Brand Guide

Boss Guitar Pedals — The Industry Standard

Since 1976, Boss has been the most trusted name in guitar effects. Their compact, indestructible pedals have appeared on more pedalboards — from bedroom players to stadium headliners — than any other brand in history.

Japan · Founded 1973

Why Boss

🏗️

Built to Last

Die-cast zinc enclosures survive decades of touring. Boss pedals from the 1980s still work perfectly today.

💰

Unbeatable Value

Professional-quality effects at accessible prices. The DS-1 has been used on countless hit records.

🎸

Proven by Legends

Kurt Cobain, Steve Vai, John Frusciante, and thousands of touring pros trust Boss on stage every night.

Boss Pedals — Full Lineup (20)

The Boss ME-90 brings the power of the GT series in a knob-per-function floor unit. 200 preset patches, AIRD amp models, and a built-in looper make it the complete package for gigging guitarists.

$3494.7 (900)
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multi-effects

Intuitive knob-per-function layout with COSM amp models. Easy to use without menu diving.

$2994.5 (1,800)
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The Boss RC-5 is a powerful looper in a compact pedal. With 13 hours of recording time, 99 phrase memories, and built-in drum rhythms, it is perfect for practice and performance.

$1994.7 (700)
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The Boss DD-8 packs 11 delay modes into a compact pedal. From pristine digital repeats to warm analog-style echoes and shimmer, it covers every delay sound you could need.

$1694.7 (900)
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8 reverb modes from subtle room to massive shimmer. The go-to reverb pedal for working musicians.

$1694.8 (1,100)
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The Boss DD-7 is the most versatile delay in the classic Boss lineup. With 11 delay modes including analog, reverse, modulate, and a dedicated looper function, it is the workhorse delay pedal for gigging musicians.

$1694.7 (2,100)
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The Boss OC-5 delivers the classic OC-2 analog sound alongside a new polyphonic mode for chords and arpeggios. From sub-bass rumble to upper-octave lead tones, it covers all the octave bases.

$1394.7 (700)
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The Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter packs seven phase modes — classic 4, 8, 10, and 12-stage sweeps plus Rise, Fall, and Step — along with tap tempo and expression control. One of the most versatile phasers you can buy at the price.

$1324.4 (18)
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The Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion expands on the classic DS-1 with two modes: Mode I covers familiar flat-EQ distortion, while Turbo Mode II pushes a thick mid-range boost ideal for leads. A remote jack lets you switch modes hands-free. Trusted by Kurt Cobain, Joe Walsh, and John Frusciante.

$1104.7 (19)
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The Boss CE-5 delivers lush, shimmering chorus with high and low filter controls that let you shape the effect precisely. From subtle shimmer to deep warble, it does it all.

$1094.6 (800)
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The Boss TR-2 delivers classic tremolo from subtle pulse to choppy stutter. The wave control lets you shape the tremolo from smooth sine wave to hard square wave.

$1094.5 (600)
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The Boss GE-7 gives you surgical control over your tone with 7 frequency bands. Use it to shape your amp tone, boost for solos, or tame problem frequencies in your signal chain.

$1094.6 (1,100)
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The Metal Zone is the most divisive pedal ever made — and one of the best-selling. Its parametric EQ and extreme gain make it a metal machine when dialed in correctly.

$1094.4 (2,000)
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Heavy-duty volume pedal with adjustable minimum volume. Built like a tank for touring.

$1094.5 (800)
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The Boss CS-3 is a studio-quality compressor in a pedal. It evens out your dynamics, adds sustain, and gives your clean tone that polished, professional feel.

$994.5 (1,200)
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The Boss TU-3 is the industry standard tuner pedal. Bright LED display visible in any lighting, accurate to +/- 1 cent, and it mutes your signal while tuning.

$994.8 (3,500)
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Simple one-button looper with a unique circular LED indicator showing loop position. 12 minutes of recording.

$994.6 (2,000)
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Dual-stage overdrive circuit for rich, natural breakup. More gain on tap than the SD-1 while keeping that classic Boss reliability.

$694.6 (1,800)
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The Boss SD-1 is one of the most iconic overdrive pedals ever made. Its asymmetric clipping circuit delivers a warm, natural overdrive that responds beautifully to your playing dynamics.

$624.7 (3,200)
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The Boss DS-1 has been the go-to distortion pedal since 1978. Used by Kurt Cobain, Steve Vai, and countless others, it delivers everything from mild grit to full-on distortion.

$624.6 (4,100)
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Boss Brand History

Boss was founded in 1976 as a division of Roland Corporation in Japan. Their first pedal, the CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, set the standard for chorus effects and is still sought after today.

The iconic compact pedal format — the same size used today — was introduced in 1977 with the OD-1 OverDrive. This design became the template for the entire industry.

Through the 1980s and 90s, Boss released some of the most influential pedals ever made: the DS-1 Distortion (1978), the DD-2 Digital Delay (1983, the world's first digital delay pedal), and the MT-2 Metal Zone (1991).

Today Boss continues to innovate with digital multi-effects, the Waza Craft premium line, and modern takes on their classic designs — while maintaining the same bulletproof build quality that made them famous.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Boss pedals true bypass?

Most Boss pedals use buffered bypass, not true bypass. This is actually a feature — Boss buffers are high quality and help maintain signal integrity over long cable runs.

What is the best Boss pedal for beginners?

The Boss DS-1 and SD-1 are both excellent starting points. They're affordable, durable, and cover the most essential gain tones.

How long do Boss pedals last?

Boss pedals are legendary for durability. Many players use pedals from the 1980s that still work perfectly. The die-cast zinc enclosure handles decades of gigging.

Do Boss pedals need a power supply?

Boss pedals run on 9V DC (center negative) or a 9V battery. Compatible with any standard guitar pedal power supply.

What are the most essential Boss pedals?

The most essential Boss pedals cover the core tones every player needs: the DS-1 Distortion, SD-1 Super OverDrive, BD-2 Blues Driver, DD-8 Digital Delay, CE-2W Chorus, and TU-3 Tuner. With those six you can build a complete, gig-ready board.

What are the best Boss pedals of all time?

The best Boss pedals of all time are the ones that defined whole effect categories: the CE-1 Chorus Ensemble (1976), OD-1 OverDrive (1977), DS-1 Distortion (1978), DD-2 — the world's first digital delay (1983) — the MT-2 Metal Zone (1991), and the modern RV-6 Reverb. Each set a benchmark the rest of the industry followed.

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