Boss ME-50 Multi FX Board - A Review
How To Add Unlimited Effects To a Guitar
Boss are world leaders in the production and design of guitar and bass effects pedals (along with a host of other music equipment).
It is common to mix and match pedals to achieve a desired sound from a guitar or bass. The pedals are purchased separately, leading to high costs, and they are connected in series, which can lead to a cluttered floor.
A multi-effects board offers a relatively low-cost and low-clutter alternative, and the Boss ME-50 is one of the best in the £100 - £200 range. There is also a version available for the bass - the Boss ME-50B.
How the Boss ME-50 Is Laid Out
The Boss ME-50 presents the user with 3 main footswitches, a pedal, and dozens of dials. Each of the 3 footswitches allows the user to activate a particular set of sounds, which are configured using the dials. The pedal can be used for volume control, or for accessing various effects. The whole unit has a robust and sturdy build, and is finished in a striking metallic blue colour.
What the Boss ME-50 Can Do
The first set of effects are the distortion sounds. These range from old-school fuzz effects, up to hardcore metal crunches, satisfying just about any guitar player. Of the many distortion sounds, each one can be precisely adjusted in terms of drive, tone, and volume.
The second set gives access to a flanger, phaser, choruses, tremolos, and other such effects. Again, these are all adjustable, this time in terms of rate and depth.
The third set is the delays. The range of the delays stretches from a few milliseconds, up to several seconds. Other, more unusual effects are on offer in this bank of sounds, including the amazing 'reverse' feature. This literally reverses whatever is played and plays it back through the amplifier.
The pedal can be used to add expression to the sound. The classic wah-wah feature is there, along with a bizarre sounding ring-modulator, and a 'voicing' effect. Possibly the two most interesting options on the pedal are the octave-shifters. With these, it is possible to adjust the pitch either up or down an entire octave, and everything in-between. This gives the impression of all the guitar strings being adjusted while playing.
Other Features of the Boss ME-50
The numerous effects can be combined to create an unlimited range of sounds, ranging from classic tones to all-out crazy noises. A useful memory feature allows the combinations to be saved, for when a certain combination is found and wanted to be kept for later.
Other features on the board including noise suppression, reverb, and sustain control. There is also an in-build tuner. The unit can be used with headphones for when an amplifier is not available, or noise levels need to be kept to a minimum!
Overall, the Boss ME-50 offers a wide-ranging, well-built, relatively cheap and fantastic sounding range of effects, and should appeal to any guitar player, regardless of style and taste.
Further Reading
Boss ME-50
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