BOSS BC-2 Combo Drive (Impressions/Opinions)

[StormJH1]

Just picked up the BOSS BC-2 Combo Drive - it debuted in 2011, one year after the similar ST-2 Power Stack, a Marshall emulator. I searched for threads about it in this forum, but found only one called "New Boss Pedals", which was largely dismissive of the Combo Drive, without having tried it.



First, it should be pointed out that BOSS can't get out of its own way trying to name their pedals. When you have a lineup of something close to 100 stompboxes over 30+ years, you can't just throw something as generic as "Combo Drive" out there in a brown box and expect people to know what the heck it is. It's not really a "dirt box" in the pure sense of the term. It's more meant to be a digital amp modeler, and the Sound knob from about 8:00 to 9:30 are basically clean or clean-boosted tones equalized and compressed to sound like a clean VOX amplifier. Once you get higher up into the "Crunch" and "Drive" settings, it really becomes quite gnarly (think Brian May solo, and beyond).

I literally just got the thing, so I'm sure my opinions will evolve, but I've gotta say, it's a better modeler than the Joyo AC Tone I picked up, which itself is a clone of the expensive (and discontinued) Tech 21 Character Liverpool pedal.

This demo by the outstanding Pete Thorn basically spent $99 for me, though I'm not under any illusion that I could make it sound as good as he does.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJZUU_ZJHzc[/youtube]

Anybody else here use/like the pedal? If not, what don't you like about it?

[goroth]

If not, what don't you like about it?

It's not 20+ years old.
Boss dirt tends to get shat on until it's been obsolete for a while then it gets all collectorised. I remember when the Xtortion came out, and I thought it sucked wang. Production died awesomely quickly and now they're collector items. HM-2 was hated until Entombed used it, FZ-2 sucked until the doomsters got onto it... I don't GAS about dirt that much, but I like Boss pedals, they're cool. But yes, vinyl car seat brown and "combi drive" probably wasn't a markerter's dream...

[StormJH1]

If not, what don't you like about it?

It's not 20+ years old.
Boss dirt tends to get shat on until it's been obsolete for a while then it gets all collectorised. I remember when the Xtortion came out, and I thought it sucked wang. Production died awesomely quickly and now they're collector items. HM-2 was hated until Entombed used it, FZ-2 sucked until the doomsters got onto it... I don't GAS about dirt that much, but I like Boss pedals, they're cool. But yes, vinyl car seat brown and "combi drive" probably wasn't a markerter's dream...

Very true. And actually, I had started shifting closer to the camp that was doing away with BOSS dirt boxes. I sold my OS-2, which used to be my primary distortion pedal, and even got a rid of the much-celebrated BD-2 Blues Driver (too bright - preferred the mellower Tubescreamers). Other BOSS pedals I might have sold (DS-1, MT-2), except they're so widely available I can't justify flipping them for $20 in a crowded used market.

But if you combine quality and value, I'll try it out, even if it's a brand I generally don't like (such as DigiTech/DOD or Danelectro). First impressions with the BC-2 were very good...messed with the settings, added some delay and got a pretty good "Edge" tone. I've been chasing that VOX tone for years, so maybe the idea of this pedal appeals to me more than others.

[StormJH1]

Wanted to bump this because I picked this pedal up earlier this week and I really like it! I also (finally) got the Power Stack after considering that one for a long time. While they are both solid pedals with pretty different sounds, I think the Combo Drive might end up being used more because I have other pedals that mimic a Marshall-type lead tone, but nothing else quite does what the Combo Drive does. I'm even selling my Joyo AC Tone (which really isn't bad) simply because I like this better.

I think the Combo Drive will become more and more popular as time goes on (and a used market develops for it). The biggest misconception about it is that it's a "distortion pedal". It really isn't. It's like taking the Level Gain and (simplified) EQ knobs from a VOX amp, and placing them on a pedal. If you put that Sound knob at "Clean" and turn the level up just a bit, you get a completely clean tone that is very different from the clean tone if you bypass it. As with the Power Stack, some of the higher gain settings can get a little annoying, but the treble control can cut it. And you can stack it with other dirtboxes if you have a different distorted tone you prefer.

[madmax1012]

there's been a bunch of really good AC amp style pedals. I'm sure the BC-2 is decent, but with the Menatone and especially the new Catalinbread, I'd find it hard to justify the boss.

[StormJH1]

there's been a bunch of really good AC amp style pedals. I'm sure the BC-2 is decent, but with the Menatone and especially the new Catalinbread, I'd find it hard to justify the boss.

I appreciate the plug for those pedals, which I'm sure are excellent in their own right. I even looked the Menatone to see what you were talking about, and assume you meant the "Top Boost in a Can":



But with all due respect, is that really a fair comparison? The Boss BC-2 is as durable (or more) as any boutique VOX clone on the market, and it's $99.99 now, soon to be $79 or less at Guitar Center. That'd be like telling a novice guitar player: "Hey, your Fender Squier sucks, you should've bought an American Standard or Les Paul". It's also easy for a player to head to their local Guitar Center (or other BOSS retailer) and try the darn thing out before you plunk down the cash, which isn't always easy or possible for the boutique pedals. The Menatone and Catalinbreads sell for $175 to $250. If you're a pro and money is no object in your quest for tone, then maybe it's a no-brainer. That's not the reality for the majority of players out there (think of us as the "minnows"), who value price, durability, and accessibility almost as much as end quality.

So yeah, I'd love to try out those pedals and hear posts about why they're 3 times better than the Combo Drive! But to just blindly dump on BOSS when they've been around for 30+ years making decent sounding stuff that refuses to break...and basically created this whole pedal industry that we now obsess over...it just seems a little unfair.

[ryan summit]

sub'd

[Chankgeez]

I'm not sure I fully understand what you want out of the pedal, StormJH1.

This forum, while "entry level friendly", isn't exactly entry level.

Most people who post here are willing to spend the bucks for the "boutique" gear.

Are you looking for Marshall and Vox tones?

As madmax1012 said, Catalinbread pedals are a good place to start in that regard.

Also, do you own stock in Boss or something?

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

lol, secret boss employee sent to infiltrate the fuzzy depths of ILF, in hopes to convert all of us from ILF to ILB

[Casavettes]

lol, secret boss employee sent to infiltrate the fuzzy depths of ILF, in hopes to convert all of us from ILF to ILB

ILB seems like it should stand for I love boobs

[StormJH1]

lol, secret boss employee sent to infiltrate the fuzzy depths of ILF, in hopes to convert all of us from ILF to ILB

Nope! Just a reasonably articulate pedal hobbyist sent to infiltrate message boards with discussions of pedals that are both of reasonably high quality AND somewhat affordable! But thanks!

If you've seen any of my other posts, I've actually sold the vast majority of my BOSS pedals, particularly their dirtboxes. I took back a Keeley modded DS-1, and sold my OS-2 and even the oft-celebrated BD-2 Blues Driver. I think the BOSS distortion and overdrive pedals tend to have a transparency problem where you KNOW you're using a pedal, as opposed to the tone of your amp and guitar. And beyond that, the older pedals that many people consider to be "classics" are pretty useless to me because the tone control might cut the highs, but can't additional bass.

I get a different vibe from the Power Stack and Combo Drive. It's a much more responsive tone, which goes with the digital stuff they've been doing with the Dyna Drive and other new pedals. It's not without problems. The higher gain settings on both pedals are kind of a mess. They feedback even with a noise suppressor on, which none of my other distortion pedals do. They probably would benefit from some additional EQ control, as well. But I don't consider them "distortion boxes", they're kind of like simpler-to-use versions of the Tech 21 Character series. You can use other dirtboxes stacked on the clean tones (particularly with the Combo Drive). Works for me.

[rfurtkamp]

Sounds reasonable, but I like most of the amp models in the GR-55 too. And the Fender Mustang Vox settings are decent and sound pretty damn good with tweaks.

[01010111]

I'm with chankgeez on this one. Seriously, who joins a pedal forum that was created to promote boutique pedal builders and then promotes boss over all-else I used to think you were interested in the stuff builders here had to offer but were just too cheap buy it. Now I'm pretty sure you're a cleverly disguised boss bot.

And Catalinbread really isn't all that expensive; a lot of boss pedals are priced higher than any of catalinbread's. And btw, if something does go wrong with a pedal of mine I'd rather deal with a boutique guy over boss, ibanez or ehx. I've dealt with a number of boutique pedal guys and they've always been fantastic about everything: repairs, custom stuff, and answering ANY questions you might have. If there's a "boutique" version of something I'd almost rather get it over the brand name on account of the customer service alone, let alone the typical higher quality.

[madmax1012]

The Catalinbread Galileo is 2 pedals in one. one side is basically your AC30 tones, and the other side is the Naga Viper treble boost. I'm sure you know that AC30+Treble booster= sexy time. Overall the quality and tones justify the extra $100. I'm not jumping on the ''YOU MUST BE A SPY FROM BOSS" bandwagon, but as Chankgees said, most of the people here are more than willing to support boutique builders.
If you want to love Boss pedals, I made a thread for Boss pedal appreciation a while back. I doubt anyone would criticize you there.

viewtopic.php?f=149&t=25995

[rfurtkamp]

I don't see why Boss pedals can't be loved. I love anything that sounds decent or I can find a use for.

Cheaper the better.

Not going to buy boutique for the sake of board snobbery.