Boss GT-1

The Boss GT-1 is a compact digital multi-effects unit for electric guitar, made by Boss. It delivers the flagship effects and amp models of the Boss GT-100 line's sound engine in a small, light floor unit with a built-in expression pedal, aimed at players who want a full rig of tones without a full pedalboard¹². Boss says the GT-1 "provides tone quality and sound-shaping ability that far exceeds typical compact multi-effects"³.

It was announced in September 2016 and went on sale the following October, with a US street price of $199¹². At 2 pounds, 14 ounces, Premier Guitar's reviewer found it "feels light but robust"⁴.

What the GT-1 does

The GT-1 is a floor-mounted multi-effects processor: one unit that holds amp models plus a full spread of effects, organized into editable presets RockBoard's PedalPedia describes as suitable for practice, recording and live performance⁵. Its sound engine is derived from the top-line GT-100, which means the amp models and effects come from Boss's flagship GT-series processor rather than a cut-down budget engine¹².

Boss positions the GT-1 as a mobile rig. It runs on AC or battery power, with up to seven hours of battery life for street performing and other mobile gigs³. The enclosure is designed with no hard edges so it can slip into a guitar bag's accessory pouch without damaging other gear².

Controls and editing

The front panel keeps deep editing behind a simple surface:

• Three footswitches handle patch selection, tuner access, looper control and more³.
• CTL1 is a dedicated switch freely assignable to functions like tap tempo and effects on/off³.
• A built-in expression pedal gives real-time control of parameters such as volume, wah or effect depth⁵.
• An external jack accepts up to two external footswitches or an expression pedal, which can be used for volume, wah and effects parameters³¹.
• Panel buttons provide quick on/off switches for effect groups and unlock deeper parameters for fine editing².
• Easy Select sorts patches by genre, distortion or effect type, and Easy Edit simplifies parameter tweaking¹.

Editing and patch management also happen over USB through Boss Tone Studio, and the GT-1 interfaces with Boss Tone Central for downloading patches².

USB and recording

The GT-1's USB port supports recording and re-amping with DAW software, so the unit can act as the link between your guitar and a computer². Gearnews noted at launch that "you can use it with your DAW as well, as the unit has USB connectivity"⁸.

History and versions

The GT-1 arrived in 2016 as part of Boss's expansion of the GT platform, which had grown in 2014 with the GT-001 and again in 2016 with the GT-1⁷. Its engine comes from the GT-100, the successor to the four-year-old GT-10, which introduced Boss's next-generation COSM processor for recreating vintage amps and creating new tones⁹. MusicRadar reported at the GT-1's announcement that "the GT-1 boasts the same sound engine as the top-of-the-line GT-100"¹.

The GT-1B for bass

In 2017 Boss released the GT-1B, a compact multi-effects unit for bassists built on the same concept¹⁰. It carries bass-specific effects: preamps, a limiter, distortion, graphic EQ, T-Wah, Harmonist, Bass Synth, Defretter, modulation, delay, reverb and a looper¹¹. It was due out in August 2017¹², and Bass Gear Magazine's review noted its country of origin as China¹³.

Firmware and software

The GT-1's most recent system program is Ver.1.09, released in December 2021¹⁴. Computer drivers include Ver.1.0.1 for Windows 10/11 (May 2023)¹⁵ and Ver.1.0.4 for macOS Sonoma 14.x and later¹⁶. Some updates require Boss Tone Studio for GT-1 Ver.1.0.1 or later¹⁷¹⁸. The GT-1B's system program stands at Ver.1.04, also from December 2021¹⁹.

What reviewers said

Premier Guitar's reviewer tested the GT-1 with a Gibson SG Classic plugged straight into a modified Fender Champ 600, and found it light but robust at 2 pounds, 14 ounces⁴. MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen found that "the modulation effects are a highlight, as well as the delays and reverbs, particularly the Tera Echo"²⁰. In Guitar World's 2025 roundup of budget multi-effects pedals, the writers' verdict on the GT-1's effects was that "the FX, as you'd expect from Boss, is top drawer"²¹.

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