The Boss Japanese Era Part 2 (1983-1990) #bosspedals

Boss have gone through several design phases in the last 45+ years. Some of these Japanese made Boss pedals have achieved legendary status over the years and some have become very desirable. In this video I document each of the Boss compact pedals that came out between 1983 and 1990.

Disclaimer: The opinions in this video are my own, I was not in any contact with Boss, nor did they contribute to this video in any way.

0:00 Intro
1:24 Where I left off
2:51 1983 HM-2, DD-2
5:42 1984 DF-2, PH-2, DM-3
9:46 1985 OD-2, HF-2, DSD-2, DC-2
14:59 1986 CS-2, DD-3, FT-2, DSD-3
19:12 1987 DS-2, PS-2, RV-2, MZ-2, NS-2, LM-2
27:13 1988 DC-3
28:29 1989 CH-1
30:30 1990 PN-2, OS-2, EH-2
35:24 Closing Remarks

[evilwahwah]

Fantastic history lesson! Really enjoyed this - keep the Boss topic videos coming!

[hisproperty]

G'day Jason,

Thanks for another great video. I've been hanging out for this second Boss history video since your first video. It's great. And now that it's here, I have a story to share with you.

I bought my first Boss "pedal", brand new, around 1985 or 86. I know it's not a proper pedal, but it is a proper Boss, and it's taught me an important lesson. It's the TU-12 tuner. I love it. No matter how long I leave it on the table, I turn it on, and it just works. Since I am a motor-mechanic, I like the analogue sweep needle - it's easier to see the needle moving against the dial face. It doesn't have a foot switch, or a back light, but I've never missed them. In the 40 years I've had it, I think that it's had 4 or 5 batteries. A few months ago, I bought a used TU-12 as a backup, or for another Boss collection I'm creating. It was made in 1983, came with the box, the protective cover, the instruction booklet, and a battery. All of that, plus postage from Perth, cost me $65. And, it works just as well as my original tuner. What they've taught me is this - you can't kill a Boss pedal with an axe!

I do have another Boss pedal that was introduced in the second era, but it was made in the third era. It does have another great story, which I'd love to share with you. I can write up a new post for this video, or I can wait for your video of Boss' third era.

Once again, thanks for another great video. I'm looking forward to your next one.


Andrew
BTW, Cash Converters have a Danelectro DO-1 Daddy O overdrive pedal listed in Qld.

[barrysnook]

I've been waiting for this one Jason.since your part one came out.
Thank you for this.coz I'm a huge boss pedals fan myself.❤

[jasonm]

Thanks, Jason, as always a great video exploring the Boss lineup. I love my Dimension C pedal. Now I want to track myself down a Digital Dimension DC-3. 😁😁🎸🎸🤘🤘Rock on, Jase.

[midelteaching]

Great video, Jason. 🙏 Thanks. A bass specific video should be fascinating.

[NewFalconerRecords]

I thought that my PS-2 (Pitch Shifter/Delay) was a dud. I bought it second-hand and assumed the person who sold it did so because the pitch-shift function was faulty. Nope, it sounds just like your unit -- bloody awful. But you're right, the delay side of it is superb -- so crisp and precise, and long delay times as well. Money well spent in the end.
Also, that bit where you go between overdrive to distortion on the double pedal is one of the best demonstrations of the difference between OD and DIST that I've ever seen. You have to do a short on that. Another top-notch-watch Jason. Bravo!

[thefrogger]

That digital sampler looks like it could be an on-demand distorted harmonic or scrape, seems like a pretty fun nugget

[justsomedude]

Great videos, while I wouldn't say you were wrong about the digital metalizer being the first hybrid, I think it's worth mentioning that with the dd2 and dd3 the digital mode is only the delay while the rest of the pedal is analog, or something like that.

[zombiemosher]

I've owned quite a few of those pedals. The ones that I'll never part with is the DD-2 & HF-2 (my go to flanger) one I definitely regret selling is the PS-2 simply for as you pointed out the Delay.

[mudgutzadventures]

Apologies bud but I think you're incorrect on the loop usage of the NS-2.
The Manual and Boss Website both state to run the pedal before your Dirt Pedals and include the Dirt Pedals in it's Loop then run the Output to your other effects like delay.

Been don't it like that myself for 15 years no Noise from Dirt and clear Delays with no Decay.

[mudgutzadventures]

Interesting info you provide about them starting Pedal numbers with 2.

I've seen several discussions in Pedal Groups and on some YouTube videos with people ADAMANT that there is the Existence of a HM-1 which was bad, unpopular and quickly discontinued.

But often those same people go on to quote it's successor as the HM-2 but then call the HM-2 The Hyper

Have you ever heard of or seen an HM-1

[jrg]

A note that the DM2 had 2 versions.
The 1st edition (1981) used the MN3101\3005s and the 2nd edition DM-2 switched to the lower voltage MN3102\MN3205s.
Make sure you know which version you are looking at in the used market before buying. 🍻

[BDubbzzz_]

Jerry Garcia also used an HM-2 on stage in 1988. Like, out of all the player to use a HM-2...

[simonkaye]

Nice work again Jase....Dimension C is still the one for me. That pan/tremolo pedal must have cost you a pretty penny!!

[nihilvoid]

Thought I’d just mention, the Turbo mode on the OD-2 actually does a bit more than just a gain boost, interestingly it actually switches between the soft clipping overdrive circuit and the turbo circuit (which are independent) but additionally, the Turbo circuit has no clipping diodes and actually cuts the supply voltage to the circuit to under 6v, also the entire circuit (both soft clip mode and turbo) are completely discrete or transistor based. The tone control also is not like the SD-1 or Tube Screamer (Opamp based/Active and sweeps a specific frequency range) and is basically a really crude LPF or Passive tone control (basically a capacitor to ground with a pot attached), so it’s certainly unique compared to other Overdrives circuit wise

[corvydae]

Over the last year or so, I’ve started into boss collecting. Aside from rarities like The Super Distortion Feedbacker, I’ll only buy them with original boxes. It’s the only way I can collect and still stay married. Boss is a deep rabbit hole to fall into.

[alisson]

0:58 "I don't have the world's largest pedal collection" - yet!

[wesmitchem]

They made a hi band flanger but not a hi band chorus though several of there early multi fx processors have a hi band chorus I really couldn't tell much of a difference between the normal and hi band chorus but the high band flanger seems a bit more subtle and sits in the mix pretty nice it's one of my favorite flanger pedals and I'm not a huge fan of flanger I set them more like a chorus or rotary effect than a huge sweeping jet swoosh

[francisco.amorim]

How does LM2 compare to LMB2 on a guitar? Have you ever made a side by side comparison? LMB2 is still available.

[kierenmoore]

“An elegant [flanger], for a more civilised age …” ☺️😉
Yes, 4 is sometimes pronounced “shi” in Japanese, which can also mean “death” … so, it is like many countries’ Number 13 (except Italy, lol …).
Does make one wonder how/why the PQ-4 got a pass … 🤔
Lol, the EH-2 … I remember some of the earliest guitar pedal memes, showing ‘the inside of an EH-2 pedal’, with just a thin wire running directly from the input to the output and no circuit/processing in-between … 😅💀
Haven’t looked too closely at the new SDE-3, but someone suggested the hi-cut is only applied to the third-and-subsequent repeats (not all of the output sound) … ? 🤷🏻‍♂️ The og SDE is crisp, especially for a vintage rack delay (eg vs the og SDD), but it’s not that bright …