Boss Flanger's - A quick rundown
What is a flanger tone? A flanger tone is an audio effect that creates a unique and swirling sound by combining two identical signals. It is achieved by delaying one of the signals slightly and continuously modulating the delay time. This modulation creates a sweeping effect where certain frequencies are emphasized and others are attenuated, resulting in a distinct "whooshing" or "jet plane-like" sound.
Chances are your favourite band / guitar player has or still uses a Flanger effects pedal – Billie Joe – Green Day, Steve Vai, Robert Smith – The Cure, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Demmel, Tom Delonge – Blink 182, Pat Smear – Foo Fighters and many more.
Brief history of the Boss Flanger pedals
With the popularity of the EHX Mistress Flanger/Filter Matrix, came the production of the Boss BF-1 (1976). Designed with four controls: Manual – which adjusted the delay time of the effect. Depth – controls the intensity / depth of the effect. Rate – which sets the speed of the modulation. Res (resonance) – changes the feedback / resonance of the effect (for a stronger effect).
The BF-1 became known for its lush, rich flanging tones, which produce a variety of sounds ranging from swirling jet-like sweeps to subtle warbles. Quickly becoming a must have on their pedalboards with artists which include Andy Summers (The Police), David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) and Eddie Van Halen.
In line with the progression and popularity of the new compact pedal design Boss release the BF-2 Flanger in June 1980. Featuring the same four controls as the BF-1, nothing else changed with the release of the BF-2.
The earlier versions of the BF-2 had all black knobs, later to change to the white top knobs in 1990 which is close to the production change from Japan to Taiwan.
In 1985, Boss release the HF-2 Hi-Band Flanger. Combing the original signal and a delayed signal which is moved up one octave to create a flanging effect, similar to the BF-2 but brighter and cleaner. The production of the HF-2 came to an end in 1995.
Coming off the popularity of the BF-2, Boss decided to release the BF-2B Bass Flanger in February 1987 which is specially designed for bass players. The circuit was modified to respond optimally for the lower frequencies. The BF-2B keeps the tone of the bass clear while only adding the effect to the harmonics within the tonal spectrum. The BF-2B production came to an end in late 1994.
After a successful 20+ years with the BF-2, its replacement was released in February 2002, the Boss BF-3 Flanger. Bringing with it some new changes. It now utilizes digital electronics, with previous Boss flanger models they used BBD analogue circuits. Also featuring 2 new modes: Ultra and Gate/Pan, giving the BF-3 some new sounds that weren’t achievable in previous Boss flanger pedals. Some new features include Tap Tempo with can be adjusted via an external foot pedal, both Guitar and Bass inputs, stereo outputs and momentary mode which turns the flanging effect on instantly. This is still the current model that you can purchase today. The Boss BF-3 is Definitely worth checking out and adding one to your pedalboard, so pop into Maxx Music store and check one out today.
