BOSS SY-1

The BOSS SY-1 is a compact synth pedal that turns the signal from any guitar or bass into synthesizer tones, using a standard 1/4-inch instrument cable and no special pickup. BOSS describes it as delivering "a huge selection of analog-style synth sounds" with "latency-free performance that's a natural extension of your instrument," all in the familiar BOSS compact pedal housing¹. Released in 2019 as BOSS's first compact synthesizer pedal, it carries 121 ready-to-play sounds with no programming knowledge needed²¹.

What makes the SY-1 notable in the synth pedal world is that it is polyphonic and note-tracking: every sound responds to both single notes and full chords, and it tracks polyphonically¹³⁴.

What the SY-1 does: synth sounds from any guitar

Plug in with a standard instrument cable and the SY-1 converts what you play into synth voices in real time. BOSS's own guidance for players emphasizes that no special pickup or specialized hardware is needed: "Plug straight in with a standard instrument cable"¹¹. Because every sound is polyphonic, chords come out as chords, which opens up keyboard-style parts, pads and organ accompaniment from an ordinary guitar¹.

Two features widen the range beyond simple sound swapping:

• Blend controls: synth and normal guitar sounds have independent level controls, so you can mix your clean guitar under, or over, the synth voice¹.
• Hold: holding the onboard footswitch sustains the last-played synth sound, so you can jam regular guitar over a held synth pad⁶¹².

The send jack doubles as a direct out, letting you route the synth and guitar sounds to separate destinations, and BOSS notes it can send the clean signal to a separate DI or amplifier⁶⁹.

The 11 sound types and 121 variations

Sounds are organized into 11 types, each with 11 variations, for 121 sound modules in total¹⁶¹³. The type categories cover the main synth families a player would reach for¹²³:

Beyond those, the catalog includes organ voicings: 11 unique organ tones, from Rhodes-style sounds to the classic Hammond organ, with the polyphonic response letting you create organ-like chords for traditional accompaniment⁹. In Bass mode, the SY-1 doubles as a tone expander, octave, fuzz and filter pedal, with 11 variations of bass synth tones, all shapeable, offering full-bodied sounds with triggered envelopes and a range of octave and pitch effects⁹.

The controls

The front panel keeps sound selection fast. The TYPE control selects the synth type or voice category, and a variation control picks among the 11 variations within each type¹⁰. Two stacked knob pairs handle shaping:

A rear-panel GUITAR/BASS switch, next to the DC in jack, optimizes the input and function for either instrument¹⁰. For hands-free control, you can plug in an expression pedal for continuous Tone/Rate control, and connect an external footswitch for tap tempo and octave-shift effects¹¹³. Tap tempo applies to the sequence-type sounds¹².

Power and connections

The SY-1 is a digital pedal running on 9V DC, center negative, drawing 115mA⁵. It also runs on a 9-volt battery⁸.

Connections are straightforward: instrument input, main output, and a send jack that functions as a direct out for routing synth and guitar to separate destinations⁶. Output impedance is 1 k-ohm, and the pedal weighs 1 lb.¹⁰.

Where it came from, and how it compares

It is built on advanced tech first developed for the SY-300, the 2015 rack-style guitar synth that was the first not to require a divided pickup¹¹⁵. The SY-1 distills that engine into the compact pedal format that "slides easily into any setup"¹.

Within BOSS's synth line, the SY-1 is the entry point: gearnews.com described it as "relatively affordable" compared with BOSS's "bigger and more expensive" SY-1000¹⁶. The SY-1000's custom DSP delivers six times the processing muscle of the SY-300, along with far deeper editing¹⁷. The SY-1 trades that depth for simplicity: 121 sounds, no programming, and no preset storage. Players who need memories should look at the SY-300, configured with 70 permanent presets and 99 user patch slots, or the SY-200, which builds on the SY-1's polyphonic circuit with 128 memories and two footswitches.

What reviewers said

Guitar World's reviewer called the SY-1 "a decidedly more well-behaved synth pedal than the Knife Drop," noting "a huge array of synth tones, but no preset saving and all very clean sounds"¹⁸. Bass Gear Magazine's review highlighted the GUITAR/BASS switch as a practical touch for bassists, since it optimizes the input and function for either instrument¹⁰. Bass Musician Magazine's reviewer confirmed the battery option alongside the 9V supply⁸. Delicious Audio characterized it simply as "a polyphonic, note-tracking pedal"⁴.

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