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My thoughts on The Boss PX-1 – A colossal F**k up of a product and why it is worrying!
Introduction
You may have seen that Boss has recently released the PX-1. A single effects pedal designed to compete with the HX One and the TC Electronics Plethora. One pedal that contains multiple effects to select from. Personally, I don’t see the point in these types of pedals. I guess they have a use for some players, but I have never found that use myself. That is why we have never reviewed one on the site.
Back to the subject at hand: Boss has released their version, the PX-1. I think it is fair to say that it hasn’t been warmly welcomed!
You may have seen the videos and articles about it, the complaints and issues, and the reasons why I think this pedal won’t be around for long! I thought I would put together a quick article covering some of the main reasons I dislike this pedal – including a few reasons I don’t think people have touched on at all. We have tried to categorise my complaints to help give the article some structure. So why don’t we start with the biggest complaint of them all? Micro Transactions!
Boss PX-1: Micro transactions
The biggest thing that irritates me about the Boss PX-1 is that you have to pay for the product (which isn’t cheap to start with), and then you also have to pay for even more pedals! The Boss PX-1 is £229, and it is rumoured to be around £10 for every extra pedal. That means you could easily be spending £300+ on this unit, just to only play one pedal at a time! I don’t think Micro Transactions are good in any business. They are never about supplying quality service to users – they are about making you spend small amounts of money, frequently. £3 here, £5 there, and £2 somewhere else doesn’t seem like a lot, but then you check your statement and you’re suddenly £30–£50 deep.
With the Boss PX-1, they are training players to get satisfaction from purchasing. Very similar to how Candy Crush and other mobile games operate. You get rewarded for completing a process – in this case, clicking to unlock a pedal and adding it to the PX-1. The difference is that this process is being charged. The PX-1 isn’t really a pedal; it’s a Skinner box. A Skinner box is a model where a subject is controlled within an environment and rewarded for certain actions while punished for others. That is exactly what Boss are doing with the PX-1! They reward you by unlocking a pedal and punish you by making you miss out. It’s a disgusting way to approach a guitar pedal.
More on the Micro Transactions!
Boss have shown their hand with this release. They’ve shown that it isn’t about the pedal, the sounds, or even the design. It’s about testing a Micro Transaction business model to squeeze more profit from guitarists. I understand they want to make money – they’re a company after all. But to sacrifice the very thing that made them successful? Good pedals that sound great and are affordable. They’ve thrown all that away with the PX-1 in favour of a Micro Transaction business plan designed to drain as much money as possible from each user.
Imagine if you bought the Katana and only got one amp model. Then you had to download an app to unlock two more, and after that, pay again for each effect and future amp model. Would people really accept that? I think if this pedal proves popular, that’s exactly how Boss will approach their future products.
"Most devices that use apps require you to have an account, and as I’ve said above, I don’t like that either"
Boss PX-1: Data harvesting
Everyone should be concerned about which companies they give personal data to – emails, addresses, and credit card numbers! I always get a little edgy when I have to enter data into a website or app just to use a guitar pedal. I never like it. It’s simply another company that could lose my data (or even sell it). I’ve taken a stance to try and cut down on this and not freely hand out my information.
You may be reading this and thinking, “other pedals require data to use as well.” You’d be correct. Most devices that use apps require you to have an account, and as I’ve said above, I don’t like that either. However, these products don’t advertise that you get X amount free, only to force you to download an app and sign up to actually access your “included” pedals. With the Boss PX-1, they say you get 16 free pedals – but in reality, you only get 8! That may sound small, but to me, it’s a deliberate ploy to get you to sign up, get comfortable with the app, and start learning how to purchase and download more pedals.
You really have to ask yourself: how comfortable are you giving your personal data to a company where it is at risk of being stolen, breached, or even sold for profit?
Boss PX-1: Software, again!
As you may all be aware, I have a grudge and vendetta against pedals that heavily rely on software or apps. I hate it! You shouldn’t need to bring your phone out every time you want to change something. Boss have always been great at not mixing software and hardware too much. Their pedals have been fully editable within an app, yes, but every Boss product I’ve used can still function without one – even the Katana amp range. It has an app, but you don’t need it to use the amp.
This point has been raised in many videos and articles already, but my biggest worry about the Boss PX-1 and its reliance on an app is: what’s stopping them from removing features or pedals in the future? I agree it’s unlikely, but it is possible. One or two years down the line they could start stripping features out – maybe even removing certain pedals completely.
There’s also the risk of updates and firmware bricking or locking devices. Imagine Boss pushing an update to the PX-1 or its companion app, and suddenly you can’t access features or even use the pedal. That might be fine at home, but it would be a nightmare on stage!
More on the Software!
I know what some of you are thinking: “Don’t you love the Neural Nano Cortex?” Which is fair – the Nano Cortex is a product that you really do struggle to use without an app. As I said in my review, I still hate that. It irritates me about the Nano Cortex as well. The difference is that at least you don’t have to pay extra to unlock features and pedals.
If you want to hear more about why I don’t like apps and software getting in the way of hardware, I wrote a full article where I go into much more detail. You can read that full article here.
Boss PX-1: Should we be worried?
Kind of! The best thing that can happen is that other companies look at the backlash Boss has received over the Boss PX-1 and decide never to copy this business model. The worst-case scenario is that every company slowly adopts this approach, and before you know it, every product you buy requires spending more money to unlock the features you want. Sitting here right now, typing this, I don’t think that will happen. I’m sure more companies will release products like this, but I don’t think it will massively catch on across the guitar pedal industry.
Are you reading this and thinking I’m overreacting, and that other companies won’t use these kinds of tactics? We’ve already seen something similar with Kemper (article link) and also Gnome by Two Notes. They’ve slipped under the radar, but they’re doing a very similar thing with their software. I will cut Two Notes some slack, though, because if you buy any Two Notes hardware, you get a free copy of Gnome.
There is some Good News!
What is really interesting to see is that nearly all the press, articles, and comments about the Boss PX-1 have been negative. I’ve only seen a handful of people say they actually like this product or model. That shows Boss really did get it wrong and have made a mistake. It’s also worth noting that I haven’t heard anyone talk much about the sounds or tones from the PX-1. Every video and article I’ve seen focuses on the points I’ve mentioned above. It’s never a good sign when you release a new pedal and people aren’t even discussing the sound quality. I’m aware this sounds harsh, but I hope they bury this product. I hope it gets discontinued and removed as soon as possible. I don’t like these kinds of tactics in games, movies, cars, or anything else – let alone guitar pedals.
We would strongly urge you to read more about Skinner Boxes and how these business models operate. It’s worrying to see this idea crossing over into the guitar and pedal market. Hopefully, we won’t see many companies adopting Skinner Boxes and Micro Transactions in their gear thanks to the backlash the Boss PX-1 is receiving.
Conclusion
So those are my thoughts on the new Boss PX-1! Will you be seeing a review of it here? No! Will I be trying it out? Nope! I have little to no interest in the Boss PX-1, and I’m almost certain this will be the last time you hear that name mentioned on this site.
I love Boss. They make some of the most accessible, long-lasting, and amazing pedals in the world. They have dominated the pedal market for years – and for good reason! Their pedals are consistently great. However, I think the PX-1 is a huge mistake. The idea of combining multiple Boss effects into one pedal is, in theory, a good concept. But the way you actually get the pedals is what I can’t stand: Micro Transactions. Turning guitar playing into a “pay-to-win” format is, in my opinion, absolutely disgusting.
What are your thoughts on the Boss PX-1? Do you agree with me? Did you like the idea at first but now feel differently? Let us know in the comments – we want to hear what everyone thinks about this new release from Boss!
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