Compact Powerhouses: Boss GX-1 & GX-1B Effects Processors
At Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center, we’re always excited when new gear hits that rare balance of great sound, smart design, and real affordability. In our latest in-house demo, Matt from Chuck Levin’s took a close look at the brand-new Boss GX-1 guitar effects processor and GX-1B bass effects processor—two compact modelers that deliver serious tone at a price point that’s hard to ignore.
Both units come in at just under $230, making them some of the most accessible multi-effects processors in the Boss lineup, while still borrowing sounds and technology from Boss’s higher-end offerings.
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Boss GX-1: Versatile Guitar Tones Made Simple
The GX-1 is the guitar-focused model, and it immediately impresses with a wide range of usable, familiar tones right out of the box. Matt demoed the unit using a brand-new Ibanez RG in the Twilight Shade finish, highlighting how well the GX-1 pairs with affordable, modern instruments.
Notable Guitar Presets
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Brown Lead – A high-gain American-style amp tone with lots of saturation and sustain.
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Jazz Chorus – A pristine clean sound modeled after the iconic JC-120, made possible since Boss and Roland are part of the same family.
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Crunch & Rock Presets – Middle-of-the-road gain tones perfect for classic and modern rock.
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Gov Stack Low – Inspired by a legendary British overdrive pedal associated with decades of rock music.
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R Fire Metal – A modern metal preset based on a famous American amp with a steel faceplate.
One of the GX-1’s standout design features is its hexagonal LED buttons, which clearly show which effects are active in any preset. Each color corresponds to a specific effect type—overdrive, amp, reverb, modulation, and more. You can toggle effects on and off instantly, or hold a button to dive deeper into editing.
Matt demonstrated how easy it is to:
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Turn on a boost
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Adjust overdrive settings
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Modify amp EQ and gain
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Navigate parameters using simple up/down controls
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Save presets with a quick button combination
Despite its compact size, the GX-1 allows for meaningful tone shaping when you want it.
Built-In Tuner
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Activated by lowering the volume pedal
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Visual hex indicators show pitch accuracy
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Solid green with yellow sides indicates perfect tuning
It’s fast, intuitive, and easy to read—great for live use.
Boss GX-1B: A Dedicated Solution for Bass Players
Bass-focused multi-effects processors are surprisingly rare, which makes the GX-1B especially exciting. Rather than being a guitar unit with bass presets added as an afterthought, the GX-1B is designed specifically for bass.
Matt demoed the GX-1B using a new 5-string Ibanez bass, showing off a wide range of tones and playing styles.
Standout Bass Presets
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Scoop Slap – Tight lows, crisp highs, and a modern slap-friendly EQ curve
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King of Rock – A slightly broken-up bass amp tone that works great with a pick
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GENT CORE – Aggressive, saturated distortion with plenty of top-end bite
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Slow Synth – A creative preset where a single footswitch controls multiple effects at once, such as compression, synth textures, and touch wah
The ability to assign multiple effects to a single footswitch makes the GX-1B especially powerful for live bass players who want expressive sounds without tap dancing.
Connectivity & Practical Design
To keep the price accessible, Boss focused on essentials rather than extras:
Inputs & Outputs
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Mono instrument input
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Left and right ¼" outputs (no XLR)
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⅛" headphone output
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Expression pedal input
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USB-C for connecting to the editor app
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Standard power input
There’s no touchscreen—just a compact display with knobs and buttons. This means deeper edits require some menu navigation, but that trade-off is part of what keeps the GX-1 and GX-1B so affordable.
Who Are These For?
The Boss GX-1 and GX-1B are ideal for:
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Guitarists and bassists on a budget
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Players building compact pedalboards
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Home recording setups
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Gigging musicians who need reliable presets and good tone without extra complexity
If you don’t need every advanced feature found in flagship modelers, these units deliver exactly what most players actually need.
Final Thoughts
The Boss GX-1 and GX-1B prove that you don’t have to spend big money to get great-sounding, flexible effects. They’re small, well-designed, easy to use, and genuinely affordable—and for many players, that’s the perfect combination.
Thanks for checking out this overview of the Boss GX-1 and GX-1B guitar and bass effects processors. Be sure to follow Chuck Levin’s for more gear demos covering guitars, basses, drums, keyboards, and everything in between. 🎸🎶