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Boss ES-5 Effects Switching System

Programmable Effects Switching System with 5 Loops, 200 Patch Memories, Customizable Functions, Switchable Buffers, LCD/LED Displays, and Analog Circuit Design
7 Write review Item ID: ES5
$479.99

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BOSS's Pedalboard-friendly Switching System

The BOSS ES-5 is a pedalboard-friendly effects switching system that provides you with a host of often-requested features and functions. You have access to five loops, allowing you to craft elaborate effects chains. The ES-5's onboard memory allows you to store 200 patches that can be recalled with a tap of your toe. All of the switcher's functions can be customized. And it utilizes an analog circuit to keep your tone clean and pure. The BOSS ES-5 effects switching system is going to become very popular here at Sweetwater.

BOSS ES-5 Effects Switching System Features at a Glance:
  • 5 loops for flexible routing
  • 200 instantly recallable patch memories
  • Onboard memory stores external control parameters
  • Completely customizable pedal function
  • Buffers can be switched on/off individually
  • Highly reliable footswitches with switch-noise mute capability
  • LCD and 7-segment LED display show detailed information
  • 100% analog circuit protects your pure tone
The BOSS ES-5 effects switching system takes the tap dancing out of your performance.

Additional Media

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Tech Specs

  • Number of Footswitch Buttons: 5
  • Inputs: 1 x 1/4" (instrument), 1 x 1/4" (tuner)
  • Outputs: 1 x 1/4" (main out)
  • Effects Loop: 5 x Effects Loops
  • MIDI I/O: In, Out/Thru
  • Other I/O: 2 x 1/4" TRS (external control), 1 x 1/4" TRS (expression/control)
  • Height: 2.68"
  • Width: 13.31"
  • Depth: 3.87"
  • Weight: 2.87 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: ES-5

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Customer Reviews

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Game changer

Pretty much a necessity on a busy pedalboard. The options and abilities are immense.
Worth the price tag.
by Jeff from Colorado on

More impressive than its capability is its usability

I have owned musical devices in the past that have left me feeling...well... exasperated. I once had a Digitech multi-effects processor and I could never figure out how do anything other than use the factory presets. So frustrating.... The instructions might as well have been in Greek.

Not so, the Boss ES-5. While I confess I probably don't know how to do 20% of what this switcher can do, I can already do virtually everything I know that I want to do on it, and it was actually fairly simple to understand.

The most amazing thing about this switcher is the ideas it has given me, things I now want to do that I didn't even comprehend before I had it.

I have heard people say that the buffers on the ES-5 (and ES-8) are so-so. I am not sure what that means for me yet. Also, while the ES-5 has 200 available presets, its big brother, the ES-8 has 800, as well as 8 loops versus 5.

However, don't let 5 loops vs 8 loops fool you. It's not so black and white. For instance, suppose I have four pedals, none of which are overdrive, and they currently take up four of my five loops. Then suppose I win the lottery get a Strymon Riverside AND a Strymon Sunset, as well as a Boss OD 200. Well, I only have one available loop left. What to do?

Well, because those pedals are all MIDI controllable, I could decide to make my remaining loop a general overdrive loop with all three pedals wired into that one loop. If I have a preset where I want JUST the Riverside, I could turn off/bypass the other two OD pedals with MIDI commands (in that preset). The same holds true for any preset. I can target the OD pedal I want by bypassing the other two. It's a wee bit extra programming, but I'm just describing this to say that you CAN have more than 5 pedals available in your presets, if you leverage MIDI.

Looking forward to my new MIDI-enabled pedals to get here. Let the fun begin.
by JM from Romeo, MI on
Music background: Weekend Warrior/Barn Jammer

Best deal on a switcher

These units are exactly what is needed without the high price of profession touring rigs. The ES-5 which I have does all you need. Switch pedals, switch channels on amps, control MIDI you name it. The multiple ways to route the signal path is great too, series, parallel, you name it. Best accessory I ever bought.
by David from KS on

Perfect Organizer

Wow, i use this switching system to run a relatively small pedal board. So nice to be able to kick in 3 effects at a time for leads with one switch! There is a small learning curve but its super easy to use depending on how complicated you want to make. it will really expand your sound while making things easier too - no more tap dancing around on stage! Once you use it you won't be able to go back! Highly recommend!
by PBZ from Northern VA on
Music background: Gigging Musician

Boss Nailed It!!

If you are a working guitarist who wants to stick with all analog gear like me... a multi-channel tube amp with FX loop and a pedal board you wouldn't dream of parting with... this controller will make your gigs a snap.

You want any pedal combination in your signal chain switched on (or off), with channel switching in one stomp? Done. How about changing your signal path order? No problem. Put some pedals in your effects loop and others in front of the amp? Yep. Want to recall a delay program from your Strymon's MIDI port? Sure thing! Want to set up a "lead" patch that will also give you a +6db boost? Check!

Look at it this way... you can have most of the capabilities offered in a digital multi-fx pedal for your analog rig. I've used this pedal on a few gigs now and it's made my life so much easier!!! With 20 patches that do everything from cleans to heavy overdrive with or without delay, reverb, chorus, and channel changes all happening with just one stomp, I am a very happy guitarist!

On top of that it's easy to program, easy to understand its layout. 5 Banks, 8 Groups in each Bank. Took me a couple of hours to come up with 20 patches that covered everything I needed for gigs (4 groups of 5 presets in one bank) and I have more than enough memory left for different setups. For example, I will set up a different Bank for using my pedal board with a single channel, no FX loop amp.

And if that weren't enough, Sweetwater hooked me up with with super fast delivery that had me gigging with this within a week of ordering it!!

My only complaint is, there aren't enough switches on the unit to dedicate to both, Bank and Group switching. So I opted to program the top 2 switches (Bank & Mute) to function as Group Up/Down, since that gives me 40 foot switchable patches in one Bank. That's all I really need since I'm separating my Banks by rig setup and 40 is more than enough for one rig. But, I can use an external footswitch for Bank Up/Down if I want, and actually plan on building such a switch myself. And given the ES-5's relatively small footprint on my board, it's not a major problem for me at all.

So if you're considering this... just get it, you'll be very glad you did!!
by Paul from Croton On Hudson, NY on
See also: footswitch pedals, Boss, Boss Footswitch & Selector Pedals
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