Boss MT-2

After Boss DS-1, I think everyone would agree that the MT-2 is no doubt the most recognizable pedal in history. Though MT-2 was a bit late to the party nevertheless it managed to pick up sales traction for since the 90s. It continues to become the savior of affordable high gain for us commoners. If the Boss Metal Zone was an album, it would be on Billboard 100 all the time.

But like old guitars vibe. The old is gold MT-2 myth had started to sprout a bit a while back. Whether that's true or not is besides the point. Anyone says old MT-2 is better must be given a slap or two on the head. Used MT-2 should not even pass beyond RM250. We must suppress these speculator from pushing up old pedal prices. Don't delay, slap one today.

The one in this post had some activation issues. There's seems to be a dry joint at the switch. Easy fix with my Hakko Presto 981 (old vintage 2010 is better model while I slap my head saying that) hehe.

I noticed some foreign components on the board. There's a couple of small LEDs and several unidentified soldered caps. I believe this MT-2 was modded. The owner bought it used and doesn’t know it too. I don't know what the mod does to the sound as I don't have a stock one to compare it with. The mod could be to tame down or flame up the gain?

 Speaking of mod job. I get asked by some people about it. Listen well and Listen carefully. "I DON'T MOD PEDALS AND AMP, I JUST FIX IT AS I CAN". But should you intend to buy those great mod kit online but don't like figuring out where to solder them, then I will be glad to offer you my service. I also like to advice that you should revert back to stock when you want to sell it. We don't want the buyer to think that he bought a Metal Zone when it’s not in the zone, which could be loosely interpreted as dishonest,not genuine or fake. Which bring us to a true story.

Years ago a famous local trader (pedal modder and aerospace engineer) sold a used Ibanez TS9 to my friend. Some weeks after when they both bumped with each other, the trader started chatting technical stuff and accidentally told the TS9 he sold to him earlier was modded to TS808. Of course my friend was disgusted by this un sanction covert operation. First of all, my friend bought the TS9 because it says TS9 on it not TS808. If he wanted a TS808 he would've look for that instead. My friend was pissed with the rascal. He never bought anything from him again.

Here's some advice to that trader should he be reading this (I don't think he/people knows about this blog). Buddy, if you like modding so much then you should follow what the smart modders do. I don't have to tell you who they are. I'm sure you heard about them. Anyway, they jumped out of the mod plane as soon as it took off. They made more money with their own pedal based on their preferred mod or at least put some indication on pedals they've modded earlier. The other reason they jump out the plane early is because they know they couldn't fulfill the request from a particular group of guitarist on plane earth. Nobody can and Yes, they are everywhere.

These guitarist would come with tonal remarks like “bunyi berpasir or sandy tones”, "tidak cukup lemak or not creamy enough", “tidak cukup ketat or not tight enough”, “tidak cukup lawas or undigestable tones”, “bunyi macam taik or sounds like shit”, “bunyi sengau metal longkang and I can't translate that” etc without ever translating them into logical electronics terms. How would the person on the other end convert those things into Ohms, Volts, Farads, Henries etc? He might think that you are back from vacation at some sandy beach in Thailand where the Tomyam was less creamy then got unpleasant hooker experience, woke up the next morning offloading a big historical pile of shit with something in your nose.

I don't think there's an electronic book for the said remarks as you can only apply this to yourself and not others.

Could he now see why those smart modders jump out and are happy to be selling their own stuff on ground plane. There's a saying "Like it buy it, don't like,buy others"

Thank you for reading and happy modding.

No mods just repairs

Yustech