Boss unveils affordable, compact GT-1 Guitar Effects Processor with "professional sound quality"

The GT series is home to Boss's flagship effects processors, but each floor-based iteration tends to carry a large build and price tag to match; the GT-1 bucks that trend with the most compact and affordable GT floor unit yet.

Despite its £169/€199 RRP, the GT-1 boasts the same sound engine as the top-of-the-line GT-100, and delivers all of Boss's acronym-tastic FX tech, including MDP (Multi Dimensional Processing) and COSM (Composite Object Sound Modelling), offering a huge range of effects and amp models.

So, as well as the usual drive, modulation, delay and reverb types, we can expect wacky Tera Echoes, plus an acoustic sim and, intriguingly, a guitar simulator.

Boss reckons the GT-1's interface makes finding sounds easy, too, with an Easy Select function to sort patches by genre, distortion or effect type, while Easy Edit apparently makes for effortless tweaking.

Panel buttons switch each effect group on and off or access deeper parameters for fine-tuning, and a trio of footswitches select patches, control the unit's built-in 32-second looper or activate its tuner.

The pedal's CTL1 switch can be assigned to tap tempo, effects on/off and more, while the expression pedal can be used for volume, wah and effects parameters - two external footswitches or an expression pedal can also be added.

With a lightweight chassis, the GT-1's portability is being cited as a key selling point; the pedal's soft edges should prevent damage to the other bits and pieces in your gigbag when you slip it in.

Buskers and the electricity-averse will be pleased to hear you'll eke up to seven hours of life from four AA batteries, but you can, of course, use a regular 9V power supply, too.

A USB port also offers USB recording and re-amping, computer-based patch editing via Boss Tone Studio and access to free patch collections from Boss's Tone Central site.

With all that in mind, the GT-1 could prove a formidable rival to other budget multi-FX on the market. It's available next month, too, so we'll do our best to bring you a review shortly…