The GT-1 packs 108 effects, COSM amp modeling, and Boss's Multi-Dimensional Processing into a board that weighs under 3 pounds and runs on 4 AA batteries. It's remarkably portable without cutting corners on sound quality, thanks to 24-bit processing at 44.1 kHz. You get 99 preset and 99 user-definable patches, a built-in tuner, a 32-second looper, and an expression pedal, all in roughly the footprint of a paperback book.

Three footswitches handle patch selection, tuner access, and looper control, while the assignable CTL1 switch covers tap tempo, effects toggling, and more. The expression pedal maps to volume, wah, or any parameter you choose. A headphone jack and aux input make it a great practice tool, and USB connects to the free Boss Tone Studio editor for deep tweaking and patch library access. A strong first multi-effects or a lightweight backup board for any level of player.