Boss LS-2 Line Selector

Fairly easy to use. Two level controls for A & B signals and a mode selector that is very intuitive to use. Everything is clearly labeled making it simple to operate. I like the fact that the level controls have a center detent where the input signal is the same level as the output signal and that when the level control is set fully counter-clockwise, the signal is basically cut-out.
The manual is excellent and shows sample setups.

This thing is absolutely stellar. Very flexible and excellent tonal quality, which for this pedal, means no coloring of the tone.

I use this pedal as a clean boost and it does an excellent job at it. I've tried many different pedals when my old LS-2 died but none of them were as good. I ended up wasting a lot of time and money on boutique and non-boutique pedals, only to end up back with the LS-2.

The FET buffering is non-loading, contrary to what other reviewers have stated below. A FET acts much like a tube, presenting a high impedance load to the guitar signal. I cannot notice any kind of signal degradation with the unit engaged or switched off (bypassed). While some non-true bypass pedals degrade the sound when the effect is turned off (like the Dunlop Wahs), this BOSS pedal is definitely transparent.

While it may not impress your friends like a boutique pedal, this thing does exactly what its supposed to do and does it very well.

My old BOSS LS-2 died on me after 10 years of use. Very hard to repair. It went gradually where stomping on the pedal didn't always switch the effect on.

Forget it.

This is the best clean boost pedal you can get.
Works great for running different effects for A/B sounds as well. I just use mine as a boost and to select different volumes.

Two mixers for the A/B loops, one knob for controlling your preffered functionality of the A/Bloops, and bypass - if this pedal confuses you, maybe you need a new hobby?

Listen with your EARS, not your fashionable, forum inspired eyeballs - this pedal has no noticeable affect on tone quality WHATSOEVER. PERIOD. If you're experiencing tone loss through one FET bypass then your problems exceed the remedy of all but the most qualified guitar techs.

Put simply, this is the most important pedal on my board, and unifies my creative tendancies in a simple package. Buy it, make your life easier, and enjoy the combinations of useable, switchable effects combinations with one stomp.

I have a backup. But the pedal seems solidly built, with great switch sensitivity. You really don't need to "stomp" this, just a quick toe tap and your there. I give this a 5 for median, or average reliability becuase I've only had for about 8 months now, with no issues.

Never dealt with customer support.

Gear: Music Man Axis, Axis Sport
Mesa Triple Rectifier (3 channel) Solo Head
Peavey 6505
Traynor YCS412VA (2) 4x12 Celestion G12-T75s

Effects: Loop A of LS-2 - Boss DD3, CH1, PH3
Loop B of LS-2 - Maxon ROD881, Boss TR2, BF3
Bypass Loop - Boss TU2, NS2, RV5
*NOTE: I use the Boss NS2 loop in the LS2 bypass, with (in
order) TU2, NS2, RV5, and have ZERO problems with noise, or
loss of fidelity*

I play in a heavy, alternative band, lots of atmosphere and layered rythms, and this pedal compliments my effects needs wonderfully.

It this were lost or stolen, I already have another still packed and tucked away for safe keeping.

It's bleedin' obvious!
Socket for your guitar, socket for the amp, then a socket each for the two loops, a volume for each loop and a switch for each setting!
The manual gives you a good starting point for the numerous options you can get out of this thing

I've primarily used my ls-2 as a booster for solos. I've run it in the effects loops of amps for years. It's been in the loop of a Rivera R30, R55, Knucklehead, Marshall 800 100 watt head, a Fender Concert 2 head and currently a Rivera Fandango. Simple and dependable for the task it's required

Never had a problem with it in nearly a decade of solid gigging. Bullet proof reliability

Never had a need to get in touch with them and I've got/used plenty of Boss/Roland stuff

I've played in loads of different types of bands playing plenty of different styles of music. The LS-2 has been a hugely dependable piece of equipment. I appreciate I dont us it to the full capability of what it can do but even so this thing's been on the floor in front of me in all kinds of places and has gone through all the usual bumps and scrapes you'd expect after 9 years or so of gigging reguarly and has never given me any reason to doubt it.

Easy to use, but what for?

Ruins your basic tone like no other Boss pedal. They must have done serious cost cutting on the buffers here, because they are extremely noisy. Just unuseable. Never had a problem with Boss pedals, but this is really terrible.

Build like a tank, but the Loopers don't seem to be as reliable as the other Boss pedals. Heard from people who had serious issues with them before (crapped out on a gig...).

No customer support from Boss.

This thing is terrible. It's extremely noisy and hisses more than an overdrive unit. I don't get it. What the hell was Boss thinking when they put such crappy buffers in a pedal like this? I can't use this. Safe your money and buy a hardwire switcher. Less hassle and no noise.

Not too hard to figure out but the sheer number of uses may confuse some people

Sounded completley clear, no hum (there was hum but only when boosting the volum of a line beyond what the amo is at, which is to be expected)

The damn thing worked for 15 minutes then all inputes/outputs/sends/returns screwed up. No idea what happened, it just ceased to work alltogether. Buttons still lit up appropriatley but all the signal chaining is messed up beyong comprehension. I did almost nothing with it.

We will see how boss handles this.

As of now, its a complete worthless hunk of junk. Brand new Worked for 15 minutes. If I get one that works (doubtful since I'll be getting a Barge concepts blender) then joy.

This is kind of easy to use, there are many situations where you
can use this, but you've probably purchased it for one particular
application. I used it to put a line-6 pod into or out of the effect
chain loop. You can use it to select different amp outputs etc.

Use of this pedal should be transparent but unfortunately it isn't.
It makes everything sound flat and lifeless.

I took it back after a week, it looks robust enough and Boss have
a good reputation for reliability.

Didn't have it long enough.

Too complicated for my needs I only needed a (true) bypass.
This sucks tone.

A little fiddly at first as there are so many possible permutations, there is a decent enough handbook.

The unit itself doesn't really produce any sound but allows you to manipulate your effects into lots of different loops or to run 2 guitars into one amp, one guitar in between 2 amps. You can mix different effects loops, use it as an A/B or A/B/Y Switchbox and lots of other things.

The sheer number of different applications mean that it is not a simple pedal to simply plug in and play but with experimentation it is very versatile and useful.

The sound quality is excellent. Some people say they can hear a definite degredation in sound quality compared to true bypass or direct to the amp but I didn't notice that much drop in signal. Plus they don't say what quality cables they are using.

My rig is as follows:-

Tokai Love Rock/Fender Japanese Strat> Behringer PB1sometimes)> Cry baby or Morley classic Wah> Marshall chorus> Marshall Bluesbreaker 2> Boss ME 50> Marshall JMP 50 watt combo and Crate Powerblock 150watt into a Marshall 1922 cabinet.

I use the rig in 3 different ways, for my pop/rock/corporate covers band I run a two amp clean/crunch set up with the LS-2 between the ME50 and the Amps to A/B switch between the Crate on clean and the Marshall on dirty.

For my hard rock/heavy metal band I run both amps on dirty with the LS-2 to A/B switch betwen the Marshall for rhythm and the Crate for lead with the Crate running twice as loud as the Marshall for solos.

I sometimes use the LS-2 before the ME50 to use the independent channel outputs to run a low/high outputlevel to run a cleanish/distorted tone through one of the amps, which one depends on the gig, the Crate is easier to get a lower volume distorted sound than the Marshall.

In all three situations the pedal has excelled. The Red/Green LEDs make it easy to tell which channel you are switched to, there was no ground hum when connected to the two amps in clean dirty and I couldn't hear any leakage of the sound from one side to the other. Careful placing of your pedals should mean that you get a pretty clean signal going to either amp.

I've not really experimented with the various loops etc but I'm sure the unit will be just as effective.

Only gigged a couple of times but built like a tank and so much more reliable than the Behringer clones.

Type of music described above. I now have a really good switcher and I'v enot yet discovered all the possible permutations it can do but I'd certainly recommend it. I have heard that the Radial Switchbone is even better but at twice the price it would need to be very good indeed.

It's pretty simple you get two loops and various ways to toggle through them a>b, a>b>bypass, a>bypass, b>bypass

I used two of these in my setup for awhile until I started noticing how much they mess up your tone. It's worse when the loops are active, but even in bypass. I had the same problem with the boss master switch pedal.

I do not forgive this by saying "oh well the pedal isn't true bypass". I have pedals that are not true bypass that don't mess with my tone. For instance all the ibanez pedals with FET switching from the 808 series to the 10 series had excellent buffers that can sound better than true bypass in many situations.

Boss cares more about reliability than sound quality.

This pedal is a great concept, too bad they didn't make the effort to make a good sounding pedal.

The simplest loop selector I've come across. 2 level controls, mode selector, 2 loops send and return, main send and return. DC in and out for daisy chain.

To "anonymous and annoyed" (previous reviewer) and anyone else down on this pedal; BOSS doesn't make any true bypass pedals. If you're worldly enough to notice the tone drop, you should know this. Boss pedals are not expensive boutique pieces. Most of us who can't drop $300 a pedal, are gonna have some fet pedals; Ibanez, Boss, etc. The nice thing about this pedal is that in bypass mode, you're running through one tone altering "bypass" instead of all your pedals. If you want true bypass, expect to pay more or get a soldering iron and go nuts.

Boss pedals are practically indestructable. This one is no exception. It doubles as a power supply via daisy chain which is a very big plus.

Great $80 line selector for anyone who wants to stick with pedals. Sure you can pay a fortune for a bradshaw selector, or something along those lines, but that may run you into the poor house not to mention over complicate your life.

Pretty easy to figure out even without a manual because I have previous experience with TB loop pedals and I also read up on this before it arrived (eBay purchase).

My intention with this is to switch back and forth between two overdrive pedals: one for rhythm and one for leads. I need this to happen with one stomp. So the A-B mode is what I have it set to. Right away though I could tell this thing is a great tool. That fact that it has level controls for each loop is a plus. This has no sound of it's own so it's hard to rate this category. Didn't sense any degradation so that's about all i could expect.

I'm into rock and use a fair amount of gain. I have a Marshall 3203 head, a Peavey Rock Master and Classic 50/50 rack set-up, two Marshall 1960 cabs, many pedals and mostly use Ibanez RG 550's with DiMarzio Super 3's. Two beefs I have with this pedal. One, the send and return jacks should be on opposite sides than they are. The other thing is i wish the Level controls for A and B had unity detents in the sweep. Other than that this is a super cool and useful pedal. I can't believe I waited this long to get it. Also it powers other pedals. I would not hesitate to get another if need be, even for full new price, now that I know how good it is.