Boss GT-8

[LynchpiN]

My guitarist wants to buy a Boss GT8, and I want to know if any of you have any opinions on it.

For what I know it's a POD-wannabe GT6, with line recording properties, the purpose my buddy wants it for. Can it be comparable to PODxt when line recording?

I recommended him the POD, but he's in love with that whammy-bar-crazy-phaser-hundereds-of-toys section of the GT8. I don't know anybody who owns one, and I guess the retailer won't allow me to borrow it .

 

[Razorjack]

It's ok but it doesn't rival the POD IMHO, the FX are great and if the guy is obsessed with crazy noises he can't go wrong really.

 

[Herman_theGerman]

I've got the the GT-6 and i´'s great for live performance if you need to switch between different sounds a lot. But I don't use it for recording that much.

 

[LynchpiN]

Hey, thanks for your input.

I've seen some guitarists using it as an effect processor, using the dostortion out of a good valve head. I think it'll work for what he want.

 

[Kazrog]

I'm intersted in the BOSS GT-8 or GT-PRO because I need an FX unit live that is transparent. I tried my POD XT Live through my FX loop in my 5150 and it alters the tone (in a bad way), even when no effects are turned on.

 

[Where She Wept]

I had problems running my Pod in my Mesa's fx loop. I went thru hell befor i fixed the problem. I used iso transformers, loop switchers and a bunch of crazy shit. In the end i just turned up the level controls on the channels. I wasn't getting enough signal to the pod so when i turned up the master volume i got weird noises. I turn off all effects and the amp models. Then turn the channel volume up on each patch and the leave the main output at full. It sounds great. the weird part is that at real low volumes ( like at night ) it sounds different. But once i crank it up it sounds awesome, just like it did with no processor. I a/b for a couple of days cuz im so pickey about my tone.

Not to be totaly off topic. My friend is running a gt8 into an Ampeg Reverb-o-rocket head and 4x12 and it sounds great. I think the head makes a difference too. Cool thing is that the gt-8 has a control jack you can uses to switch channels on a head. So you can have it in the loop of a head and have your channels change with the presets.

 

[Kazrog]

WSW - thanks for the info. I have had a similar experience with the XT. I got my levels set just right, but the tone changes. The POD XT seems to cut some of the low end chunk from my amp - which makes me very angry, and this happens at low or high volumes.

I spoke with Peter from Opeth at the Sounds of the Underground and he and Mikael have been really stoked on their GT-6 units, so I then discovered that the GT-8 is the new version of the same thing. Years ago I had a GT-3 and I loved it in my FX loop, kinda regret selling it...

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

(slightly off topic) Have any of you used the POD live straight into a venue's PA? If so, how consistent has it been?

edit: not "PODxt live", just any pod on stage

 

[Kazrog]

(slightly off topic) Have any of you used the POD live straight into a venue's PA? If so, how consistent has it been?

edit: not "PODxt live", just any pod on stage

I would imagine that would be relative to the quality of the PA, which I'd rather not have to rely on, since venues vary wildly. I wouldn't be against doing this as a backup rig, but a real amp is definitely preferable.

 

[LynchpiN]

Thank you all for the input about the GT-8!

In my opinion the POD straight into PA works great in small venues, and it can save your life when the amps are not great and the stage can't take your full stack. It's also very practical, but I've seen it souding pretty brittle, specially in big venues.

I believe the PA quality is important, but not your biggest problem - that would be the FOH operator.

Another problem is the monitoring, it must be working well, or you wouldn't hear you playing without an amp behind you. I know some folks who uses Flextones, so they can line it and also hear without depending in the monitor system.

But, if you can take a decent amp with you.. Why not?