Boss AB-2 2-way Selector Pedal Reviews
The BOSS AB-2 is a 2-way selector that makes changing inputs or outputs easy. One stomp is all it takes to instantly switch between two guitars or effects setups, change amplifiers, or switch between an amp and tuner. Rock-solid BOSS construction ensures the AB-2 will stand the test of time.
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Highest Rated Reviews
Works as intended
Batteries last forever if you don't leave the light on.lol. And of course Sweetwater's support system is just awesome.
BOSS AB-2
Ruggedly built pedal.
LED indicators are bright an easy to see.
Stomp switch is large, making easy to operate
I'm using it to switch channels on my amp & does the
job perfectly.
Takes up very little real estate on my board.
I recommend it highly!
AB-2
Just a note to tell how how pleased I am with my new Boss AB-2. I perfectly allows me to connect both my Pedulla fretless Rapture Bass and my Pedulla ET5 Thunderbass to my effects pedal. That way I can change bases quickly during a song set.
Thanks to everyone at Sweetwater. Your service is fantastic. In the event you are reading this review and are considering Sweetwater for your gear purchases, look no further. Sweetwater will go the extra mile to make sure you are completely satisfied with you purchases.
Real nice piece
Very nicely built. Good snug jacks, wide stable platform, good bright indicator lights, no hum and zero effect on signal,very important to me. Very light click heard when switching with an all tube amp. Can't hear at all when playing. Great value.
The a-b switch I always dreamed of
There"s not a whole lot to say besides you can use this switch in either direction (2 guitars to 1 amp or vice versa) and it works! I"ve tried others and not been so lucky... it"s also quiet if that matters to you (it should, but you never know…)$... well spent!
exactly what I've been looking for
This is the best passive AB box I've ever had (and I've had a few other brands that were disappointing--they were noisy & didn't hold up well over time). My professional opinion is that Boss makes the best pedals and stomp boxes (I also totally love the Boss Katana-100 amp I just got through Sweetwater). The size of the AB-2 is just right for me. I can keep 2 guitars plugged in with the ability to quickly & noiselessly switch them out within seconds. At the end of the night, I just unplug it and it tucks away perfectly into my pedal board. Finally, it only takes a single AA battery which lasts a long time as long as you remember to unplug your cables. If you're in need of an excellent AB box, this is the one to get, especially for the price.
Perfect For Me
I need to switch between electric and acoustic at gigs, often with very short notice. This pedal works beautifully for me. It is small, rugged, and adds no noticeable noise for my application. When listening closely at home I can hear a very little pop, more like a tick, when switching channels, but it is not noticeable otherwise. I'm very happy with it.
Great piece of gear at a great price!
I bought this switcher to switch between an acoustic guitar with an external preamp and an electric guitar into my Truetone (formerly Visual Sound) pedal array that then ran into my new Pigtronix Infinity Looper. I was playing a Night of Yoga and Music event that my daughter put on. I would improvise into the looper and trade off guitars for different textures. The switcher worked exactly as I wanted it to. I highly recommend it. I do wish it had a jack for using external power, but that is a minor issue.
Super quiet rugged switch pedal.
Works Great. Silent operation, with no unwanted "pops".
This thing is just the trick!
This unit works just great. I hav a Goodrich 2-input matchbox that is no longer made nor can you get Goodrich to service it. I play Pedal Steel and Lead Guitar and I need a splitter to keep from having to lug 2 amps and the Boss AB-2 is just the trick.
Just what I needed!!!
I needed a way to switch between 2 guitars and BOSS had the perfect solution. This also just happens to fit my BOSS FX-6 pedals. PERFECT!!!
Works exactly as advertised
I switch between acoustic and electric often and this really simplifies that transition. I was putting my amp in standby to eliminate the pop when swapping cable from one guitar to the next. The switching with this is silent, no popping. The housing is extruded with a slot that slides together with my FS-6 pedal for a clean look and neat footprint. Now both guitars stay hooked up and ready for action. Switch size is big and easy to find.
Only downside is the batteries. Haven't used it long enough to change them yet but the unit must be taken apart to access battery compartment. Note to self...pack spare batteries and a screwdriver.
Boss 2-way pedal
Just what the doctor ordered. Been looking for a pedal to allow me to switch between acoustic and electric guitars and still run through a single harmonizer without the time consuming changing of chords and setups. This did the trick.
Boss AB-2
This is a great pedal. Clean, quiet, well made, priced right.The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is you have to use batteries and can't plug it into a power supply. Granted. The batteries last a very long time.
It's a Boss=reliable
I use this for two guitars. It works flawlessly. The only con is no 9volt connector, so you are stuck with changing batteries, but the battery does last a long time.
Worth every penny
From what I can tell, this is a great alternative to some of the more expensive switches available. Using it to switch a CRANKED Traynor YGL-3A; no added hum, even on the overdrive channel, and the switch is completely silent (no click when I switch).
The reason it's not getting the full 5 stars from me is the fact that it runs on AAAs and nothing else. I think this is the only thing I own right now that uses AAAs (which makes it kind of a pain to have to buy them). Either way, it'd be a lot better if I could just plug it right into the wall.
But at this price, I'd recommend it; I see no reason to spend over $100 on an AB box when this one works just fine with no added noise.
Boss AB-2
What can I say? It works great. No added noise (even with my amp cranked), and the LEDs make it much easier to use in dark situations.
Switching is completely noiseless (to my ears, anyway), and it doesn't degrade the signal at all.
But as others have said, it is kind of a pain that it only runs on AAAs. I mean, aside from the inconvenience of constantly having to replace batteries, why AAAs? I think this is the only thing in my house right now that runs on AAAs, which does make them hard to scrounge up...
But aside from the battery issue, it's a great little pedal. I would recommend it to a friend, and if it broke I would probably buy another.
Battery operated only
My only complaint is it's battery operated only.
Be nice if it could be plugged in.
works ok
Works ok only negative I have is it's battery power only. If you have a cable in the input it stays on so kind of a pain. Otherwise it works for me.
Quiet and effective.
I use this strictly to route instrument output to one of two effects pedals. So far, the battery has held up.I read that unplugging when not in use will extend life of the battery. If there is a negative to this pedal, it would be the reliance strictly on battery power. It's still too new to know the degree of inconvenience.
Nice little switch
Switch performs as it should ..works great ..only downside is you have to replace batteries ...no AC adapter plug..
Boss AB pedal
There's nothing flashy about an AB pedal, you just need it to work when called upon and this one does. I like the different colored lights for A and B as they remind me which instrument is live.
Boss AB-2 with modification
I bought the Boss AB-2 and it works great. It is actually a little smaller than I expected but that is just an observation on my part. Easy to use! My application needed the status lights so this is an upgrade from an unlighted model I had. As reviewed elswhere, changing batteries is kind of a pain as you need to remove two screws and that is my reason for only a 4 star rating. If you don't remove the in/out cable, your batteries will be toast after about 5 days. Knowing this, I intended to modify mine when I bought it and did so successfully by using a 3V power adapter, an "M" type jack with switching so that it can be used with AC or batteries. Roland (Boss) should have done that when they produced it but of course, that woud raise the price. This AB switch is very quiet (probably due to the FET switching) and actually had less electrical noise than the mechanical switch I used it to replace. A great buy!
Boss AB-2 Footswitch
This is an AB Switch, in other words, only A or B is active at one time, not
A and B combined. Has different colored led's. Aluminum case.
The good: This Footswitch is built to last. Nice small footprint. Works on
batteries. Great price.
The bad: Only works on batteries! No power supply option. Does introduce some noise/hum. Tried with a number of amps. Does not color
the sound, just adds noise.
Sweetwater delivered promptly, double warranty, great online resource.
Faulty Switch Mechanism
I have seen some reviews about the extremely short life span of the bounce switch. Mine lasted about 1 months before the switch started bouncing back and forth multiple times between A and B on a single press. Most of the time it would take several steps before you get from A to B (or B to A). It would be a simple fix to replace the switch button on the circuit, but where to find it?
Make sure this it what you need
This is a good basic AB switch. It uses the tongue and groove design that allows it to be firmly mated with Boss' trigger switches. It terms of function and solid construction it is a great footswitch.
Be aware that it requires internal battery power, using a pair of AA batteries and it takes a screwdriver to change them. The unit switches on when you connect the cable, which means it can't be left connected on a pedal board. For a minimal expense and a bit of effort you can wire in a jack for 9v power using hacks available online. Note that this has a plastic bottom with ridges and the material does not work the adhesive on the back of velcro – it simply does not stick, so you have to attach it to a pedalboard using zip ties or another system.
Good with caveat
This is a good switch. The interlocking design works with their momentary switches but not much else. The big issue is that the buffering is powered by two AAA batteries / 3V with an in-jack switch, and it requires a tiny phillips screwdriver to change batteries. The makes it unsuitable for a pedal board. There are external 9V mods on the net, but that's not what you want to do with a new pedal. If you are okay with the plugging and unplugging and the battery changing, this will work well for you.
Terrible product!
The debounce circuitry sucks. More often than not it does not switch. It's more like guitar switch roulette. For example, you're on the A channel and you step on it, you'll see the A LED go off momentarily, the B LED go on momentarily and then you're back on the A channel. Same happens if you manage to get to the B channel. I can rarely get it to switch with one step. I often have to try a half dozen times to get it to switch. If you're trying to change guitars on stage during a two measure break you're screwed with this thing.