Three Legendary Preamps. One Compact Pedal.
There's a reason old-school guitarists used to run their entire signal through a CE-1 Chorus Ensemble or an RE-201 Space Echo — sometimes with the effects completely bypassed. Those vintage units had something special happening in their analog preamp sections: a warmth, a body, a certain richness that made everything downstream sound better. The Boss BP-1W bottles that exact mojo into a standard-sized stompbox, and adds a clean boost mode for good measure.
At its heart, the BP-1W is built around analog circuitry derived from two of the most beloved pieces of gear in Boss and Roland history. You get three distinct voices — CE, RE, and NAT — selected with a front-panel toggle, and just two knobs (Gain and Level) to dial in your sound. Simple layout, deep results.
Whether you're looking for a touch of vintage color always-on, a way to push your amp into breakup, or a transparent clean boost for solos, the BP-1W covers that ground without getting in the way of your core tone.
Three Voices, Three Characters
The CE mode draws from the preamp section of the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble — the first mass-produced chorus pedal — delivering a bright, bell-like character with tight low-end response. The Gain knob takes it from mild shimmer to a more aggressive, biting saturation as you turn it up.
RE mode pulls from the Roland RE-201 Space Echo preamp, which adds fatness and warmth even at low gain settings. Players often find it works especially well slammed into the front of a tube amp, where the RE voice's analog compression characteristics add a satisfying depth to driven tones.
NAT (Natural) mode is the BP-1W's clean boost: punchy, minimally colored, and wide-ranging in its volume headroom. It's ideal when you want to push your amp or drive downstream pedals without altering your base tone's character.
Two Premium Buffers — More Than a Bonus
On the rear panel, a small switch lets you choose between Standard (STD) and Vintage (VTG) input buffer modes. The standard buffer keeps your signal clean and conditioned, and it stays active even when the pedal is bypassed — so the BP-1W is doing positive work in your chain at all times.
The vintage buffer drops the input impedance to 100kΩ, producing a warmer, smoother response with a noticeable difference in how your guitar's volume knob interacts with the pedal. Players with passive pickups going directly into the BP-1W will notice the most pronounced effect from the VTG setting.
Waza Craft Build Quality
The BP-1W is part of Boss's Waza Craft series — hand-assembled in Japan using carefully selected analog components. "Waza" is the Japanese term for art and technique, and this series represents Boss's commitment to premium build quality and circuit refinement over cost-cutting. The BP-1W is an entirely new design within the Waza lineup, not a reissue of an existing pedal, which makes it especially interesting for players who want something fresh with deep vintage roots.
Power is via a standard 9V battery or Boss PSA-series AC adapter (sold separately). The pedal runs at 60mA current draw in a familiar compact Boss enclosure measuring 2-7/8" x 5-1/8" x 2-3/8".
Product Features:
- Analog circuit: Three preamp/boost voices derived from vintage Boss and Roland effects
- CE mode: Reproduces the bright, bell-like preamp character of the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble
- RE mode: Reproduces the fat, warm preamp sound of the Roland RE-201 Space Echo
- NAT mode: Natural clean boost with minimal coloration and wide output headroom
- Controls: Gain knob and Level knob with front-panel Mode toggle (CE / NAT / RE)
- Bypass: Buffered bypass — Standard buffer always active for signal conditioning when bypassed
- Dual buffer switch: Selectable Standard (STD) or Vintage (VTG) input buffer on rear panel
- Power: 9V alkaline battery or Boss PSA-series AC adapter (sold separately); 60mA current draw
- Made in Japan as part of the Boss Waza Craft series
- Dimensions: 2-7/8" (W) x 5-1/8" (D) x 2-3/8" (H)
Brand: Boss
Model: BP-1W Waza Craft Booster/Preamp
SKU: BP-1W
Condition: New
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