The BOSS GX-1B is an ultra-portable amp and effects processor for bass from Boss, part of the company's GX line of floor-based multi-effects units. Boss describes it as delivering "premium bass-tuned amps and effects" with authentic tube amplifier tone and touch response through its AIRD technology1. It packs 16 amplifier types and over 130 Boss effects into a pedal that can serve as a whole pedalboard and recording setup, as Bass Gear Magazine's reviewer put it23.
Boss launched the GX-1B alongside the guitar-focused Boss GX-1 in its 2026 pre-NAMM announcements4, and it is available now for $229.992. Guitar World's review lists it at $229.99, £225 and €2595.
What it does and how it is controlled
The GX-1B carries 16 bass amp types and over 130 Boss effects, with eight simultaneous effect blocks plus a volume pedal and noise suppression73. It ships with 99 ready-to-play preset memories and 99 user memories for storing custom sounds1.
Operation is built around a color graphic LCD (320 x 240 dots) and hexagon-shaped panel buttons that give a visual representation of the effect categories: a tap turns an effect on or off, and a long press accesses its detailed parameters2. Three footswitches and an onboard expression pedal with a toe switch are all freely assignable1. Bass Gear Magazine's reviewer found the interface design impressive, saying it "guarantees strong product cohesion across the GX line"2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Color graphic LCD (320 x 240 dots) | Shows patches and parameters2 |
| Hexagon panel buttons | Tap to toggle effects, long press for detailed parameters4 |
| Three footswitches | Freely assignable1 |
| Expression pedal with toe switch | Freely assignable1 |
| CTL2,3/EXP2 jack (¼" TRS) | Connects external footswitches or expression pedals2 |
The onboard phrase looper records 38 seconds in mono or 19 seconds in stereo2, an improvement on the 32-second looper of the earlier Boss GT-18. There is also a built-in tuner with ±0.1 cent detection accuracy2.
Power: batteries, USB or adaptor
The GX-1B offers three ways to be powered: four AA alkaline batteries, USB bus power from a computer or mobile battery, or an AC adaptor1. Bass Gear Magazine measured battery life at approximately 5 hours on the included AA batteries2. Current draw is 250 mA on the AC adaptor or battery, and 400 mA over USB2.
The AC adaptor is not in the box. The PSA-S series adaptor is sold separately, as are optional footswitches (FS-5U, FS-5L, FS-6, FS-7), expression pedals (EV-30, FV-500L, FV-500H, Roland EV-5, EV-1-WL), the FS-1-WL wireless foot switch and the CB-BM-S carrying bag2. The box contains the startup guide, four AA alkaline batteries and a "Read Me First" leaflet2.
Connections and specifications
The rear panel carries a ¼" input jack, stereo outputs for connecting to a PA straight from the unit, a headphones output, a USB Type-C computer port and the CTL2,3/EXP2 TRS jack for external controls26. Bluetooth is also built in: Boss says the GX-1 and GX-1B include Bluetooth and USB connectivity to elevate practice and recording sessions7.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Sampling frequency | 48 kHz2 |
| AD conversion | 24 bits + AF method2 |
| DA conversion | 32 bits2 |
| Processing | 32-bit floating point2 |
| Nominal input level | -10 dBu2 |
| Maximum input level | +7 dBu2 |
| Input impedance | 1 M ohm2 |
| Nominal output level | -10 dBu (outputs and phones)2 |
| Output impedance | 1 k ohm (outputs), 44 ohms (phones)2 |
| Dimensions | 307 mm wide, 149 mm deep, 73 mm high (12 1/8 x 5 7/8 x 2 7/8 inches)2 |
| Weight | 1.2 kg / 2 lb. 11 oz including batteries2 |
| Made in | Vietnam2 |
One quirk worth knowing for studio use: Bass Gear Magazine's reviewer had to lower the GX-1B's USB Mix setting from its default of 100 to 55 to use the device safely with a DAW, a behavior carried over from the GT-1 line. Unlike the GX-10 and GX-100, which mix automatically during recording, the GX-1B leaves that setting to the player2.
A bass version of the GX line
The GX-1B is the bass counterpart in a line that also includes the guitar-focused GX-1, the compact Boss GX-10 and the larger GX-100. Bass Gear Magazine calls the GX-1 and GX-1B "the modernized takes on BOSS' trusty GT-1 multi-effect units"2, and Boss says the GX-1B's interface is inspired by the GX-100 and GX-109. The GX-10 covers guitar and bass in one processor2, while the GX-1B is tailored specifically for basses, as Guitar World's review put it1011.
The GX-1B wears a striking blue finish over what Bass Gear Magazine calls its classic Boss design2. Firmware is updatable, with Version 1.04 or later being the latest version as of May 2026912.
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Questions
Does the BOSS GX-1B run on batteries?
Yes. It runs on four AA alkaline batteries for approximately 5 hours, and the batteries are included in the box. It can also be powered over USB bus power from a computer or mobile battery, or from an AC adaptor, though the PSA-S series adaptor is sold separately.
How long is the looper on the GX-1B?
The onboard phrase looper records 38 seconds in mono or 19 seconds in stereo. That is longer than the 32-second looper on the earlier Boss GT-1, which the GX line modernizes.
Does the BOSS GX-1B have Bluetooth?
Yes. Boss says the GX-1 and GX-1B include Bluetooth and USB connectivity to support practice and recording sessions. Bluetooth sits alongside the USB Type-C computer port for editing and audio work.
What is the difference between the GX-1 and GX-1B?
The GX-1 is a guitar effects processor and the GX-1B is its bass counterpart, with bass-tuned amps and effects. Both launched together in Boss's 2026 pre-NAMM announcements at the same $229.99 price, and the GX-1B wears a blue finish where the line's design is otherwise shared.
Can the GX-1B be used as a USB audio interface?
Yes. It has a USB Type-C computer port, and Bass Gear Magazine describes the pedal as functioning as a whole pedalboard and recording setup. One reviewer noted the USB Mix setting defaults to 100 and had to be lowered to 55 for safe DAW monitoring, a quirk carried over from the GT-1 line.
Sources (12)
- BOSS - GX-1B | Bass Effects Processor, BOSS (boss.info)
- Bassic Review, Bass Gear Magazine, 2026-02-02
- BOSS - GX-1B | Bass Effects Processor, BOSS (boss.info)
- New BOSS Multi-Effects Processors, Sonic State, 2026-01-16
- “Boss has packed some serious muscle into a small box... For its price, it's going to be very tough to beat”: Boss GX-1B review, Guitar World, 2026-01-15
- Getting Started with the BOSS GX-1 and GX-1B, BOSS (articles.boss.info), 2026-02-18
- BOSS Announces GX-1B Multi-Effects Processors and FSC-10 Footswitch Cap, Bass Magazine, 2026-01-15
- Boss GT-1 Guitar Effects Processor Review, Premier Guitar, 2016-12-23
- BOSS - GX-1B | Bass Effects Processor, BOSS (boss.info)
- BOSS - GX-10 | Guitar Effects Processor, BOSS (boss.info)
- Boss' $229 GX-1 budget modeler takes on Mooer, NUX and Zoom, Guitar World, 2026-01-15
- BOSS - Support - GX-1B - Updates & Drivers, BOSS (boss.info), 2026-05
