Boss GT 8, anyone use one?

[Dmantis]

Hello all,
I picked one up to replace pedal mess. I wanted a processor that can be wired in front of my preamp as well as in my effects loop. This way I can use OD type stuff, wah and what have you infront of my preamp/s and also put effects like Chorus Delay Reverb and whatever in my effects loop.

So I get it due to the fact it is suppsot to do all this and more. It has amp modeling with a on board preamp. You can switch between your amps preamps and bypass them running the preamp in the boss directly to your amp according to this 4 cable method. Looking at the way it's wired, I can see it having the ability to do this. I didn't think this is how it would be wired but nonetheless it works.

I will go to say man, people this thing isn't easy to use. It's got so many different setting and I'm having a hard time figuring out how I want it setup. Honestly the preamp in the Boss is not on the same level as my preamp (Krank Rev 1 ) it's not as clear or detail no matter what model I'm using. It sounds kinds off. I'm used to tube amps as I owned only tube amps all my life except one Peavey amp. Fender Twins mostly.

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on using the Boss as only an effects in the loop and running OD and Wah type stuff in front and thats it??
But I gotta figure out how to retain my natural sound as well as I don't think my amp sounds as good when this is wired in. I can notice a tonal change and a transistor type add in tone to my guitar. It doesn't sound the same. I'm also wondering if there is a bypass, so when I want to hear only my amp dry with nothing how can I pull that off??

Someone out there with some Boss GT 8 answers???

Dan

 

[RootBoundApollo]

I have a GT-8 running in the effects loop of my Revolution with the four cable method and a Maxon overdrive and Vox wah in front of the amp. It works great. If you don't klnow about the four cable method and you wanna find out more about settings and stuff, check out the GT-8 forum. It's reallllllllllllllly helpful.

 

[egan.]

We use the 4 cable method w/ a GT8 --> XXX and a GT3-->5150 II. I've found the tone alteration to be negligible. Make sure you are bypassing all of the input Eq/modeling when running to your amp.
Also, take some time and make sure that you aren't messing up your gain staging in the GT8.

 

[kev]

I am using the same process as Egans guitarist with a gt6 > 5150.

Looking to buy a tube screamer ASAP, as im feeling my 5150 not tight enough.

 

[Dmantis]

I have a GT-8 running in the effects loop of my Revolution with the four cable method and a Maxon overdrive and Vox wah in front of the amp. It works great. If you don't klnow about the four cable method and you wanna find out more about settings and stuff, check out the GT-8 forum. It's reallllllllllllllly helpful.

The gt 8 has all that built in, why are you also using them with it?? Do you feel the wah sounds better then the ones inside the GT8?

 

[Dmantis]

I am using the same process as Egans guitarist with a gt6 > 5150.

Looking to buy a tube screamer ASAP, as im feeling my 5150 not tight enough.

Doesn't the gt 6 has a tube screamer in it? If you have it wired in the 4 cable method, you can already put a tube screamer infront of your preamp. It actually has the Ibanez models.

Dan

 

[Dmantis]

Yes,
I now have it wired in the 4 cable method and everything works well. I did notice a difference in my tone but I believe with alot of tweaking, I can get it back and better it.
The GT 8 is powerful. I'm having a blast with it. I'm also mad at it when I can't figure out how to do something and the manual isn't clear. I joined the Boss forums and found alot of useful stuff over there.

Dan

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Our guitarist has one, I am to anti multi effects to buy one. Again just personal taste.

 

[Dmantis]

Our guitarist has one, I am to anti multi effects to buy one. Again just personal taste.

Why is that?? I used Pedals all my life as a guitarist and all the times I had to bend down and set things up for the next song kinda sucks. With the GT 8 I can recall a patch setup exaclty how I want it. Everytime. I don't have to remember where to place my Delay time for what song. I don't have to take reverb out and add in Chorus. It's right there with a foot press.

Processors are the way to go. The future is now and they have been around a long time for a good reason.

But like you said all personal taste. No right or wrong way.

Dan

 

[RootBoundApollo]

The gt 8 has all that built in, why are you also using them with it?? Do you feel the wah sounds better then the ones inside the GT8?

I actually like the wahs in the GT-8, it's just that I modded my Vox and I love it too much to use anything else. As for the tubescreamer, the real deal beats out a model any day. However I do think most of the effects are awesome, some of them sound almost exactly like their real counterparts

 

[kev]

Doesn't the gt 6 has a tube screamer in it? If you have it wired in the 4 cable method, you can already put a tube screamer infront of your preamp. It actually has the Ibanez models.

Dan

Yes, it does. However, as far as i know, to use the 5150 distortion, you have to set your distortion pedal part of the chain to EXTERNAL, this seems to mean that you cannot actually utilise the tube screamer modelling at the same time.

Anyone know more than this?

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Why is that?? I used Pedals all my life as a guitarist and all the times I had to bend down and set things up for the next song kinda sucks. With the GT 8 I can recall a patch setup exaclty how I want it. Everytime. I don't have to remember where to place my Delay time for what song. I don't have to take reverb out and add in Chorus. It's right there with a foot press.

Processors are the way to go. The future is now and they have been around a long time for a good reason.

But like you said all personal taste. No right or wrong way.

Dan

My pedal board is huge. 4 overdrives, the TU-2, 2 delays, a Wah pedal and a phaser. I don't really change effects that much so it works for me. Also the case was a home made hardshell so it's just a matter of unhinging the box and plugging in the 4 cables from amp to effects, so it's not that bad. I can setup in about as much time as the bass player.

 

[egan.]

Yes, it does. However, as far as i know, to use the 5150 distortion, you have to set your distortion pedal part of the chain to EXTERNAL, this seems to mean that you cannot actually utilise the tube screamer modelling at the same time.

Anyone know more than this?

You can use the OD modeling and external loop simultaneously with the gt8 but not the gt6 or gt3.

 

[kev]

You can use the OD modeling and external loop simultaneously with the gt8 but not the gt6 or gt3.

Yeh thought so I expect the model to be wank anyway really, altho the prospect of yet another pedal live is a bitch.

 

[Dmantis]

Reporting back after owning it for some time now. I think it sucks the life out of your amps tone. You can turn everything off and just run it inbetween in the 4 cable method and I can hear more mid range tone and noise.
The effects chain I setup exaclty how things should be placed like if you where running pedals. The sound sucks. The OD pedals inside suck. They don't sound good infront of the preamp like if you had an external pedal. I also get alot of feedback when doing so at all volumes.
The chours , Delay , reverb and Pitch shifter effects all work great but at the expense of my tone. I love the ability of the gt 8 but man why does it kill my tone?????
If I plug straight in the front of my amp and play both channels(Krank Rev 1)
my tone is incredible. Clean is fender like but darker and my drive channel is crazy. When I add in the gt8 and want to unalter my tone then add in effects, the un altered tone is terrible. What a difference.

The Global Eq is all set to 0 so that should mean no tone change. I turn off the Eq that goes in the effects loop along with all effects and my tone sounds like ass. So I add in the eq in the effects loop and try to clean up the tone. I turn off the compressor and noise gate as well. Well I can't get it to sound like the Krank without effects or anothing.

I kinda hate this thing.

Dan

 

[kev]

lol Dan... Mines alrite. I think i will potentially ditch it in the next few years though and go fully stomp. I actually found it took some of my mid range away!

 

[Dmantis]

lol Dan... Mines alrite. I think i will potentially ditch it in the next few years though and go fully stomp. I actually found it took some of my mid range away!

Dude I'm getting rid of mine. It's great all the things it can do which is why I got it in the first place as I wanted programmable effects but not at the expense of my tone. So Out it goes and I will have to look for new effects.

All I want is Chorus, Delay, reverb and a pitch shifter. I would run all those in the effects loop. If someone made a pedal board with just those effects that had true bypass I would be all about it.

I would even try running a Ts9 or something in front just to give boosting a try. My drive channel( Krank Rev 1) is crushing and I don't think it needs anything but it would be fun to try. I didn't get a good idea with the GT 8. It sucks on my amp.

Dan