I really don't have any concerns for this pedal.

I'm kind of on the fence with this pedal. I don't care about how it sounds in comparison to the real thing, but am more interested in how it performs as a fuzz pedal in general. The Fuzz Face setting is pretty decent. I couldn't stand the Maestro, but I suppose that there are those out there that like that model. The Octavia added a cool octave effect to the fuzz, but it seemed to cause a lot of hum, and it created octaves of hum as well, which was pretty horrid sounding. If I keep this pedal, I will only use it on the Fuzz Face setting, but I'm kind of preferring the fuzz tones that I'm getting out of my Pro Co Rat 2.

This is a typical Boss product -- solid, well-built, reliable, and useful. I reluctantly bought it to replace the EHX Big Fuzz, which is my favorite fuzz pedal. (I always like the old school fuzz over distortion or overdrive pedals). This is because the Boss pedals fit into my BCBN 60 Pedal Board, which is, another solid, well-built, reliable and useful product (see above, lol). The FZ-5 has a few settings on it I didn't find as helpful, at least right away. It has the old Maestro (Can't Get No Satisfaction) and the Fuzz-Fuzz, along with an octave-fuzz mode. For my purposes the straightforward Fuzz Face was most useful, and with the levels down fairly low it gave me the nice, cell-like sustain that a good fuzz pedal provides. I still miss the EHX Fuzz, but this is a fine product and completes the Boss pedal-lineup in my pedalboard (RV--6 Reverb, DM-2W Analog Delay, PH-3 Phase Shifter, TR2 Tremolo, the FZ-5, and a Dunlop Mini-Wah-Wah pedal). My one recommendation for Boss would be to make, somehow, a mini Wah-edal that fits the Boss footprint to complete my pedalboard with Boss product. But yes, this FZ-5 is another reliable Boss product that will do what you need, well, and is built like a tank. I'm past the prima-donna tone-snob stage where I need the fainting-couch if the mids aren't quite rarefied enough. I need reliable pedals that sound good and do what I need in live situations. This pedal definitely fits the bill. Like I said, Boss needs to make a Wah with the Boss shape/footprint. Oh, and the Guitar Center web-site flagged the word for the EHX pedal as profanity or offensive. Just sayin'. I didn't name the Electro Harmonix pedals, lol.

Love this fuzz! Would buy again.

Nice effects and better than the Dunlop I had

Now, word has it that there are many great fuzz pedals out there, Fuzzwar and the Hoof, to mention some, but the the boss pedal offers some variety in the tone, by having three modes. the FuzzFace mode is deep and played alone it brings out great sounding fuzz, fuzzy enough for me, and it get close the sound of jimi hendrix. The Maestro Fuzz mode is alos good alone, and is much brighter, but still with good amounts of fuzz. If you are really into getting some octaves on there, the boss octave pedal has more to offer. It has great sustain, and it can really increase the volume. It looses some of its fuzz when played with other effects. But it is a great fuzz pedal. It has that cosm technology too. Like the Leslie cosm pedal. I generally like boss pedals, cause of the design of the stomp it self. I can smack two pedal down at once. I think that most other people who do not hold Boss pedals in as high regards as me might find better, and also more expensive Fuzz pedals out there.