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BOSS

Boss SY-1 Guitar Synthesizer Pedal

    • Based on 603 reviews
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Style: Guitar/Bass


Features

  • Polyphonic Synthesizer Effects Pedal f Guitar Bass
  • Expression/Switch Input
  • With Send/Return Loop
  • Hold function for playing normal guitar over sustained synth voices

Description

Boss SY-1 Guitar Synthesizer Pedal

Brand: BOSS


Style: Guitar/Bass


Color: Blue


Item Weight: 1.2 Pounds


Voltage: 9 Volts


Item Weight: 1.2 pounds


Product Dimensions: 6 x 3.75 x 2.65 inches


Item model number: SY-1


Batteries: 1 9V batteries required. (included)


Date First Available: July 10, 2019


Color Name: Blue


Signal Format: Analog


Battery type: Alkaline


Power Source: Corded Electric


Voltage: 9 Volts


Frequently asked questions

The BOSS SY-1 is a bass synthesizer guitar pedal that offers a wide range of synth sounds, from leads, basses, and pads to arpeggiated sequences. It has 121 total sounds divided between lead, pad, bass, sounds effects, strings, and organ categories. It's highly versatile and offers two optional modes for inserting synth sounds into your normal playing.

Yes, the BOSS SY-1 is designed to work seamlessly with the frequency range of a standard bass guitar. While it offers various synthesized effects, it effectively considers the unique frequency range of a bass guitar, ensuring the produced sounds are always clear and musical.

The BOSS SY-1 is designed for easy plug-and-play use. The pedal features simple, intuitive controls for Variation, Tone and Depth, enabling a player to quickly dial in preferred synth sounds. Its usability does not require any background in music technology, making it user-friendly for even the novices.

Absolutely! The BOSS SY-1 has been designed with live performance in mind. Its latency-free performance ensures instant sound tracking, meaning the synth sounds will play exactly when you strike a string. Moreover, the SY-1 offers separate send/return insert functionality for blending the synth with your normal bass tone, providing a highly balanced and unique output during live performances.

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🚀 Abunda's Overview

This is our summary and key points to consider based on customer reviews.

The BOSS SY-1 Synthesizer pedal is seen as an advanced and compact piece of technology that offers enjoyable synthesizer effects for guitars and bass. Many users appreciate the product's quick note tracking, and some found it fun to experiment with. However, some noted the pedal's lack of control over sound shaping and its limited types of sounds. A few users also have experienced occasional note tracking issues.

Pros

  • 🎛 Fast and accurate note tracking
  • 🎶 Operates polyphonically, allowing users to add complexity to their sounds
  • 🔌 Compact and familiar BOSS pedal design
  • 🎸 Transforms sound from your guitar or bass, enhancing musical possibilities

Cons

  • ⚖ Limited control over sound shaping and types of sounds offered
  • 🔊 Some users reported occasional fading in and out of tracking
  • ☠ Pedal does not have MIDI and no preset options
  • 🚀 Can be difficult to adjust settings during live performances

Should I Buy It?

If you are interested in significantly expanding your musical range with your guitar or bass and are willing to navigate some quirks and limitations, the BOSS SY-1 Synthesizer pedal could be a fun and unique addition to your setup. Just be prepared for a learning curve and potential limitations in live performance settings.

    • If you're on the fence, give it a try, it's a fantastic value!
Style: Guitar/Bass
I can play keys okayish, but I'm mainly a guitarist and bassist. I use synth and guitar on a lot of the music I do, and I've always wanted a simple solution to switch between synth tones and guitar. I've tried several types guitar synths, and none of them have had a good combination of versatility, tone, and easy of use. This pedal does close everything I'd need it to and it's small and compact. Sure, some of the sounds are more convincing/all around better than others, but in the mix, it barely matters. Additionally, the ability to use it inline with other effects so easily smooths over a lot of the minor deficiencies you might find. Also, I'd say it's better for bass than guitar, but great for both. You can get some great classic synth bass sounds out it with relative ease. The worst thing about it is it has so many sounds and so much versatility that you might need to develop some way to mark down what you're doing to get the tones and sounds you like the most! Definite give it a shot, especially if you're a bassist in a band that needs some occasional synth bass sounds! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024 by chilaquiles
    • A great addition to a solo or man band
Style: Guitar/Bass
I have men using EHX “9” series pedals to create Live Loops for my one man band gigs. I thought they were great until I tried this SY-1 to cut down on pedalboard real estate. I have already found some very useable sounds. The bass sounds are great as are the organ and “bell” sounds. I have not yet found a string or pad that works in my set’s but I have only scratched the surface. The one thing this does not do that the Bass 9 does is have a split patch so I can comp and play live bass. That’s a drag sometimes but for making loops in the fly it just means I can’t play bass and shorts simultaneously. For what is does without a divided PU, it’s spectacular. I use this with Nylon String Guitar. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2024 by Just Me
    • INSTANT GRATIFICATION!
Style: Guitar/Bass
The Boss SY-1 is absolutely fantastic – as long as you like at least some of the 121 presets. Just plug it in and get playing! It takes five seconds to learn how to scroll through the sounds, and maybe two minutes to learn what the parameter dials do. Here’s what you need to know, right out of the box: Effect, the smaller knob on the left, is the volume for the synth signal – turn it down if the synth effect is too loud. Direct, the larger knob on the left, is the volume for the source signal (your guitar, or whatever). Use these two together as your mixer. Most of these sounds are too 80’s synth-y for me, and there are some in the SFX and SEQ sets that I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. That’s perfectly OK though, because there are at least twenty voices that I really like – Bell 7, plus reverb and chorus from my pedalboard, is my favorite voice for chords. There’s really nothing to dislike about the SY-1 (unless you dislike the sounds). What it doesn’t do – and why I’ll probably upgrade to the SY-200 – is save your settings. Switching sounds means changing parameters, most of the time. For the price though, you won’t do any better. It’s a Boss, which means as long as you don’t drive over it with a truck or drop it from the Eiffel Tower, it’ll last forever. Update: I upgraded to the SY-200, and whoa Nelly it's worth the extra hundred bucks. Fifty more voices, including decent rotary organ voices (better than the SY-1), and the ability to save your presets. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024 by NomDePlume
    • Fun pedal to have on the board.
Style: Guitar/Bass
It has a couple effects that I probably won’t use much, but it’s a great pedal on my board. I have my SY-1 feeding into the Boss SL-2 Slicer feeding into a Boss PS-6 Harmonist into a Boss DD-8 Digital Delay into the Boss RV-6 Reverb. The sound is magical with tons of room for creating your own unique sounds. Since the pedals I listed above are all modulation pedals, they will sound best through the effects loop on your amplifier (if it is so equipped). The SY-1 also pairs well with other instruments, my violin sounds great through it and so does my Les Paul using a violin bow to play it. Keyboards sound great, ukulele’s, mandolins and bass guitar are all instruments the SY-1 can substantially enhance. In summary, fun pedal, built to Boss’s standards that can enhance your church playing or send you to freakyville. Very versatile pedal, highly recommended. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2023 by Patrick W.

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