Many relevant electric guitarists from the “analog” years of rock and pop music used some early effect units not (or not exclusively) for their effects but also for the pleasing color and character of their preamps. The BOSS BP-1W Booster/Preamp encapsulates in a compact pedal the preamp qualities of two of those vintage BOSS effects (the RE-201 Space Echo and the Chorus Ensemble) plus a clean boost option.
The BP-1w also offers standard buffer or a vintage buffer options, the latter featuring a lower input impedance that produces a warmer tone and a smooth dynamic response that works best with passive pickups connected directly to the pedal’s input.
The three modes confer a significantly different color to your tone:
- CE sounds bright and bell-like with a tight low-end, delivering saturated tones from from mild to aggressive when cranking up the Gain knob.
- RE adds a certain warmth to your signal even at low Gain settings, producing increased saturation up to a powerful driven sounds with rich analog compression characteristics.
- NAT is a clean boost with a wide gain range.
Here are some videos going through all these modes:
BOSS BP-1W Booster/Preamp, Builder’s Notes
The vintage BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble and RE-201 Space Echo are legendary for their inspiring and influential effect sounds. But they’re also loved for their variable analog preamp circuitry, which instantly infuses any guitar tone with character, body, and richness. With the BP-1W, you can now access these two classic preamp tones in a premium Waza Craft pedal, along with a natural, clear voice that functions as a standard clean boost.
Magical Enhancement
For generations, savvy guitarists have relied on key pieces of analog gear to enhance their core tone. Though discontinued over 30 years ago, the CE-1 and RE-201 remain widely used by many players for their characterful preamps as much as their famous analog effect sounds. These “secret weapons“ make the sound richer, fuller, and more satisfying to play, even when their effect processing is bypassed. The BP-1W lets you integrate the magical tone-shaping properties of these legends into your own rig—without having to seek out rare and expensive vintage originals.Versatile Analog Sound Shaping
The BP-1W is one of the most flexible boost pedals available, offering three unique operation modes in a single compact stomp. Along with CE and RE vintage modes, a third mode provides a pristine clean boost when you want to pump the volume without added color. The Gain knob allows you to dial in a range of saturation and drive tones unique to each mode, while the Level knob lets you balance the effect/bypass sound or push downstream pedal and amp inputs for further tonal enhancement.Choose Your Tone Color
CE—This mode reproduces the CE-1 preamp tone, known for its bright, bell-like character and tight low-end response. Tweak the Gain knob to conjure an array of pleasing tones, from mild to aggressive.RE—This mode reproduces the unique color and response of the RE-201 preamp circuitry. It adds fatness and warmth even at the lowest Gain settings, with increasing saturation as the knob is turned up. You can achieve powerful driven sounds with rich analog compression characteristics, providing foundational vintage color to feed pedals and amps.
NAT—Produces a punchy, natural voice with minimal coloration. The modern analog Waza Craft circuitry provides a wide boost range, delivering top performance for any standard clean boost application.
Two Premium Buffers
The BP-1W features high-quality buffer circuitry with two selectable types. Slide the rear panel switch to choose between the pure signal of a standard buffer or a vintage buffer with lower input impedance. The vintage type produces a warmer tone and a smooth dynamic response, with maximum benefits achieved by connecting a guitar with passive pickups directly to the BP-1W’s input. The standard buffer is always engaged for signal conditioning when the pedal is bypassed, regardless of the buffer switch setting.
Features
- Waza Craft innovation for a premium analog tone experience
- Premium booster and preamp pedal with analog circuitry derived from legendary BOSS and Roland effects
- Versatile design with three selectable modes
- CE mode reproduces the bright, bell-like preamp sound of the BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble
- RE mode reproduces the fat, warm preamp sound of the Roland RE-201 Space Echo
- NAT mode provides a natural clean boost with minimal sound coloration
- Gain knob controls the amount of saturation introduced into the signal
- Level knob for controlling the overall volume and driving the inputs of amps and other pedals
- Selectable standard or vintage input buffer with different tone and response characteristics
- Made in Japan
- BOSS five-year warranty
