Forty years ago, BOSS issued some truly classic guitar pedals. Forty years later, three of them have been reissued in near-faithful reproductions. The prefix of “near” here has been deployed to signify improvement, not imperfection: where the company has enacted enhancements, it has been to improve functionality, not tone; their legendary sound remains wholly unaffected.
Before we go any further, let’s examine the three pedals: first you’ll find the OD-1 Over Drive, a pedal using an asymmetric clipped circuit to produce warm, pleasant distortions. In tone, the OD-1 could be said to evoke the cranked-up valve amplifiers of yesteryear.
The PH-1 Phaser is next on the docket, a pedal which provides clear tones and deep modulations as it modulates your signal. Four phase-shifting circuits have been provided herein, behaving exactly as they did in the original unit.
Finally, you’ll find the SP-1 Spectrum pedal, an esoteric stompbox producing a tone similar to—but not quite like—a wah-wah set at a fixed position. Considered a rarity, the SP-1 Spectrum is equally apposite for bass as it is for guitar.
All three pedals feature components which match the original stompboxes. As noted before, the only differences between the originals and these reissues are functional improvements. So, now you’ll find LED on/off status indicators so you can clearly see these pedals on dark stages, as well as PSA-compatible power sections, and reinforced battery snaps.
Did we mention the spiffy box? No? Well, there’s a spiffy box; it gracefully houses all three pedals. Only 1,500 of these sets are in production, so snag yours before there’s nothing left to snag!
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