Breaking into the modern amp market is not a mission for the faint-hearted. On one side, you’ll find the old guard, eternally sworn to the valve technology they created back in the 50s and 60s, still dining out on war-stories of Hendrix, Woodstock and 4x12 backlines looming like monoliths. On the other, the high-tech disruptors, shredding conventional wisdom, casting aside manufacturing tradition, dragging the sector ever-further from physical hardware towards apps and plug-ins.
Both philosophies are valid, and each has its advocates. But if BOSS’s status as the second-biggest amp builder in the world proves anything, it’s the appetite for products that walk a perfect middle path between tradition and revolution. Inspect the modern BOSS amp range – comprising the Katana, Nextone, Waza, CUBE and Acoustic series – and you’ll find hardware that feels reassuringly human, offering the hands-on tangibility that makes plugging into a great amp so satisfying. Look a little closer, though, and you’ll detect the innovation
