BOSS Expands the GX Series with New Multi-Effects Processors

GX is the latest addition to the comprehensive BOSS range of multi-effects processors, offering extreme flexibility with intuitive control for guitarists and bassists alike.

When the first BOSS pedal appeared in 1976, followed a year later by the industry-standard BOSS compact pedals, a new era began in the world of guitar effects. Since then, BOSS has remained at the forefront, introducing numerous world-first effects such as the first overdrive, the first pedal-format digital delay, and the first Loop Station, chorus, or digital reverb compact pedals. For decades, BOSS has been a pioneering force, defined not only by revolutionary design but also by legendary rugged reliability. In short: when it comes to guitar effects, the BOSS name is simply unavoidable.

From pedalboard challenges to all-in-one solutions

As guitar music has evolved, and more genres and subgenres have defined themselves by the tonal characteristics of different effects and amplifiers. Alongside this, the range of effects grew massively. If you’ve ever tried to put together a pedalboard, you know how quickly chaos can set in: distortions, delays, modulation pedals, power supplies, noise… and the list goes on. It’s no surprise that the demand for multi-effects emerged — pedals that have everything built in, allowing you to switch between effects with ease, or even stack them together. One pedal, countless possibilities — multi-effects are an incredibly practical solution. What’s more, thanks to the incredible advances in processor speed and technology over recent decades, today’s multi-effects are far more sophisticated and can deliver an outstanding playing experience — which explains their popularity.

BOSS offers three distinct and unique multi-effects pedal series: GT, GX and ME. All current models in these families share a key feature: thanks to A.I.R.D. technology and 32-bit floating-point processing, they deliver the industry’s lowest latency — meaning the time between striking a guitar string and hearing the processed sound is less than one millisecond. The result? A superb playing feel.

Every current BOSS multi-effect also supports IR (Impulse Response) compatibility, freely assignable footswitches, a built-in looper, USB audio interface, and comes with a free editor app/software.

Each series is built around different core functions and serves a unique purpose in the world of multi-effects pedals.

The ME Series is designed for fast, simple, stompbox-style operation, with panel-mounted controls that let you tweak your sound instantly. It’s perfect for players who don’t want to dive into menus but still need the versatility of multi-effects.
The GT Series represents the top tier, featuring 96kHz signal processing, highly complex effect routing options, and extensive I/O and control capabilities.
The GX Series, on the other hand, takes a creative, flexible and modern approach —and we’ll take a closer look at what that means next.

GX-100

In 2022, BOSS introduced the first model in the GX Series — the GX-100. Its standout features include easy operation thanks to the colour touchscreen, an incredibly diverse range of effects, superb playing feel delivered by AIRD technology combined with a 32-bit floating-point processor, and a completely customisable effects chain.

This last feature is a real advantage for players who love to experiment, as you decide exactly which effects — up to 15 blocks — are included in a preset. You can combine multiple types of the same effect, such as four or five different overdrives, several delays, or even multiple amp models, arranged in series or parallel. Plus, the order of effects can be freely changed.

The GX-100’s eight footswitches and built-in expression pedal can be creatively assigned and customised via the Assign Matrix to suit your needs. Additional features include USB and MIDI connectivity, optional Bluetooth control via a BT-DUAL adapter, a Send/Return effects loop, and the ability to connect extra external pedals — making this multi-effect unit incredibly versatile.

GX-10

The GX-10 shares the same engine as the GX-100, making the two units fully compatible. It features the same colour touchscreen, with the only difference being its more compact size. Its main advantages are excellent portability and easy integration into a pedalboard. Although it has fewer footswitches than its bigger sibling, its performance, versatility, the number of built-in effects and amp models, and their configurability are identical to the GX-100. This means you’re getting a truly professional multi-effect at a great price and in a space-saving format.

Both the GX-100 and GX-10 are also recommended for bass players, as they include a wide range of dedicated bass effects and amp models.

GX-1 and GX-1B

The latest additions to the GX Series are the GX-1 and GX-1B. Here, separate models are available for guitarists and bassists, offering a cost-effective solution. The GX-1 and GX-1B are rugged, super portable, and incredibly easy to use. They’re the perfect grab-and-go gear, delivering professional sound quality for everyone — from beginners to pro players. Packed with authentic amp and effect algorithms, a high-resolution display, and intuitive controls, they’re ideal companions for practice, recording, or live performance.

The processing power and AIRD technology are the same as in the larger GX models, meaning there’s no compromise on sound quality and play feel. The GX-1 offers 23 amps models and 140 different effects, while the GX-1B provides 16 bass amps and 130 effects to shape your own tones. You can use up to eight effect blocks simultaneously, with complete freedom to change their order — allowing for highly complex sounds.

Creating tones is incredibly simple thanks to the high-resolution colour display and three intuitive controls. Plus, by holding down the coloured octagonal button for any effect block, you instantly jump to its dedicated edit screen. Adding even more convenience is the brand-new Gear Suite feature, which lets you instantly load pro-level sounds into any effect or amp block. These Gear Suite settings can also be edited and saved as your own custom tones, ready to recall in any preset later. This is especially practical for your favourite amp sounds — imagine having a clean, a crunch, a high-gain, and a lead tone saved, ready to use across all your presets.

The functions of the onboard pedals are completely freely assignable. Within a single memory, you can assign up to eight different parameters simultaneously to the built-in pedals, as well as to external wired or wireless pedals.

One of the biggest advantages of the GX-1 and GX-1B is portability. Despite the rugged metal top panel, it weighs just 1.2 kg, and in addition to the optional PSA adapter, the unit can be powered by four AA batteries or even via USB-C — so you can use it anywhere, anytime.

What’s more, the GX-1 can make practice, recording, or jamming truly creative. With built-in Bluetooth®, you can stream music wirelessly, making it easy to play along with your favourite tracks or improvise. If you want to capture your ideas, the USB-C connection offers a simple and fast solution for direct recording and audio transfer — perfect for your home studio or creative work on the go.

And that’s just the beginning. In the free iOS/Android app for the GX-1/GX-1B, alongside the usual editing options, you’ll find a Session tab packed with interactive practice tools. Here, you can paste the YouTube URL of your favourite songs or backing tracks and place markers within the track during playback, assigning specific tones from the GX-1 to each marker. Thanks to this feature, your preferred sound will automatically switch at the points you’ve set, so all you need to do is enjoy playing your instrument!

The GX Series is designed to help you unlock your creative potential, and community-driven tools like BOSS Tone Exchange offer a fantastic way to discover new sounds and innovative ways to use your pedal. YouTube is also an excellent source of GX inspiration. Channels such as The Studio Rats and artists like Alex Hutchings and Tom Quayle have produced brilliantly informative videos that dive deep into what the GX can do.

Photo credit: BOSS archive