Boss MS-3 Multi EffEctS switcHer £409

Some new products are so simple yet so effective it makes you say, ‘why didn’t I think of that’? Most people are already familiar with effects switching systems such as TheGigRig’s excellent G2, which allows you to control large groups of stompboxes at once via programmable patches that can be triggered with a single footswitch. In other words, you get to use all your nice, boutique pedals – but run them like a modern, programmable multi-effects unit. With the MS-3, BOSS have tweaked the concept by 90 degrees and come up with a gem. What you get here is a programmable switching system with just three slots in which to place your go-to stompboxes – but with a plethora of built-in effects to back them up. This way, you can keep your original Klon Centaur and boutique Uni-Vibe clone in play but also engage up to six onboard effects at the same time. After all, if it’s just basic digital delay that you want to add to the mix, for example, do you really need a whole separate pedal for that? As you can guess, the benefit of this hybrid approach is that the overall size of your ’board is kept very small and it remains built around a core of three hand-picked pedals. Compact, potent and well-priced, we expect BOSS to sell these by the cartload. The MS-3 is a worthy, deftly conceived Gear of the Year winner that’s already become a firm favourite with Guitarist columnist and session man Adam Goldsmith, who uses his for live work in front of millions of TV viewers. Praise indeed.