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Boss HM-2W Heavy Metal Waza Craft Distortion Pedal

The Iconic High-Gain Stompbox is Back & Better Than Ever Before!

£159.00
3 In Stock

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stock availability
2 at our Guildford Store
1 at our off-site Warehouse
Want to Click and Collect or try items at our Guildford Store?

The store is open 10am - 6pm Monday to Saturday and 11am - 5pm Sunday and bank holidays.

The stock information shows the quantity of units that are available to purchase at the Guildford store and the quantity of units that are available at our off-site Guildford warehouse. These stock levels are updated in real time.

Our Click and Collect service is available at our Guildford store from 10am - 6pm Monday to Saturday, and 11am - 5pm on Sunday. You can either choose click and collect as your delivery option online or, during store opening hours, call our sales team at 01483 456777 to place a 10% deposit.

If you have placed your order online, you will receive a confirmation email of your order and a separate follow-up text or email to confirm when your item is ready for collection.

Please do not come to the store before you have received the follow-up message, as your order may not yet be ready at the store.

If the only available stock is in our off-site warehouse it can be brought to the store location for you to try - you just need to contact the store within opening hours. Please note any requests received after 3.30pm will not arrive at the store until the following morning.

Please be aware that, unless you have paid a deposit to reserve the item, it will continue to be free, both online and in-store, for another customer to buy. Therefore we would advise you to place a 10% deposit by either using the on-line click and collect service or calling us 01483 456777.

SKU: HM-2W

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Product Description

The HM-2 Heavy Metal is one of the most revered Boss distortion pedals. Produced between 1983 and 1991, the HM-2 became synonymous with the Swedish death metal scene thanks to its signature "chainsaw" high-gain tone — famously achieved by maxing-out all of the unit's controls. While defining the sound of that extreme genre, the Boss Heavy Metal still found favour with shoegazers and even mainstream rockers who made use of the milder sides of the pedal's personality — testament to its overall versatility.

Hardcore HM-2 fans have been requesting a reissue for years, especially with originals becoming more scarce. Boss has now answered their prayers, and the legendary stompbox has been brought back to life 30 years later in a special Waza Craft edition — the HM-2W. Dishing out the searing all-analogue voice of the original, the Boss HM-2W Heavy Metal has undergone some modern tweaks for enhanced performance.

Key Features

  • Waza Craft Edition — Supercharged version of the HM-2, made in Japan for the ultimate Boss tone experience.
  • Authentic HM-2 Aesthetic — Iconic orange-on-black livery evokes plenty of high-octane nostalgia!
  • Standard Mode — Delivers the original HM-2 sound with lower noise and maximized level.
  • Custom Mode — Offers a more aggressive tone variation with special Waza Craft tuning.
  • Premium Buffer — Ensures a clean and clear guitar signal when the unit is bypassed.
  • Renowned Boss Build Quality — Boss pedals have a reputation for being built like tanks, and the HM-2W is no exception!
  • 5-Year Warranty — As standard, all Boss compacts receive a five-year manufacturer warranty.

A Death Metal Staple

The original Boss HM-2 is regarded as one of the first "amp-in-a-box" pedals brought to market, designed to emulate the sound of early ’80s British amp stacks pushed to their limits. Funnily enough, the HM-2 experienced its biggest popularity spike towards the end of its production run, when seminal Swedish death metal bands widely adopted the unit to form the mid-focused and saturated guitar tones that ferociously cut through in their recordings.

Over the years, players have coveted this distinctive sound more and more. The pedal’s vast influence led to ongoing calls for Boss to resurrect it, which indeed they have, but the HM-2W is much more that just a "fan service" stompbox!

Standard Mode: The Original HM-2 Sound

The HM-2W's Standard mode replicates the response and tonal characteristics of the original HM-2 pedal — with 100% authenticity. Boss made some thoughtful refinements without affecting the sound though; including reducing the noise floor and expanding the maximum level by 3 dB. The premium Waza Craft buffer improves the integrity of your signal when the unit is bypassed too.

Custom Mode: More Aggression!

The HM-2W’s Custom mode offers a similar sonic experience to the Standard setting, but with just a little bit more of everything. The drive stage pumps out extra gain and includes more of the fundamental guitar sound for increased attack and sharpness. In addition, the low and high-mid characteristics have been tweaked to provide improved fullness and definition.

Specifications

  • Bypass: Buffered
  • Voltage: 9V (Via Battery or External PSU)
  • Current Draw: 30 mA
  • Dimensions: 73 (W) x 129 (D) x 59 (H) mm
  • Weight: 440g