The Boss FB-2 Feedbacker/Booster is a compact stompbox that combines two things most boost pedals leave out: a clean-to-mid boost stage and a feedbacker that generates sustained, natural-sounding amp feedback at any volume. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as a pedal that "packs a world of expressive, versatile boost into a single stompbox," and it sits in the company's standard compact enclosure alongside other boost pedals.1
What it does to your sound
The FB-2's boost side is built around a Character knob on the far right. MusicRadar's review describes how it "takes you from up to 20dB of flat boost through to various mid-boosts designed for lead tones, up to 38dB at max settings."2 Boss frames the same range as a seamless morph from a flat, clean boost that does not spoil the nuance of the original tone, through a mid boost aimed at high-gain solos, to a bright treble boost.1 Alongside Character, the pedal carries Boost, Level and Tone controls.3
The feedbacker is the other half of the pedal. Boss says the FB-2 "can generate smooth and natural amp feedback as well," and the Feedback knob "controls how easy it is to start the effect."12 Boss credits the pedal's versatile tone, simple operation and low noise to its latest technology and decades of pedal-building experience.1
MusicRadar's verdict put the feedbacker at the center of the pedal's appeal:
"There's no shortage of boost pedals out there, so including the feedbacker takes this stompbox from fairly ordinary to downright desirable."
Controls at a glance
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Boost | Engages the boost stage3 |
| Level | Output level3 |
| Tone | Tone shaping3 |
| Character | From up to 20dB of flat boost through mid-boosts, up to 38dB at maximum2 |
| Feedback | Controls how easy it is to start the feedback effect2 |
From the DF-2 Super Distortion & Feedbacker
The FB-2's feedback circuit has a history. JHS Pedals notes that "BOSS originally released this circuit as the DF-2 Super Distortion & Feedbacker around '83 or '84."4 Boss's own history article dates the DF-2 SUPER Feedbacker & Distortion from 1984 to 1994 and calls it "one of BOSS's most innovative creations."5 That pedal was a distortion first, with a two-mode pedal switch that let you "toggle between distortion and feedback in a heartbeat," and its feedbacker function let players "enjoy the sustained harmonic feedback of a cranked amp" at any volume, including practice with headphones, by holding the pedal switch or an external footswitch.56 Boss describes the DF-2 as offering higher gain and a smoother attack character than the DS-1 Distortion.6
The FB-2 keeps the feedbacker idea but drops the distortion, making it a dedicated boost-and-feedback pedal rather than a drive. The DF-2 itself remains a distortion pedal design in the Boss catalog's history.71
The FB-2 name is shared: Free The Tone makes a different pedal called the FB-2 Final Booster, a full-range booster providing +20 dB of boost.8 The two are unrelated products from different makers.
What reviewers said
The FB-2 was introduced alongside the BC-2 Combo Drive, and Guitar World's Paul Riario took a look at both pedals when they were new in January 2012.9 Vintage Guitar's introduction of the pair noted the FB-2's controls for Boost, Level and Tone.3 MusicRadar's review, quoted above, judged that the feedbacker feature is what lifts the pedal above the crowded boost field.2 Guitar World has also noted that the FB-2's color bears a resemblance to the silver metallic enclosure Boss teased for a later Waza Craft pedal.10
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
Sweetwater
BOSSchannel
Questions
Is the Boss FB-2 analog?
Yes. Boss lists the FB-2 as an analog circuit, and the company credits its tone, simple operation and low noise to its latest technology and decades of pedal-building experience. The feedbacker function is generated within that analog design rather than by a digital modeler, which is one of the things that sets it apart from ordinary boost pedals.
What power does the Boss FB-2 need?
The FB-2 runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 45mA. That current draw means it should be powered from a supply with enough headroom rather than shared carelessly on a low-output daisy chain with several other pedals.
What does the Feedback knob do on the FB-2?
The Feedback knob controls how easy it is to start the feedback effect. Turned up, it lets the pedal generate smooth, natural-sounding amp feedback at any volume, including levels quiet enough for practicing with headphones, by holding the pedal switch.
How much boost does the FB-2 give?
The Character knob on the far right takes you from up to 20dB of flat boost through various mid-boosts designed for lead tones, up to 38dB at its maximum settings. That range covers everything from a transparent volume lift to a pronounced solo boost.
Can the FB-2 be used as a treble booster?
Yes. Boss describes the FB-2 as morphing seamlessly from a flat, clean boost that preserves the nuance of your original tone, through a mid boost aimed at high-gain solos, to a bright treble boost, all via the Character knob.
Sources (10)
- FB-2 Feedbacker/Booster by BOSS, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Boss FB-2 Feedbacker/Booster review, MusicRadar, 2012-11-24
- Boss Intros BC-2 and FB-2 pedals, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2011-09-19
- BOSS PEDALS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF, JHS Pedals
- The PX-1 Plugout FX: Timeless BOSS Pedals Reborn, BOSS (articles.boss.info), 2025-06-06
- BOSS - PX-1 | Plugout FX, BOSS (www.boss.info)
- DF-2 Super Feedbacker & Distortion by BOSS, RockBoard (www.rockboard.de), 2026
- FB-2 Final Booster by Free The Tone, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Review: Boss BC-2 Combo Drive and FB-2 Feedback/Booster Pedals, Guitar World, 2012-01-04
- Boss teases new Waza Craft pedal “like nothing we've ever created before”, Guitar World, 2020-11-13
