Boss PN-2 to keep or not to keep

mfin

That is the question.

I've got a boxed one, have had it for years. It's a classic bit of kit, the choppy sounds in particular are well known as being brilliant. But I don't really run anything stereo so have never even connected in in stereo and used the panning etc, so I'm sort of wondering whether to part with it.

So, wondering whether to let it go to part fund a Dry Bell Vibe Machine purchase or not.

dogload

Well I would keep it. But then I love the PN-2.

Teetonetal

I agree with @dogload it's a great oedal

You need to use it!

Branshen

Old pedals usually become collectable because of notable users and the effect is special/unique and scarce enough to make it highly desirable. This used to be one of the only stereo panners around and it was only made for a little while before boss released the tr2, driving up the price for the discontinued stereo version. So I guess it was unique in that sense and scarce. Now, because source audio make the vertigo that has stereo panning, it isn't unique, it isn't used by any artist for a special sound, the only thing it has going for it, is that it's hard to find.

I'm no expert but I reckon if u can sell it at collector's price now, that's probably the best you can do.

Sassafras

I'd get the Dry Bell. If you don't use the panning it's just a tremolo pedal and quite a noisy one at that.

dogload

I have never found it noisy. I've head that it ticks but this is to do with buffering or something that is negated by daisy chaining. Or something.

if I do have a criticism it's that the highest rate is just a little too slow.

Oh, and Kevin Shields and Noel Gallagher are notable users.

ICBM

I found mine (both of them) noisy - hissy.

It is "just" a tremolo pedal, but it does something almost unique - a *true* square-wave, full-on to full-off hard chop. Most tremolo pedals by other makers which claim to have this feature, don't - they just have a high-depth setting which either doesn't go to fully off or still have a softer on/off.

That said, I didn't find them all that versatile otherwise.

mfin

You have to remember you need a buffer before it, as soon as you do, it isn't noisy.

Without a buffer or buffered pedal such as a Boss Tuner in front of it, yes, they are noisy. I'm sure a few users have never twigged this and dismissed them.

@icbm yes, the square wave is great.

If I can do without that, the rest of its best features are going completely unused to me.

@dogload quite a few notable users, Radiohead Ed is another

dogload

The square wave is what does it for me.

I had a couple that I sold due to not being in a band for a few years and not needing them anymore. Of course a couple of months later I joined a band, and spent ages trying to find a decent trem to replace the PN-2s. As ICBM says, no other pedal does that.

I am now PN-2'd up again.

ICBM

mfin said:

You have to remember you need a buffering before it, as soon as you do, it isn't noisy.

Without a buffer or buffered pedal such as a Boss Tuner in front of it, yes, they are noisy.

I always ran buffers - other Boss pedals - in front of mine and they were still noisy.

impmann

Square wave tremolo?

Like the Vox Repeat Percussion?

Want quiet, and great sounding, with proper reliability...

EQD Hummingbird.

dogload

The Vox repeater isn't square wave. It's a sawtooth.

Pedant alert! I know coz I got one before I found another PN!

mfin

I've just listed it for sale. I'm not using enough of its features to warrant having it when I could soon get a Vibe Machine which I've been wanting for a good while.