# New Boss Waza on the way?



## Grainslayer

Boss has posted a teaser pic on Instagram of a new Waza pedal.The picture is of a bare unpainted enclosure...Wonder what it will be.🤑


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## mhammer

It's hard to think of anything in their back catalog that needs re-issuing in an improved form. A Waza Spectrum, Slow Gear, EH-2 Enhancer? On the other hand, a compact with a Bee Baa and Double Beat fuzz in it would be a winner.


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## Okay Player

Grainslayer said:


> Wonder what it will be.


If I had to bet on it, I'd say the Hyper Fuzz makes a comeback.


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## KoskineN

Yep, by the enclosure color, I’m pretty sure it’s a FZ-2w. It’s been asked for quite some time now, and with fuzz pedals so popular nowadays, it would be a good move by Boss.


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## Ti-Ron

KoskineN said:


> Yep, by the enclosure color, I’m pretty sure it’s a FZ-2w. It’s been asked for quite some time now, and with fuzz pedals so popular nowadays, it would be a good move by Boss.


I hope so!
The Waza line is the bomb, Incould easily have a full board out of them!


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## Pewtershmit

I hope you guys like it!


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## mhammer

I see the FZ-2 is a mostly-discrete (op-amps used in the post-fuzz filtering and EQ) fuzz, that provides for octave-up with midscoop, octave-up with no scoop, and plain no-octave fuzz. It uses the same trick as many better octave-up units in employing a back-to-back diode pair after the doubling sub-circuit in order to keep the volume level fairly constant so as to allow the octave to "bloom" (come out from under the harmonic haze, actually).

Waza pedals generally include a second "personality" so I'm wondering how amenable to personality-transformation the basic circuit is. Sifting through my collection of Boss drive schematics, the only thing I'm seeing that looks potentially adaptable is the Turbo Overdrive or maybe one of the drive circuits on the ROD-10. Although maybe a "deluxe" FZ-2 would include a sweepable midrange.


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## Grainslayer

I think a reissue fuzz would be cool and from the latest Boss teaser pic,the paint does look to be the same as the fz2..I’ve been getting into long trippy “stoner type” jams lately even though I’m not a stoner😁..I bought a dm2waza a while back which is my only Waza pedal so far but haven’t used it at all.Id still like to pick up a dimension c at some point.


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## mhammer

The fuzz portion of the AD-50 Double Beat is a keeper, and easily expandable. I built a clone with 3 additional modes. Ideally, I could have kept adding beyond 6, but commonly-available rotary switches tend to only permit 12 contacts in total. So 3 contacts @ 4 positions, 4 contacts @ 3 positions, 1 contact @ 12 positions, and 2 contacts @ 6 positions. So in order to completely bypass the various filtering and individual "voices", in order to eliminate their interaction, I had to go with a 2 x 6pos switch, limiting me to only 3 additional voices.


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## Okay Player

Grainslayer said:


> I think a reissue fuzz would be cool and from the latest Boss teaser pic,the paint does look to be the same as the fz2..I’ve been getting into long trippy “stoner type” jams lately even though I’m not a stoner😁..I bought a dm2waza a while back which is my only Waza pedal so far but haven’t used it at all.Id still like to pick up a dimension c at some point.


I've got a Waza BD-2 and MT-2. I don't play them often, but they're both really great pedals. Of course, I've had 6 or 7 Boss pedals I've liked all of them. The Waza line kind of ruined me on some of their main line pedals though.


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## Grainslayer

Okay Player said:


> I've got a Waza BD-2 and MT-2. I don't play them often, but they're both really great pedals. Of course, I've had 6 or 7 Boss pedals I've liked all of them. The Waza line kind of ruined me on some of their main line pedals though.


The dm2w was a total impulse buy when I was buying a dd7 from L&M...I guess if my carbon copy ever dies I will have a good analog delay ready to go..🙄


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## Okay Player

Grainslayer said:


> The dm2w was a total impulse buy when I was buying a dd7 from L&M...I guess if my carbon copy ever dies I will have a good analog delay ready to go..🙄


I have a JHS Milkman that I really like and a Way Huge Aqua Puss that i love. Neither are very pedalboard friendly, both have me considering a Waza Delay as the replacement.


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## Ti-Ron

Wink, wink!


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## player99

I bet they eventually replace all their pedals with WAZA's, then stop making the regular Boss pedals, then the regular pedals become valuable.


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## Grainslayer

Ti-Ron said:


> Wink, wink!
> 
> View attachment 336550


So does this mean there are two new Waza pedals coming out?🤔


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## Pewtershmit

Sorry guys, that picture comes from a non BOSS affiliated Instagram account - who has admitted they photoshopped the back pedals.


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## Ti-Ron

Pewtershmit said:


> Sorry guys, that picture comes from a non BOSS affiliated Instagram account - who has admitted they photoshopped the back pedals.


What about the other one? 🤔


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## Grainslayer

Pewtershmit said:


> Sorry guys, that picture comes from a non BOSS affiliated Instagram account - who has admitted they photoshopped the back pedals.


Ya,I read that also...Some people have pointed out that boss releases Waza pedals in pairs (I don’t know if that’s true) and speculate a PN-2w may be on the way.Im actually pretty stoked for a FZ2w.👍
I’ve really been trying to keep my pedal purchases under control but I can see how it would be easy to get carried away..How many is to many?lol


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## Okay Player

player99 said:


> I bet they eventually replace all their pedals with WAZA's, then stop making the regular Boss pedals, then the regular pedals become valuable.


The first run of Boss Waza pedals were made in Taiwan and inspected in Japan. The current models are made in Japan. I have in fact heard people claim the Taiwanese made Waza pedals are superior to the MIJ ones on account of Taiwan being the lineal pedal builder. You can't make this stuff up.


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## chromewaves

__
http://instagr.am/p/CHzhtkqHZxB/

A limited quantity germanium fuzz.


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## mhammer

Germanium fuzzes are, by definition, "limited quantity". Well, until someone decides to start manufacturing germanium devices again.


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## Okay Player

chromewaves said:


> __
> http://instagr.am/p/CHzhtkqHZxB/
> 
> A limited quantity germanium fuzz.


That's such a dick move.


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## Ti-Ron

OMG!!!








Boss confirms an HM-2 Heavy Metal reissue is in the works


The Japanese effects giant wants your input on a Waza Craft version of its highly sought-after distortion pedal




www.guitarworld.com





Chainsaw time!


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## mhammer

One of the drawbacks of the HM-2 is that the "High" control adjusts the level of two different resonant bands at the same time. It would be nice if they unhooked them, so there were 3 separate EQ controls, rather than only 2. That simple change would allow for more sonic flexibility.

As I'm not "on" Facebook, if anyone wants to add that suggested mod to the FB group on my behalf, please do.


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## Ti-Ron

mhammer said:


> One of the drawbacks of the HM-2 is that the "High" control adjusts the level of two different resonant bands at the same time. It would be nice if they unhooked them, so there were 3 separate EQ controls, rather than only 2. That simple change would allow for more sonic flexibility.
> 
> As I'm not "on" Facebook, if anyone wants to add that suggested mod to the FB group on my behalf, please do.



Done and you're credited! 

Here's the suggestion of a really vocal HM2 fan:


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## Ti-Ron

@mhammer you already got a reply:



> Like in the hm3, hi mids and high are on the same pot.


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## mhammer

Thanks, Francois. Much appreciated.

The suggested change from symmetrical to asymmetrical clipping wouldn't do all that much. A more noticeable change would be bypassing the crossover distortion. In the drawing, we see D6 and D7. These germanium diodes prevent the signal from passing until it reaches what is called the "forward voltage" (but we can call it "threshold") of the diodes; roughly +/-300mv. What that does is "clip the sides" of the waveform, while the other diodes clip the top and bottom. My own experience is that crossover distortion sounds good on bridge pickups, and not terrible but not quite as good on neck pickups. Removing those diodes will change the character of the unit, and turn it into a more familiar distortion, perhaps more like a DS-1. So, if a Waza slide switch enabled separate high/mid-high EQ and cancelled D6/D7, the pedal would have two "personalities".

Another possibility, if the switching is too complicated, is to provide a slide switch with 3 settings. In the middle, it's stock. One side position bypasses D6/D7, without changing anything else. The other side position leaves D6/D7 as is, but 
"lifts" D3-4-5, so that the pedal becomes a little more like a DS-1, but with crossover distortion. Nothing changes about the EQ; still 4 knobs, but now 3 "personalities". Mind you, having two of 3 EQ controls "stacked", so that the basic 4-knob profile is maintained, wouldn't hurt. No reason why that could not be in combination with the suggested 3-position Waza switch.

There is a certain group of players that are passionate about having switches that select between these and those diodes. I think that simple change might appeal to them. I have an old HM-2 in the basement. Perhaps I should dig it up and do the mods to verify the usefulness of the suggested "improvements".


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## Grainslayer

Definitely not a pedal I’d be intrested in...Probably a good thing though because I’ve been trying to save so that I can upgrade from my squire strat and have been sidetracked by a few pedals already.lol.


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## Cups

Big reveal on December 1st. They’re saying it’s “the first Waza Fuzz” 
I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ve done. Admittedly, I’m a Boss fan.


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## Okay Player

Cups said:


> Big reveal on December 1st. They’re saying it’s “the first Waza Fuzz”
> I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ve done. Admittedly, I’m a Boss fan.


Interestingly it appears to have chicken head knobs:










In either case, I'm ready to order it assuming the price isn't astronomical.


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## Westhaver

Turns out it is a Tone Bender, I didn't really see that coming. 









BOSS - TB-2W | Tone Bender


TB-2W: Tone Bender - BOSS and Sola Sound Unite to Reimagine the Iconic Tone Bender MK II




www.boss.info


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## mhammer

Well that explains the chicken-head knobs. Availability WILL be limited because nobody makes germanium transistors anymore. There ARE some Ge trannies still available in manufacturer (as opposed to hobbyist or boutique-maker) quantities, although they might require altering values of the surrounding passive components to achieve the same transistor behaviour as in the original. But I suppose if anyone is able to amass the technical know-how to do that, as well as squeeze every possible Ge unit out of the Akihibara, it's going to be Boss.

Interesting that the Waza switch changes the supply voltage. Nice.


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## Okay Player

Spring 2021? Man, 2020 just can't catch a break.


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## mhammer

Browsing through the latest conspiracy scam, over at Guitar World, I noticed this little tidbit at the end of the article: Conspiracy theorists share schematic for “5G chip” they claim is implanted in COVID-19 vaccines – only it's actually for the Boss Metal Zone

"In related news, Boss recently confirmed that a reissue of the lauded HM-2 Heavy Metal is in the works – presumably, in pedal form. "


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## Okay Player

Pewtershmit said:


> I hope you guys like it!


So today Boss posts on Facebook that it's available for order so hurry up and contact your dealer. I just talked to Long and McQuade who gave me a good old fashioned shoulder shrug. Can't even give me a price, lol.


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## KoskineN

There is pre-order at LA Music right now, with a $100 deposit.


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## Westhaver

$349 USD, probably around $475-$500 CAD


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## Okay Player

Westhaver said:


> $349 USD, probably around $475-$500 CAD


300+GBP in the U.K. so I'm not quite sure what the pricing is going to look like in Canada. I'd be in at $350 CND, but at 500 bucks...lol.

EDIT: Just looked at the LA Music site. They're listing it at $499.99. Ooof.


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## zdogma

I like the idea of it, but I'm not sure about $500. It may go up in value, I suppose


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## scotth

Okay Player said:


> So today Boss posts on Facebook that it's available for order so hurry up and contact your dealer. I just talked to Long and McQuade who gave me a good old fashioned shoulder shrug. Can't even give me a price, lol.



I talked to L&M too. They said check back in a few weeks. Yeah right

I got in on the LA Music wait list. #11.


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## Okay Player

scotth said:


> I talked to L&M too. They said check back in a few weeks. Yeah right
> 
> I got in on the LA Music wait list. #11.


They (Boss, not LA Music, I had a great experience with LAM during the summer) lost me at $500. I was all in up to $350, but I just can't justify the money even with a recently topped up GAS fund, lol. But it looks like a wicked little pedal, I really hope you enjoy and can't wait to hear all about it. Don't forget to make a post about it in the Fuzz Pedal thread.


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## Pewtershmit

Okay Player said:


> So today Boss posts on Facebook that it's available for order so hurry up and contact your dealer. I just talked to Long and McQuade who gave me a good old fashioned shoulder shrug. Can't even give me a price, lol.


They have the information now. They are a large company so it may not have travelled down the line by the time you asked. Hope you are able to snag one!


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## Westhaver

I ended up pre-ordering one from the US, its definitely more expensive than I hoped. 

Tone Bender is one of my favorite effects and knowing myself I was likely going to try it at some point anyways, so I'll try it at $349 USD vs. whatever it ends up going for on Reverb later. I did the same with the EQD Black Ash and it turned out to be the right call. 

If I don't like it hopefully I could recoup the cost.


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## Westhaver

For anyone interested I cancelled my US pre-order from Alto Music ordered through Reverb.

I have my name on one at L&M. Happy to support a Canadian business and also avoid any unexpected duties/brokerage, shipping costs and potential delays.


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## Okay Player

Westhaver said:


> For anyone interested I cancelled my US pre-order from Alto Music ordered through Reverb.
> 
> I have my name on one at L&M. Happy to support a Canadian business and also avoid any unexpected duties/brokerage, shipping costs and potential delays.


I was told this last week: 



> I found out from Long n McQuade, that they are getting 25. Your store has to apply for one, and then whatever stores apply, go into a draw, and 25 stores get them.


If that's the case, and it's some sort of draw, I really hope it works out for you.


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## Dorian2

I've been thinking about getting a Fuzz pedal for a while now. Gonna keep my eye on this.


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## mhammer

Dorian2 said:


> I've been thinking about getting a Fuzz pedal for a while now. Gonna keep my eye on this.


It's not really a fuzz. I mean, decent for what it does - I have one - but it's a distortion, not a fuzz.


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## Westhaver

Okay Player said:


> I was told this last week:
> 
> 
> 
> If that's the case, and it's some sort of draw, I really hope it works out for you.


That is exactly what happened. The draw was Monday and the online chat folks confirmed which stores were selected. 

Crazy they are only getting 25 chainwide but hopefully that means there are some at the smaller stores across the country as well.


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## Okay Player

Westhaver said:


> That is exactly what happened. The draw was Monday and the online chat folks confirmed which stores were selected.
> 
> Crazy they are only getting 25 chainwide but hopefully that means there are some at the smaller stores across the country as well.


Did you get one?


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## Westhaver

Okay Player said:


> Did you get one?


Yeah I have a deposit down on one at a store that was selected in the draw. Hopefully it works out!


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## Seance

Dorian2 said:


> I've been thinking about getting a Fuzz pedal for a while now. Gonna keep my eye on this.


There are lots of other options available out there that won't cost $500 Canadian.
I have a Basic Audio Marq Won and it is currently half the cost of the Boss TB-2W.
Of course when I got my Marq Won it was a lot cheaper than $230.


From www.basicaudio.net:
"Based on the Tone Bender MKI. Three-way toggle switch for cutting low end mid circuit which alters compression and how hard the second stage is driven. Hi cut Tone control."










If you're looking for a Tone Bender MK2, then Arcane Analog might have something.



mhammer said:


> It's not really a fuzz. I mean, decent for what it does - I have one - but it's a distortion, not a fuzz.


I think Dorian2 is talking about the Boss TB-2W, which is definitely 100% a fuzz,
since it is based on the Sola Sound Tone Bender.









But you are right about the Boss HM-2. It is not a fuzz.


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## Okay Player




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## Pewtershmit

Okay Player said:


>


This is Gold!


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## mhammer




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## KoskineN




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## mhammer

Seance said:


> There are lots of other options available out there that won't cost $500 Canadian.
> I have a Basic Audio Marq Won and it is currently half the cost of the Boss TB-2W.
> Of course when I got my Marq Won it was a lot cheaper than $230.
> 
> From www.basicaudio.net:
> "Based on the Tone Bender MKI. Three-way toggle switch for cutting low end mid circuit which alters compression and how hard the second stage is driven. Hi cut Tone control."


Basic Audio is John Lyons, who has been a straight shooter and valuable member of the DIY community for years. I have every confidence you'll enjoy the pedal immensely.


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## Seance

mhammer said:


> Basic Audio is John Lyons, who has been a straight shooter and valuable member of the DIY community for years. I have every confidence you'll enjoy the pedal immensely.


So far so good.


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## scotth

Anyone hear anything from the Canadian retailers?

I’m on the “list” at LA Music and Moogaudio. I thought we’d get an update email by now.

Sounds like the Americans have been told to expect a July delivery date


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## Pewtershmit

scotth said:


> Anyone hear anything from the Canadian retailers?
> 
> I’m on the “list” at LA Music and Moogaudio. I thought we’d get an update email by now.
> 
> Sounds like the Americans have been told to expect a July delivery date


There have been many ocean freight delays, and they got held up. I hope to see them before July but once we have an accurate ETA we’ll share it with our dealers right away.


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## scotth

Pewtershmit said:


> There have been many ocean freight delays, and they got held up. I hope to see them before July but once we have an accurate ETA we’ll share it with our dealers right away.



Thanks for the quick response Danny! Any idea how many units are coming to Canada?


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## Pewtershmit

scotth said:


> Thanks for the quick response Danny! Any idea how many units are coming to Canada?


Not officially yet. In hopes of managing expectations, until they land and I can see them with my own eyes will we let everyone know. Not to implicate anything nefarious, none will suddenly disappear when they arrive!


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## LouisFNCyphre




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## scotth




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## KoskineN

So folks in the US have started getting their TB-2w...anyone got theirs here in Canada? Still no update from LA Music on my side...


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## Westhaver

Nothing here yet. Last time I checked with L&M they said they expected to receive them late June.


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## Pewtershmit

We are expecting late June, perhaps early July. Shipping is still problematic and they were delayed leaving port.


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## scotth

I just got my cancellation notice from LA Music. apparently, they got none.

Pretty disappointing.


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## KoskineN

scotth said:


> I just got my cancellation notice from LA Music. apparently, they got none.
> 
> Pretty disappointing.


WHAT????

I just chatted with them, and they told me they were waiting for their rep's update. If it's actually the case, it sucks big time! I guess the States got most of them...


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## Okay Player

KoskineN said:


> WHAT????
> 
> I just chatted with them, and they told me they were waiting for their rep's update. If it's actually the case, it sucks big time! I guess the States got most of them...


I've said it before and I'll say it again, and I say this as a pretty big Boss fan, but I'm really disappointed in what they've done with this pedal.


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## KoskineN

Okay Player said:


> I've said it before and I'll say it again, and I say this as a pretty big Boss fan, but I'm really disappointed in what they've done with this pedal.


I agree with you, but drama always happens with limited gear coming out these days. I guess the online release/sale and the distribution is really the let down here. I have a hard time figuring out how in 2021, big stores and Boss dealers don't know if and how many units they might get...especially from a big company like Boss. They should have put them out on Reverb


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## Pewtershmit

I should clarify, since I'm the one who has to plan releases into the Canadian market. I am only speaking for Canada here. This was a significant personal challenge, as I honestly feel terrible that not everyone who wants one is going to get one. As you know of course, that part is out of our control, since the supply of transistors is finite.

So for Canada we opened preorders with dealers, and conveyed we would let them know how many pedals we would be able to fill when we have an exact number incoming. I know from experience that until it leaves the factory nothing is set in stone. They left a few weeks ago, and dealers in Canada should be getting their allocation very shortly, some already know. Just our luck, our shipment to Canada got delayed, so we are looking like early/mid July for them to land.

The trickiest bit is allocating stock to our dealers - not only do we risk upsetting our customers, we also can upset our dealers. We looked a a variety of factors I won't get into, but we tried to be as fair possible. In Canada we have some of the best BOSS dealers in the world, many of which have been selling BOSS for decades. I strongly feel a small shop that champions BOSS absolutely deserves to get one. The problem of course is that if say a dealer got 1, an owner or employee may buy it before it hits the floor. It's a difficult situation, as usually these people are players too and are usually huge BOSS fans.

There is always something to learn with every new product release, and I apologize for the frustration. Should a limited release like this happen again, I do have a plan that will work a little smoother. If you guys have any ideas, I'm all ears - and appreciative.


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## KoskineN

Thanks for clarification Danny! Is it true though that we got a very small number of units? I would find it weird(and unfair), if we have such great Boss dealers. Anyways, life goes on, it’s just a pedal 😜


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## Pewtershmit

We are receiving less than 100. Definitely way less the demand, but if you consider the population of Canada, we are getting a higher percentage compared to the world. This is what I’m telling myself so I can sleep better at night. 😂 

I think it’s best to stay positive and patient, I think if you want one you’ll eventually find one. I remember when Ibanez came out with the first Paul Gilbert Fireman, still to this day my dream guitar, the Canadian distributor only got ONE.

Also, its totally not the last cool thing we’ll make. I promise!


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## Okay Player

Pewtershmit said:


> If you guys have any ideas, I'm all ears - and appreciative.


Bring back the Hyper Fuzz.


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## KoskineN

Okay Player said:


> Bring back the Hyper Fuzz.


YEESSSSSS!!!!!
(and built a lot of them )


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## KoskineN

Actually, I would prefer a PH-2w(or PH-2rw). I love this phaser very much, and seing a modern version without the volume bump would be cool.


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## Seance

Pewtershmit said:


> Should a limited release like this happen again, I do have a plan that will work a little smoother. If you guys have any ideas, I'm all ears - and appreciative.


"Limited release" will always equate to frustration for some potential consumers.

To my mind it makes no sense for Boss to persist with this paradigm unless 
such "collaborations" come under an entirely different umbrella (sort of like Waza, 
but something more distinctly separate from the Boss label).

"Limited release" is a form of false scarcity that hypes flippers and infuriates consumers.
It comes with the territory. It attracts and turbo charges flipping, and it leads to many who
feel that a product or company that is an integral part of their personality has now somehow
personally betrayed them. (i.e. "I buy this type of musical equipment in _this_ fashion and doing
so says _X _about me as a person.") Some consumers in that circumstance suddenly feel that
the company they "love" has now acted "out of character" and "jilted" them.
This might seem crazy... but that's how some people seem to feel (at least on guitar forums).


I'm sure Boss has continually thought about all of this, but here are my thoughts:

—Some buy specific Boss pedals because they accomplish specific needs. 
The utilitarian aspects of the pedals are comforting and help a person know 
what they're getting into, even with effect styles that they might not be as familiar with. Controls are labeled for what they do. 
There is no fanciful or colourful language to confuse or confound or intoxicate.

—Others buy Boss because it _isn't_ a rarefied "boutique" pedal company (even though 
Boss circuits are the foundation from which "boutique" pedalmakers "tweaked").

—Others never buy Boss because they want a "one-off" or they want to support 
small-scale builders or they want to support a diversity of approaches to music making. 
They might even harbour some nebulous notion of wanting to support "non-corporate" 
music making (even though electricity and the internet are now almost completely 
impossible to acquire without supporting one corporate behemoth or another).

So the "limited release" trend might disrupt the bedrock of what attracts people to Boss.
People want Boss to reissue the gems from the past, but they want availability and quality 
(Waza accomplishes this). If a rarefied thing is sought, then small-scale producers who by 
necessity can only produce a limited stock are more ideally suited to meet that need.

But if Boss wants to proceed with "limited release" pedals, I guess they can look at how 
these are done. For some small pedal builders they allow pre-orders with no money down. 
This requires more paperwork for them, but keeps things at least partially sane. This helps 
with the "one per customer" thing, but there are always ways around that for those who flip.

Or there are the "product drops" which, especially when involving 
Instagram "Fashionable Consumptionists", feed the feeding-frenzy and also risk 
increasing the animus of thwarted consumers to the point where some
feel betrayed if they aren't "chosen" to receive the hot new guitar gizmo.

What many seem to respond to with Boss is the quality of the products mixed with 
widespread availability. The design esthetic is standardized and well-known. The products 
run the gamut from highly useful to innovative. Boss seems to move slowly, but it usually 
moves surely.

Those are my rambling ideas.


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## Pewtershmit

I appreciate all your points. I think what often gets lost is that down to the nitty gritty - big or small company, the desire is always to make cool stuff. It's unfortunate that this one was limited due to parts but I'm certainly glad we did it.

As you've said, part of being a world wide brand is many people have different perceptions of what BOSS means to them. For me, healthy growth and continuation of a brand is to break those molds, while continuing to release more great products that appeal to your established base. Not every product can appeal to everyone, which is why we'll keep making new stuff. It's funny, before TB-2W I would see comments on forums like "BOSS is doing the same old thing, etc"


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## Okay Player

Well this is titillating:



















Boss FZ-1W '60s style silicon fuzz pedal - gearnews.com


A new Boss FZ-1W '60s style silicon fuzz pedal has been leaked and it looks like they used the knowledge learned to make the TB-2W to develop this vintage voiced unit




www.gearnews.com


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## mhammer

Pewtershmit said:


> I appreciate all your points. I think what often gets lost is that down to the nitty gritty - big or small company, the desire is always to make cool stuff. It's unfortunate that this one was limited due to parts but I'm certainly glad we did it.
> 
> As you've said, part of being a world wide brand is many people have different perceptions of what BOSS means to them. For me, healthy growth and continuation of a brand is to break those molds, while continuing to release more great products that appeal to your established base. Not every product can appeal to everyone, which is why we'll keep making new stuff. It's funny, before TB-2W I would see comments on forums like "BOSS is doing the same old thing, etc"


When a small independent "boutique" maker has a limited production run, due to whatever reasons (including reliance on long-out-of-production parts), people understand. But I think they have a much harder time wrapping their head around production limits from a company as huge as Boss. I'm not blaming Boss one little bit. Rather, their omnipresence on pedalboards, videos, and in music stores everywhere (and for good reason) sets up expectations that run counter to the harsh reality of when a product relies on limited supplies of components. Some may recall an episode in EHX history in which Panasonic decided to give preferential treatment to Japanese companies, and Mike Matthews couldn't get delay chips for his most popular pedal at the time: the Memory Man. It just about killed the company. Supply can be limited for many reasons, political, obsolescence, factory fires (e.g., when RAM was in short supply), or merely shipping-container shortages. It happens. That's why I regularly note here that, when a manufacturer considers developing and releasing a product, they always have to consider how many they expect to produce and sell, and the availability and sustainability of the materials used. That's why individual luthiers can use exotic woods that the big manufacturers would never consider using. It's easy to score one good log of an exotic wood, and much harder to have a steady supply for the next few years.

RE: Perceived fairness among dealers. A guy I went to high school with became official photographer of the House of Commons. He had to take pics of visiting foreign dignitaries, but he also had to snap photos of every MP who stood up in the House to make some comment, ask a question, or commemorate some local evel in their riding, for that MP to include in their newsletter to constituents. Woe betide him if he took more pics or made _some_ MPs - and especially MPs from _this_ party rather than_ that_ one - look more photogenic! I'm sure your task is no easier. Customers will be quick to complain to retailers that they saw such-and-such a product is available at THAT outlet/chain, so why not here? And retailers, in turn, will complain to you.

I'm annoyed that I didn't learn the president of Boss/Roland was at NAMM, the summer I was working a booth there. I've been adapting all my Boss and similar pedals for remote switching, via installation of a 1/8" phone jack, and would have leapt at the chance to advocate for it to the head honcho. Such a simple change that lets you stick the pedal anywhere you want and actuate it with a secondary momentary switch in a more convenient location...or ignore the remote switching and use it as normal.


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