Allison Robertson

"So I got this BOSS pedal called the Metal Zone [MT-2], and that became my pedal for a long time. I remember when I got my first Les Paul … it sounded so cool through the Metal Zone. The first two records I did with The Donnas were all done with the Metal Zone. It was my sound, my personality."

"Which pedal is that?

The BOSS EQ pedal [GE-7].

How are you using it?

I use it to boost my solos, to get more sustain and mid action. It’s amazing … things that once seemed hard or difficult to play just melted away and sounded so buttery with that pedal. If I’d known about that pedal a long time ago, I think my life as a guitarist would have been a lot better. I like how it adds just the right amount of punch to my solos, and not necessarily from distortion. For years I thought that was the only way. But now that I use this pedal, it’s like, “Where have you been all my life?” [Laughs.]"

"Do you use BOSS’s famous TU-2 tuner pedal too?

I do. My dad initially bought me a regular [handheld] tuner, and then upgraded me to the white BOSS pedal. As soon as I got the pedal, I thought it was so cool, and it was easier for me to use onstage. It’s reliable and it doesn’t lie to you. I love it."