Boss GE7

Scored a used Japanese made Boss GE7 and a used BBE Supa Charger both in great condition for $127. The GE7 works fine but the LED does not light up when the pedal is engaged and powered by the Supa Charger. It does light up when using a battery.

It is not really a big deal but is there a quick fix to this problem?

If it's an old GE-7, if may have been built for the old 12-volt unregulated ACA power supply. PEdals designed for the ACA havew a diode and dropping resitor to knock the wall-wart voltage down to 9 volts. When you run it on a modern regulated 9-volt supply, it knocks it down, leaving the pedal a bit short of voltage inside. The diode/resistor dropping circuit only effects the power jack, not the battery.

The nameplate on the back of the GE-7 will say if it was intended for the ACA supply. For info, check out the Boss Area website: http://www.bossarea.com/

The fix is simple, a quick mod to jumper out diode D1 and resistor R1. You can pull them and solder a wire jumper in their place, or simply solder the jumper across them.

If it's an old GE-7, if may have been built for the old 12-volt unregulated ACA power supply. PEdals designed for the ACA havew a diode and dropping resitor to knock the wall-wart voltage down to 9 volts. When you run it on a modern regulated 9-volt supply, it knocks it down, leaving the pedal a bit short of voltage inside. The diode/resistor dropping circuit only effects the power jack, not the battery.

The nameplate on the back of the GE-7 will say if it was intended for the ACA supply. For info, check out the Boss Area website: http://www.bossarea.com/

The fix is simple, a quick mod to jumper out diode D1 and resistor R1. You can pull them and solder a wire jumper in their place, or simply solder the jumper across them.

Can I just boost the voltage on the Supa Carger to 12v?

*Update-I boosted the voltage to 12v and the LED now functions. Thanks.

I have the same problem with an old GE7, no LED light used with a single Boss PSA240 adaptor, though it appears to work OK from a sound point of view - yuo just can't tell by looking. However, on my BCB6 pedal board, using a Godlyke mains transformer and routing through a TU2 tuner as first pedal - it does light up. Whats going on here? Is the current somehow different coming from the Godlyke as against the Boss PSA240? Or is it the chain situation that makes it different?

Incidentally, had a look inside the box, could find D1 but couldn't spot R1. Is this mod actually necessary?

Rick J

I have the same problem with an old GE7, no LED light used with a single Boss PSA240 adaptor, though it appears to work OK from a sound point of view - yuo just can't tell by looking. However, on my BCB6 pedal board, using a Godlyke mains transformer and routing through a TU2 tuner as first pedal - it does light up. Whats going on here? Is the current somehow different coming from the Godlyke as against the Boss PSA240? Or is it the chain situation that makes it different?

Incidentally, had a look inside the box, could find D1 but couldn't spot R1. Is this mod actually necessary?

Rick J

Necessary? No. Even when I was running it a 9v it sounded fine. I figured I would utilize the voltage switch on the SupaCharger make life easier

. I have to say it looks pretty good for a pedal over 20 years old. The only thing missing (apart from the box) is the slider cover for the overall volume.