Boss BC-2 Combo Drive

Roland Connect

The new BOSS BC-2 generates a classic “AC-inspired” British combo-amp tone in a compact pedal, but that’s just the starting point. With a single knob, you can instantly control a variety of sound-character parameters, and quickly tap into a full spectrum of tone. Achieve the perfect vintage sound or dial into higher gain or cleaner tone across a wider frequency range than the classic amp could provide on its own. The BC-2 also offers a natural and dynamic response to your picking nuances at any setting. This easy-to-use yet technically complex pedal takes you from authentic vintage tone to expanded new-generation performance and sound.

• Wide range of tones with a single knob —from classic crisp clean and punchy crunch to creamy overdrive with long sustain and beyond
• Natural and dynamic response to picking nuance at any knob position
• Provides warm combo tones and authentic combo-amp cabinet resonance

SOUND Knob

The SOUND knob adjusts multiple parameters simultaneously across a range of zones. Smoothly transition from fat and clean tone in left zone to high-impact crunch in the upper zone and high-gain distortion in the right zone. Find the perfect classic setting or go beyond previous limits. Crank the SOUND knob to the DRIVE position, for example, and get a creamier high-gain tone than the classic combo could provide, as if you were driving the amp with an external booster. Likewise, if you turn the knob to the CLEAN position, you can clean up the tone across a wider frequency range than the original amp could deliver. A universe of great tone is as simple as a single knob twist.

EQ and LEVEL Knobs

Dedicated EQ knobs are provided for instantly sculpting your tone. The BASS knob provides direct control of the lower-frequency range; the TREBLE knob provides control of upper frequencies. A master LEVEL knob controls the overall volume of the pedal when it is turned on.

INPUT Jack

The INPUT jack accepts signals from a guitar, another musical instrument, or another effect unit. This jack also doubles as the power switch. Power to the unit is turned on when you plug into the INPUT jack; the power is turned off when the cable is unplugged.

Road-Tough BOSS

BOSS compact pedals are world-famous for their great sound as well as their road-tough construction, consistency, and reliability. The BC-2 inherits this BOSS-proven design, offering guitarists a solidly constructed pedal that's built to withstand decades of demanding use.

Boss press release

Los Angeles, CA, September 15, 2011 — BOSS is proud to announce the BC-2 Combo Drive, the latest addition to the overdrive/distortion category of its legendary lineup of compact pedals. Just as the ST-2 Power Stack brought the sound of a raging stack amp to pedalboards everywhere, the BC-2 now gives players classic British combo amp tone in a convenient stompbox.

The dual-speaker “top boost” combo amp drove the sound of the British Invasion in the 1960s, and remained a favorite of many prominent rock guitarists throughout the 1970s. Rediscovered by a new generation in the ’80s, the amp’s sweet, wide-ranging tones—which fall squarely between vintage American combos and high-gain British stacks—continue to be an essential part of music styles from indie rock to country.

The easy-to-use BC-2 packs the versatile tube-driven sound and playing feel of the famous Brit combo into a single pedal, from its shimmering clear tones to its raunchy-yet-silky distortion when cranked. A number of well-known guitarists were known to drive the original amps with gain boosters to achieve searing lead tones with tons of sustain, and this sound is captured in the BC-2 as well. All three voices, and every color in-between, can be dialed up with the BC-2’s deceptively simple SOUND knob. Further sweetening is available with BASS and TREBLE knobs, while the LEVEL knob controls the effect’s overall volume.

With its wide range of sounds and unique tone signature, the BC-2 is perfect for adding authentic Brit combo essence to any rig, from bedroom practice amps to club combos to monster mega-stacks.

The BC-2 Combo Drive will be available in September with an MSRP of $189.50.

myFXDB user reviews

2 reviews, average score of 6 / 10