Boss

The story: from the first chorus pedal to the compact line

The first Boss pedal was not a compact at all. Launched in 1976, the CE-1 Chorus Ensemble was the world's first chorus effect pedal, released by Roland's new Boss division³. It was a large-format unit, and its chorus sound came from Roland's own designs: Boss later described the CE-1 as an iconic pedal whose rich, warm character still defines the brand's chorus tone⁴.

The compact pedal line followed in 1977, debuting with the OD-1 Overdrive³. With just two controls, Level and Overdrive, the OD-1 became, in Boss's own history of the brand, "one of the first pedals to truly emulate the sound of an overdriven amp"⁵. The 1977 debut brought three models, and Boss marks each first-of-its-type pedal with a "1" designation in its model numbering⁶.

The compact format grew quickly:

The compact line grew out of Boss's earliest pedals. The CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, launched in 1976, was the world's first chorus effect pedal and the very first Boss pedal³⁴. The compact pedal line followed in 1977³. The CE-2 then distilled the sound of the CE-1 into the smaller compact pedal format, tuned for mono operation and a lighter modulation sound than the CE-1⁷⁶. Boss later revisited this circuit in the CE-2W Chorus, a compact pedal built on the CE-1 and CE-2 chorus lineage⁶⁷.

The compact line's longevity is unusual. Boss notes that over 140 unique models have been produced, over 19 million units sold, and many have remained in non-stop production for decades¹. The DS-1 Distortion is, by Boss's account, the top-selling Boss compact pedal ever, with an original, unchanged design⁶. The format has even been adopted by other makers: Analog Man's OG-1 overdrive is an explicit tribute to the 1977 OD-1⁸.

What Boss is known for: compact pedals, Waza Craft and MDP

Beyond the standard compacts, Boss's current range is organized around two signature ideas: the Waza Craft series and MDP processing⁹¹⁰¹¹.

Waza Craft

Boss describes Waza Craft as its special edition series: "In Japan, 'Waza' is the term for art and technique, and these special edition pedals proudly carry the Waza symbol to represent the pinnacle of BOSS design and craftsmanship"¹². Every Waza Craft pedal features a mode switch for extended range¹⁰, and the series includes premium components throughout¹⁰.

The Waza Craft line covers several approaches:

The FZ-1W stands apart within the series: "Unlike previous Waza Craft models, the FZ-1W does not provide a reproduction of a past design. This pedal is our modern interpretation," Boss explains¹².

MDP technology

MDP, or Multi-Dimensional Processing, is Boss's proprietary digital processing technology. Boss describes how it works: "In real time, MDP analyzes the various elements that make up the sound, including frequency, overtones, dynamics, pickup response, and playing characteristics such as note register, single notes vs. chords, bends, and vibrato amount, then processes each element in unique ways to produce optimized tones as you play"¹⁹.

Boss positions MDP as something analog circuits cannot do: the company says its MDP pedals and high-speed DSP "deliver a superior playing experience that's unattainable with analog"²⁰. MDP appears across the range:

• DS-1X Distortion: digital, using high-speed DSP and MDP technology²⁰
• OD-1X Overdrive: the MDP successor to the OD-1 name²¹
• BB-1X Driver: analyzes the bass signal in real time for optimized bass tones¹¹
• CP-1X Compressor: powered by MDP, which Boss says provides compression that never overwhelms your instrument's character¹⁹
• BC-1X Bass Comp: MDP-based compression for bass²²
• MD-500: a modulation pedal whose Overtone mode uses MDP to alter the input signal's pitch and harmonic characteristics²³
• GT-1000: several amp types employ MDP²⁴

Boss and Roland

Boss began as Roland's effects division and remains part of Roland: the CE-1 was released in 1976 by "Roland's new BOSS division"³. The two brands' designs cross over regularly. The BP-1W booster and preamp carries analog circuitry "derived from legendary BOSS and Roland effects, specifically the CE-1 Chorus Ensemble and RE-201 Space Echo preamps"¹⁶, and Boss's vocoder and synth pedals draw on its guitar synth technology¹⁶²⁵²⁶. Boss's larger units, such as the GT-1000 multi-effects and the BCB-90X pedalboard, round out a range that spans single compacts, rack-style multi-effects and accessories²⁷.

The range (278)

News

Questions