Boss LS-2 Line Selector Pedal Reviews
The BOSS LS-2 Line Selector pedal allows you to switch easily between several different effects and route input and output signals flexibly. The LS-2 can also supply 9V DC power to several BOSS compact pedals when used with an AC adapter - this makes the LS-2 an ideal power supply and master switching unit for multiple effects setups. Just as you'd expect from BOSS, you get the rugged construction and dependability that makes the LS-2 a road-ready essential for your gig bag!
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Highest Rated Reviews
Fantastic Tool!
I bought the Boss LS-2 Line Selector Pedal primarily so that I could easily A/B between 2 guitar amps. Any A/B pedal would have worked, of course, but this gives me the flexibility to do many different pedal/amp routing options. (In case I get the urge to experiment. Ha!)
Tone Seeker? Yup.
Essential Tool
I"ve used a lot of different ABY boxes through the years and the Boss one is the best value of all. It"s dead silent and can help tame the noise in vintage pedals. I"m up to two of these on my board, one to switch between amps, and the other to switch between sets of pedals. Not to mention that it will power up other pedals With a daisy chain, just watch those milliamps
Boss LS-2 Line Selector Pedal
Great pedal --- the balance levels is an excellent plus and very useful. I also appreciated Sweetwater quick response (I ordered the pedal Monday afternoon and received confirmation that it was shipped the same day and received Thursday).
Indispensable
There are so many uses for this pedal. I use it to isolate pedals that make a popping sound when they are engaged, and to equalize their noise levels with other pedals.
Putting them in a loop makes it possible to engage them silently.
Thanks to Josh and Sweetwater for their consistently great service!
Used For MY Modern EJ Board
I use two of these for what I call my modern Eric Johnson pedal board. I route one thru a clean chorus amp and the second to switch between my dirty rhythm and lead amps. The flexibility allows me to run all three pedal banks into one amp as well. Having the volume knobs on these is a huge plus in balancing the volumes at a gig sans guitar tech.
I know a lot of old school guys hate boss and say they suck tone, but I run just four effects max through each loop and have all the tone I need.
Definitely the same quality and no nonsense approach to switching you'd expect from Boss!
Working great for looping in an older noisyish pedal
I'm using this in a front-end guitar effects chain to switch in a side loop with a vintage EHX Electric Mistress. It does the job with excellence, with no added interference or discernible signal loss on pass-through. With the loop level controls I can give the output signal from the Mistress the slight boost it needs to even out the effect/no effect signal level, and I can blend wet and dry signals to color the signal over a richer tonal range than running straight through the Mistress. The LS-2 provides that boost while also reducing interference noise in the Mistress loop (with only very slight audible loss of desirable harmonics compared to the Mistress in direct line). So this setup unexpectedly saved me from having to buy and fuss with a noise gate in the chain. This noise taming effect allows me to run the Mistress through some more gainy amp settings that sounded like crap before. Expected Boss high quality in the case and firm handling, smooth response, noiselessness movement in the switches and pots. So far I could not be more satisfied in this application, and with the unexpected noise control benefit (though this might be a chance outcome in my particular array that perhaps not everyone should expect) pushed me give it a 5.
It does what it is supposed to do
I purchased this tool to solve a problem. In the past, I used programmable Multi-FX pedals that allowed me to store patches which I could easily recall. Like many guitar players, I have switched back to using individual stomp boxes mounted on a pedal board. This gives me the flexibility to choose exactly the sound I want.
The downside to using individual pedals is having to "do the tap dance" when I want to change from one group of pedals to another group. I have to turn one or more pedals off, then turn other pedals on. It takes too much time and looks like I am trying to stomp out a fire. Enter the Boss LS-2 Line Selector Pedal.
I spent a few hours one afternoon, tearing down my existing pedal board set-up. I removed some pedals altogether. I repositioned other pedals and re-routed their signal cables. In the middle of it all, I mounted my new LS-2. Now I can switch from one bank of pedals to another bank by pressing a single footswitch. This makes it possible to switch from one sound to another sound in the space of a quarter note or less, without having to do all that tap dancing.
Depending on which MODE I select, I can choose Bank A, then Bank B, then Bypass. Or for other songs where I have to go back and forth, I can choose Bank A, then Bank B, then Bank A again. It's simple, it's easy. Problem solved.
Thank you, Boss!
Well worth the investment!
Recently departed with my high powered Marshall for a more studio friendly Fender Deluxe Reverb. Finally finished a home built pedal board that I'd worked on for about 6 months (not full time!). Coming out of my tuner into LS-2 input to Transition Delay and then amp. Running an Ultimate Octave and MXR phase 90 on A loop. Running a Morley Pro Series 2 distortion, wah, volume pedal, a Timmy overdrive, and a Voodoo Lab Micro Vibe on B loop. Everything sounds great and I don't get any noise, even from my strat. A worthwhile investment indeed.
Will Never Go Without One Again
I bought one of these specifically to avoid the host of older fx units i run that lack true bypass. I like my signal chain as clean as possible whenever possible.
Before long I discovered that this utility pedal can be used in far more creative ways. If you have ever been a big user of delays you probably know that a volume pedal opens up a huge range of textures when used in concert with those delays. This pedal is no different. if you have decent timing and even a slight bit of creativity, this thing can be an extremely useful tool.
This simple, unsexy stompbox has become a staple in my tone arsenal. For tone freaks and effects geeks alike this thing is well worth the money. I'll never go without again.
Boss Ls2
I needed something to help switch between a my rhythm pedal and lead distortion pedal.I want one button to step on especially when one of the pedals was at top of board.Many times I thought i was on riverdance the boss ls2 on bottom of board works great.One spot to step off or on no dancing and the 2 volume knobs is quick way on the job to adjust the balance works great.
Treat your feet, get this pedal!
This pedal made me return my tap shoes. My original rig ran a tube screamer into an overdrive into a delay with a board for my amp settings. My heavy sound would run on the bridge pickup with the screamer and overdrive pedal on an overdriven amp channel. My clean sound would run the delay on the clean channel with a cut to the volume on the guitar and a change to the middle pickup. Simple enough, right? If you're counting at home, that is four buttons with my feet, a volume adjustment, and a pickup switch. Absolute nightmare which made quick changes impossible. With this pedal I hit two switches and change my pickup selection. That's it, the volume knobs for each loop are super helpful as well.
My only complaint is the FX loops on the pedal run backwards. It would make a lot more sense for the output/inputs for the loops to be the opposite of your other pedals. My patch cables are pretty short, so I had to do some convoluted routing to get the pedals hooked up properly. Really it's just taking away another excuse to get a new set of nice patch cables. If you are all too familiar with the anxiety that sets in several bars up from an effect change, this pedal is for you!
flexible and essential utility
There are so many uses for this great pedal from Boss. I am currently using it to switch between a clean compressor with tuner (channel A) and my Sansamp set to crunch and overdrive pedals (Channel B) in the front end of my Roland JC-120. It works great! It has the added benefit of helping me take my Master volume down when I need to get lower than the scratching volume pot on my amp would let me. The ability to adjust volume levels between loops is fantastic. Even if my rig and/or needs change I know that the LS-2 will find a way in the set up. It can be used as a clean boost/cut without anything in the loops. You could blend two sounds in parallel and turn them on simultaneously. It can be an AB or ABY box. The possibilities go on and on. It would have gotten 5 stars if it had 2 stereo loops. Maybe Boss is overdue for an update?
Also, if you've never ordered from Sweetwater before, just do it. Even if it is a pack of strings or a patch cable. You'll be happy that you did. If you already have a Sales Engineer then you are in the know. Ha!
Great in theory
Love the idea. I have been using it to run an "acoustic loop" and an "electric loop" with my Taylor T5-z. I love the way the two loops can have separate volume levels. The in/out on the 9v is a nice feature...but I have a power supply mounted under my board and don't really use the "out".
My problem is with the switch. About 20% of the time it doesn't work and I have to stomp on it a few times to get it to switch from A to B...or it switches over in back (A to B to A) in one actuation. Maybe I just got a bad one...but I seem to have recurring issues with other Boss pedals as well (I've had both an ME-50 and ME-70 crap out on me). I'm swapping over to the One Control White Loop to see if the switching is better.