Boss ME-70 Review

With its wide range of effects and the onboard preamp, the Boss ME-70 is a Swiss Army knife of effects pedals. It's both affordable and practical.

Multi-Effects units are a mixed bag. While they're incredibly convenient, they're also often an exercise in compromise. You may have a unit with great distortion and delay sounds but a poor chorus, for example. Still, when you've got a club gig where the stage space is limited or you have to travel with your gear, a multi-effects board can be a real godsend. Fortunately, the Boss ME-70 is one option where you get great effects without a lot of compromise.

The ME-70 sits in-between the Boss GT-10 and the ME-20, offering a wide range of compression, overdrive, distortion, modulation, and delay tones. Though you might not need it, a preamp is included as well (useful for a backup perhaps or to supplement your amp's clean channel). You also get reverb and a rocker pedal that provides volume, wah, and harmonizing functions. You can arrange the sounds into 72 presets should you wish, or you can use the effects in a "live" mode, applying them as needed.

Of course, the bottom line is the sound. And make no mistake about it. The Boss ME-70 sounds great, assuming you like the "Boss" sound. If you've owned any of the Boss pedals that the ME-70 includes, you'll immediately recognize the DS-1 distortion tone, the BD-2 overdrive, and the CS-3 compression. This isn't a criticism exactly. Boss pedals sound great! But if you're into the latest boutique overdrive or have to have a chorus pedal that sounds like you spent $700 on it, this isn't your pedal. The sounds are generically "Boss," but is that such a bad thing?

Personally, I think it's a great piece of gear to own even if you have some great pedals and a huge pedalboard. Sometimes, simpler is better, and the Boss ME-70 delivers. With its wide range of effects and the onboard preamp, the Boss ME-70 is a Swiss Army knife of effects pedals. It's both affordable and practical. Find a new or used Boss ME-70 for sale with our affiliate partner eBay below!