In 2023, BOSS released the limited-edition trio of 50th Anniversary commemorative compact pedals. The BD-2 Blues Driver rightfully took its place in the lineup alongside the equally iconic DS-1 Distortion and SD-1 Super OverDrive. Introduced in 1995, it remains a go-to gain pedal for myriad guitarists and a BOSS best-seller. A favorite of countless greats since the ’90s, here’s why the BD-2 Blues Driver is a true modern classic.
A Blue Decade
Released in 1995, the BOSS BD-2 Blues Driver appeared smack in the middle of the decade, during which a new wave of blues players like Joe Bonamassa and Eric Gales gained prominence. That very year, guitar prodigies Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Jonny Lang dropped their debut LPs in the wake of pivotal releases by seasoned bluesmen Gary Moore (Still Got the Blues) and Buddy Guy (Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues). At the same time, electric blues progenitors B.B. King and John Lee Hooker endured as leading lights, while Beverly Watkins, Deborah Coleman, and other big-gun maestros further invigorated the genre.
Simultaneously, the acoustic guitar world was experiencing a blues revival. The era saw Robert Johnson’s historic The Complete Recordings and Eric Clapton’s best-selling Unplugged pick up Grammy Awards. While the ’90s witnessed the zenith of grunge, the golden age of hip-hop, and the birth of nu metal, the blues was undoubtedly alive and well.
Great blues guitar tone is all about expressive phrasing and dynamics. To that end, the Blues Driver excels at highlighting the nuances of performance by retaining definition and clarity. Coveted for its tube amp-style response, the BD-2 delivers articulate, bluesy tones at any volume—from delicate sparkle to blazing overdrive.
"While the '90s witnessed the zenith of grunge, the golden age of hip-hop, and the birth of nu metal, the blues was undoubtedly alive and well."
Cross-Genre Appeal
While the Blues Driver has more than lived up to its name, it’s not merely a drive pedal for blues players. A long and varied list of proponents is a testament to its genre-spanning appeal. BD-2 fans include old-school axe-slingers Leslie West and Randy Bachman, funk-soul shredders Prince and Malina Moye, goth pioneers Billy Duffy and Robert Smith, alt-rock luminaries Jim Fairchild and Kazu Makino, and six-string virtuosos Mike Stern and Steve Vai.
Today, a new generation of guitarists is discovering the Blues Driver for themselves. Indeed, this timeless BOSS compact pedal has appeared on the pedalboards of Dhani Harrison, Lukas Nelson, and Elijah Hewson. While all three players have a parent with vast musical legacies, each utilizes the BD-2 uniquely. Similarly, Emily Wolfe, Tash Sultana, and Courtney Barnett have approached the BD-2 on their own terms. However you choose to use it, the Blues Driver will allow your personality and technique to shine through.
Versatile and Adaptable
In the ever-expanding stompbox universe, the Blues Driver remains a touchstone of guitar tone. Easy to slot into virtually any rig, the BD-2’s practical, straightforward design means that dialing in great sounds couldn’t be easier. Sporting three control knobs—the essential triad of Gain, Level, and Tone—a vast scope of sonics is ready for exploration.
"Sporting three control knobs—the essential triad of Gain, Level, and Tone—a vast scope of sonics is ready for exploration."
Whether you’re using it for primary tone elevation, a harmonically rich boost, or amp-like distortion, the Blues Driver offers infinite shades of drive. Versatile and adaptable, players prize the BD-2 for its dynamic response to electric guitar signals in any application. The Blues Driver won’t mask your playing, whether you’re slamming the front end of an amp, kicking in a solo lift, or gain stacking with another pedal.
When designing the BD-2, retaining the connection between musician and instrument was essential. BOSS engineers set out to create a new circuit that would interact perfectly with the guitar volume control. “If you distort using the amp and turn the guitar volume down, you can get a clean sound.” According to The BOSS Book, “This was the idea, and the BD-2 was the first effect that allowed you to control the distortion using the volume control on the guitar.”
"The BD-2 was the first effect that allowed you to control the distortion using the volume control on the guitar."
Tone at Any Level
Overcoming technical challenges, the team was successful in creating a drive that provided the right tone at different guitar volume levels. “When you turn down the guitar volume, it affects the filters in the circuit,” The BOSS Book explains, “and the sound gets a little muddy. This is a weakness of distortion and overdrive.” Not so with the BD-2, however. As the book points out, “You get a crunch-like sound from amp distortion even when you turn the guitar volume down.”
Iconic Form
It’s not just the Blues Driver sound that players enjoy; there’s also the iconic form of the compact pedal. Practically unchanged since 1977, the groundbreaking BOSS design introduced a bevy of features now considered industry standard. These days, it’s all too easy to take them for granted. However, the game-changing design included a power jack and LED, silent switching, an easy-access, leak-protective battery compartment, a rubber-coated base and footplate, a stomp-sheltered control section, and robust and lightweight aluminum die-cast housing. In other words, BOSS compact pedals like the Blues Driver are built to last.
"You get a crunch-like sound from amp distortion even when you turn the guitar volume down."
Widespread Popularity
As with all compact pedals in the current BOSS lineup, the Blues Driver is easily accessible to pros and beginners alike. Aside from its innate desirability and long-term value, the BD-2 is a practical and flexible music-making tool. Manufactured to exacting standards, the Blues Driver has served hundreds of thousands of guitarists on their musical journeys.
Early Adopters
The Blues Driver has gained widespread popularity throughout the guitar world. Early on, its definitive sound and class-leading design made it a cult classic among modders and boutique builders. As the online guitar effects community grew exponentially throughout the late ’90s and into the ’00s, adoration for the BD-2 swelled. Sharing knowledge, experience, and passion, this talent pool regularly paid homage to the Blues Driver. A breeding ground for success stories, some of the most prominent names in the industry emerged from here.
"I got into pedals because, as a player, I used two Blues Drivers together for years and years."
A Driven Collaboration
Josh Scott of JHS Pedals helped spread the gospel of the Blues Driver early on. “I’ve said for years and years that BOSS pedals are my favorite pedals,” Scott told us. “I got into pedals because, as a player, I used two Blues Drivers together for years and years. One day, one of them broke. I opened it up and realized it was just a simple soldering fix.” Sparking his curiosity, Scott’s fascination with stompboxes soon became a way of life. “JHS pedals came into existence out of repairing that pedal,” he recalls.
Many years later, JHS collaborated with BOSS to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the compact pedal. Released in 2017, the JB-2 Angry Driver neatly combines the sounds of the BOSS Blues Driver and JHS’s popular Angry Charlie into a single unit. Fitted with three dual-concentric knobs assigned to the Level, Tone, and Drive of each, the JB-2’s six-way mode switch allows users to select both in series, parallel, or individually.
Another evolution of the Blues Driver appeared in 2014, when BOSS debuted its Japanese-made Waza Craft compact pedals. Representing a pinnacle of craftsmanship, the BD-2W boasts a Custom/Standard mode switch. This feature takes the Blues Driver sound to new heights while retaining the essential character of the original circuit.
"The BD-2W boasts a Custom/Standard mode switch which takes the Blues Driver sound to new heights while retaining the essential character of the original circuit."
A Higher Level
BOSS compact pedals are often imitated, and the Blues Driver is no exception. Scores of clones and off-shoots have appeared over the years. Mitsuhiro Wakiyama, BOSS Division Head and General Manager, Effector Development Department, gives important insight into the Waza Craft development process. He notes that while it was possible to make a sonic difference by adding or replacing parts, the unique essence could easily get lost.
“Waza Craft was born because we know that we can advance to a higher level without losing the original quality,” Wakiyama stated in an interview around the BOSS fiftieth anniversary.
Still, even with imitators out there, the rich tone of the original, authentic BD-2 is impossible to beat. Blues power shows no sign of letting up, and the Blues Driver remains the ideal pedal for the genre.
