Any show, any stage, any pedalboard, any backline – for more than half a century, BOSS has been the constant strand of DNA in a music scene endlessly shedding its skin. Of course, it is the visionary Japanese company’s nature to look to the future, to the products still to be invented, the technologies as yet untapped and the generations of musicians waiting to make their mark. But as outgoing president Yoshihiro Ikegami reminds us, it is only by reflecting on the road already traveled that this still-questing company can forge ahead.
“Our 50-year history is a testament to our commitment to quality and innovation,” says Ikegami of a journey whose headline statistics include 18 million total units sold and the release of 140 compact pedal models, not to mention the status of the world’s second-biggest amp builder since launching the Katana in 2016. “It’s a legacy we’re incredibly proud of. While we strive for breakthroughs, we must also cherish our history. Our history is the foundation upon which we build our future. It’s crucial to balance innovation with the wisdom and experience that 50 years have provided us.”
Yoshihiro Ikegami
Rewind to the 1960s and the guitar effects scene was the Wild West. If you knew which doors to knock on, and were famous enough to jump the waiting list, then maverick-genius artisans like Roger Mayer could be commissioned to build a one-off pedal in their London, U.K. workshops. But there was no coherent effects sector, no industry standard, no single manufacturer giving players what they needed to lead the charge for the gathering rock ’n’ roll revolution.
In the U.S.A., an exasperated Gibson had discontinued its own
