Missing my old Boss pedals... (a tale of futility)

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C Williams

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I got some graduation money in '90, and spent the lion's share of it at Thoroughbred Music for a generic pedalboard full of Bosses.

The CS-2 Compressor/Sustainer, PH1-R Phaser, CE-2 Chorus, SD-1 Super Overdrive and the DF-2 Super Feedbacker and Distortion became the building blocks of my fledgling guitar style. I'd dial in some mean pick attack on the compressor, a perfect warm overdrive and a fine chorus and (for effect) occasionally get that DF-2 fake feedback or (my favorite) the squalling, level-boosting phase sweep. I knew there was more to the world of guitar effects, but for the time, these were more than I needed. I felt giddy and sort of rich from all the sounds available at my boot-tips.

These pedal sounds made it onto my seminar Porta-One recordings, and I ran everything through them... yes, even a Radio Shack mic through the chorus. It never complained.

I sold these pedals sometime in '93 or '94, and can't even remember what I replaced them with. I suspect it was my then-new Quadraverb GT, which I thought could do anything. Curse my foolishness and financial weakness!

It was just a few weeks ago that I started reminiscing, and man, what I wouldn't give to get those pedals back... especially that compressor, overdrive, chorus and phaser.

So, am I just being sentimental, or is there something to the notion that those pedals sounded better than any available from Boss today? I know my '97 CS-3 compressor sounded nothing like the CS-2... and yes, I waste my breath AND typing time bemoaning the loss of these pedals. Perhaps I should learn from this.

Tastes can go full circle in 10 years. The Quadraverb impressed me in '93 but would seem a joke today. Those humble metal pedals would, I believe, do my sound proud today.
 
Tex, U-Da-Man

When I lost my Boss pedalboard (full) I didn't get anything for it. Or for the 69 L.P. standard, or the 82 335 Dot that was stolen with the rest of my stuff.

I want to feel sorry for you dude but I just don't have it in me I guess. Things could be a lot worse
 
I own five Boss pedals, one Guyatone, one Voodoo Labs, two old DOD pedals, a brand new Danelectro vibrato pedal (Chicken Salad) that nails a Uni-vibe sound for $30 ! I don't hook them all up together but I take a couple of them out of the closet when I'm looking for a certain effect when I'm recording. AC power supply units for powering multiple pedals are now cheap and plentiful, another reason to love pedals today.

Do the old Boss pedals sound better than todays ? Yes and no. Some of the old chips that made those effects great are not available anymore and they haven't quite been able to duplicate the sound with the new chips. However, some of the newer ones are less noisy and more reliable. I think Boss makes some very, very good sounding ones and a lot of mediocre ones that the competition does better. There are so many good pedals on the market today it's just scary. Go to www.musictoyz.com and feast your eyes on the selection.....it's porno for guitar players. :D
 
Man, was I whiny yesterday (sleepy at work, too). What the hell?

I've seen CS-2 pedals on Ebay with some regularity, and will definitely check out the link above.

To the guys whose gear has been stolen, man, I feel for you. At least I lost my pedals through my own (dunderheaded) choice, not through some felonious agency.
 
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Thanks, I'm glad you didn't take offense to my reply, I didn't mean it that way

Joe
 
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