The BOSS Blues Driver Pedals Compared! (BOSS BD-2 + BOSS BD-2W)
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- čas přidán 15. 08. 2024
- This is a video comparison between the BOSS Blues Driver BD-2 vs the Boss Waza Craft Blues Driver BD-2W. Is there a big difference between the standard and the Waza Craft blues driver? This video will help answer these questions! :) The Boss Blues driver is one of the most popular overdrive pedals of all time and has been re-released with the Waza-craft mods and branding.
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0:00 - About this video
0:09 - Jam Track BD2 vs BD2 Waza)
1:33 - Pedal Overviews
2:15 - Isolated tone comparison
5:33 - Results
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There's actually a huge difference in person. The waza is dead quiet, where the original has a white noise "hiss". And the waza has an upgraded buffer, so if you're using it on a board it improves your overall rig.
I had both and kept the waza.
thank you. I know which one to get now. !!!!!
Thanks for the comment. I feel better about owning the original and just ordering the waza craft today. It was just stuck in my head because the original is a noisy pedal and I want as quiet a rig as possible.
Best thoughts on this pedal ever. I'm buying the waza thanks to you, no matter the price.
Seems like there's more low end on the original when set at low gain. I feel like the Waza shaves off both highs and lows to achieve a smoother drive. I like the wilder, wider bandwidth of the original except at highest gain where the Waza sounds just plain better, not to mention quieter. I can boost freqs with the eq pedal on my board so reckon Waza is ultimately the better choice if buying new
I am a huge bd2 fan and I upgraded to a waza not because it sounds better (even if the c mode actually sounds somewhat different) but because of the mentioned improved quietness.
Blue one sounds better
Both are blue
@ whooosh
I thought that as well.
@Didier Laplace wdym
I prefer the one with yellow writing
The waza has a bit more bottom end, and it’s drive is a little smoother. The stock one is very crispy on the high end.
It’s subtle, and mostly I noticed because I’m familiar with them, specially during the intro, in the mix.
Definitely one of my all time favorite pedals. I own both. I do like both of them. I like how the Waza has a better noise floor. And can be smoother in not only the custom mode but in standard as well. Josh from JHS said that it has a better buffer then before.
But I also like the old one because it is a little nastier or gritty. Really adds to the tone . I alway stack drive pedals by the way.
There is a difference between the two. It's just not enough of a difference to justify the extra $40-50 bucks for the Wazacraft.
Not too big of a difference in tone and a $60 price difference here in the USA. Either one and you can’t go wrong!!! 🎸🎸🎸🎸🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾
Thank God everyone said it first. I hear almost no difference and have been playing for 19 years. I was waiting for the comments where people claim to hear a huge difference
I’ve used the original for 22 years and I still love it. Love the fuzz quality when cranked.
I love mybd2 but I love my sd1 more and it’s cheaper .please review the sd1 against a tube screamer for me not much in it at all ..great post thank you Shane 👍👍👍
The BD-2w was a little smoother, but the regular pedal was just fine. You could probably dial out any harshness with the tone knob.
I have the bd-2w because I had been wanting a bd-2 and then the waza came out so I thought I would miss out on something and bought it. Great demo! I think you were right about a fuller tone and it has a little more gain too. Thanks Shane!
Good comparison - the Waza sounds a more naturally compressed and amp-like to me, both here and in my own experience. Ended up keeping my Waza over a Keeley modded BD-2, which to its credit worked better as a full fledged distortion with the added mids and used to serve as my main gain pedal in a sludge metal band (!). Also, this is unrelated but you just happened to play a chord at 2:40 that I've been trying to find for a week or so - not what sure a musically literate person would call it but I'll call it the Hendrix E. So yeah, cheers for the helping hand Shane.
You’re absolutely right. That’s the Foxy Lady chord!
To me, they sound almost the same. I would be okay with the less expensive one. Overall, Im on the fence with that type of pedal. I sometimes use a Joyo vintage overdrive, but a lot of times I just like a little delay and reverb. I play thru an early hot rod deluxe which has the drive and more drive channels, so sometimes if I don't want to mess w/pedals, I just use that, but these days, I also like the clean sound of my old Strat.
I'm learning that "different" doesn't necessarily mean "better" or "worse", just "different". We have too many choices.
Very true. Sometimes people want difference
Now the Waza DM-2W, very big difference! Bought it, totally worth it.
Thanks for comparison. Standard gives harsher highs and less lows, Waza is as you said more full range. I tested a standard years ago and didn't buy it. I like the waza tones but not worth my money : I have enough blues tones from the top boost of my Vox AC15HW1.
I've had the regular BD2 and it didn't last long on my board but the sd1 is a keeper to me !! Boss super overdrive is a nice little pedal and you can still get it in the US for $49 !!! 😆👍
SD1 is a half price Tubescreamer that sounds better. Top seller since the 70s. For good reason 🌴
I prefer the original!
Clearly there’s not gonna be a whole lot of difference,
Or they’d give it a different name.
I’ve used the original for years and love it,
Recently got the Wazza and love it more !
Just that undefinable something else to the texture.
As the dude earlier said, “same same but different “
Thanks for the video. Ordered my Blues Driver 2 today.
First impression the normal pedal sounded better in the mix. More focused and clear. However, without a backing track to my ear the Waza sounded more open and harmonically rich. I owned a blues driver Shane, but benched it for the Od3 , with an Sd1 directly after it to stack for a mids solo boost. Combo sounds and feels great 🌴
the one thing that you should consider if you are between both is that the waza has an even better buffer, so that might be relevant to some. either way, man, do I love this pedal. It's still cool to hear it from your setup since we're all familiar with
Thank you for this shootout. I've never played an actual BD-2 and don't need one, but in the various Boss modelers I've messed around with, I love the BD-2 as a boost and have been partial to them. I wondered if I need the waza over stock.... as a boost, I actually prefer the Waza a bit but not enough to justify the price. So thank you again!
Great demo!! To my ears the BD-2W sounds more tube like with a lesser gain setting.
Also, the BD-2 sounds a little more twangy. I know the tone of a strat is much brighter by design (and my fav instrument of choice for blues playing, also in combination with any marshall) but in my opinion, and to my ears, I don't think you'd be able to create the tube like effect that I can hear through any extra dialling in on the amp itself, not unless you were using something like a mini tube head on low settings.
Anyway, great demo comparison. Enjoyable and straight to the point 👍
The Keeley Phat Mod and Analogman modded versions are where it’s at, although these versions are very good as well.
@@epektasis242 The Waza doesn’t sound as nice as the Keeley, bit more of a strident top end and not as full…it’s not bad though. There’s good reason the Keeley modded version has become very sought after, not to mention Robert Keeley doesn’t mod them anymore.
I get my Blues driver hit in the form of the Boss Angry Driver. It's a collaboration pedal with JHS that combines the Blues Driver and the Angry Charley in one standard Boss pedal form factor with built in gain staging and parallel mixing stages.
Would be interesting to get your thoughts on that pedal.
I also have an Angry Driver, but I took it off of my pedal board when I got an OD-3 because the OD-3 seems to compliment my distortions better than the Angry Driver. I just ordered a standard Blues Driver though, and the OD-3 will definitely be replaced by the BD-2. I'm not very interested in the Waza version of the BD-2 because it doesn't seem to sound like the original, and I really like the original BD-2. The "grit" and the "fuzz" are a lot of what make the BD-2 sound good, and the Waza version seems to have lost the best tonal features of the original BD-2. I feel the same way about the Angry Driver, honestly... the JHS part of it is a nice touch, but it is definitely not a BD-2 even though "the circuit is supposed to be the same". It doesn't sound or respond like a BD-2.
@@John-ue8md Gaahhh! I'm spinning in circles trying to decide which one to get 😵💫 this doesn't help me at all 😂
Thanks for sharing! Glad to see the Strat getting some love man. From what I heard, the differences were so subtle that maybe the 2W would be preferred for recording, but ehh... either sound great to me! 🎸🤙🏻
I just got the Waza Craft one, because I wanted that logo. LOL. Cant wait to compare it to my Keeley Superphat mod pedal, which I like a lot.
So, whats the best?
I’ve had the waza in the past and absolutely loved it .it gave me so much that even my crappy playing sounded half decent ..was about to replace it (soon) and was thinking “maybe I don’t need to spend more for the waza” which is why I’m here..iam only just beyond the very first comparison playing you did ,and I was going to mention before u asked …I couldn’t hear much difference in that first mix…still not sold on the non waza so I’m to finish watching
Difference is noticeable ... even over You Tube ... on a phone. Also thinking the difference could be compensated for in other places. But ... if that's the sound you're looking for, and it's an easy way to get there ... why the hell not!
I've heard them both in person and the waza craft sounds better to my ear. I like an overdrive to have more of an eq spike than a curve. The difference is so minimal that it's personal preference I think.
Thanks for this video now I don't have to wish for a Waza BD in the mix I really couldn't tell the difference. Side by side I preferred the Waza, it sounded fuller and seemed to have a just a tiny bit more gain. But in the mix is really what I care about so I will just hang on to my stock BD-2 :)
i actually think the original BD-2 is a smidge better than the Waza-Craft just my humble opinion i hated the Blues Driver when it first came out but now it's one of my go-to always on my board pedals!
I think the difference is in the floor noise and upgraded buffer which will be more noticeable in a pedal chain. Played on there own you feel the bottom end of the Waza is where it’s at, but actually in a band mix it can sound muddy and lost. The standards slightly fizzy sound will actually cut through the mix better. I have the Waza and the jhs/boss angry driver. Prefer the standard setting of the Waza over the custom setting and prefer the angry driver BD setting overall. Can you do an SD1 vs SD1 Waza comparison?
The waza craft one is a little more defined and the original blues driver is a little rounder.... Both sound great holy crap!
In this demo, think the 2W sounds a bit more open & less compressed than the original with just the tiniest bit more high end. Considering that the mere flip of a switch and the 2W becomes a 2 it might be worth the few extra bucks for the wider variety of sounds. The reduced hiss is a bonus, probably due to the fact that while the circuit design is the same, the 2W is built of discrete components rather than IC's. For those who really crank their amps, the lower noise level alone would be worth it. I started with a 2W and pretty much always use it in "C" mode.
The BD reacts differently depending on the guitar's pickups. It would have been nice to hear this whole demo repeated with humbuckers and P90s.
What pickups are you using with the bd? I just ordered the bd-2w and I have a telecaster with Yosemite single coil pickups. I already have the bd-2 so I might use both and see what I get out of it.
Happy playing 🎸🎶🎼🎵
@@brianrollins7275 I have several different setups. Fender Korean Deluxe Tele w/Seymour Duncan pickups & Epiphone ES-339 P90 Pro are my go-to rigs for rock & blues. I have an Ibanez AK85 modified w/Duncan Classic'59's but I use that more for jazz so it rarely gets used with the Blues Driver.
Definitely sounds better with cool badge on the pedal. Made in Japan too, so a nice alternative to getting an antique off of eBay.
I have a original BD-2 Keeley modified. Awesome pedal. Blues On.... 💙
I found the w2 a bit fatter & smoother, with more defined top and bottom. Which to choose? Money no object=w2, but I'd put either on my board.
thanks for the review, these are on the list
Treble on Waza seemed less brittle or harsh on lower gain settings and tighter, less fuzzy on higher gain settings. Lucky for me, I only use my BD-2 as a very low gain boost with the gain at 9 o clock and tone no higher than 10 o clock. Bought mine stock, used, for 40 bucks. Great pedal when used right.
I've owned a BD2 and the Waza one has, a rounder, cleaner tone. But the original sounds tighter.
I have a few Waza pedals, people forget to mention the new/better buffers inside them! the guitar signal comes through much better
Everyone needs a BD 2
The original Blues Driver sounds better, a little less breakup, slightly better defined, just that little bit more of what it's supposed to do which is probably why if you have a pulse and a guitar you probably have one in rig someplace. I have to agree that the "wah-za" craft ( how ever you spell it) configurations don't necessarily make it better. I'll stick to my first edition Blues Driver, but I was glad to hear the shoot-out. Thanks!
I love both! The tone was a bit different in that intro and I think I like the orriginal tone a bit better. The Wazacraft may be a little fuller but it was very slight. The Wazacraft was a bit quieter (less noise), tighter, and seemed to perhapse just a hair more responsive - but that could have been the playing, too. Was hard from just the intro.
(Addition) I was hearing even more of the same thing in the rest of the video. Suspect I like the Waza best in standard.
I like the blue one
I've got the Waza - I'm happy!
Great Video again!!! Love this pedal!!! You are correct, either pedal is amazing!!
I really like the boss products but my name is Tim and everyone calls me Timmy G so using that logic maybe I should just buy the MXR Timmy overdrive?
I can confirm - this blues solo sounds exactly like every other blues solo in YT demos 😅
I could hear a small, almost undetectable difference that helped the Waza Craft version cut through the mix slightly better, but it's not worth the extra money.
You only have to pay the extra once and then it's yours for years. There's an old saying. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. LOL
Good video with honest impressions. Thank you.
What really matters is finger tone and a musical soul. The difference doesn’t rate a mention. BD2 rocks.
I prefer the Waza one. Just sounds smoother. I like the Custom mode.
The Waza has more mids and bass in the 'custom' mode in the same vein as Keeley modded ones. It also sounded clearer, which is most likely due to the high quality buffer. I own the pedal and it does, indeed, have a very low noise floor. I think the Waza Craft pedals are better than their standard counterparts across the range and they stack up against any, much more expensive, boutique pedal out there. You get what you pay for.
I’m new to pedals. What does “low noise floor” mean?
@@brunomillalaf8553 It means that the pedal does not make much background noise when turned on or otherwise...think of static or other artefacts that can effect your tone
@@TheYearThree thanks!
Nice Vid Shane! Personally I use the Standard BD and didn’t REALLY hear a Big difference in the Wazacraft Version. I can’t see spending the extra bucks either. Great Demo, please keep up the Good Work! I would like to see you do a Demo of the Fender MTG Distortion Pedal. I’d like to hear your thoughts on it! Thanks mate and have a Great Day! Cheers from the US!
I can’t look at left handed guitars it melts my brain
🤣
Well , imagine being one ... !?
I think there is a significant difference actually. The 2W would cut though a mix with a lot of instruments better
I listened without watching and there's not a whole lot of different but the waza sounds a bit more responsive and a bit less fizzy. IDK I need to grab my headphones. Playing was gnarly.
The difference I think I’m hearing is more harmonics from the original Blues Driver. The Waza is quieter, but I think the trade off is loss of overtone harmonics from the noise gating in the BD-2W.
The biggest difference is one of the pedals says Waza Craft on it and the other doesn't.
BD-2W has more break-up, clearly. I'll take the original for the cleaner tones.
Hey, cool another lefty like me :) this is Denise's son actually
Waza is awesome. but I played the Moore Blues Mood and it felt as good as the Waza, for a third of the price.
At 7:08 minutes you can really hear the difference in the Wasa, a much fuller tone
haha you got me!
W sounds a little warmer. both make a Fender single coil sound like a P-90. Very cool... or close. Thank you.
GREAT PEDALS I HAVE THE ANGRY DRIVER !! NICE SHOOTOUT !! THEY ARE VERY CLOSE IN SOUND TO MY EAR ON CZcams !
I HEAR YOU! 🤪🎸👍
I like the blue one...❤
I bought both. Found the Waza to sound a bit boring for me and my uses. Original is gritty fizzy and exciting.
Happy to see a lefty!
Great pedals...have them both & love them equally
There is not so many difference between waza and stck model.
But the bd-2 keelly mod is really really awesome👌👍
Cork sniffing or pixel peeping comes to mind, do i want to pay more for a switch that makes it sound a bit muddier, no thanks.
Waza sounds smoother with soft smooth edge. BD has harder edge.
Waza has better highs on bridge pickup
Maybe 5-10% difference overall
Just my thoughts.
I have the BD-2W, bought it on special at the price the BD-2 is at full price normally. I don't find much of difference to warrant the extra money at full price IMO.
I was hoping for a side-by-side comparison of both pedals in bypass mode.
Like most guitarists, have more od pedals than I need but one more can’t hurt. Never tried blues driver but would like to try Angry Driver Shane do u think is more versatile option ?
The waza definitely sounds warmer and more bassy.
I'm not 100% sure but has the Waza version got true bypass rather than being buffered like the standard BD2 ? I do know that they changed the PCB on the BD2 in 2017 so it's difficult to modify now - not sure if BD2w uses the new PCB or not.
There’s a definite difference - the Waza sounds better but I’ll stick with my BD-2
Greetings from Chicago, Shane. Huge fan and long time subscriber.
The Blues Driver was my first pedal. I got it in 1997. I still have it and it’s on my board to this day. It’s been really hard to find something to replace it.
The Waza version is a bit different, yes. I’ve tried it; it’s good. Whether or not it’s worth the extra money is up to you, that’s all there is to it.
Surprised to see you running the tone controls that high, though. I love my BD-2 but anything near or above noon on the tone control...ouch!
Nothing notable between the two bar the price even the SD-1 would be a cheaper alternative. Honestly most pedals when comparing them with each other is like splitting hairs. It's down to do you like the sound. Everyone hears slightly different.
To my ears, there's not a tremendous difference. The bd sounded a tad thinner, harsher. I suspect in a mix it would be better. For home players like myself, I think the Waza would be slightly better.
I heard no difference. I'll keep my BD-2.
As a booster, it’s good.
He never played a chord, that’s the answer
Your blues Reminds me of Chicago!
Thanks mate!
To me, the bd-2 sounds a tad harsher and bd-2w has a better low end and has less noise. But both are very fine pedals.
Hi. Is this pedal good for Beatles and Rolling Stones songs ? Thanks..
The Waza is better-has more low end and overall wider frequency range and is a bit quieter. However in a band mix you would not hear the difference and as you say the standard one is the better bet.
I liked the bd2 better. The waza wasn't as authentic creamy sounding as the original
Same same but same as they almost say in Thailand.
I live in Thailand...and you're right !
I love my blues driver
Normal one have more of the old school sound what i like
Shane, I play a Tele through a standard BD-2 into a Fender Princeton, and I notice if you let power chords ring out there's a clear sort of fizz as the chords decay. Does the Waza version dispose of that issue?
I noticed that too and wondered the same thing.
bd-2w had a crisper sound but bd-2 was just fine just a little "fuzzier" to my ear.
The waza has a bit more low mid bump, in addition to the traditional high mid push of the DB2
looks to me that buffers upgrade makes the first improvement
Hi Shane. I thought that the Waza version was everything I like about the BD-2 without what I don't like about it. When I've tried the stock version I liked the overall tone but it was a bit bright for my tastes. The Waza seems to have solved that issue. Also, I used to play regularly with a really good player who used the BD-2 . And I always liked the tone he got with it. We were both using identical amps. So maybe (as you stated) the trick with the BD-2 is in the overall settings of your rig. CHEERS FROM LA PUENTE, CALIFORNIA!
tiny bit tighter in the bottom ...but not enough for me to get another BD.
Can I get a plexi sound with this pedal and what would setting be