Boss BF-3 Flanger Pedal
Create thick flanger sounds with this modern take on a classic effect. Dial in tones ranging from slow jet plane swirls to faster, rotating speaker pulses.
Overall User Ratings (based on 49 ratings)
Submitted March 10, 2009 by a customer from gmail.com
"I'm Lovin It!"
Sound
Has way more capability than I have time to fiddle with. I use it mostly on very low depth and rate settings to give a chorus type fill in sound.
Features
Lots of control available. Standard BOSS casing so it matches up great with the MT-2 in my pedal string.
Ease of Use
Takes some fiddling to get things set just right. What do you expect from a stompbox with this much crammed in though?
Quality
It's BOSS. What more do you need?
Value
I rated it at a "5" simply because I bought it when I lived in Australia and I feel I paid too much for it.
Manufacturer Support
N/A
The Wow Factor
Very sexy purple color with a two tone LED in it that flashes?? That's frikkin HOT!
Musical Background:
Active Musician
Musical Style:
Rock/Christian Rock/Contemporary Worship
5 of 5 people (100%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Submitted April 17, 2024 by Scott p in Springfield, OR
"Boss BF-3 Flanger Pedal"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This thing is simple to use. Easy to get the effects of Keep Yourself Alive to Unchained. Also has a Stomp On only setting. Very useful. Built like a tank.
Musical Background:
Playing since 1983
Musical Style:
Many
Did you find this review helpful?
Thanks for your opinion!
Submitted January 17, 2021 by Brad R in San Antonio, TX
"Flanger Goodness"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Flangers are an odd breed of effect. Is it a chorus? Vibe clone? Phaser with funkadelic tendencies? All of the above? Yes, yes, and uh-huh. The flanging effect that is prominent today is really just a loose digital interpretation of actual tape ‘flanging’ that happened in the early days of multitracking. Essentially it’s when two identical tracks are played together and one of the tracks is slowed down very slightly by physically pressing on the tape flange to create the slightly delayed doubling sound. The sound of a tape flanger is much more organic and warm, adding a layer of ethereal dimension to your playing. A digital flanger, like the Boss BF-3, is the candy kid equivalent of the analog version’s hippie. It still has spirit, but the digital version is a little more out there. It’s got a very metallic sound to it. Think The Cure ‘Primary’ for a good example. It does the crazy warbley psychedelic sound as well as the slow sweeping jet plane swoosh. With the four different modes the pedal can be versatile, but, as it is a flanger, it’s also kind of a one trick pony. It can be tweaked, but it’s always only going to sound like a flanger. Which is good! You wanted a flanger, you got a flanger, not a Swiss army effect. Is it the best sounding flanger out there? In my opinion, no. That honor goes to the A/DA Flanger. But the A/DA is massive and it needs to be plugged via an Edison plug (they did reissue the OG version in 2009 with a detachable wall wort, but it’s still 18 volts and getting very pricey. There is a pedalboard friendly reissue as well called the A/DA PBF Flanger, but it doesn’t sound nearly as good). This is my third version of this pedal. I get rid of it, try something different, but end up coming back to this flanger. It’s familiar, easy to use, sounds pretty good, and it’s a cool shade of purple. The momentary switch is genius and the gate/pan effect is virtually identical to the Boss Slicer. It also has stereo ins AND outs. It’s not for everyone, but this is a very versatile flanger (or at least as versatile a flanger can be) and the sound is very usable. Get one and get flanging!
Musical Background:
Old Guy
Musical Style:
If it sounds good, it is good.
1 of 2 people (50%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Submitted November 8, 2005
"Worth having for!"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Its only Boss and Digitech are my main brand in effects units, never tried other brands so far. The Boss BF-3 is one of its kind more usefull modes, make great flanging sound I'm highly satisfied with it.
Sound
It sounds good together with my other Boss effects units. The sound is more effective for me, especially if it is goes through the Drive Channel in my Marshall amp. it work also good in clean channel but its more effective in drive channel as what I've observe, Its kind of more detailed modulated sound. I have also a Boss Phaser and Tremolo pedal which works also great in same way. I love Boss modulation effects it creates more creativity and music style in my guitar playing.
Features
Variety of cool modes including new features which make your music style sick!
Quality
In Boss Quality.. There's only two words: WE TRUST! It will trully last like most other Boss pedals.
Value
Compare to other brands Boss usually are way up on their prices. We should remember that most of the times Price and Quality goes together. As long it will last thats the most important thing. For me this pedal is really worth it, if it is priced a hundred even.
Manufacturer Support
Never tried so far..
The Wow Factor
For the music style I play I difinitely need this effect.
Musical Background:
Garage for life
Musical Style:
ratm meets sabbath
4 of 4 people (100%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Submitted November 19, 2004
"Crazy Flanger!"
I can safely say that this pedal will bring me years of joy. Its Great!
Sound
Great sound if ur looking for crazy flanger. Lots of control over the sound. It sounds a bit better than the digitech hyper flanger in my opinon. Like most boss stompboxes the sound is a bit sterile but awesome.
Features
Its got good features.
Quality
Its boss so its built like a rock. I've had a Mt-2 Metal Zone for 4 yrs and its been like a brick.
Value
The price is a bit much but its worth it. I got mine for $180 (CAN). It was a bit more than the digitech 1 but in the long run it was better.
Manufacturer Support
I had to get my Metal Zone repaired once and its was fastish (took a week or so) and well done. Never actually had to deal with boss.
The Wow Factor
I bough it.
Musical Background:
Just a kid playing in the garage.
Musical Style:
Rock, Blues, Bits of Metal and bits of everything.
2 of 3 people (67%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Please wait.