring you its sort-of sister pedal, the SD-1W Waza Craft SUPER OverDrive, from the fine folks over at Boss. The bright yellow SD-1W gives you the same type of vibes as the bright orange DS-1W does, and, not surprisingly, they sound great together. This is another update of a classic, oft-used pedal that was...

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I’ve really loved all of the Waza Craft pedals that have come my way from Boss, and was super excited when today’s pedal arrived in the mail. Possibly the most-recognized effects pedal in existence, the DS-1 Distortion has been heard on countless records since its release in 1978, having become the benchmark in distortion pedals over the last 4 1/2 decades. Today’s pedal is the DS-1W Waza Craft Distortion, which...

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The anticipation that comes when a new Boss pedal arrives on the doorstep is always big, period. Whether it’s a Delay, a Distortion, some wild Modulation thing or any of their other excellent creations, there’s a pretty decent chance it’s gonna crush. Today’s pedal does just that, but in a different sort of way – say hello to the IR-2 Amp & Cabinet, which makes dialing in and transporting your...

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We’re looking at another wonderful pedal from Boss today, kiddos, one that gives you access to a couple of classic circuits and some amp-pushing glory. The BP-1W Waza Craft Booster / Preamp gives you three different boost and preamp tonal options, each with its own characteristics and sounds. This pristine beauty is a boost, overdrive and preamp rolled into one, and we think it sounds pretty amazing… Grab a BP-1W...

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Boss DM-3 Analog Delay

Boss DM-3 Analog Delay


Posted By on Saturday, February 24, 2024 in Analog, Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

Well, we did it – today marks the official TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY of Pedal of the Day!! It’s been quite a ride, and we’ve seen an unbelievable amount of effects over the years…but today, I thought we’d head back to the very beginning, and revisit the one that started it all, one of our favorite pedals ever: the Boss DM-3 Analog Delay. The last analog delay pedal produced by Boss in the ’80s, it has a...

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Boss DM-101 Delay Machine

Boss DM-101 Delay Machine


Posted By on Thursday, December 14, 2023 in Boss, Delay / Reverb, Echo | 0 comments

We can’t get enough of the delay-elay-lay-ay-y effects world here at Pedal of the Day, and let’s be honest: the bigger, the better. Following in the footsteps of the amazing RE-202 Space Echo and the incredible SDE-3000D Dual Digital Delay, the DM-101 Delay Machine is the latest echo-laden creation from our friends at Boss. Providing vintage sounds with all the options and control we’re spoiled with in the modern...

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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Guitar Tricks presents A Look at the Vintage Pedal Market By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Vintage pedals are so popular that many modern manufacturers attempt to replicate them so there are more to go around! Not only do some pedals...

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When you think of iconic delay pedals, both vintage AND modern, there’s one name that usually jumps to the front of the list: Boss. From 1978’s flagship DM-1 Delay Machine, to the DM-2/3 compact pedals, on into the DD series of digital delays, and coming back full circle to the recently released DM-101, they’ve been a presence in the delay world for almost 50 years. Today’s pedal continues that commitment to...

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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Favorite Pedal Brands for Specific Pedal Types By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Of course many guitar effects unit builders create pedals that provide a variety of methods to change the signal. If you like sticking to one brand, that...

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The innovators at Boss as always really ahead of their time, and today’s pedal exemplifies that in leaps and bounds. Produced in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the PS-2 Digital Pitch Shifter / Delay is basically two pedals in one, offering wild pitch shifting and pristine delay capabilities. Yet another one for the experimenters, this blue box can be used for practice, gigs, recording and more… First off, the...

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Boss CE-3 Chorus (Stereo)

Boss CE-3 Chorus (Stereo)


Posted By on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 in Boss, Chorus | 0 comments

When talking about the greatest chorus effects pedals to ever grace the planet, you always hear about the CE-2 from Boss, arguably the best one ever made. I own one and it is fantastic, no bones about it, but its little brother sometimes gets overlooked in the mix. The CE-3 might not carry all the prestige of the CE-2, but it has some great tones, as well as a couple tricks up it’s sleeve that you can’t get with it’s older sibling....

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Pedals that defy explanation or categorization are always some of our favorites, and today’s effect defies both in spades. The Boss SL-2 Slicer Audio Pattern Processor takes you on a wild ride from the moment you plug it in, unrelenting in its ability to astonish, inspire and bewilder. Taking your audio signal and morphing it in a thousand different ways, this little machine will flip your rig right on its…head. *Grab an...

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Boss SY-200 Synthesizer

Boss SY-200 Synthesizer


Posted By on Saturday, February 11, 2023 in Boss, Synthesizer | 0 comments

IT’S BOSS TIME, FOLKS!! Although it’s not their NEWEST release, today’s pedal is one that everyone can enjoy, regardless of what kind of music you play or like. The SY-200 Synthesizer transforms your guitar or bass into a versatile analog-flavored synth, ready to infuse your music with dynamic, compelling, and evocative new voices. Quite the experimental musical tool, this is one of the funnest effects we’ve...

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Boss RE-2 Space Echo

Boss RE-2 Space Echo


Posted By on Monday, December 19, 2022 in Boss, Delay / Reverb, Echo | 0 comments

A couple months ago, we got to dig deep and investigate the Boss RE-202 Space Echo, a wonderful delay and reverb based in the classic Roland RE-201 Space Echo Tape Delay / Reverb units from decades ago…and it was awesome. Today, we’re journeying into that field once more, only this time, in a much smaller package. The Boss RE-2 Space Echo gives you all the basic sonic elements you need from those vintage units, just...

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Boss RE-202 Space Echo

Boss RE-202 Space Echo


Posted By on Monday, October 10, 2022 in Boss, Delay / Reverb, Echo, Preamps | 0 comments

Jumping into a pedal like the Boss RE-202 Space Echo can be tricky – there’s so much going on, and so many sounds to discover, and so much nostalgia surrounding it, it’s a little daunting, to say the least. What we will say right off the bat is that IT IS INCREDIBLE. Ridiculously emulating the classic RE-201 Space Echo, this model brings all of the tone, delay and reverb from the original units to the table, but...

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Today, we’re going to look at not only a classic effect in its own right, but a couple of modification to said pedal that make it even radder…the Boss PH-2 SUPER Phaser has been a staple in the phase shifting community since its release in 1984, bringing every phaser tone for mellow and light to deep and pulsing, as would be expected. This particular specimen, however, features some mods done by ShredShack Repair, which...

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There’s no denying the effect (see what we did there) that Boss Pedals have had on the music industry over the last 4+ decades, and today we’re going to acknowledge two of their most coveted stompboxes. The MT-2 Metal Zone and SD-1 SUPER OverDrive have been staples on pedalboards across the world, since their releases in 1991 and 1981, respectively. Wanting to celebrate 40 and 30 years of continuous production of these two...

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Boss TB-2W Waza Craft Tone Bender

Boss TB-2W Waza Craft Tone Bender


Posted By on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Boss, Fuzz, Sola Sound | 0 comments

We’ve got a real treat for you all today, one of the most anticipated and highly-hyped effects pedals of the year…maybe the decade. A collaboration between Boss and Sola Sound, the TB-2W Waza Craft Tone Bender is a fuzz pedal that brings vintage tone into the modern world. Based on the classic Tone Bender MKII, the TB-2W has been painstakingly scrutinized and researched, to bring you possibly the finest Tone Bender...

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We love a good looper pedal, and who doesn’t? It opens up your creativity, takes you down practicing and songwriting paths you may never have explored, and turn repetition into just plain FUN. When said looper pedal also features a slew of useable drum tracks as well, it’s pretty hard to beat. Such is the case with the Boss RC-10R Rhythm Loop Station, a powerful, options-laden device combining song-based looping and...

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Boss DM-2W Waza Craft Delay

Boss DM-2W Waza Craft Delay


Posted By on Saturday, April 24, 2021 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

If you’re a fan of Delay pedals in even the slightest amount, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard of )or played, or own) the Boss DM-2 Delay. An analog echo pedal from the early 80’s, it is revered by many as the quintessential delay pedal, due to its warmth and “bucket brigade” analog tone. Boss’ lineup of Waza Craft pedals bring this classic back to life, in the form of the DM-2W Waza...

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Happy New Year!! Here’s to 2021 just absolutely being better than 2020 – let’s all do our best to be good, kind, decent humans and get on the road back to (somewhat) normalcy in the world, k? With that said, let’s start off the next 365 with a BANG, and by checking out a couple of incredible pedals from the past. Both beloved and revered in the vintage realm, the PN-2 Tremolo/Pan and the DC-3 Digital Dimension...

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Hey Sef – it’s been a couple years since we spoke, what have you been up to? Hi Mike! First of all, I’m happy and grateful to chat with you! Yes, it’s been a while. The last interview we did was in 2017! A lot of things happened since then! My bandmates and I went to Tangier, Morocco to work on Alex (Your Favorite Enemies’ frontman) solo project, we went all across Europe to perform his album “Windows in the Sky”, I started my...

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Boss OC-5 Octave

Boss OC-5 Octave


Posted By on Thursday, September 17, 2020 in Boss, Octave | 0 comments

Offering the most advanced BOSS octave performance to date, the OC-5 features a new Vintage mode, polyphonic enhancements, and an octave-up feature for extended range. And with the latest tracking technologies, users can enjoy smooth, accurate playability with no latency. Highly versatile and easy to use, the OC-5 covers a wide variety of octave sounds in one high-performance pedal. Introduced in 1982, the OC-2 Octave was the world’s...

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The 200 Series of pedals from Boss really take a ton of sonic options and smash them together into ergonomic, comfortable and pedalboard-friendly enclosures, all without sacrificing any functionality or tone. Following in the footsteps of the DD-200 Digital Delay, we move into dirt territory with the Boss OD-200 Hybrid Drive. This yellow beast gives you 12 drive modes, 15 boost types, series/parallel gain paths and much more, all...

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The original DC-2 Dimension C from Boss has always been a kind of hard-to-obtain mystery pedal. Extremely sought-after in the gear community, high prices and relative rareness made it a pedal that we have never been able to check out….until now. Presenting the Boss DC-2W Dimension C Waza Craft! This is one cool effect, giving you a chorus-like attitude, but acting as more of an overall tonal enhancer, it is definitely in a...

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When you think of the main innovators in effects pedal history, there’s one name that’s near, if not at, the top of just about everyone’s list: Boss. Crushing the game since before most of you were probably born, these guys just keep churning out hit after hit, and have for decades. Once in a while, however, they release a pedal that folks, for whatever reason, just don’t dig. Those pedals’ production...

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Boss DD-3T Digital Delay

Boss DD-3T Digital Delay


Posted By on Saturday, January 4, 2020 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

It’s always an exciting time when Boss releases new delay pedals, as they’ve been at the forefront of the genre for decades now. We recently got a chance to check out one of their latest, the DD-8, which was filled with new options and sonic adventure around every corner. Today, we’re going to take a look at another digital delay they released at the same time, the DD-3T. Although it’s an updated version of a...

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Boss SY-1 Synthesizer

Boss SY-1 Synthesizer


Posted By on Saturday, December 14, 2019 in Boss, Synthesizer | 0 comments

“This one is a synthesizer trapped inside a guitar pedal.” These are words that many of us long to hear, and get overly excited about when a new piece of gear of this type is released. One of the pioneers of this technology is Boss (let’s face it, they’re pioneers of a lot of technology), and they’re back at it again with their latest bit of synth-y goodness: the SY-1 Synthesizer. Working well with both...

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Boss DD-8 Digital Delay

Boss DD-8 Digital Delay


Posted By on Saturday, November 16, 2019 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

The DD series of compact delay pedals from Boss has been a staple on pedalboards all over the world since the DD-2 was introduced in 1983. Over the years, there have been a number of models produced, with each one building on the previous incarnation and increasing the flexibility of how compact delays should work. The DD-3, DD-5, DD-6 and DD-7 are now followed by Boss’ newest creation, the DD-8. Combining elements from all...

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Boss DD-200 Digital Delay

Boss DD-200 Digital Delay


Posted By on Sunday, October 6, 2019 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

We all know Boss has been one of the pioneers, innovators and leaders in the world of effects pedals for decades now, and their lineup of delay effects are second to none. Constantly seeking to improve, however, they have now bestowed upon us their newest echo iteration, one that aims to give you a complete delay package in one simple enclosure, once and for all. The DD-200 is a compact machine that absolutely oozes delay, with...

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The DD series of delay pedals from Boss is arguably one of the most successful lines ever produced, and there’s a good chance you’ve had at least one of these digital wonders on your pedalboard at one time or another (or do currently). While they are certainly celebrated in their stock form, they also have been extremely adaptable to modifications, and that’s what we’re going to look at today. Loophole Pedals thrives on their ability...

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The DD series of delay pedals from Boss is arguably one of the most successful lines ever produced, and there’s a good chance you’ve had at least one of these digital wonders on your pedalboard at one time or another (or do currently). While they are certainly celebrated in their stock form, they also have been extremely adaptable to modifications, and that’s what we’re going to look at today. Loophole Pedals...

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Boss RV-500 Reverb

Boss RV-500 Reverb


Posted By on Thursday, November 16, 2017 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

After the success of the DD-500 Delay pedal they put out late in 2015, Boss decided to ride the wave and issue two more similarily-shaped but vastly different effects machines, one of which we’ll take a look at today. The MD-500 focuses on modulation effects, and we have a review coming up for that one, but let’s check out the RV-500 right now, a mega-powerful reverb with more ambient options than you can shake a Fender...

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Although we have already once reviewed this pedal in its ORIGINAL form, the RV-3 Digital Reverb/Delay we’re looking at today has had a key modification added to it, making it even more impressive and useful than before. Josh and the kids at JHS Pedals came up with the Dual Mode Mod for the RV-3, RV-5 or RV-6 pedals, essentially turning it into a 2-in-1 pedal, allowing you to switch between two chosen modes on-the-fly....

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Today’s guest review comes to us from Max F. – find him on SoundCloud (@MaxFaith)! The Boss DS-1 is a classic circuit that most of us are familiar with. Players have been modifying the little orange boxes for years and the amount of modifications and spinoffs are too numerous to mention. Despite the variety of DS-1 circuit configurations, most specimens seem to impart the same familiar gain-structure that originally made the pedal a...

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Today’s guest review comes to us from Scott W. – find him on Instagram (@honey.power) and Facebook (Scott Willems) and say Hi! The CE-5 Chorus Ensemble is another solid modulation pedal from Boss, packed in the typical Boss housing painted a very satisfying baby blue. It features four knobs: level, rate, depth, and filter – the filter being a dual concentric pot for separate filtering of your bass and treble. A problem I have...

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Boss DS-1 Distortion

Boss DS-1 Distortion


Posted By on Thursday, May 26, 2016 in Boss, Overdrive / Distortion | 0 comments

If you’ve been to a concert, read a guitar magazine or had a jam session with anyone, there’s a good chance you’ve seen today’s featured pedal in one form or another. The DS-1 Distortion from Boss is one of the pedals that really made Boss famous, and has been used on more records and tours than any of us could ever count. Today’s model is a “vintage” one from the 80’s or 90’s,...

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Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb

Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb


Posted By on Monday, April 4, 2016 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

The RV-3 Reverb/Delay from Boss is one of my all-time favorite effects pedals, combining two wonderful effects together with a bunch of combination options and pretty rad-sounding tones. I’d always been a little skeptical of the RV-5 Digital Reverb, as it slimed down to being just a reverb, and as much as I dig delay, I thought it was a choice I was not going to like. Turns out, the RV-5 is a fine piece of gear, and apparently...

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Boss DM-2 Analog Delay

Boss DM-2 Analog Delay


Posted By on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

When you picture a list of classic analog delay effects in your mind, today’s featured pedal is almost always going to pop up on that list. The DM-2 Analog Delay from Boss has a simple layout, but there is a massive analog beast of a delay hiding behind that off-pink exterior. Starting things off, Repeat Rate controls the repetition rate of the delayed effect. Echo adjusts the output level of the echo, which you can get to...

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Boss CE-3 Chorus

Boss CE-3 Chorus


Posted By on Wednesday, March 23, 2016 in Boss, Chorus | 0 comments

When talking about the greatest chorus effects pedals to ever grace the planet, you always hear about the CE-2 from Boss, arguably the best one ever made. I own one and it is fantastic, no bones about it, but it’s little brother sometimes gets overlooked in the mix. The CE-3 might not carry all the prestige of the CE-2, but it has some great tones, as well as a couple tricks up it’s sleeve that you can’t get with...

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Boss DD-5 Digital Delay

Boss DD-5 Digital Delay


Posted By on Monday, March 14, 2016 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

After recently reviewing the new and awesome DD-500, we figured it was time to round out the digital delay pedals offered up by Boss, and the only one we had left was today’s featured pedal, the DD-5 Digital Delay. Although we did review a version of this pedal before, it had been modded by JHS, so we’re gonna take a look at the stock pedal and see what it has to offer as it comes stock. The DD-5 is jam-packed with delay...

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Boss DD-500 Digital Delay

Boss DD-500 Digital Delay


Posted By on Monday, March 7, 2016 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

The Boss family of stompbox delays have been a staple on many, many pedalboards since the inception of the DM-1 Delay Machine way back in 1978, especially the DD series, which features the DD-3, DD-5, DD-6, DD-7 and the DD-20 (click each one for our reviews). In keeping with the tradition, but stepping up the game immensely, Boss has created a delay that will rival anything out on the pedal market today: the DD-500 Digital Delay....

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Boss pedals have long been staples on many a pedalboard, and one that I always found to be a real stand-out is the BD-2 Blues Driver. A great stock pedal, the BD-2 gives of great drive tones, perfect for rock and roll, blues or pop, and can get your tube amp to that special distorted spot that every player digs. Today’s version features a special Phat Mod done by our friends over at Keeley Electronics, which will turn your...

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Boss OC-2 Octave

Boss OC-2 Octave


Posted By on Sunday, August 30, 2015 in Boss, Octave | 0 comments

Old Boss pedals have a reputation for having certain special elements to them that can’t be replaced by anything modern, which is why some of them fetch huge prices throughout the gear collector world. While a small number of them warrant more prestige and worth than others, many of these pedals that were manufactured before 1994 or so feature unique components and characteristics, which make them hard to recreate, and thus make...

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Sometimes, it can be hard to find great gear to go along with your acoustic setup, as so much gear is geared (hehe) towards electric playing. Granted, you can use electric pedals in your acoustic rig, but that seems a little lazy to me. I’d rather spend the money on something that had thought put into it, had great sounds specified for a mellower sound and had options that wouldn’t throw my wooden friend into a feedback...

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Boss DD-7 Digital Delay

Boss DD-7 Digital Delay


Posted By on Sunday, February 15, 2015 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

I think the Digital Delay line of stompboxes from Boss are all great in their own right, and the DD-7 just might be may favorite. Loads of options, tons of control and all the delay time you’ll ever need, this thing gets it done with a small footprint and loads of fun. The DD-7 features many functions that are present in all of today’s “sought-after” expensive delay pedals, but at a fraction of the cost. Effect...

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Here’s another installment of the Digital Delay stompbox series from Boss: the DD-5. This is a great delay in it’s stock version, but I got my hands on one that has been modded by our friends over at JHS Pedals to add in a bit of analog flavoring. Let’s check it out! Let’s go through the basic functions of the DD-5, then we’ll get to the mod. Lots of modes here, starting with 4 delay modes. These range in...

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Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay


Posted By on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 in Boss, Delay / Reverb | 0 comments

Here we go again! This time, our Boss Delay-of-the-day is the DD-3, probably the simplest of the lineup, and one of the easiest to control. This pedal does not take a degree in physics or electrical engineering to figure out (though, it would be cool to have those) – the DD-3 is extremely user-friendly, with a couple of basic knobs that tell you exactly what they do, all you have to do is turn them until you hear something you...

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It seems that certain low-priced pedals from Boss have a reputation as being terrible and unplayable by an overwhelming number of folks in the guitar community. For how long this has been going on is unknown, but these pedals are an excellent introduction to beginning players who are still searching for their sound, and the tools with which to do so. Plus, if you can pony up a few extra bucks and get them modded by companies like JHS...

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