I really was waiting for this video to be thorough and I'm not disappointed. It covers all the important points and illustrates brilliantly all the features on a real guitar rig! I must say I'm not surprised about the waza though. It's a good modern iteration...efficient, straight to the point and a tad more responsive. However, being modern means it slightly misses that little "something", that grind so dear to our hearts I think. Same but different.
@@robotsanddogs666 another guy showed the curve of the Waza and it is exactly the same as the original in standard mode with a tad more volume only, if you eq the amp a bit then you can emulate the sound just as well as with any other hm-2 clone, if you can't then it means you simply can't tweak.
Seems solid enough for the price point especially if you don’t wanna be price gouged for an original HM-2 anymore. People who want more than that obviously can upgrade to one of the fifty thousand available boutique clones that are all $40-200 more depending on their need! :)
The Waza if s good, but I just got it and side-by-side, the OG still wins, despite having a higher noise floor. Out of all the clones m, the Bear Amps Heavier Metal is the best to me. I run it through high gain though and not a cena amp.. If that makes a difference. It works for me into a 5150-type amp. You can control the bloom of the pedal which is super useful to me. Pretty much every other clone still gets beat by the OG to me, and I have $2k in clones. Boxed most of them up for sale.
FWIW, my understanding was that the custom mode was tuned for heavy drop-tuning, which might explain why it works well on bass. Either way, excited to get mine in the mail and try it out.
Hey brother! I just got the WAZA Craft re-issue HM-2W yesterday morning. Ever since 1991, i've owned 3 Hm-2's, but they've all been second hand, since I'd never seen a new one brand spankers in a music shop. I've had numerous distortion pedals over the last 20 years, and yeah, while nice and heavy, none could hold a candle to the Black Sabbathy low end sound of the OG Boss Heavy Metal pedal! Yeah, we all like to hate on the Metal Zone, and for the most part I agree except it's pretty good for chugging. Beyond that, if you own one.... please keep it, cos it doubles as an excellent pre-amp! Now, back to the man of the hour HM-2w! I love it to death. I do agree with you about the custom switch. We don't need no more low end, the OG settings have a low end far lower than any other distortion pedals! So I'm in love with the thing. I want my sound to have a lot of Sabbath, and a little Ween, so I don't need my distortion to sound like Slipknot....btw I like Slipknot. But I'm a Black Sabbath/Tumbleweed/ Blue Cheer/Misfits kind of guy, So HM-2W is my jam! Finally friends, if you'd never heard this pedal and want to get a good idea of what it sounds like.......check out Black Sabbaths album MASTER OF REALITY. That's the kind of distortion that the HM-2W will give you. Hope that helps fam.👍
yeah , the waza craft really noticable presence over the vintage . . . the vintage had this kind of dropped back hanging out kind of sound, whilst the waza when clicked was like the vintage walked into the room or was boosted with a tube screamer . much more broader detail in the waza also, that made me still for a moment , because it really is a vast improvement than some realize possible . . . it makes the entire sound 'WIDER' and more present , with detail that you cannot make out with the vintage standard .
Considering that the Og HM-2 has capacitors that are almost 40 years old, and scoped mids, I'd have to conclude that the Og had more guts and although is louder has that special extra grind that we love so much. Cheers!
I have 2 MIJ's and 1 MIT. The results are pretty much the same.. Oh and they vary in age. 1984, 1987, and 1991. There are some differences between them, but the Waza is missing the grind that all three others have. If it were all about cap values, and modern parts are more stable, I'm not sure why every reissue isn't simply matched to parts of a great sounding old unit. IMHO, the materials have also changed. Lead is no longer found in the solder (banned in 2006), circuits have been improved/rearranged to lessen noise (noise is sometimes part of the sound, like analog tape!)... Etc etc etc... The sound had to change somehow. Maybe it's just that there is a tendency to re-release amazing things from the past, but it's often difficult to really improve something already great. It's like covering a great song.. It's easier to improve on one that wasn't so great to begin with.
the custom mode is for downtuned and 7 strings. It sits well for a low B, that has gained more popularity than the bands you mention messing with the mids. the noise floor change alone is a blessing.
So I got my HM-2w and my results are very similar to this video (not so much other videos). The Waza is a great pedal. When you plug it in, it sounds fantastic and everything makes sense. However, when you A/B it directly with the original beast, the original has that little extra magic in the mids that pushes through better.
Good review man, really a good point you made about using it for bass. Imho, i think its a flop, for my use. Of course its gonna sell like any boss product, but for me i would go with any modern clone that has more option over it. Also the price is absurd.
@@HM2CULT exactly, this really just felt like they did not take the current market into consideration. Like you got lone wolf, inverted cross, kma, just to name a few. They are either less expensive, or just a bit more but all got way more options. My next one might even be the inverted (when the owner heals from his wrist injury)
@@slavoverlord1517these are valid points but there are still older people who go to guitar stores for their children, and guitar stores always carry Boss. A teenager can tell their mom they want a hm2 the old fashioned way 😂
@@ottoakin5920 yeah honestly my comment kinda aged like sour milk ahahah, theyre like 160$ CAD on sale where i am, not bad at all. I would still pick up something like the hell melter if i wanted to go with a mainstream brand but still i went a bit too doomer with my comment ahahah
@@slavoverlord1517 yeah they went on sale this year so I asked for one as a Christmas gift. A lot of people don't know or don't want to go to Sweetwater. We're the true nerds watching gear demos 🤣
I fully intend to use the Waza mode on my bass tracks, with a little bit of the clean low end blended back in. I tried it last night with my current mix template and it sounded evil.
Compadre as always great video, very well done... I just dont feel the waza version is really "a need" to have, its more "nice" to have in the collection. Your Supreme 160 on the other is a NEED to have!!
To my tone deaf ears it does the thing 1:1 for all intentions. I like that it seems a smidge brighter in standard mode than in original, but all my amps are rather dark sounding. I'm in the minority concerning there not being enough tonal options, all the booteek pedals out there cover that in spades. So I'm not upset by this basically just being a reissue. With the custom switch I no longer have to move mic positions or change speakers to do a left and right track. Just flick the switch for a slight tone change in order to fill out a recording. Not let down personally. Considering the outlandish costs originals go for and the uselessness that booteeks have for me, this, a HM300 or an Eyemaster are a good modern option for doing the thing. It's either those two or a Rat with an EQ. Lastly, a clean demo?! Really?! Sell out. ;)
were you able to account for the 3db volume difference on the waza? and yeah, the standard mode is functionally identical sounding beyond it being 3db louder. Good to know.
@@HM2CULT That extra volume will push the amp and all the frequencies a bit harder was all I was getting at so they'll all saturate slightly more at max. even still though, standard mode was basically identical to the mij on a dirty channel. that was nice to see.
Waza is better but you gotta turn the level down. Everything on 10 isn’t the best way to get the filth. Dialling back the low and high a bit is much better more clarity filth. Original is still awesome though.
When the FUCK is it coming out?? I see nothing online that gives us a date and NOBODY on RUclips asking the obvious question of WHEN WHEN WHEN WHEN. I mean does nobody know? Or does everyone know something that I do not? Someone tell me so I can stfu😹😹
Boss didn't study anything they thru it together with no intention of any real "trying" because they just don't care.its not important to them at all and that is very disappointing.shameful.
In standard mode the waza sounds better to my ears on the clean channel. However, if you want that true chainsaw sound you'll never use it that way. This pedal feels very much like a cash in. From the sudden release of the prototype, to final product not seeming all that much different, and no where near the marketing of other waza products. As it stands that pedal market in general is extremely saturated as is, and HM2 clones really are a dime a dozen. Every single manufacturer, big and small, has there own take on it with way more features available than the waza. It's a shame because waza products are usually pretty awesome, but I really don't see the point in this. Just buy an original HM2, or get a throne torcher, left hand path, or dunwich if you want the sound
Ya,I agree.its just a cash in.thats all Boss cared about.money. China had a hm-2 made a few years ago with a low an high gain setting that's suspiciously just like this "new" wazacraft.and it has a lower noise floor too.i think they just took china's design and incorporated it into the "new" hm-2.just to pull in everyone's money that theyr we're missing out on they don't give 2 shits about this pedal or us...they only care about the money.buissness as usual.but I still love boss pedals and the hm-2 for life.ill never forget th day I bought "ENTOMBED LEFT HAND PATH brand new on cassette from the record store in the mall and my mind was shredded when I heard that ungodlike tone that came ripping out my speakers at such a ferocious velocity.
Best video yet! Thanks for the nod at the end too 🤘
I really was waiting for this video to be thorough and I'm not disappointed. It covers all the important points and illustrates brilliantly all the features on a real guitar rig!
I must say I'm not surprised about the waza though. It's a good modern iteration...efficient, straight to the point and a tad more responsive. However, being modern means it slightly misses that little "something", that grind so dear to our hearts I think. Same but different.
Completely agree. Doesn’t have that bite in the mids.
@@robotsanddogs666 another guy showed the curve of the Waza and it is exactly the same as the original in standard mode with a tad more volume only, if you eq the amp a bit then you can emulate the sound just as well as with any other hm-2 clone, if you can't then it means you simply can't tweak.
@@NickSwe 👍
@@robotsanddogs666 this guys shows the curve as well, so you can get the same sound, but you'll need to tweak the amp a bit.
Seems solid enough for the price point especially if you don’t wanna be price gouged for an original HM-2 anymore. People who want more than that obviously can upgrade to one of the fifty thousand available boutique clones that are all $40-200 more depending on their need! :)
The Waza if s good, but I just got it and side-by-side, the OG still wins, despite having a higher noise floor.
Out of all the clones m, the Bear Amps Heavier Metal is the best to me. I run it through high gain though and not a cena amp.. If that makes a difference. It works for me into a 5150-type amp. You can control the bloom of the pedal which is super useful to me. Pretty much every other clone still gets beat by the OG to me, and I have $2k in clones. Boxed most of them up for sale.
tbh i really enjoy the boosted low ends on the custom mode, my favorite bits of the modern clones is the ability to attenuate the highs/high mids
Try C mode with a bass. It sounds great that way.
FWIW, my understanding was that the custom mode was tuned for heavy drop-tuning, which might explain why it works well on bass. Either way, excited to get mine in the mail and try it out.
At the moment there is no better video on youtube than this.
This is fucking real sound!
Moltes gràcies, has fet un gran treball!
Speaking of bass, it would be cool to see a video detailing dialing in a bass tone with the HM2
Excellent review and demo. Pretty cool to see you getting to do this review of the new pedal
Did not sound like Metal at the time. It created new genres. What a killer pedal. I bought the Waza.
Wow you weren't kidding about how the custom mode sounded on bass.
The only review I was waiting for and trust!
🤘
Great video. The DD-8 has a switch in the same location as the Mode switch. It's used for turning delay trails ("Carryover") on and off. FYI.
My girlfriend ordered this for me. It’s on back order. I’m excited to hear it by itself in my Orange Pedal Baby. \m/
You rule man.hands down.i love your videos.you and Done Nightbearer got it when it comes to this pedal and it's clones.
Dome,not done.my phone always messes words up right before I hit send.sux.
@@thefuneralparade I gotcha ya! Thanks for the support!
Hey brother! I just got the WAZA Craft re-issue HM-2W yesterday morning. Ever since 1991, i've owned 3 Hm-2's, but they've all been second hand, since I'd never seen a new one brand spankers in a music shop. I've had numerous distortion pedals over the last 20 years, and yeah, while nice and heavy, none could hold a candle to the Black Sabbathy low end sound of the OG Boss Heavy Metal pedal! Yeah, we all like to hate on the Metal Zone, and for the most part I agree except it's pretty good for chugging. Beyond that, if you own one.... please keep it, cos it doubles as an excellent pre-amp! Now, back to the man of the hour HM-2w! I love it to death. I do agree with you about the custom switch. We don't need no more low end, the OG settings have a low end far lower than any other distortion pedals! So I'm in love with the thing. I want my sound to have a lot of Sabbath, and a little Ween, so I don't need my distortion to sound like Slipknot....btw I like Slipknot. But I'm a Black Sabbath/Tumbleweed/ Blue Cheer/Misfits kind of guy, So HM-2W is my jam! Finally friends, if you'd never heard this pedal and want to get a good idea of what it sounds like.......check out Black Sabbaths album MASTER OF REALITY. That's the kind of distortion that the HM-2W will give you. Hope that helps fam.👍
yeah , the waza craft really noticable presence over the vintage . . . the vintage had this kind of dropped back hanging out kind of sound, whilst the waza when clicked was like the vintage walked into the room or was boosted with a tube screamer . much more broader detail in the waza also, that made me still for a moment , because it really is a vast improvement than some realize possible . . . it makes the entire sound 'WIDER' and more present , with detail that you cannot make out with the vintage standard .
Considering that the Og HM-2 has capacitors that are almost 40 years old, and scoped mids, I'd have to conclude that the Og had more guts and although is louder has that special extra grind that we love so much. Cheers!
I have 2 MIJ's and 1 MIT. The results are pretty much the same.. Oh and they vary in age. 1984, 1987, and 1991.
There are some differences between them, but the Waza is missing the grind that all three others have.
If it were all about cap values, and modern parts are more stable, I'm not sure why every reissue isn't simply matched to parts of a great sounding old unit.
IMHO, the materials have also changed.
Lead is no longer found in the solder (banned in 2006), circuits have been improved/rearranged to lessen noise (noise is sometimes part of the sound, like analog tape!)... Etc etc etc... The sound had to change somehow.
Maybe it's just that there is a tendency to re-release amazing things from the past, but it's often difficult to really improve something already great. It's like covering a great song.. It's easier to improve on one that wasn't so great to begin with.
the custom mode is for downtuned and 7 strings.
It sits well for a low B, that has gained more popularity than the bands you mention messing with the mids.
the noise floor change alone is a blessing.
Most of those bands I mentioned play in B ;)
Awesome Job! \m/
So I got my HM-2w and my results are very similar to this video (not so much other videos).
The Waza is a great pedal. When you plug it in, it sounds fantastic and everything makes sense. However, when you A/B it directly with the original beast, the original has that little extra magic in the mids that pushes through better.
The best way I can describe it is that the waza ver is missing that "snarl" from the mid range that the original HM-2 has plenty of.
@@HM2CULT yeah..
I currently have two MIJ's and one MIT and the story is pretty much the same.
custom mode seems like it will rule for bass,cant wait to get mine and let rip with my 30"
scale!
I'm waiting for the god damn music store to call me as soon as they get them in, should be any day now, I also have one from October '83
Good review man, really a good point you made about using it for bass. Imho, i think its a flop, for my use. Of course its gonna sell like any boss product, but for me i would go with any modern clone that has more option over it. Also the price is absurd.
If I remember correctly the MT-2w was $159.99 USD and that pedal has a lot more going on than the HM-2w.
@@HM2CULT exactly, this really just felt like they did not take the current market into consideration. Like you got lone wolf, inverted cross, kma, just to name a few. They are either less expensive, or just a bit more but all got way more options. My next one might even be the inverted (when the owner heals from his wrist injury)
@@slavoverlord1517these are valid points but there are still older people who go to guitar stores for their children, and guitar stores always carry Boss. A teenager can tell their mom they want a hm2 the old fashioned way 😂
@@ottoakin5920 yeah honestly my comment kinda aged like sour milk ahahah, theyre like 160$ CAD on sale where i am, not bad at all. I would still pick up something like the hell melter if i wanted to go with a mainstream brand but still i went a bit too doomer with my comment ahahah
@@slavoverlord1517 yeah they went on sale this year so I asked for one as a Christmas gift. A lot of people don't know or don't want to go to Sweetwater. We're the true nerds watching gear demos 🤣
I fully intend to use the Waza mode on my bass tracks, with a little bit of the clean low end blended back in. I tried it last night with my current mix template and it sounded evil.
Compadre as always great video, very well done... I just dont feel the waza version is really "a need" to have, its more "nice" to have in the collection. Your Supreme 160 on the other is a NEED to have!!
I love that amp!
To my tone deaf ears it does the thing 1:1 for all intentions. I like that it seems a smidge brighter in standard mode than in original, but all my amps are rather dark sounding. I'm in the minority concerning there not being enough tonal options, all the booteek pedals out there cover that in spades. So I'm not upset by this basically just being a reissue.
With the custom switch I no longer have to move mic positions or change speakers to do a left and right track. Just flick the switch for a slight tone change in order to fill out a recording.
Not let down personally. Considering the outlandish costs originals go for and the uselessness that booteeks have for me, this, a HM300 or an Eyemaster are a good modern option for doing the thing. It's either those two or a Rat with an EQ.
Lastly, a clean demo?! Really?! Sell out. ;)
were you able to account for the 3db volume difference on the waza? and yeah, the standard mode is functionally identical sounding beyond it being 3db louder. Good to know.
It's definitely audible in the side by side.
@@HM2CULT That extra volume will push the amp and all the frequencies a bit harder was all I was getting at so they'll all saturate slightly more at max. even still though, standard mode was basically identical to the mij on a dirty channel. that was nice to see.
The waza is muddy
New mode definately has a gain boost to it.im gonna get one anyway a few years from now when they are $80
I still want the waza in 2024 anyone else saving up their coins and pocket lint?
Waza is better but you gotta turn the level down. Everything on 10 isn’t the best way to get the filth. Dialling back the low and high a bit is much better more clarity filth. Original is still awesome though.
Yeah the C mode is much closer to the original with the low at noon, too.
hm2 waza face reveal
Japanese Rules.
When the FUCK is it coming out?? I see nothing online that gives us a date and NOBODY on RUclips asking the obvious question of WHEN WHEN WHEN WHEN. I mean does nobody know? Or does everyone know something that I do not? Someone tell me so I can stfu😹😹
It's available, but for pre-order or some random listings on Reverb dot com
Too fuzzy and too much low-mid. No better or worse than a good clone.
Boss didn't study anything they thru it together with no intention of any real "trying" because they just don't care.its not important to them at all and that is very disappointing.shameful.
In standard mode the waza sounds better to my ears on the clean channel. However, if you want that true chainsaw sound you'll never use it that way.
This pedal feels very much like a cash in. From the sudden release of the prototype, to final product not seeming all that much different, and no where near the marketing of other waza products.
As it stands that pedal market in general is extremely saturated as is, and HM2 clones really are a dime a dozen. Every single manufacturer, big and small, has there own take on it with way more features available than the waza. It's a shame because waza products are usually pretty awesome, but I really don't see the point in this. Just buy an original HM2, or get a throne torcher, left hand path, or dunwich if you want the sound
I noticed that too, that with the waza the clean channel really holds up.
Ya,I agree.its just a cash in.thats all Boss cared about.money.
China had a hm-2 made a few years ago with a low an high gain setting that's suspiciously just like this "new" wazacraft.and it has a lower noise floor too.i think they just took china's design and incorporated it into the "new" hm-2.just to pull in everyone's money that theyr we're missing out on they don't give 2 shits about this pedal or us...they only care about the money.buissness as usual.but I still love boss pedals and the hm-2 for life.ill never forget th day I bought "ENTOMBED LEFT HAND PATH brand new on cassette from the record store in the mall and my mind was shredded when I heard that ungodlike tone that came ripping out my speakers at such a ferocious velocity.