Boss ME-33

It's very easy to use even with no manual. Even so the manual Is very clear and easy to understand. Editing patches is terribly easy, a monkey could learn to use It.

My set up is modest. My main guitar is a Dean Avalanche MQ, A Squier Strat Bullet edition and a Fernandez Nomad Deluxe as backup. And a Fender Bullet amp just as a monitor (because I go direct from the ME-33 to the console), sometimes I use my Behringer Blue Devil amp too.

The BOSS ME-33 sounds as you want It to sound, you can tweak yourself into sound heaven with this baby. You just have to 1) read the manual 2)know how to chain the effects 3)realize that the unit has Its limitations (Get real, This Is not the GT-6) 4)Be patient to get the sound you really want (Don't be discurraged) 5)Realize you cant expect to sound like Kirk Hammett If you have a $100 dollar guitar & amp, as well as cheap noisy cables(DONT GIVE NEGATIVE REVIEWS JUST BECAUSE OF THIS YOU PEOPLE!! THIS LITTLE MACHINE WORKS GREAT)

I love playing anything from rock(classic, metal, contemp) to jazz, pop, etc. My work requires versatillity. My personal intrests are: SRV, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Van Halen, Led Zepp, Deep Purple, Metallica, etc. You can't really sound exactly like all of your favorite artists due to the fact that they use complex setups (reffer to harmony central's guitar articles). All you can really do Is try to emulate them, and you can fairly say you can with this machine. Its awsome for Its price!

I can depend on It, Ive used other fx for the same price and have alwais let me down. So far this unit has been a surprise and I've been using It without a backup.

I have never dealt with them

I've been playing for 14 years have had a lots of amps, fx, and other stuff. I love this one because It has quality, and Its great to have this machine if you can't afford something fancy to use It and in the meantime save for something more PRO knowing you don't have to worry about being let down in the middle of thi gig as others do(zoom comes to mind).

I would buy a new one if were stollen. I love the easy-to-understand-interface, the knobs(for fast tweaking), the led screen(for on-stage visibillity), the on-screen menu(realy love this one), the pedal light indicators(for fast bank changing). I don't really use the other features like the phase trainer and that other stuff.

Overall, this is a great value. Bottom line is: IF YOU WANT TO SOUND LIKE THE GUITAR GODS GET EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT AND STOP BITCHIN ABOUT GREAT VALUE MACHINES LIKE THE BOSS ME-33. DONT LOOK FOR YOUR 8" AMP AND YOUR PAWN SHOP GUITAR TO SOUND LIKE METALLICA, AND DON'T EXPECT THE UNIT TO WORK BY IT SELF YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH IT TO GET IT ROLLING.

This multieffects unit is a floor-based unit is is very easy to use once you read the manual. it works on a menu system (which I prefer) to the wierd system used on the recent ME-50. I love the manual system because it is like having a virtual pedal board at your disposal (although only 5 can be turned off/on in this mode). And editing is very easy, and with digital knobs, a small number of knobs can control many different aspects of the sound.

My main guitar is a 2002 model Fender American Deluxe Telecaster and a 2002 Fender Hot Rodded American Double Fat Stratocaster. My setup include those two guitars run through my Holy Grail, ME-33, and Boss's Digital Delay/Reverb pedal. The ampliflier is use is a new model Fender pro-tube Twin Amp. The sound is crisp and clean and I find the distorition to be quite good when running it through my amp's second channel. The sound quality is excellent in my opinion and I just love it. The only problem is that there was a delay when switching patches. I usually use the manual mode, but when switching patches I almost always use my delay pedal with some reverb to effectively "mask" the moment of silence.

it is fairly new so i trust it would be reliable for a long time. I wouldn't need a bacup

never needed any

I'm in a band where we play this wierd blend of classical rock and techno. I almost never use distortion which is probably the reason why i love all the effects in here. It works great with my twin amp and my telecasters although i really hate the sound of humbuckers so i never use my double fat. I have been playing classical guitar since i was 10 (i'm 20 now) but have converted to electrics at around 15. I own this, the holy grail, the twin amp, the tele, the strat, but i use all of this in conjunction with the korg kaoss pad as well as rack-mounted tuner. I would definetely replace this if stolen or get the gt-6. My favorite feature is the reverb. it is not very realistic but it goes on for a while and is quite good.

It's pretty easy to use, no real dramas in this area.

It's an interesting one because some of the effects are very handy and others are a complete waste of time. I particularly liked the delay, reverb, flange, phaser and a few other cool things including the volume pedal.

However if you want a nice distortion tone, you won't find it here, sounds too digitalised, you would be a lot better off with a natural valve distortion or a MT2, Big Muff or DS1 pedal.

The Wah sounds pretty average, doesn't have a nice tone to it at all. The Amp modelling is a complete waste of time, as they sound nothing like the amps.

It is reliable, however for a live show I really hated the delay it took to change from 1 effect to another, something that really needs to be instant, but there is a period of half a second to a second of no sound, when switching...very annoying.

N/A

I give it a 6 overall, it is handy, but not for all the effects, it's compact and easy to use. But NEVER use wah, any distortion sound or amp modelling. It has a problem with general "humming" coming from it when plugged in, which I don't like. Oh and I didn't mind the tuner, which came in handy too.

I'm very impressed with the Boss ME-33. It is very easy to use and with the manual you can generate any sound you want. Editing patches has been awesome. I play lead guitar in a worship band at church and this covers all my sounds from a nice smooth chorus, delay sound and a mild distortion. When at home I have sounds for every type of guitar player from Jimi to Randy Rhodes. The manual is very easy to read and explains how to get an exact sound you want. The sound options are endless and in great variety. If you're having a hard time trying to figure out sounds they have a easy sound setting where you can pick from blues, country, rock and metal. Plus, you can pick from 6 different sounds for each one. Unbelievable. There is also a copy for sounds so you can move them from one patch to the next. I

I use a fender strat with seymour duncan humbucker pickups (for single pickup sizes) and a fender princeton DSP amp. The Boss ME-33 compliments my sound very good. I have been playing with a DODFX-7 for a couple of years and it served it's purpose but I've been wanting to change my tone more. I've played single pedals before and to me there isn't much of a difference. I think the best thing is how you can modify each pedal sound. I'm a huge U2 fan and so the delay pedal is what I mess with the most. I'm going to sell my boss digital delay pedal because I don't need it now. I can change feedback, echo level, delay, time, etc. on the BOSS ME-33. All the pedals are very authentic. You won't be disappointed.

Very dependalble. Hard plastic with a very strong wah pedal. I use it on Sundays at church and jamming with friends. No problems.

I've never dealt with the customer support but I have gone on their website. Even though the BOSS ME-33 has been discontinued they actually have it on their website and explain a lot of features on it. You don't find that on other guitar sites. Boss is a top of the line company.

I play all different styles of music. My favorite artists are SRV, The Edge, Joe Satriani and Eddie Van Halen (a child of the 80's if you couldn't guess). The Boss ME-33 has helped me get as close to their sound without shelling out the big bucks for new guitars and amps. I do use a cry baby wah with it but if you don't have one the wah that comes with it is good enough. If this were lost or stolen I would definitely get another one even if it was used on ebay. I bought a Digitech RP300 brand new and returned after 2 weeks. The ME-33 blows this thing away. If I can complain about anything it would be the presets. I've played effects processors before and they're all the same, most presets are just a starting point. It's you're job to change them. They're are some good ones though like 50's rock, smooth ( a chorus delay sound)and an acoustic similator. Very easy to use. You can even do some recording with it, name your own sounds, switch from wah to volume to pitch bend so easily and you can go up or down to get your settings. A lot of processors just have up. I wish it had an envelope filter (mysterious ways song) but the phaser does okay. If you're a beginner, intermediate or even advanced you will get the sound that you want. Best processor I've ever played.

My main reason for adding this review is that I've got an ME-33 but no English manual. I've managed to make the unit work, find the (pretty cheesy) presets, and tweak some good sounds out of it. However, I don't feel I'm getting the most out of it, I would love to get my hands on a manual or a copy of one. If anyone can help, please email me.

I've worked with the ME-33 using a Burns Marquee electric and a Steinberger bass, plus an old vocal mic. Obviously that goes outside the scope of what the unit's designed for (namely electric guitar!) Some of the effects do sound a bit harsh and digital at times, but there's good variety, the signal path is clean, and the delays and flanger seem good. Taming the distortion is harder, but I'm working on it. I'm a bit dubious about the amp modelling, and it's not my area - I DI from the ME-33 straight into my PC soundcard, and have never owned an amp.

It's definitely rugged, I wouldn't feel too stressed using it at a gig without backup. The pedal and switches all feel extremely kickable.

I'm really trying to get Roland/Boss to send me an English manual for this thing, and I don't mind paying for one (even a photocopy!). I think it's well known just how great their customer service is, especially for people outside of the US..

I play a lot of different styles (most of them badly), from distorted industrial guitar, to funked up slap bass riffs, and I've found the ME-33 excellent for most of that sort of thing. I'm primarily a computer musician, but really appreciate having an outboard effects unit I can use to muck around with sounds and not bash the guitar into the computer monitor all the time. When I bought it, it was definitely the best model in its class/price range.. these days I might opt for a GT-6, or go the other way and try stringing together a bunch of individual pedals. I do really enjoy owning it, I keep it switched on all the time, just for when inspiration strikes.

Very Easy. Read the manual. Saves confusion and error. Easy and logical button assignments. Knobs for controls as well. Takes only seconds to edit and write patches. Maybe the easiest i've used.

Through a Carvin DC400 and a Fender Princton Amp, the box sounds very nice. Smooth, quiet. You can tell it's digital, but the phase, chorus, and some amp sims are very passable as the real thing. Distortions and overdrive will sound AWESOME if PROPERLY mixed with the Amp models. However, true overdrive and distortion can only come from TUBE driven sound, so don't look for a microchip to reproduce it.
Acoustic simulator is weak, as is the auto-wah. Wah is a bit better. Delay is very tweakable just like the dd-5 without the Hold function. Expression pedal effects work well too.

Let's make it clear. IF your guitar sounds like crap without the pedal, it'll sound like crap with effects when using the pedal. You can't expect a box, let alone a multi effects unit to bring you good tone and sound if you have crappy gear. You can't cheat good tone.

Also, people don't know how to calibrate their pickup dynamics to the sound of thier amps (a HUGELY important part of getting good sound) let alone the ME-33. Screwing around with the EQ arbitrarily won't get you anywhere. Figure out how your guitars tone and the nature sound of your amp first, then screw around with effects and multieffects.

The ME-33 sounds awesome through a good set up. A guitar veteran will be able to notice how digital the effects do sound alone, but when played with a band or in a mix, you can't tell and the sounds are pro.


If you have a complaint about this unit, you either don't know anything about how to TRULY use a multieffects or you have lower end guitar

(under $400 -it's cheap for a reason, [cheap electronics, assembly line style production] and there are scientific reasons as to why these have lower quality)

or a lower end amp. don't expect monster sound out of a 25 watt solid state amp through a 8" speaker.

learn what compression does and how to use it properly, learn how to mix effects properly, etc.

the Me-33 is designed to be able to shuffle the ORDER of effects to change their emphasis and tonality. I bet most people have no clue how to use this awesome feature. The people that complain about the wah being crappy probably haven't learned to place the wah right in relation to the drive.

If you know about tone, have good equipment, and know how to use multieffects correctly and effectively, the ME-33 will not disappoint you.

It's plastic, not metal, so don't drop it or put all your weight on it. Otherwise, it looks sturdy and durable. Nothing is loose on it.

I bought this brand new over ebay for $165. The suckers are being sold brand new because the ME-80 has been released and replaces the me-33. If you find a brand new one for less than $175, buy it. This thing usually sells for $200. For the quality of this machine at that price, it won't disappoint you. Don't buy it at retail or for $200 or more. instead, save your money and buy a higher level one.

It took me about 8 hours of fiddling with it to get a half way decent sound (if you could call it that). Instructions were clear bu the automatic presets suked.

a noisey piece with no tone and fake everything. I used a mesaboogie 50 caliber for years and I just cant hack the digital scene. You should try this thing out for a few days before buying it. I hated it so I sold it right away. It might be okay for limited effects like chorus and delay.I bought mine sight unseen on ebay because I am miles away from any decent guitar store.

Seemed reliable, Iwould gig with it.

dont know

suked, dont buy it unless you try it

This unit is easy to get a good sound if you know what you're looking for. The manual is great, but it concentrates on the "Quick Edit" and "EZ tone" methods of editing patches first which initially turned me off. Once I kept going and found how to edit each part of the patches finding good sounds was easy. Even the distortion if you tweak it correctly. I love being able to assign a name to the patch also.

My main setup is a '57 reissue Strat through a 60s twin. It's only noisy as you edit patches (the manual even says so).
The effects are mostly strong, at least the practical ones. The distortion- though not the strongest feature- is able to get a wide array of sounds. I've used Boss distortions in the past and this area is comparable.
The chorus, delay, and reverb have lots of room for play- just take the time to understand how the effects work to truly program in a good tone. The amp simulator is so-so. I haven't found a good use for it yet. The JC 120 sound is fairly authentic, but a little too clean for my tastes.
The guitar simulator isn't bad. The humbucker sound fattens up my strat pretty nicely. The Acoustic simulator is close, what can you expect though? At worst it's at least another nice clean tone that's not too processed sounding.
Modulation is a lot of fun, so is the autoriff- just not too practical. The harmonist is pretty cool, dial in any major.minor key and interval you want. Just have to find a tune to use it on... Expression pedal works smoothly.

As usual with Boss, this unit seems very dependable. I'd gig it w/out backup.

Never dealt with them.

I play rock, jazz, and folk. This pedal can work for all. I've been playing 14 years. Other effects I use are the Morley ECV, EH Big Muff, EH Small Stone, and the Roland GR-1.
Based on other multi-effects pedals I've used I'd get this again, but I think they're not made any more.
I love that it's Boss. At this price there's not much to hate. The modulator is the most fun to tune down w/out touching your guitar, or go up a step or two w/out a capo. Pretty cool on the acoustic setting.
I used to use a DOD Tec8 so this is a big upgrade for not much more $.

THe manuel is great - if you know any thing about electronics you should be able to figure this out, It takes a while to get used to but it makes sense after a while,

im using a les paul w/ a small fender amp and most of the effects sound great, with the exception of the wah effects. Has acoustic simulator which works alright

Ive had it for a month but no problems at all

Its great for hard rock as well as metal and classical (which is what I, Packy, play), Its easy enough for beginners but it will satisfy anyone. or the money, Its the best you can get

O unico problema com o uso do me 33 e que os bot?es n?o respondem imediatamente: e preciso gira-los ate a posic?o que corresponda ao valor atual do parametro para, so assim, ocorrer mudanca de valor.

A qualidade do som e muito boa, principalmente os efeitos, como delay, chorus, etc. No entanto, a tecnologia COSM ainda precisa evoluir para emular com mais naturalidade sons ditorcidos. Possuo pedais Boss Turbo Overdrive e Metal Zone, de maneira que o som destes pedais soa mais natural e organico do que as ditorc?es do me33, que respondem menos em termos de dinamica.

Apesar de ser de plastico, a pedaleira pode ser usada sem preocupac?es de deteriorac?o ao vivo.

O grande problema do me 33 e o atraso que ocorre na mudanca de programa, ocasionando na inviabilidade de seu uso ao vivo (a n?o ser que voce n?o mude de patch).
Ela pode funcionar como uma boa ferramenta de estudio, mas ao vivo... nem pensar! Prefiro ficar com meu pedais analogicos!!!