
Boss announces new products featured at NAMM 2025, including the VG-800 V-Guitar Processor, GX-10 Guitar Effects Processor, and WAZA Tube Amp Expander Core.
VG-800 V-Guitar Processor
Driven by the latest generation of Boss V-Guitar technology and the Serial GK divided pickup, this pedal is designed to allow players to completely transform their sound at the push of a button. Advanced modeling provides the ability to play different stringed instruments together or on isolated strings, explore alternate and down tunings, and go even further with all-new sounds not possible with traditional instruments. Itās now easier than ever to access V-Guitar power, thanks to the VG-800ās pedalboard-friendly size.
The V-Guitar approach leverages sophisticated Boss modeling advancements to realize a world of new musical potential. Coupled with the Serial GK divided pickup, the VG-800 recreates a variety of electric guitars, acoustic guitars, and basses, plus instruments like sitar and banjo. Users can also play synth tonesāincluding a spot-on emulation of Rolandās GR-300 from the early ā80sāand travel to undiscovered territory with the unique VIO type and its bowed attack characteristics.
The VG-800 comes loaded with great preset sounds, ready to play on their own or inspire new creations. It works equally well with bass, providing a dedicated mode with bass-optimized processing algorithms and 150 independent memories.
The intuitive VG-800 menu structure makes it easy to build virtual instruments with deep customization tools that include string behaviors, instrument style, pickup position, resonance, and much more. Each stringās pitch and panning are adjustable, enabling alternate tunings and ultra-wide sounds. And with the unique Dual Guitar and Dual Bass options, players can create supercharged platforms with two independent instruments.
The VG-800ās onboard switches and diverse external control options unlock inspiring performance possibilities. With a single press, the user can change the instrument type or tuning, bend the pitch of individual strings to create pedal steel, āB-bender,ā and other unique effects, or smoothly morph between instrument types, each with a discrete signal processing chain.
The VG-800 delivers a massive amount of creative power in a compact size that flows into any setup. Along with its instrument modeling functions, itās filled with advanced signal processing derived from flagship-level BOSS multi-effects. Amps and effects can be applied to two modeled sounds and the dedicated guitar input. Send and return jacks are also available to patch in mono and stereo pedals.
With its USB audio/MIDI interface, the VG-800 is a powerhouse recording tool for computer music production. Versatile multi-channel routing lets the user capture the stereo mix or record two modeled instrument sounds and the direct guitar input to separate DAW tracks. Itās even possible to separately record the unprocessed string sounds from the GK divided pickup, then pipe them back into the VG-800 for āre-guitarā or āre-bassā processing. Speedy pitch-to-MIDI conversion is also supported to trigger software-based instruments with a guitar or bass.
Boss Tone Studio (macOS/Windows) allows users to edit memories, adjust system settings, import speaker IRs, and manage setups for different playing applications. Boss Tone Exchange is also accessible within the software, providing access to professionally created Livesets and sound sharing with the global BOSS community.
A Serial GK pickup is required to access the advanced modeling features on the VG-800. There are user-installable Serial GK guitar (GK-5) and bass (GK-5B) pickup models for external mounting, plus Serial GK kit options for permanent installation within instruments.
Availability & Pricing
The new BOSS VG-800 V-Guitar Processor will be available for purchase at authorized U.S. BOSS retailers for $649.99 in February.
GX-10 Guitar Effects Processor
Boss showcases the GX-10, a powerful new amp and effects processor for guitar and bass. Equipped with the core sound engine and color touch display from the acclaimed GX-100 released in 2022, the GX-10 offers players the same inspiring experience in an even more portable footprint. Adding in multi-mode footswitches, an integrated expression pedal, and USB audio connectivity, the GX-10 seamlessly transitions from nightly stage performing to desktop recording, song creation, and daily practice sessions.
The GX-10 delivers a universe of ultra-responsive tones in a travel-ready size. There are 23 guitar amps and nine bass amps to choose from, including high-gain X-Ultra, X-Optima, and X-Titan types crafted with the latest BOSS modeling technologies. Players can color sounds with 170 different effects, including overdrives and distortions, mod effects, delays, and reverbs, plus dedicated bass effects and Boss classics like Slow Gear, Octave, Slicer, and more.
The GX-10 enables fast sound creation with an inviting color touch display and four dynamic parameter knobs. Up to two amps and 15 effects are supported in each memory, and itās easy to change effect order and create series or parallel routings by dragging blocks with a finger on the screen. Send/return jacks are available to integrate favorite pedals or an ampās effects loop into the GX-10 signal flow.
The GX-10's clever control options provide versatile real-time sound adjustment possibilities while performing. Multiple control modes and user-assignable settings offer maximum flexibility with just three footswitches. By default, the expression pedal toggles between volume and wah and activates the tuner when the pedal is pulled back. But it can be customized to control nearly anything using the GX-10ās assign matrix.
Boss Tone Studio allows users to edit sounds and load their own speaker cab IRs from a Mac or Windows computer. The GX-10 also supports the optional Bluetooth Audio MIDI Dual Adaptor, which unlocks on-the-gig wireless editing via the mobile version of the app.
Boss Tone Studio includes additional tools to organize GX-10 sounds for different gigs and playing situations. It also provides direct access to Boss Tone Exchange, an online platform for downloading professionally created sounds and sharing GX-10 Livesets with the global Boss community. GX-100 Livesets are fully compatible with the GX-10 as well. In addition, thereās a built-in USB-C audio interface for capturing high-quality guitar tones in music production apps on computers and mobile devices.
Availability & Pricing
The new Boss GX-10 Guitar Effects Processor is available now for purchase at authorized U.S. Boss retailers for $399.9.
WAZA Tube Amp Expander Core
A powerful recording and practice solution for tube-based guitar amplifiers. Based on the popular WAZA Tube Amp Expander, this new model offers a streamlined footprint and many powerful enhancements focused on direct recording applications. The advanced Boss Tube Logic design approach harnesses the complete output of a connected tube amplifier, supported by premium cab emulation and studio processing to craft impactful, mix-ready guitar tracks. The WAZA Tube Amp Expander Core also features an integrated 30-watt reactive drive power amp, allowing users to hook up a speaker cabinet and enjoy āsweet spotā amp tones at home-friendly levels.
A tube-based guitar amp sounds and feels its best when the volume is cranked and its power section is really working. Unfortunately, the levels produced are usually unmanageable for anyone without an isolation booth or very forgiving neighbors. The WAZA Tube Amp Expander Core solves this issue, allowing the user to drive their amp while capturing the speaker output with a reactive load that accurately emulates combo and stack-style speaker behaviors. This isolated signal can then be used for direct recording and low-volume playing situations.
The companion editor software provides a studio playground for shaping the raw amp sound within the WAZA Tube Amp Expander Core. Users can choose from 22 BOSS cabinet emulations and five classic mic types (two available simultaneously), then dial in the ideal blend with position, distance, and level controls. Alternatively, itās possible to use up to two speaker cab IRs at once, either from the 10 included Celestion Digital IRs or 64 selections loaded into the unit from a personal IR library.
The WAZA Tube Amp Expander Core contains powerful tools to help achieve world-class recorded tones with no engineering experience required. The Mix Assist function applies one of three sound contour curves with variable transient control, making it easy to record parts that blend perfectly within mixes. Thereās also an immersive Air Feel feature that uses Boss spatial technology to recreate the inspiring āamp-in-roomā tone that guitarists love.
Effect processing plays a vital role in shaping great studio guitar tones. The WAZA Tube Amp Expander Core features a series/parallel loop for inserting external mod and ambience effects, positioned after the ampās distortion for the clearest sound. High-quality internal processing is also available to apply compression, EQ, delay, and reverb within the unit. Users can organize custom setups in the editorāincluding cab choices and effectsāand assign 10 favorites for instant access with the Rig knob on the front panel.
The WAZA Tube Amp Expander Coreās versatile connectivity provides many ways to use rig setups. Players can record directly to music production software over USB or patch into a mixer or audio interface with the stereo XLR output jacks. Itās also possible to hook up an external speaker cabinet (4/8/16 ohms) for daily practice or monitor through headphones with Air Feel for an inspiring spatial experience. The optional Bluetooth Audio MIDI Dual Adaptor adds wireless capabilities, allowing players to jam with music streamed from a smartphone and use the mobile version of the editor to tweak rigs and load IRs.
Availability & Pricing
The new Boss WAZA Tube Amp Expander Core will be available for purchase at authorized U.S. Boss retailers for $699.99 in February.
Katana-Mini X
The latest addition to the Katana series. While its footprint is small, its sound is anything but. Evolving on the features of the popular Katana-Mini model, it offers six versatile analog sound options, two simultaneous effects, and a robust cabinet for a bigger and fuller guitar experience. Katana-Mini X provides many enhancements to energize playing sessions, including an onboard tuner, front-facing panel controls, an internal rechargeable battery, and onboardBluetoothĀ® for streaming music from a smartphone.
Availability & Pricing
The Katana-Mini X is available for purchase at authorized U.S. BOSS retailers now for $149.99.
More info: boss.info. Visit BOSS at NAMM: The Roland Studio, Room 202, Level 2.
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Acoustic players, this oneās for you! Win the LR Baggs Venue DI in the I Love Pedals giveaway and take full control of your live sound. Enter today and return daily for more chances!
LR Baggs Venue DI Acoustic Guitar Preamp / DI / EQ / Tuner Pedal
We created the Venue DI so you can travel light, set up fast, and sound incredible anywhere you plug in. The Venue DI gives you complete control by combining a full-isolation DI output, 5-band EQ with adjustable low & hi-mid bands, variable clean boost, and chromatic tuner all in one acoustic pedal. With its all-discrete signal path, hi-graded semiconductors, and exclusive use of audiophile grade film capacitors, the Venue DI is on par with the worldās elite preamps and provides a studio quality sound for the stage.
With authentic stage-class Katana amp sounds, wireless music streaming, and advanced spatial technology, the KATANA:GO is designed to offer a premium sound experience without the need for amps or pedals.
BOSS announces the return of KATANA:GO, an ultra-compact headphone amplifier for daily jams with a guitar or bass. KATANA:GO puts authentic sounds from the stage-class BOSS Katana amp series at the instrumentās output jack, paired with wireless music streaming, sound editing, and learning tools on the userās smartphone. Advanced spatial technology provides a rich 3D audio experience, while BOSS Tone Exchange offers an infinite sound library to explore any musical style.
Offering all the features of the previous generation in a refreshed external design, KATANA:GO delivers premium sound for everyday playing without the hassle of amps, pedals, and computer interfaces. Users can simply plug it into their instrument, connect earbuds or headphones, call up a memory, and go. Onboard controls provide access to volume, memory selection, and other essential functions, while the built-in screen displays the tuner and current memory. The rechargeable battery offers up to five hours of continuous playing time, and the integrated 1/4-inch plug folds down to create a pocket-size package thatās ready to travel anywhere.
KATANA:GO drives sessions with genuine sounds from the best-selling Katana stage amp series. Guitar mode features 10 unique amp characters, including clean, crunch, the high-gain BOSS Brown type, two acoustic/electric guitar characters, and more. Thereās also a dedicated bass mode with Vintage, Modern, and Flat types directly ported from the Katana Bass amplifiers. Each mode includes a massive library of BOSS effects to explore, with deep sound customization available in the companion BOSS Tone Studio app for iOS and Android.
The innovative Stage Feel feature in KATANA:GO provides an immersive audio experience with advanced BOSS spatial technology. Presets allow the user to position the amp sound and backing music in different places in the sound field, giving the impression of playing with a backline on stage or jamming in a room with friends.
The guitar and bass modes in KATANA:GO each feature 30 memories loaded with ready-to-play sounds. BOSS Tone Studio allows the player to tweak preset memories, create sounds from scratch, or import Tone Setting memories created with stage-class Katana guitar and bass amplifiers. The app also provides integrated access to BOSS Tone Exchange, where users can download professionally curated Livesets and share sounds with the global BOSS community.
Pairing KATANA:GO with a smartphone offers a complete mobile solution to supercharge daily practice. Players can jam along with songs from their music library and tap into BOSS Tone Studioās Session feature to hone skills with YouTube learning content. Itās possible to build song lists, loop sections for focused study, and set timestamps to have KATANA:GO switch memories automatically while playing with YouTube backing tracks.
The versatile KATANA:GO functions as a USB audio interface for music production and online content creation on a computer or mobile device. External control of wah, volume, memory selection, and more are also supported via the optional EV-1-WL Wireless MIDI Expression Pedal and FS-1-WL Wireless Footswitch.
For more information, please visit boss.info.
We know Horsegirl as a band of musicians, but their friendships will always come before the music. From left to right: Nora Cheng, drummer Gigi Reece, and Penelope Lowenstein.
The Chicago-via-New York trio of best friends reinterpret the best bits of college-rock and ā90s indie on their new record, Phonetics On and On.
Horsegirl guitarists Nora Cheng and Penelope Lowenstein are back in their hometown of Chicago during winter break from New York University, where they share an apartment with drummer Gigi Reece. Theyāre both in the middle of writing papers. Cheng is working on one about Buckminster Fuller for a city planning class, and Lowenstein is untangling Austrian writer Ingeborg Bachmannās short story, āThree Paths to the Lake.ā
āIt was kind of life-changing, honestly. It changed how I thought about womanhood,ā Lowenstein says over the call, laughing a bit at the gravitas of the statement.
But the moment of levity illuminates the fact that big things are happening in their lives. When they released their debut album, 2022ās Versions of Modern Performance, the three members of Horsegirl were still teenagers in high school. Their new, sophomore record, Phonetics On and On, arrives right in the middle of numerous first experiencesātheir first time living away from home, first loves, first years of their 20s, in university. Horsegirl is going through changes. Lowenstein notes how, through moving to a new city, their friendship has grown, too, into something more familial. They rely on each other more.
āIf the friendship was ever taking a toll because of the band, the friendship would come before the band, without any doubt.āāPenelope Lowenstein
āEveryone's cooking together, you take each other to the doctor,ā Lowenstein says. āYou rely on each other for weird things. I think transitioning from being teenage friends to suddenly working together, touring together, writing together in this really intimate creative relationship, going through sort of an unusual experience together at a young age, and then also starting school togetherāI just feel like it brings this insane intimacy that we work really hard to maintain. And if the friendship was ever taking a toll because of the band, the friendship would come before the band without any doubt.ā
Horsegirl recorded their sophomore LP, Phonetics On and On, at Wilcoās The Loft studio in their hometown, Chicago.
These changes also include subtle and not-so-subtle shifts in their sophisticated and artful guitar-pop. Versions of Modern Performance created a notion of the band as ā90s college-rock torchbearers, with reverb-and-distortion-drenched numbers that recalled Yo La Tengo and the Breeders. Phonetics On and On doesnāt extinguish the flame, but itās markedly more contemporary, sacrificing none of the catchiness but opting for more space, hypnotic guitar lines, and meditative, repeated phrases. Cheng and Lowenstein credit Welsh art-pop wiz Cate Le Bonās presence as producer in the studio as essential to the sonic direction.
āOn the record, I think we were really interested in Young Marble Giantsāsuper minimal, the percussiveness of the guitar, and how you can do so much with so little.āāNora Cheng
āWe had never really let a fourth person into our writing process,ā Cheng says. āI feel like Cate really changed the way we think about how you can compose a song, and built off ideas we were already thinking about, and just created this very comfortable space for experimentation and pushed us. There are so many weird instruments and things that aren't even instruments at [Wilcoās Chicago studio] The Loft. I feel like, definitely on our first record, we were super hesitant to go into territory that wasn't just distorted guitar, bass, and drums.ā
Nora Cheng's Gear
Nora Cheng says that letting a fourth personāWelsh artist Cate Le Bonāinto the trioās songwriting changed how they thought about composition.
Photo by Braden Long
Effects
- EarthQuaker Devices Plumes
- Ibanez Tube Screamer
- TC Electronic Polytune
Picks
- Dunlop Tortex .73 mm
Phonetics On and On introduces warm synths (āJulieā), raw-sounding violin (āIn Twosā), and gamelan tilesācommon in traditional Indonesian musicāto Horsegirlās repertoire, and expands on their already deep quiver of guitar sounds as Cheng and Lowenstein branch into frenetic squonks, warped jangles, and jagged, bare-bones riffs. The result is a collection of songs simultaneously densely textured and spacious.
āI listen to these songs and I feel like it captures the raw, creative energy of being in the studio and being like, āFuck! We just exploded the song. What is about to happen?āā Lowenstein says. āThat feeling is something we didnāt have on the first record because we knew exactly what we wanted to capture and it was the songs we had written in my parentsā basement.ā
Cheng was first introduced to classical guitar as a kid by her dad, who tried to teach her, and then she was subsequently drawn back to rock by bands like Cage The Elephant and Arcade Fire. Lowenstein started playing at age 6, which covers most of her life memories and comprises a large part of her identity. āIt made me feel really powerful as a young girl to know that I was a very proficient guitarist,ā she says. The shreddy playing of Television, Pink Floydās spacey guitar solos, and Yo La Tengoās Ira Kaplan were all integral to her as Horsegirl began.
Penelope Lowenstein's Gear
Penelope Lowenstein likes looking back at the versions of herself that made older records.
Photo by Braden Long
Effects
- EarthQuaker Westwood
- EarthQuaker Bellows
- TC Electronic PolyTune
Picks
- Dunlop Tortex 1.0 mm
Recently, the two of them have found themselves influenced by guitarists both related and unrelated to the type of tunes theyāre trading in on their new album. Lowenstein got into Brazilian guitar during the pandemic and has recently been āin a Jim OāRourke, John Fahey zone.ā
āThereās something about listening to that music where you realize, about the guitar, that you can just compose an entire orchestra on one instrument,ā Lowenstein says. āAnd hearing what the bass in those guitar parts is doingāas in, the E stringāis kind of mind blowing.ā
āOn the record, I think we were really interested in Young Marble Giantsāsuper minimal, the percussiveness of the guitar, and how you can do so much with so little,ā Cheng adds. āAnd also Lizzy Mercier [Descloux], mostly on the Rosa Yemen records. That guitar playing I feel was very inspiring for the anti-solo,[a technique] which appears on [Phonetics On and On].āThis flurry of focused discovery gives the impression that Cheng and Lowensteinās sensibilities are shifting day-to-day, buoyed by the incredible expansion of creative possibilities that setting oneās life to revolve around music can afford. And, of course, the energy and exponential growth of youth. Horsegirl has already clocked major stylistic shifts in their brief lifespan, and itās exciting to have such a clear glimpse of evolution in artists who are, likely and hopefully, just beginning a long journey together.
āThereās something about listening to that music where you realize, about the guitar, that you can just compose an entire orchestra on one instrument.āāPenelope Lowenstein
āIn your 20s, life moves so fast,ā Lowenstein says. āSo much changes from the time of recording something to releasing something that even that process is so strange. You recognize yourself, and you also kind of sympathize with yourself. It's a really rewarding way of life, I think, for musicians, and it's cool that we have our teenage years captured like that, tooāon and on until we're old women.ā
YouTube It
Last summer, Horsegirl gathered at a Chicago studio space to record a sun-soaked set of new and old tunes.
Featuring torrefied solid Sitka Spruce tops, mahogany neck, back, and sides, and Fishman Presys VT EQ System, these guitars are designed to deliver quality tone and playability at an affordable price point.
Cort Guitars, acclaimed for creating instruments that exceed in value and quality, introduces the Essence Series. This stunning set of acoustic guitars is designed for musicians looking for the quintessential classic acoustic guitar with fabulous tone all at an exceptional price point. The Essence Series features two distinct body shapes: The Grand Auditorium and the OM Cutaway. Whatever the flavor, the Essence Series has the style to suit.
The Essence-GA-4 is the perfect Grand Auditorium acoustic. Wider than a dreadnought, the Essence-GA-4 features a deep body with a narrower waist and a width of 1 Ā¾ā (45mm) at the nut. The result is an instrument that is ideal for any number of playing styles: Pickingā¦ strummingā¦ the Essence GA-4 is completely up for the task.
The Essence-OM-4 features a shallower body creating a closer connection to the player allowing for ease of use on stage. With its 1 11/16āth (43mm) nut width, this Orchestra Model is great for fingerpickers or singer/guitarists looking for better body contact for an overall better playing experience.
Both acoustics are topped with a torrefied solid Sitka Spruce top using Cortās ATV process. The ATV process or āAged to Vintageā, āagesā the Spruce top to give it the big and open tone of older, highly-sought-after acoustics. To further enhance those vintage tones, the tops bracing is also made of torrefied spruce. The mahogany neck, back, and sides create a warm, robust midrange and bright highs. A rosewood fingerboard and bridge add for a more balanced sound and sustain. The result is amazing tone at first strum. 18:1 Vintage Open Gear Tuners on the mahogany headstock offer precise tuning with vintage styling. The herringbone rosette & purfling accentuates the aesthetics of these instruments adding to their appeal. Both acoustics come in two choices of finish. Natural Semi-Gloss allows the Sitka spruceās natural beauty to shine through and classic Black Top Semi-Gloss.
A FishmanĀ® Presys VT EQ System is installed inside the body versus other systems that cut into the body to be installed. This means the instrument keeps its natural resonance and acoustic flair. The Presys VT EQ System keeps it simple with only Volume and Tone controls resulting in a true, crisp acoustic sound. Lastly, ElixirĀ® Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze Light .012-.053 Acoustic Strings round out these acoustics. This Number 1 acoustic guitar string delivers consistent performance and extended tone life with phosphor bronze sparkle and warmth. The Essence Series takes all these elements, combines them, and exceeds in playability, looks, and affordability.
Street Price: $449.00
For more information, please visit cortguitars.com.