Boss PQ-4

It doesn't have the space for all the controls of a rack unit, but what is here is simple to understand.

I was looking for an alalog Furman PQ-series rack unit but found this cheap, though they go for over $100 on Ebay. It does exactly what I want - I have a Mesa/Boogie Mark III amp which is awesome, but cuts through too much to my liking, and not round enough in the bottom end - with the PQ-4 I am able to dial in a much smoother tone from my amp (I use it in the loop). No negative artifacts (ie: color) so it really is a great pedal.

It's Boss. No question.

Obviously not as flexible as a rack unit, but it's so nice to have on my pedalboard. It's a shame Boss don't make these anymore.

If you know how work a parametric eq, you'll find how is easy to shape your guitar tone with this unit.

I'm a singer but in many of my gigs i play some acoustic guitars. two of them (a Larrivee D-05 and a Gibson J-200) are equipped with a fishman passive piezos, no pre-eq on board. I play these guitars through an L.R. Baggs acoustic DI. This Baggs DI have a poor sounding eq, so i start to seek a parametric eq to shape my sound, and i found this Boss PQ-4 in a little shop...NEW!! the controls are very precise and good sounding, and the noise is very low...i was able to shape my sound in a moment!! this pedal is exactly what i'm searching for!!

never had a problem with a boss pedals...

this unit it's a must for acoustic guitars without on-board tone controls.

Easy, if you understand EQ! If you do not understand EQ, turn knobs and realize that each one affects the other.

Running through a clean amp I can use this pedal to create a good crunch sound, a good overdrive ala SRV, or sustaining sounds comparable to a Big Muff(with added clarity.)This pedal will bring your rig to a more pro level, no matter what you use.

It is a Boss pedal!!!

Haven't had to contact them.

I play a combination of styles that demand changing tones at different points within a single song. Using my hands, my pick ups and this pedal I could get through the a gig with no problems. I am not surprised that Boss discontinued this pedal, as many people don't understand it's importance. If you can pick one of these up for under $50, I would highly recommend getting it. Think your distortion sounds good? Put this pedal in front or behind your distortion and turn it on at the same time-like lifting a blanket from over your ears!!!

Simple to use. Just turn the knobs, no digital programming required.

I found the reviews in this forum puzzling so I decided to provide a totally new perspective. The main reason to purchase a Parametric EQ is to slighly boost your tone but mainly CUT OFFENDING FREQUENCIES. I use this unit on stage to help fight feedback on my acoustic/electric Taylor and Ovation guitars. Unlike a graphic EQ that colors your tone, a parametric EQ will cut a specific frequency. I wouldn't recommend this unit for electric guitar players but its a must for acoustic/electric players.

Hasn't broken in six years.

Never had a need to use support.

I must have pedal for acoustic/electric guitar players who want to finally correct high-volume, feedback problems.

Well let's see....there's 7 knobs to dial in with, which is a PILE for a stomp box. But once you get it, you GOT IT!!! Just a little fiddling with will get the job done....and well. Careful with the LOW boost though...tends to mud out after 3 o'clock. Easy to get a good sound, with a little patience.

YES!!! KICK ASS!! I use a Gibson SG >> Boss NS-2 >> Boss HM-2 >> Korg AX 100-g >> Boss GE-7 >> BOSS PQ-4 >> Boss CS-3 >> Boss GE-10 all into a Roland Jazz Chorus 77 amp. BOOM!!! What a sound. It's like a Boss Metal Zone, without the distortion.....but I use distortion from my AX 100-g, and HM-2. Sooooooo good....with Distortion on, the PQ-4 makes sounds like the Tool sound, with a touch of Slayer / Pantera.

Boss.

Who ARE these support people, anyway?

Kicks all SORTS of ass, and all over the place, too!! A very useful pedal, and Boss makes the best. Guaranteed!! I'll give it a 9....ONLY 'cause if you don't know how to EQ, you'll be a while with this pedal. But to me.....it's a 12. If you already have a Distortion box....this PQ-4 will be a GREAT booster.

It's harder to use than a graphic EQ. It gives you a plenty of alternative sounds, but it's rather difficult to find excactly what you're looking for.(This may be because my lack of experience whit the device) There are 7 knobs in a relatively small space, what makes the adjusting somewhat a jongleur act. Although, once you master those 7 knobs you're happy to have them all.

I've used Marshall 6100 and a variety of guitars. I think it's important to have a way to effect the input signal of the guitar. I think the amp has the spine of your sound,I seldom turn the knobs of my amp and if I want to change the sound charasteristics radically (and quickly) I step on an EQ (why try to mess with several knobs at the same time when you can ease the job to one kick with this pedal). I mostly use the PQ-4 whit the overdriven 2nd and 3rd channels of my amp. I haven't found the pleasing setting for the clean 1st yet, but as it comes to overdriven sound, this thing rules. I have a LEL EQ for the clean channel, these two make a really fine couple.

I have a few products of Boss and I've found all them thrustforthy.
I bought this one used and it missed a knob. That's why not 10.

I really like this pedal. It works well as a part of my gear: 6100 Marshall, Boss Me-5, Boss TR-2, Boss BD-1, Crybaby Wah and LEL Equalizer. I don't even mind about the missing precense knob.

7 knobs: Presence, Bass, Mid Frequency, Mid Level, Treble Frequency, Treble Level, and Overall Level (+/- 18 db!) Using this thing is like doing brain surgery. On a normal EQ, you can just look at it and see what frequency needs boosting or cutting, it's really like having a drawing of the sound, and it's very easy to correct, but on this thing you just have a bunch of teeny knobs inside of other knobs, and you have to really know precisely what frequency you want to narrow in on and by how much you want to tweak it. You need a lot of experience with tone and EQ's to know how to really get a good sound out of this thing, and I, unfortunately, don't have it. I had to fool around with this thing for a long time to get it where I wanted it.

I'm running a Strat with Joe Barden Pickups through a Rocktek (yes, Rocktek) phaser, a Big Muff Pi, Boss CS-3 Compressor and finally into a Mesa-Boogie 50 Caliber. I'm happy with the way my guitar sounds clean, so I don't use this pedal too much by itself, but when I run my Big Muff Pi through it... Boy Howdy! This thing is a Godsend for distortion pedals! I really can't stand to use my pi without it. It just beefs up the sound so much! I can make that thing sound like anything I want it to! Really... this pedal makes my sound go from acceptable, but ordinary to Huge and Distinctive.

They should delete this category when discussing Boss pedals.

No idea, but if I bought it new (which I can't, 'cause they're discontinued) it would have a 5-year warranty, which is pretty nice.

I've never tried a normal EQ with a distortion pedal, so I don't really know if it's worth the extra trouble to find one of these or not, but I'm more than happy with it. I geuss I'll get used to the weird and tempermental knobs, I think they'd really be an advantage once you learn how to use them. I'm not sure if it's really the right pedal for playing clean, for distortion, it's nice to be able to give a huge boost or cut to one or two specific frequencies, which this thing does in spades.

its pretty easy to get a good sound out of this thing,but the controls do need some getting used to.I got no manual,but there's realy no use for one.

this thing sounds great!It makes my crappy solid-state peavy sound almost cool instead of CRAP! It's pretty noisey,but only with distortion used at the same time. the sound is defenitly anything but weak one small twist and you've lost your setting.You can get any kind of sound out of it,I can nail that smashing pumpkins sound realy easy.it also sounds great with all kinds of other effects,too.

I got it for free and when I got it ONE OF THE KNOBS LOOKED LIKE A KID HAD BEEN THROWN AROUND A LITTLE TO MUCH, AND THREE OF THE KNOBS WHERE MISSING,so it doesn't sound that reliable does it!!!

never dealt with them

I play rock and this works great.I've been playing for about 3or4 years.I also own a mxr phase 90,dod buzzbox,dod classic fuzz,and dod tec4x.