Procrastinator - Boss SG-1 Slow Gear

[Thewintersoldier]

On my boss pedal journey I've already explored some classic pedals that are played and revered by many and this week I'm sharing one that's really rare and most people who have played one have only played a clone, the SG-1 slow gear. A very polarizing effect that most people either like or hate and not much in-between.

So what is the slow gear? It's a envelope effect that was meant to simulate volume swells. While it can do that, it can also give a pseudo violin sound, I weird tremolo volume modulation effect, and kind of backwards sound like the vintage EHX attack decay. Add some modulation and delay after and you get get some cool ambient swells. What can't it do? Those really slow controlled long drawn out swells with the long throw like on a volume pedal. This is also a few components different and the same circuit as the boss nf-1 noise gate that makes the envelope work in the opposite direction.

With just two controls it's easy to use. Sens adjusts the sensitivity of the envelope trigger for pick attack and pickup output. Attack controls the onset and release of the envelope. The controls only have so much range so much like an envelope filter you have to play to the effect. Your dynamics, pickup selection and knob settings will determine your results. Some tips: I like the bridge pickup, focus on staccato single notes, if attempting chords use light finger picking (flesh of thumb is great for this) and if you want to get more sustain on the release add a compressor behind it for a more pronounced dramatic effect (especially with delay/mod), which is basically what the vfe bumblebee is doing.

No mods, used a 2sk30a I had laying around from smallbear some years back. Calibration according the the service manual is more convoluted so I simply auditioned various guitars while playing and made small adjustments to the trimmer to get the best response from the envelope across various settings to maximize the range of the effect. I went with a more minimalist approach. Gray powder coat, UV print and for the design I went with Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones. The hard, alcoholic PI known as Power Woman. A clean simple build with a non complicated setup and lower parts count of cheap easy to obtain parts, I think you can't go wrong with the procrastinator if you are looking for something a little different to experiment with.

[blackhatboojum]

The minimalist look makes it tight has hell.  And that wiring... chefs kiss!  Dope shit alert!

[jessenator]

Love the black & white!  Have to say, I haven't much experience with this circuit, but this makes me want one on my board 

[jimilee]

I really like thatZ be never had a boss slowgear, I wonder how they compare.


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[harryklippton]

That came out great, I'm diggin it

[Thewintersoldier]

The minimalist look makes it tight has hell.  And that wiring... chefs kiss!  Dope shit alert!

Thanks dude🤘

Love the black & white!  Have to say, I haven't much experience with this circuit, but this makes me want one on my board 

It really is a one trick pony but it's fun finding creative ways to use it.

I really like thatZ be never had a boss slowgear, I wonder how they compare.


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From my understanding Peter loved the slow gear and modded his build with the compressor and that's how the bumblebee came about. I've always wanted to build one but have yet too. Maybe one day I will.

That came out great, I'm diggin it

Thanks Will!

[Paradox916]

This is such an interesting effect great build. So many ideas going through my head right now.


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[WonkoTheSane]

Looks really nice. Not my favorite effect, but can be fun.

[gordo]

Motherf*cker, this is a great build.  The none-more-blue photo of the board just screams what you do best.  This kills on so many levels.

I'm old enough that these pedals were new when I still had hair.  I recall playing the OG and thought it was kinda cool but never in my wheelhouse.  Now that I'm involved with praise band stuff and have to create weird clouds of reverb and echo, I usually do so with the volume knob on my guitar.  Again, it would be more normal to be using a volume pedal but nobody has ever accused me of being normal.  I really need to revisit the potential of this beast and maybe go the extra set of boxing it up.

[Thewintersoldier]

Motherf*cker, this is a great build.  The none-more-blue photo of the board just screams what you do best.  This kills on so many levels.

I'm old enough that these pedals were new when I still had hair.  I recall playing the OG and thought it was kinda cool but never in my wheelhouse.  Now that I'm involved with praise band stuff and have to create weird clouds of reverb and echo, I usually do so with the volume knob on my guitar.  Again, it would be more normal to be using a volume pedal but nobody has ever accused me of being normal.  I really need to revisit the potential of this beast and maybe go the extra set of boxing it up.

Such high praise from one of my biggest influences here, I can hang it up now. It wasn't until recently I feel like I really figured out what I was doing and how to do that consistently, and I wouldn't have been able to do that without the support and inspiration of the fantastic people around here. As for the build itself, it's been really fun messing with it and cool to see a renewed interest like many of the boss pedals I've done that people forgot about or dismissed or never knew of.

[jjjimi84]

Another fine example of perfection! Really great job, you da man Chris!

[jimilee]

On my boss pedal journey I've already explored some classic pedals that are played and revered by many and this week I'm sharing one that's really rare and most people who have played one have only played a clone, the SG-1 slow gear. A very polarizing effect that most people either like or hate and not much in-between.

So what is the slow gear? It's a envelope effect that was meant to simulate volume swells. While it can do that, it can also give a pseudo violin sound, I weird tremolo volume modulation effect, and kind of backwards sound like the vintage EHX attack decay. Add some modulation and delay after and you get get some cool ambient swells. What can't it do? Those really slow controlled long drawn out swells with the long throw like on a volume pedal. This is also a few components different and the same circuit as the boss nf-1 noise gate that makes the envelope work in the opposite direction.

With just two controls it's easy to use. Sens adjusts the sensitivity of the envelope trigger for pick attack and pickup output. Attack controls the onset and release of the envelope. The controls only have so much range so much like an envelope filter you have to play to the effect. Your dynamics, pickup selection and knob settings will determine your results. Some tips: I like the bridge pickup, focus on staccato single notes, if attempting chords use light finger picking (flesh of thumb is great for this) and if you want to get more sustain on the release add a compressor behind it for a more pronounced dramatic effect (especially with delay/mod), which is basically what the vfe bumblebee is doing.

No mods, used a 2sk30a I had laying around from smallbear some years back. Calibration according the the service manual is more convoluted so I simply auditioned various guitars while playing and made small adjustments to the trimmer to get the best response from the envelope across various settings to maximize the range of the effect. I went with a more minimalist approach. Gray powder coat, UV print and for the design I went with Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones. The hard, alcoholic PI known as Power Woman. A clean simple build with a non complicated setup and lower parts count of cheap easy to obtain parts, I think you can't go wrong with the procrastinator if you are looking for something a little different to experiment with.

I'd like to hear a sound demo if you can throw one down quick and dirty, I'm curious about something.