In this review of the Boss SY-1 bass synth, we’re going to be discussing the pedals features, tone and performance to find out what makes this bass synth pedal one of the most highly regarded on the market.
Boss SY-1 Review
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The Boss SY-1 is the long-awaited guitar synth pedal from the guitar community! It not only tracks exceptionally well, but it also includes a variety of synth sounds that you can easily access and create with your guitar. Lets take a more in depth look at the features and performance of this pedal.
Features and controls
Lets start with some of the key features of the SY-1 synth. The ‘variation’ control knob on the pedal allows you to access a variety of sounds, including brass, pad, synth lead, and bell sounds. While this pedal can be used by both guitarists and bassists, the ‘type’ knob can be set to bass. Accessing this mode is where bassists will get the most out of the SY-1.
While BOSS has previously released a synth pedal, the SY-300, this offering is housed in a compact BOSS-style stompbox that is easy to use on stage and compatible with pedal boards. The ‘effect’ control lets you adjust how much of the dry signal you want to blend in with the pedal’s sound. This is a great feature because it allows you to keep the natural sound of your bass while adding synth undertones.
With the Tone/Rate and Depth knobs, you can access 121 different sounds, 11 types and 11 variations, that can be easily switched between and tweaked to your liking. Another important feature is that the SY-1 is latency-free, which means that your bass will track without delay. Additional live functionality can be added with the addition of an external expression pedal.
Tone and Performance
First thing to not with the sounds of this synth pedal is the amount of sounds available including brass, pad, synth lead and bell sounds just to name a few. Whilst the synth tones that this pedal provides sound delightful on their own, the magic happens when you combine the SY-1 with other pedals on your board. As previously mentioned, this pedal can work for both guitar and bass, however, for the best bass tone you can simply set the pedal to ‘bass’ and let it do its work.
When talking about synth pedals, one key issue is how well the pedal tracks. The SY-1 passes this test with flying colours as it tracks really well in all modes and settings. Another cool performance hack for this pedal is the hold function which allows to sustain the previous sound you created and play over it.
The Boss SY-1 is a fantastic synth for bass guitar that will appeal to anyone who prefers analogue synth tones. Anyone who enjoys BOSS pedals will want to add this to their collection, and for the price, it’s an excellent value for money. We also believe that any beginner will find the SY-1 to be simple to use, making it a great all-around option and, unsurprisingly, our top pick as the best bass synth pedal on the market today.
Customer Review Rating
The Boss SY-1 bass synth has a rating of 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
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This pedal features on our bass synth pedals guide.