GE-7 Equalizer Review

The GE-7 has seven bands ranging from 100Hz to 6.4kHz, ideal for tweaking guitar sounds, with boost/cut of +/- 15dB per band. This lets you completely control your sound and eliminate unwanted feedback, particularly when connected after a distortion effect.

Ease of Use:	7.5
Sound:	9.3
Reliability:	8.8
Impression:	9
Overall rating:	8.7
Users rating:	9
Comments:	12

overall: 8.3

Featured review by: hippie_punk, on may 08, 2006

Price paid: $ 99.99

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Ease of Use: The only flaw. Although it comes with an instruction manual, it really isn't any help. What you have to do is sit down for a while, work with it hooked up to your amp, and figure out how it works. After that initial process, though, it's very easy to use. // 6

Sound: I use this with an Ibanez Gio and a modified Cort Knock-off Stratocaster into a Crate GT212. It gives a very nice boost right where you tell it to. The controls work like a charm. My only greivance is that it gives off a slight hum when using the full boost. // 9

Reliability & Durability: It's a Boss. Nothing else to say. // 10

Impression: I play mostly grunge, punk, hardcore, and noise. It is great for a nice boost when needed. I often use it almost as a volume pedal. I dial in my lead tone on the equalizer and put the boost all the way up. I then put my rhythem sound into the amp. When playing an intro or solo, I turn on the equalizer with my lead tone. When singing, I turn off the equalizer for my softer rhythm sound. I also use it often to give a bass type pop sound to an intro. Overall very nice. This is the best equalizer I've seen, and I would buy it again. // 8

overall: 9.5

Reviewed by: metallhead, on march 28, 2008

Purchased from: forums

Ease of Use: If you understand what this pedal is for it is easy to use. The manual does not explain what sound is and what frequencies are and how the Universe works. It is not supposed to and it doesn't. I think the pedal is easy to use if you do some extra reading on the web. Once you get it then everything is a breeze. // 9

Sound: I am using the GE-7 in front of the Vox Valvetronix AD30VT. For the distortion models the on board equalizer is useless so an external one is needed. In fact I max out all the on board eq's and shape the sound with the GE-7. It works like a charm. The pedal is not noisy if the level knob is not raised excessively. I found that for the flat or lower level knob there is no noise. I usually leave it on the 0 setting (in the middle). I hate the lows on the Valvetronix so I use the GE-7 to cut them a little and boost the mids. I get a nice Megadeth sound for both lead and rhythm. // 9

Reliability & Durability: The pedal is made of metal and it looks like it could take a lot of punishment. I never heard one of these to go bad. I do not use a battery but a cheap walmart adapter and it works fine. I think I would use it without a backup. But just in case I would not drop it or throw it into someone because I like it too much. // 10

Impression: There are several pedals that will do what the GE-7 does but I chose this for reliability and the name. Plus you can get them for half the price (round $55) from forums or craigslist which is excellent. I consider this a must and I wouldn't think about using the distortion models on my Valvetronix without one. The clean channels are fine without an equalizer but the distortion channels are a different story. I would definitely buy another one if something happened to it. I've been playing for over 10 years on and off and in my opinion this is one of the most useful pedals that I have ever used. // 10

overall: 8.5

Reviewed by: PuReDeAtH, on february 10, 2007

Price paid: $ 120

Purchased from: Showtime Music

Ease of Use: The Boss GE-7 Equalizer has a great tone to it, and almost just by plugging it in does it improve your tone quality. When used in combination with other pedals, it takes their tone an makes it crisp an clean, almost as if by magic. The manual, though, could have used some work. The EQ pedal has several adjustable levels on it, an yet the manual does not even begin to say what each one does, let alone what level is best for what. // 8

Sound: I use my Boss GE-7 Equalizer pedal with a Paul Reed Smith SE Billy Martin Model, a Zoom 505 Multi-FX pedal, and a 15 watt Marshall DFX amp. It does make a slight buzz like noise if you crank the level on it, but with a good NoiseGate you don't even really notice it. The effect is basically just to improve the sound of your existing set-up, and it always sounds great. It can also be used to slightly mold the sound of your guitar, to better match what your playing. I use it to match sounds of some the bands I play songs from, Breaking Benjamin, Slipknot ans Nonpoint just to name a few. It does what it does very well. // 10

Reliability & Durability: It's very reliable, but seems to eat the batteries quite readily, I'd always keep a spare 9v handy, just in case. If I was on a gig I'd probably have a backup, you never know when a short may happen. Stands up well against all the jumping an stomping, an I'd say it's very much durable an sturdy. I've been using it a while an it barely has a scratch on it. // 7

Impression: The Boss GE-7 Equalizer pedal is a great thing for any musician to own. I have been playing over a year now, an the Boss EQ pedal has been a great help to model an shape my sound to what I believe my music should sound like. If my EQ were to be stolen, I would definately get a new one, I have grown to love the crisp tone quality, an can't play with out it. The one thing I hate about it though, is how easy it is to misunderstand the settings on the pedal. So many settings so little instructions on what they do. I just with that it had a built in NoiseGate, an it would be the greatest addition to any guitar player's arsenal. // 9

overall: 8.3

Reviewed by: Sonicxlover, on march 17, 2007

Price paid: $ 105

Purchased from: East Coast Music Mall

Ease of Use: This thing is extremely easy to use, if you know how to work it. It helps to know what each band does to your sound. I had to go to the Boss website to get settings, but their settings work like a charm. Again, easy if you know what to do with it. Boss pedals are usually pretty simple, and this one is no exception. // 7

Sound: I love what the GE-7 does to my tone. I like to put it in a frown shape by boosting the highs and lows, and I tell you, it really boosts my tone. When I thrown down my riffs, it really gives them balls. When I launch into my soloing, it helps my tone cut through and makes it that much more enjoyable. One complaint is the slight hum, which you can just ignore. // 9

Reliability & Durability: It may sound cliche, but this pedal is built like a tank, as most Boss pedals are. I never need to worry about it breaking or screwing up when I play. My one complaint, as someone else said, is that it sucks the life out of batteries (which I use). With heavy playing, I need to replace the battery every one or two weeks, which can get annoying. But not a problem if you use a power supply. // 8

Impression: I play everything from blues to classic rock to occasional metal, and I can tell you honestly that the GE-7 enhances my tone no matter what I play. I've only owned this pedal for a few motnhs, and I refuse to go onstage without it. If it were stolen, I'd definitely buy it again. I believe every serious guitar player should own an EQ, and this is one of the best EQs out there. // 9

Comments

[ArcherTheVMan]

well its not going to get any easier than that with an eq so i dont see how you should grade it down because of it. as eqs go thats actually quite easy to use.

[Doomsayer16]

I agree with ArcherTheVMan.

[blicero]

good eq but better after being modded.

[Mahavishnu80]

Dont get the ge10-it isnt very good-its way too digital/saturated sounding. Best EQ's are the Electro Harmonix or the Kerry King model.

[PuReDeAtH]

I agree totally, but maybe you should go a little more in-depth on how you use it though, an also I agree about the manual, it is the blandest thing I've ever seen. Maybe they should spend some more time explaining what each level does.

[Silky Smooth]

I used to use mine as a clean boost

The thing was SOO noisy used as an EQ!

[fleh]

its an eq
if u need instructions u cant know what an eq does
so whyd u buy it
wud actually quite like an answer...

[DOMR28]

fleh wrote:

its an eq
if u need instructions u cant know what an eq does
so whyd u buy it
wud actually quite like an answer...

ditto! these are made for people who have a tone in mind but can't quite get it through a dist. pedal alone. why even bother with factory recommendations. you'll just sound like everyone else. Now that's bland!

[driggsi424]

who the hell buys this pedal as a boost?? im with you guys 100% only buy this pedal if you have an ear for guitar tone

[gibofan01]

driggsi424 wrote:

who the hell buys this pedal as a boost?? im with you guys 100% only buy this pedal if you have an ear for guitar tone

um.. ME. i use it for both boost and tone. this pedal is awesome for solo boosting and creating or finding those famous tones.

[Bunyip]

gibofan01 wrote:

driggsi424 wrote:

who the hell buys this pedal as a boost?? im with you guys 100% only buy this pedal if you have an ear for guitar tone

um.. ME. i use it for both boost and tone. this pedal is awesome for solo boosting and creating or finding those famous tones.

agree 100% it makes your solo stand out from your rythm by enhancing the tone to anything you like and giving that extra push over the cliff so to speak

[highwayone73]

Just followed some advice and got one of these for my Express 5:50. I was having a problem shaping the bass with the active eq on the amp so I stuck this in the loop and easy-peasy tweaked it just right. It does work as a boost and if you shape it right it kinda works as a comp too. Great pedal.