Celebrate 50 Years of BOSS Guitar Tone At CME!

Founded as an offshoot of its parent company, Roland Corporation, BOSS has pioneered the development of unique and innovative gear for guitar and bass players of all styles since 1973.

Now, in celebration of the company’s 50th Anniversary, BOSS has unveiled three limited-edition stomp boxes: DS-1-B50A Distortion, SD-1-B50A Super OverDrive, and BD-2-B50A Blues Driver.

A Half-Century of BOSS

From heavy distortion to subtle crunch, BOSS compact pedals have remained the go-to for gain pedals for nearly 50 years. Renowned for their sound, rugged durability, and unique practical design, BOSS first launched the iconic compact series in 1977—and, since then, it’s been hard to find an experienced guitarist who hasn’t used one or more BOSS pedals at some point throughout their playing career.

Appearing in exclusive livery with a dedicated 4-digit serial number and bespoke packaging, each limited-edition pedal features the same beloved circuitry as its standard production counterpart but sports a metallic finish, silver thumb screw, gold-capped knobs, and a commemorative 50th-anniversary emblem. These collectible versions will be available in strictly limited numbers of no more than 7,000 units worldwide for each model.

DS-1-B50A Distortion

The iconic compact pedal design was unveiled in 1977, and BOSS released the multimillion-selling DS-1 Distortion the following year to wide acclaim. Prized for its edgy attack and smooth sustain, this classic stompbox can be heard on countless hit records.

SD-1-B50A Super OverDrive

Following on the heels of the game-changing OD-1 OverDrive released in 1977, BOSS released the SD-1 Super OverDrive, which features the added benefit of a tone control, in 1981. This workhorse gain machine has remained in production ever since, continuously gracing the pedalboards of beginners and pros worldwide.

BD-2-B50A Blues Driver

For those guitarists seeking a delicate, nuanced tone that allows a player’s technique to shine through, it’s hard to beat the popular BD-2 Blues Driver. Introduced in 1995, this acclaimed drive pedal is revered for its broad palette of sounds, touch sensitivity, and articulate, tube amp-like response.

Call CME, chat us online, or stop into our showroom today to shop BOSS 50th Anniversary pedals!

SHOP BOSS GEAR

Related Posts

Marshall Effect Pedal Reissues

Marshall not only has a storied history of amplifying the players that shaped rock music worldwide, they also have a prestigious heritage of reimagining their amplifiers as pedals, bringing “big back box” sounds to the masses! With these four reissued stompboxes—now available for pre-order at Chicago Music Exchange—you can tap into some of the most iconic distorted sounds in history, and shape the sounds of music for generations to come. Be among the first to get your hands on these revived classics!

Read more

Aguilar V2 Bass Pedals

Sporting a brand new look, but delivering the same great tones you know and love, Aguilar Amplifiers has revamped its lineup of bass effects pedals to offer musicians the new Aguilar V2 bass pedal series—now available in Chicago Music Exchange's BASSment!

Read more

Introducing | CME Exclusive Pacific Peach

The Chicago Music Exchange is proud to unveil its first original colorway, Pacific Peach, designed in collaboration with the legendary electric guitar brand and available now on the Fender Player Series. Now available in accessory products! Shop your Kyser capo in Pacific Peach today!

Read more