Member Reviews
I don't remember when or where it picked up this pedal. It's a nice toy to have some fun with. I have never found a use for it live but I like it.
Level, High and Low EQ, Balance and Gain knobs.
This pedal has a good Overdrive sound. The best feature is the balance knob so you can dial in the amount of overdrive you want an still have some clean bass tone at the same time.
It is a Boss pedal no problems with durability.
Previously had digital effects, and after trying analog immediately decided to switch.
Price: $50.00
Where Obtained: A friend
Level knob
High/Low EQ knob
Balance knob
Gain knob
9v battery powered, AV adapter optional.
Using it with all my basses (6 string, 5 string fretless semi-acoustic, 4 string jazz), in conjuction with a Boss chorus pedal, and Ampeg SVT3-Pro run through a Classic 4x10 and 1x15 cab.
Well suited for what I've been doing for it, no problems so far whatsoever. Very happy with it.
Very simple to use and understand how the controls work.
Very durable, came second-hand from a friend who used it in live shows and rehearsal for quite awhile, and still in great condition.
I was very disappointed in this unit.
Model Year: 2005
Price: $80.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Guitar Center
Sound Quality:
Used this with LTD C304 Bass and the GK 1001 RB head and SWR 2x10 t along with a Carvin RL 118. I could not get that true overdrive sound that I was looking for...
This unit is simple to use.
On 10/30/2007, Inactive Member posted:
Model Year: 1999
Price: $79.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Local Shop
Volume, blend, OD, and gain. 9
Muddys up the bass a bit, not
Given even the broad range of bass distortions available from budget to boutique the Boss ODB3 still stands well in the marketplace. My only real issue is that I would have liked a lower starting point for the gain control for a milder overdrive. Since my main passive bass has a massive output it drives pretty hard even at the lowest gain setting. OTOH is does allow for a lighter touch and offers a broad range of distortion responding to my touch. But I am sure these are personal issues and that this pedal was geared more for the average bass output and for more modern over the top rock bass distortion sounds which this pedal certainly offers.
Model Year: 2004
Price: $59.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Bass Emporium, Austin, TX
This pedal is in the usual Boss format will all it's faliliar and useful design details. This effect has a single input and output. It has controls for gain, mix, bass, treble and output. It can be powered either by a 9v battery or and AC power supply. It delivers a moderately broad range of overdrive abd the bass and treble cover a broader range than most distortion units.
I have used this pedal for 2 gigs and a recording session and am more than pleased with the overall sound and surprised at some of the added functionality. The basses I used were a Carvin LB-50 and a Peavey DynaFive thru a Peavey Mk VI bass head into a 2x15 & 1x12.
As a distortion it is easy to get the distortion sounds I wanted and by varying the mix I was able to get a lot of colors for different tunes. Everything from mild drive to add sustain or to fill out the bottom, to a nice driving sound to a full out distortion on the edge of feedback, it even allowed me to get a good feedback with nice fullness, sustain and controllability that never went into squealing microphonics. I also used it with the mix on dry to add fullness to my 5 string to punch up and sustain the low notes.
The surprise functionality was with my Dean Playmate EABC-5 string bass. I used it to punch up the output from the piezo bridge and passive volume and tone for recording. I had tried several of my other devices, including several moderate and high end mic preamps, to preamp the output with less than satisfying results and we decided to try the ODB3 and it worked perfectly.
The sound was always full and noise free even for digital recording. Direct recording of the distortion tone is a bit harsh for my taste or needs so using an amp or amp simulator is advised.
It is not programmable but the controls are very useful and easy to read and use even for my big mitts and less than optimal stage lighting.
It's Boss and this design is tried and true, I expect no problems and many years of service.
I would want to buy this effect pedal againg if it were lost or stolen. My favorite aspect of this pedal is mainly that it can turn from the HEAVY crunchy sound do the nice fuzz distortion. My least favorite aspect of this pedal is that it can be extremely loud even if your amp isnt turned up. I think that this unit could be better if it had more controls and sounds.
Model Year: 2005
Price: $80.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Grandmas Music
It has AC powered and battery powered. I wish it had more sounds. Its not stereo or tubes so its not that expensive. IT has the basic switches of crunchy distortion.
I use my pedel for many kind of styles. Heres a breakdown of them...Metal/rock/punk/funk/practicing/tapping/slap and pop. It suited only for metal but sounds really good with anything. Its very noisy. Just make shure you have your amp turned down.
It takes quite a bit of fiddling to get a good sound but anything really sounds good of it. You can get crunchy sound do fuzz sound. Ive heard that the chorus is better than this one and easy to use and sounds great but im not certain.
Its pretty good for steady live playing since the fact that Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers always uses his on stage. The manufacturer is very durable with pedals since its one of the only two people who make pedals for bass. Its construction is just the basic pedal.
Excellent pedal. Suits my needs perfectly.
Model Year: 2000
Price: $75.00 Euro
Where Obtained: Second Hand
INPUT Jack, OUTPUT Jack, AC Adaptor Jack (DC 9 V). I use it with the gain turned to clean and it gives the bass more punch. It doesnt distort the sound this way but merely gives the sound that extra lift.
Mainly use a 250 Watt Marshall combo amp with this pedal. I play a Fender Precesion, a G&L L-2000 and a Rickinbacker 4003 through the pedal. All reproduce a great sound.
Very easy to use. Simple controls.
Like all BOSS products it is extremly durable.
Looked at a few others, bought this due to price, sounds, & the EQ settings workin so well- a lot of Bass O.D.'s lose some bottom end in the heavier OD settings, but no this one!!!
Model Year: 2003
Price: $120.00 Aus (new)
Where Obtained: Ebay store
Vol,EQ-bass,treb, overdrive, GAin.
is AC or battery-9v.I use AC. wish it had drive types control.
Use with all my basses, mainly Fender jazz or P. Great sound, EQ helps bring in lotsa bottom if U need
Non-programmable, very easy to use, just write down your favorite settings in the space provided in the manual.
Its a boss-metal-heavy duty all the way!
Pretty good. Especially for it's price (around $90 US). I recommend it to anyone. Nothing paticularily interesting though.
Model Year: 2005
Price: $0.00 (new)
Where Obtained: n/a
Alright, Its pretty darn simple you've got input, output, level, EQ with high and low, Balance between OD and dry and there's gain. (regular 9v DC adapter of 9v battery). Nothing paticularly exciting.
Great sound quality. Good for anyone. I play an ESP LTD bass with active EMG's and it sounds fine. Good for Metal, rock and some jazz. It's the only overdrive I've used so I can't compare, but I've heard it stands up well to other big brand units.
Easy as Hell. You can find a good sound within 5-10 minutes. Comes with sample settings in manual aswell.
This is great stuff if you play metal , funk or rock. It is great for solo play to. Cuts throught high notes and harmonics.
Price: $59.00 Ls35
Where Obtained: "Tava Skaņa"
It has got all the stuff you need , to use this pedal without any problems.
Sounds nice , it can get a little over the top , but if you know how to use it properly it shouldn't be a problem for you.
Well , 5 knobs , on/off , what can be easyer ?
Piece of steel , you can kill someone with it , you can smash it in the brick wall - oh my god , poor wall...
Price: $10.00
Where Obtained: Friend
It has good features. Level, EQ, Balance, and, Gain. It has a Three band EQ witch adds to your playing tonality.
Great, if you like distorted bass. I am not a big fan but it still sounds good to me.
A baby could use it. I find great tone right away.
Great pedel i only use boss stuff and this pedel is why i only use boss
Model Year: 2004
Price: $90.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Beach music
This is a great pedal i use it alot for my solos and it add a great sound for the heavy metal stuff it is battry powered and it has great battery life
It is a great for the fuzz sound
I did use a Proco Rat, as it has a thick fuzzy muddy sound that I was looking to emulate on bass. However, being voiced for a guitar, the Rat just twisted my tone into sonic cheese. This one maintains my tone, but allows me to cut through with the highs and fill out with the lows. I'd buy another if this were stolen, and it's one of the only effects I've owned that I can't say a bad thing about. Plus, it's YELLOW. I'd like everyone to know that Yellow is awesome!
Model Year: 1999
Price: $100.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Billy G's Music - Canton, IL
This box has 4 1/2 knobs - - One level, one gain, one blend knob to balance between a dry and wet signal, and a stacked knob that controls the high and low ends. It accepts a 9volt or AC, and it's YELLOW!
I can't think of a thing I wish it had, since just having a high and low EQ is such a vast improvement over just a tone.
I use this with a Jazz bass through a Peavey 15" combo. I play ambient post-rock, and the amount of sustain and crunch I get from this box is astounding. Even without a compressor, I'm able to hold LONG LONG notes with little loss of volume, and a smooth transition into harmonics. This pedal is noisy when the gain is at the higher end, but it's a balls to the wall overdrive.. you can really make your bass sound like a controlled meltdown. The EQ is perfect too, as it's almost easy to pile too much high or low end on. Very very crunchy, even without a pick, and the addition of the blend knob makes your playing easy to follow, even with all of the gain. Simply, perfect.
If you're familiar with distortion units, then this box is a cakewalk.
It's a boss. If you're familiar with stompboxes, then that's enough said.
Sounds great, Very rough and edgy, or very smooth. You can get a wide variety of tones from this thing thanks to the built-in EQ. Slightly noisy.
Price: $124.00 CDN (new)
Where Obtained: Steves music
Basic boss pedal construction, AC\Battery power, On\off pedal button, no tubes.
Level Knob, High\Low EQ knobs, Balance Knob, Gain Knob.
The High/Low band EQ really makes a huge difference as you can get a thick Bassy tone or a nice crisp what I call "toaster" tone. Really edgy overdrive when turned to full, can get really smooth and low too. Very loud when turned on, but that can be compensated for if you have an Equalizer, if not, then it's noisy.
Very easy, set it up to what you want and then control whether you want it on or off.
A little too simple.
All boss pedals are build like tanks.
Nothing to say 'bout that. It kills, rock, loud loud loud and growl. I'd play this unit in every song i do with my band 'cause it's able to clean your way and to burn your head...
Model Year: 1997
Price: $124.00 Euro (new)
Where Obtained: Musical Shop in Italy
4 Controls on this little beast. Level FX (take it low if you got a big amp or it blow your head up), EQ (high and low-end), Balance for OD and CLEAN, Gain (pump it up.......)
I use this FX with my 5-string Hartke Bass and it sound like a thousand of growling dogs when the gain is high. I like it's fuzz expecially in the Manowar song and on the power metal licks. I think it's suited for all the style. It's very noisy and this is only the point of demerits that it has (but remember that it's an OD FX)
I don't know nothing of more simple to use. With 4 knobs you can obtain all the sound you want
It's a Boss Fx, so it's built to resist to the nuclear explosion and even the metal concert under the rain (like a gig i did last year)
On 3/28/2004, Inactive Member posted:
May be good if you need that over drive sound but its not for me.
Model Year: 2001
Price: $0.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Gift
Pretty standard here, foot switch, level, eq, balance, gain.
Sound Quality:
I use this unit with a fender squire p-bass special and a svt classic. For me the unit is not useful for an effect. I use it now only for having a portable amp for headphones. My friend gave me this for a gift for chirstmas. Compared to the overdrive sound of my amp its sound pretty bad.
Built like a tank. Vey nice construction.
BOSS. Accept no substitute. I own 5 BOSS pedals. If it's not a BOSS on the floor, then it's something else in the rig.
Model Year: 2002
Price: $66.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Guitar-Villa, Quakertown, PA
The ODB-3 (which doesn't stand for Old Dirty Ba$+ard) has 4 knobs. LEVEL, EQ ( 2-band inner/outer knob), BALANCE (wet/dry), GAIN.
The unit uses a 9-volt battery. It can also be powered up with an AC adapter (not included). Single in, mono out. For an Overdrive pedal, it does exactly what it is supposed to do. It doesn't need anything else.
I play rock music and I don't use too much distortion. Just enough to let you know I care. The EQ makes for a fat sound. Having the level and gain properly adjusted gives you more than enough of a kick when the ODB-3 is engaged. I play through the house speakers at times. I go through my preamp, a couple of other pedals then the ODB-3 to the mixer. I have a ZOOM BFX-708 which I only use as a tuner since I got this pedal.
It doesn't get any easier than the ODB-3. Set your levels, EQ, and the amount of distortion you want and you are ready to rock the world.
It's a BOSS! What more needs to be said! I read some reviews that said that you can drive over it with your car, truck and even a tank. Well I think you could probably use it as a heat shield on the space shuttle, land and play a gig in Daytona. (Well maybe not play a gig the same day)
They are darn rugged. I will only buy BOSS stompboxes. Who else has the guts to put a FIVE YEAR WARRANTY on their product.
Great! Boss comes through again. I'd buy this again for its flexibility and easy of use.
Model Year: 2002
Price: $40.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Ebay
This is a really cool battery- or 9V-powered distortion pedal from Boss. It's another in the long line of fine Boss products. The controls include level, 2-band EQ, balance (dry/wet), and gain.
I play rock and metal through this box to my Ampeg B-50R. It makes for a great sounds when combined with my Ibanez SR400LA. The balance control gives me the diversity and flexibility I want for my styles of music or any other style for that matter.
After the usual 40 seconds or so of tweaking, anyone can get the sound they want. Wonderfully easy.
It's a Boss metal stomp box. You could probably use it as a bright yellow target for your high-powered rifle and then use it that night for your gig.
BOSS has a reputation for making great pedals and there aren't many other bass overdrive pedals out there (I brought it before digi-tech brought out all the X-series pedals) I would defiently buy this pedal again just because you can recreate the sound of 'golden boy' by primus with it so well. my favorite aspect about this pedal is its great overdrive, the worst aspect is it eats batteries. If you put a boss equaliser after this in an effects set up you can get some really good fuzz tones.
Model Year: 2002
Where Obtained: Gak
It has a 2 band eq, a gain, balance and volume knob. it takes a 9 volt battery but can be poered by an AC power supply.
I use this pedal for any music stlye from metal to adding a little drive to jimi hendrix songs. I also own a digi-tech BP200 and this pedal is more versatile than any of the overdrives on the BP200. It makes a lot of noise when you are not playing any thing through the amp but thats no real problem you just turn it off when you aren't doing anything.
There isn't a lot to fiddle around with so it is easy to set up plus they give you example settings in the user manual.
C'mon it's a BOSS pedal!! you could run over it with a car and it would still work!
Good little unit but let down horribly by the non-effective bypass switch.
Model Year: 2001
Price: $68.00 GBP (new)
Where Obtained: www.thomann.de
Yeah, yaeh, yaeh you get the picture from everyone else's!
Sound Quality:
Good harsh overdrive, but unless you use a "chainsaw" like sound it wont cut through the mix of a live band. Also The bypass is not complete, it dirties the regualr sound of your bass even when not functioning. Very poor.
Incredibly easy, plug and play.
Like a brick. wont break....ever.
An awesome overdive pedal. look no further.
Model Year: 2002
Price: $55.00 GB (new)
Where Obtained: Percy Priors (UK)
Supurb features. an on board 2 band equalizer (treble and bass), gain, level and a balance control. you can run it off a 9V battery, but doesnt last very long, so i got an adaptor for it.
I found a supurb sound, after messing around with it for a bit.
It is easy to use. read the manual when you first get it, and try out some of the settings they give you. you'll get the hang of it.
Its made of metal. METAL!
Great pedal. I get some feedback when using it through my brand new cab but other than that its great!
Price: $80.00 (new)
Read all the other posts for the features.
I play rock and punk and it sounds pretty good, although i get some bad feedback when i use it (through the horn in my cab).
Price: $50.00
Where Obtained: ebay
Options for an AC cord or 9V battery, I use an adapter. Knobs don't really have much affect, you eithier get fuzz or you don't, the EQ is a nice touch though.
Use an Ibanez w/ a Sunn head and Ampeg speaker, play mostly rock/punk and it does just fine. You can't really have a laid back fuzz, what you get is a major *CRUNCH* that will give any guitar player a run for their money. Tried a couple of other pedals, this was much better. Great stuff.
Stomp. Play.
Not hard to mess with the sound, but not a lot of options you can get eithier.
My overall opinion is that it is a must by for any bass player. I cant think of any way it would be better. I have other friends who have used this and are equally happy. RECCCOOMMMEEENNNDDDDD!!!!!
Model Year: 2002
Price: $75.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Guitar Center
It allows you to change the amount of overdrive, the high or low tones, and gain. Plenty of options to get the sound you want.
Allows you to change a number of settings to suit your style of music. It sounds as good as any bass distortion unit on the market.
Very easy to use. I didnt even need to open the directions. One simple stepping pedal and four knobe for changing settings.
It is made of a very strong steel frame, but still easy on the foot with a soft rubber sheet on pedal.
I have a zoom BFX708 too, but the overdrive sounds on it are crap, especially compared to the 0DB3.
Model Year: 2002
Price: $105.00 Euro (Ireland) (new)
Where Obtained: Local Store
Its got volume, gain, overdrive and another one, I cant remember its name. Uses a 9v power supply or battery.
I play rock/metal, its great I can get loads of different sounds out of it. From a normal distortion to pure fuzz tones to some extreme noises you cant even imagine!!
Very easy to use, wont take you more than a minute to get the right sound.
I reckon you could drive over this pedal in a truck and it would still be OK. Its very sturdy.
I absolutely love this unit. If I lost it, I would definitely buy another one -- if it was stolen, I would track down the f---er who did it and throw the pedal into his skull (see "Durability"). The one problem I have had with it is that it produced a quite ugly buzz if my amp's treble was set too high, and if my bass' rear (J-style) pickup wasn't turned quite a bit down. With this fixed, you can make it sound like a dream -- or a nightmare, but isn't that what you want in death metal?
Prior to trying this unit, I had an Axtech Tube Overdrive pedal for a couple of weeks, because my equipment dealer didn't have a BOSS in store at that time. They let me try out both, and the BOSS absolutely kicked the s--- out of the (also quite decent) Axtech.
Model Year: 1996
Price: $950.00 DKK (new)
Where Obtained: Knud Eskildsen Musik
The BOSS ODB-3 is a small stompbox about the size of a wallet (I wish my wallet was that thick, though), and features a pedal switch and four control knobs. Controls include level, balance, gain and a two-band equalizer. Still, it is able to cover an extremely wide range of overdriven sounds, from warm, soft "natural overdrive" to hard, distorted death metal that will tear your soul apart, or something. There are no tubes in this unit, but I guess it's a matter of preference whether this is a feature or a bug.
The pedal can be powered by an AC adaptor or a 9V battery -- the AC adaptor was not included with my unit, unfortunately. Using it with non-BOSS AC adaptors is not recommended, it can cause damage or cause sound degradation. Unfortunately, this unit eats 9V batteries as if they were candy.
I use the ODB-3 for all kinds of music; all the way from heavy metal to death metal ;-). I use it with a Yamaha RBX-170 bass and an old 60W Roland Bass Cube. Unlike the Axtech pedal I had tried out before, this thing can make my humble Cube roar like a wall of Marshall amps. While I mainly play metal, the ODB-3 can definitely be used with other styles, and can also be used for slapping and tapping play without sounding like crap (unlike some overdrive pedals I've tried).
Ease of Use? This unit operates similar to a Microsoft-powered computer, stomp on it and enjoy the sound.
You'll need to turn some knobs to get the right sound out of it, but the enclosed manual details some settings for various uses. Finding your own distinct sound will take some tweakery, but operating a stompbox is hardly rocket science.
"I don't know with which weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Albert Einstein
"BOSS Pedals make better thrown weapons than sticks and stones."
Simon Kongshoj
This pedal is badass. i love it. its a great volume pedal and it will tear the skin off their flesh as a distortion.
Price: $52.00
Where Obtained: Crino Music
Controls for level, EQ, balance and gain, EQ works AWESOME and balance lets you use it as a volume pedal or as a hard distortion, its freakin great
Good god it sounds amazing
You turn the knobs and kick it. its awesome. buy one.
BOSS pedals are always tough as hell, all metal construction, its a tough cookie, very road worthy.
Overall i would say shop aroud and dont buy this thing its really not what you would expect out of a boss
Model Year: 2001
Price: $80.00 (new)
Where Obtained: mars
Read otehr reviews for the features im sure youve heard about them already
This pedal is alright..... i can never eally get the sound i want out of it but sometimes i can get a really cool muffled distortion out of it buts thats about it
Youre never gonna be happy with the sound no matter how much you fiddle with it
You could run it over with a car
I looked at the DOD and it kind of sucked compared to this one.
Model Year: 2001
Price: $139.00 canadian (new)
Where Obtained: Gilbert Guitars
This is just a basic bass overdrive, has a level, hi/lo eq, gain and a balance knob. It comes with a little booklet with different presets and even a spot for your own presets. I use it for playing rage, it is very easy to get it sounding like Timmy C.s distortion. Its a very durable pedal. Thats one thiong i like about the boss pedal, there all made of solid metal body, they are color coded and all look generally the same.
This bass plays well on everything EXCEPT high out-put pickups it will scream to the high heavens if you have hi out-put pickups. The sound is great overall
It comes with a little booklet with different presets and even a spot for your own presets. It can be made to ocerdrive and also give a very bassy clean boost, which i use for heavy chorusing.
It is very tough I ve dropped it dozens of times, Boss overall makes the best effects pedals.
I looked at several other pedals before getting this one and many of them either sounded weak or were built crappy and looked as if they would fall apart as soon as I got home.This is an overall awesome pedal.
Model Year: 2000
Price: $79.99 (new)
Where Obtained: Mars Music
[Controls]-Level,EG High/Low,Balance,Gain
[Power}- Its bothe AC powered and battery-powered
You can get a whole lot of sounds out of this thing, from heavy distortion to light fuzz to boost..Very Powerful.
Its not programmable. Creating a good sound is very easy though. The booklet even comes with 8 Pre-sets for you to use( Natural Overdrive, Fuzz, Dived Slapping Play,Picking Riff,Booster,Heavy Drive, Slapping Play, Solo play)...etc
This thing is tough and WILL last you. BOSS makes high quality pedals.
It's big, yellow, and I really don't need it.
Model Year: 2001
Price: $79.99 (new)
Where Obtained: Musician's Friend
Level, 2 Band EQ, Balance, Gain. Powered by 9V battery, AC adapter, or the end of a daisy chain.
Muddy with low tones, no chance using this thing with a five string. Playing this rekindled my appreciation for a clean sounding bass.
Stomp, play. Questions anyone?
Foot, water, Pepsi. No damage.
I chose this pedal because it didnt sound as harsh as the distortion pedals would. I like the warm fuzzy sound it gives. It also makes a great signal boost if you mess with your dials enough.
Price: $75.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Guitar Center
Has 5 knobs for level, EQ (stacked with high and low) balance, and gain. Standard pedal powered by 9v or AC.
Great for a fuzz sound and overdrive sound. If you want a more harsh distorted sound, then you should look else where. I like to put the balance low to get a fuzzy sound and it sounds great out of my practice amp and stack.
Lots of knobs, but they are fun to mess with and you get a wide variety of sounds that won't be too dificult to find the one thats right for you.
I looked at all the other pedals that Mars had and this one just sounded better.
If this were to ever get stolen whoe be unto whomever may be brave enough. To replace it though I would search high and low for another.
Model Year: 2001
Price: $75.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Mars
I run a peavey milestone 3 through this pedal and it is amazing!!
Just dial in the EQ and off you go
This puppy has a metal housing stomp the crap out of it, it'll come back for more.
Boss pedals are a great, for the most part (bass synth pedal really blows), it's just with me when i think of bass overdrive, two words come to mind, jack and bruce. i just love the warm fat sound of tubes, and this thing doesn't come close.
Price: $89.00 (new)
Where Obtained: guitar center
Everyone's gone over this so i'll skip it, i do like the balance (clean/wet) knob a lot.
Sound Quality:
The bass OD is a bit too much on the "chainsaw" side of OD, (for me @ least) as opposed to a tube OD. it just makes the bass sound like a low, raw guitar, if your looking for that slightly to moderatly tube overdrive sound, go with say an swr interstller OD pre amp, or the ampeg tube preamp, or tech 21 sans amp (they are way more $$, but worth it)...stay away from 'blue tube' they're junky.
but if you play metal, or just want a real cold, jagged tone, this may be for you. it sounds better as a fuzz unit, than OD.
Easy as pie, even a drummer could figure it out ^_^
Boss is built way solid...love em.
I really have heard good things about Boss pedals and I thought I'd try it out. I didn't really look at any other pedals for this fact. I would definitely buy this pedal again if some idiot stole it. I don't think I could be happier with this little guy. He's good at what he does.
Model Year: 2001
Price: $70.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Musicians Friend
Lovely little unit. Easy to work. Has level, eq, mix, and gain knobs. Operates by stepping on it. Really easy to achieve the sound you want. I especially love the eq and the fact that you can mix the dry and overdriven signals. Seems to be fairly easy on batteries although I would recommend the AC adapter.
I use this with my Fender Jazz and my Carvin stack. Works really well with this setup. I really like the fact that it has a two band eq. Makes it easy to boost the lows on my Jazz. It is a bit noisy but that is to be expected with the type of effect that it is. It works wonders with the type of music I play(hard rock/metal). Gives my bass a lot of edge.
Very simple to use. May take 5 minutes to dial in that sound you want. Who doesn't have 5 minutes to spare?
It's a Boss so it's built like a tank. I believe this thing would survive anything. The 5 year warranty says to me that Boss knows this is good equipment.
I have not ever had a good experience with multi units and will never waste my time on them again. I prefer the individual units. They're a bit of a pain to set up, plug in, etc but worth it in sound quality.
I think Boss could improve this unit by including a noise gate, as this pedal is noisy as hell. I'd buy it again, I guess - although I use it less than I expected.
My favorite aspect about this pedal is the sound. Man I love that fuzz distortion on the bass and it doesn't detract from the bass frequencies either. It works even with the low B on my five string. I can sit and play stupid bass lines with my drummer for hours with this thing, the sound is so full and rich. Good for power trios when your guitarist is soloing, stomp on the distortion and your band's sound doesn't drop off. It kinda substitutes for having a rhythm guitarist.
Model Year: 2000
Price: $75.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Musician's Friend
Output level, stacked bass/treb eq, effect level and gain. Powered by 9v battery or 9v plug.
mono pedal, no tubes.
I use this pedal with my fender active jazz bass V and my ampeg 115SP. My band plays an ecclectic mix of rock, funk, reggae and country. I use it to accent sections of songs, rarely to play an entire song.
I would think punk or metal would be the best application for this pedal.
I like the sound I get out of it, good crunchy fuzz distortion to outright blistering distortion. It's NOISY, but that's to be expected from a distortion pedal.
Not programmable, it's just a stomp box.
I had to play with it for a while to get what I wanted out of it. The Gain on it seems to be designed to act like the gain on an amp, which is both good AND bad. The drawback to using your head for distortion is that you get kind of all or nothing as far as distortion goes and the pedal is like this. I'd like to have more room to play inbetween nothing and BARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRCH.
The effect blend isn't terribly useful either. But after quite some time I was able to dial in a sound that was crunchy enough for me but not OVERBOARD.
This pedal does NOT play well with others, too. I had to get an effects coupler to get my limiter and overdrive close enough together so that I could, with one stomp, turn one on and the other off. With the limiter (LMB-3) on the overdrive pedal sounds weak and tinny. But once I did that I found I could very easilly switch from the nice even tone from my limiter to the big fuzz of the ODB-3.
Its a boss pedal so it's solid as a rock.
Caveat - it eats batteries like they're NOTHING, best to get the 9V dc plug.
Of course, it isn't programmable, but that's not the point. It's a quick setup, plug and play FX pedal, and I would certainly buy this again if it got lost or stolen. Light, durable, good quality. This is a must for anyone who wants to take fuzz that one step further.
Model Year: 2001
Price: $77.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Soundpad, UK
Sweet. Level, High and Low EQ, Balance and Gain functions, AC and Battery powered, no tubes. A fantastically light (half a kg) well made and value for money peice of kit.
I use it with a small Marshall 25 watt bass amp so obviously I don't have the guts to push it its full potentional, but this produces a brilliant distortion affect from dark and heavy to light and and sharp, making your bass almost seem like a lead guitar!
It's not programmable, and it does take a little fiddling to get the levels right, but it's a top of the range peice of kit.
It's a strong, durable peice of kit that can take knocks and bangs, as with any Boss equipment. This can be used for any situation and it comes with a brilliant 5 year warranty.
Lookt at dod, etc. but this was the only effect that i found that was a dedicated distortion(musicians friend dont carry the Ibanez tonelok pedals)
Model Year: 2000
Price: $69.99 (new)
Where Obtained: musicians friend
Ac or runs on a 9volt battery. mono, solid state. good, heavy distortion or warm sounds, eq use(2band),
Used with an acoustic 300 watt head/acoustic 4x15 cab. sounds good, but sort of guitar-ish. metal, funk, punk, pretty much whatever. you can dial in to almost any sound.seems to have lotsa feedback if the bass is close to the unit. (if youre adjustin it)
Not programmable, easy to use, but it takes a minute to find the sound you want . the book has like 8 suggested settings.
Very reliable. itsa boss, so its pretty tough
On 2/15/2001, Inactive Member posted:
Try this sucker out at the store, nothing can compair to it. I would definatly buy a new one if it were stolen, but honestly, who steals bass pedals? It could have been better if it came with ... a million dollars. I have my settings as follows: Level 2 o' clock, High 9 o' clock, Low 2 o' clock, Distortion 3 o'clock, Gain 3 o' clock. I leave those settings like that and adjust my onboard EQ on my bass.
Price: $79.99 (new)
Where Obtained: Sam Ash
As you have read from the reviews above, this snarling dog has a level to adjust the overall volume of the pedal; a high and low eq; distortion and gain, to adjust sound of pedal. I wish it came with the women in the bakini that was modeling it in "Big BAss Magazine".
I run the overdrive pedal through a Gallien Krueger 700RB/210RBH with extention 210RBH and a Crate BX50. It really fits the music I play, which is hard rock, and some other stuff. This pedal will fit any style of music without the distortion...with it, It'll go good with hard rock, metal, industrial. I haven't used anyother overdrive pedals because this sucker is good enough. It adds real gain to your sound so just running your fingers on this with make sounds especially if you couple this thing with a Crybaby bass wah. Overall, this thing kicks ass. To get really good sound and versitility out of this, use it with a bass with an active EQ.
This sucker is made of metal so I doubt it will be loosing its compitance anytime soon...I even heard one guy say "When the world ends and everythings on fire, the only things that will be living are robots, cockroaches, and Boss pedals."
I looked at a bass sytnthesiser and an equalizer. Synthesiser too much, and my amp has an equalizer. I would buy it if it was stolen. Cant really make this better. I like its different overdrive tones with it not being to hard, but it is a canary yellow that i dont like. It is a really good effects peddle that I would stuggest people who play metal, rock, or even funk styles to get. It sounds real nice. Get it.
Model Year: 2001
Price: $89.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Daddy's Junky Music
Has a tap foot switch (effect on/off), Level control, 2 EQ knobs, a Balance, and a Gain. Both AC and battery (24 hour life with battery).
I use it with a Fender Jazz Bass on a Peavy TNT2 Amp and a Peavy Microbass amp. I play it with metal, and some funk styles. Not really suited for other styles, still sounds good though. Not noisy, if you have it ojn the rigth setting (has a list of settings: natural, fuzz, heavy overdrive, slap, picking, solo...).
Very easy to use without being crappy or soundiong crappy.
Reliabe for live playing. Boss makes some durable effects units. Heavy Duty construction, steel box with rubber.
As a distortion, this thing sucks. It is very versatile and there are many other applications for this pedal. If it were lost or stolen, I would probably replace it. As far as overdrive goes, I'll stick with crankin' up my Ampeg when I need the juice!
Price: $19.00
Where Obtained: Pawn Shop
I never thought I would use an overdrive, but this one looked brand new, was in the box with the manual and for the price, I couldn't turn it down. This unit has controles for input level, hi and low E.Q., distortion, and overall gain. It's all metal and will take alot of abuse.
As I said, I never thought I would need an overdrive. I got this thing home and decided to see what all it would do. The manual lays everything out for you and tells you what it does. It's easy to set up and adjust and the overall sound is good. Here's the problem that I found. The distortion is way over the top. I haven't found a setting yet that I would use and I've had this thing for a couple of years. The good news is I have found that the E.Q. is very effective. I play many different kinds of music and I like a full, rich bass sound from the amp. With this unit I can boost the high and low and create a good scooped mid-range type of sound at the stomp of a box. I also use it for a volume boost.
This thing is very easy to use, even without the manual.
On 1/23/2001, Bryan posted:
I've worked with the boss DS-1 distortion, and
the Boss MT-2 metal zone. i chose this one
because it was made for bass. the MT-2 is
basically the same thing but for guitar nad has
a 3 band EQ and doesn't have the blend knob.
the DS-1 is probably the best distortion pedal i
have tried besides the ODB-3. this unit could
be better if it had a distortion/overdrive knob on
it. my favorite aspect of this unit is the 2 band
EQ, it gives me so much tonal shaping
capabilities, the worse aspect would probably
be, ummmmm, i dno't think there is one. i
think that this is the best bass overdrive pedal
available, so go out and give it a try, if u like iot,
i highly recommend you buy it if you want to
stick out from those old boring bass players.
Price: $184.00 Canadian (new)
Where Obtained: Johnstones Musicland
It has 5 knobs, level, hi & low EQ, blend, and
gain, its both AC and battery powered. theres
nothing that i could think of that this pedal
could/should have. its perect as it is, maybe a
knob to switch it between overdrive and
distortion. its mono, and it doens't have any
tubes since its a pedal, i mean come on since
when does a stompbox have tubes?
I've used this pedal with a standard squier
p-bass special delux on a kustom kba-20
bass amp, a yorkville BM-200 bass amp, and
a yorkville bm-400b bass amp. i play mostly
punk, rock, alternative, adn hard rock, this
pedal is the best pedal for this on bass, i've
also used the boss DS-1 distortion, its also a
kick a-- pedal. it could be used on basically
any kind of music, you can go from bright and
less driven, to right down and dirty full
overdrive. it kicks the crap out of the DS-1, b/c
of the EQ which is killer, and the blend knob
which you can use this pedal for a volum
booster or overdrive. its noisy sometimes if
you use bi-pole pickups, or in other words,
jazz pickups, sounds AWESOME with
humbuckers = split coil pick ups. its not a
multi-effect, well kind of, its a volume
booster/overdrive pedal, well thats waht i use
it for.
This unit isn't programmable. its a stompbox,
usualy a 1 or 2 effects box about the size of a
wallet. it was easy for me to get a wicked
sound. not too much fiddling requiered here.
it's easy if you know what kind of sound your
looking for and, but the all tiem easiest pedal
in the world is the ds-1 distortion pedal which
has 3 knobs, not 5. but its all good.
Ok first of all, this is a BOSS pedal, which
automatically stands for reliablility, which
means you can use it in a gig, which i do. of
course, if you don't know boss, you haven't
been around. this pedal is SOLID, its made
out of solid steel, how awesome is that?
Sweet as a baby's bottom! Looking for a fuzz pedal...GET A OVERDRIVE! It would blow the fuzz padal out of the water. Or just go try one at your local guitar place.
Price: $80.00 (new)
Where Obtained: guitar Center
This peice of work will make you chill! It can be either battery or AC adapeted.(never leave a plug in the input or output with batterys when not using because it can waist them) It has a level an eq,balance,and a gain controls. I wish all pedals were made like this quality. Also no tubes in this little thing.
Powerful sound! loud! Great! It has many different choices of over drive............MANY!
It is not programable but you can make ur own distortion.It is easy to make own sound also. I had a Zoom bass effect pedal and it sucked and broke. this think kicks it's but!
I have not used it live yet but my friend used it at his show the other night and it sounded awsome! This manufacturer is known for the way they make pedals and you can realy tell.
loading ...