The cult appeal of effects pedals has exploded in recent years and one manifestation of that has been the rise of modded versions of classic pedals by BOSS. But while imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, BOSS saw this as an opportunity to offer something better: boutique-grade versions of classic BOSS pedals and all-new premium pedals designed by its own team of tone experts. This was how BOSS’s de facto custom shop – ‘Waza Craft’– was born in 2014.
In Japan, the term ‘Waza’ – represented by the kanji character – means ‘art and technique’. Accordingly, BOSS pedals bearing that emblem are the highest quality, in terms of design and craftsmanship, that the company offers and are built exclusively in Japan. They also address a problem that many unofficially modded versions of BOSS pedals have suffered from – in the process of squeezing new sounds from classic circuits, modders often lost the essence of what made the original pedal great.
“Many of them made a difference in sound by adding or replacing parts,” says Mitsuhiro Wakiyama, division head general manager, Effector Development Department, and one of the
