Musikmesse 2016: Boss launches VE-8 Acoustic Singer multi-effects pedal plus TU-3W and TU-3S tuners

MUSIKMESSE 2016: For decades, Boss has been the go-to name in guitar tuning, and its latest offerings seek to retain the crown at all price points, while the VE-8 Acoustic Singer effects processor furthers its foray into vocal effects.

Boss VE-8 Acoustic Singer

Aimed at acoustic singer-songwriters, the VE-8 acoustic multi-effects pedal promises studio-quality vocal and guitar processing, including real-time harmonies and looping.

Vocals effects on offer are a basic reverb, choice of four harmonies (with automatic key detection and doubling effect), electronic and distorted sounds, as well as the mysterious Enhance setting, to add “clarity and control”.

The guitar channel, meanwhile, claims to remove piezo ‘quack’ via the Acoustic Resonance dial and fine-tune your tone with the Notch control, as well as add reverb, chorus, octave, mod delay and more. There’s a handy built-in tuner, too.

A dedicated footswitch controls the built-in looper, which can loop guitar, voice or both, while patches can be stored in any of 50 memory locations.

As you’d expect, the VE-8’s rear is jacked up to the hilt, with guitar and XLR inputs, phantom power, plus stereo XLR and 1/4-inch outputs for integration with PAs and acoustic amps. Both vocal and guitar channels offer three-band EQ and low-cut filter, and you can use the VE-8 as an interface via USB at home, too.

Phewph, that’s a lot of features - the VE-8 looks to be a very practical, well-considered package for acoustic guitarists. It's available from May for £269. Then there are those new tuners…

When Boss started pimping out its existing - and in some cases, discontinued - pedals, we have to admit we didn’t expect a tuner to be one of them, but the TU-3W is the latest recipient of its high-end Waza Craft treatment.

Key to the pedal’s mojo is “redesigned circuitry” for pure signal transfer and switchable premium signal buffer or true bypass switching - the actual tuning functionality remains exactly the same as the existing TU-3, with +/- 1 cent accuracy and switchable cent and stream modes.

The TU-3W will set you back £115 in July. It looks cool, though, right? That’s not the only new tuning in the offing, either…

Woah, they cut a TU-3 in half! Yes, the TU-3S is essentially a TU-3 without the footswitch, designed for use with switching systems such as Boss’s ES-8 and ES-5.

Otherwise, this tuner is exactly the same as its full-fat forebear: chromatic and guitar/bass modes, high brightness visibility options, drop tuning support and the ability to pass power through to other pedals.

The Boss TU-3S will be available in June for £75.