Combo Breaker

BOSS NEXTONE SPECIAL

- Chris Gill

ONE OF THE greatest features provided by many digital modeling amplifiers is a seemingly endless variety of tones and effects. However, all of that versatility can be a serious distraction for guitarists who prefer to plug in and play instead of spending minutes or hours searching for the ideal tone. Does one really need a dozen variations of Marshall amps when a single ripping distortion tone will do the job perfectly well?

In stark contrast to the “everything under the sun” approach of most modeling amps, the Nextone series amps from Boss feature a straightforward, uncomplicated design that’s similar to a classic two-channel tube amp combo. While the 27 knobs and various switches on the Nextone Special’s control panel may initially look intimidating, the layout is self-explanatory and will satisfy players who prefer instant gratification and ease of use over digging through complicated windows on an LCD just to adjust presence. Better yet, the Boss Nextone Special’s Tube Logic technology delivers familiar tube response and feel, and its design makes it a lot easier to get the sounds you want in the studio and on stage.

FEATURES

The Boss Nextone Special is a two-channel, 80-watt combo with a single 12-inch Waza Craft B12W speaker that provides vintage “blue bell” tone. Boss’s Tube Logic technology provides authentic tube amp tones, in this case two separately voiced, independent Clean and Lead channels. Most of the amp’s tones and functions can be modified via the front panel, but Nextone Editor software is available for users who want to dive deeper or access a handful of features (like a tremolo effect) that aren’t accessible via the amp’s controls.