Boss GT-1B discussion thread

[cheapbasslovin]

just saw a youtube clip in which was stated that you cannot stack effects in the boss GT1B. I dont understand.
Maybe a stupid question : is it possible to combine the effects within ?
eg compressor + distorion + chorus + reverb + preamp ?

You can't use two of any of the types of blocks. So you can't use 2 preamps, or 2 distortions, or two in the delay or reverb block, but you can take one of each of those blocks and stack them all together.

Yes, you can do comp>dist>cho>verb>pre, but you can't do hiband drive>muff>fliptop>svt> because you can only use one dist and one preamp.

 

[cheapbasslovin]

Hey all, does the tone studio get you anything that you can't get from the main interface? I looked at a video or two and it looks like it's just a nice interface for all the stuff you can get from the buttons and knobs. Is there a reason I should force myself to sit down with it other than access to patches and saving patches?

I'll drag out the PC and check it out if there's something hidden in there, but I really hate using my PC for most things.

 

[RattleSnack]

just saw a youtube clip in which was stated that you cannot stack effects in the boss GT1B. I dont understand.
Maybe a stupid question : is it possible to combine the effects within ?
eg compressor + distorion + chorus + reverb + preamp ?

You can definitively stack effects, I made nice synth sound by combining fuzz, chorus, tremolo, envelope, etc.

 

[RattleSnack]

Hey all, does the tone studio get you anything that you can't get from the main interface? I looked at a video or two and it looks like it's just a nice interface for all the stuff you can get from the buttons and knobs. Is there a reason I should force myself to sit down with it other than access to patches and saving patches?

I'll drag out the PC and check it out if there's something hidden in there, but I really hate using my PC for most things.

I believe it is just different interface for same mechanics. I prefer it over fiddling with buttons and small screen on the floor.

 

[cheapbasslovin]

I believe it is just different interface for same mechanics. I prefer it over fiddling with buttons and small screen on the floor.

Thank you. It looks like a nice visual space, but my PC brain and my music brain don't work very well together. I'll probably break it open when I decide to record a thing, but I'm not going to sweat it if there's no special features.

 

[RattleSnack]

Thank you. It looks like a nice visual space, but my PC brain and my music brain don't work very well together. I'll probably break it open when I decide to record a thing, but I'm not going to sweat it if there's no special features.

I think it works best when you're recording. I connect my Boss to PC with Win10 and record in Cubase. I have Boss app open and go back and forth, tweeking sound till I'm happy.

 

[Bret Music]

Hey all, does the tone studio get you anything that you can't get from the main interface?

I have not been to Tone Studio in awhile, but there are some patches made up by Artist's like Felipe Andreoli and others you can get. It is a lot easier to move patches and set stuff up in Tone Studio.

 

[Krisfield]

I like working with Tone Studio. It's very intuitive and doesn't require a lot of learning to get some sounds going. It very quick to "draw" a sound in the effects editor. The link better your ears and and making adjustments feels unrestrictive and natural.

 

[Ludwig]

How would you realize a low cut = high pass filter with the EQ section of the GT-1B ?

 

[Plain Old Barry]

I like working with Tone Studio. It's very intuitive and doesn't require a lot of learning to get some sounds going. It very quick to "draw" a sound in the effects editor. The link better your ears and and making adjustments feels unrestrictive and natural.

I think many who have disliked the GT-1B have only tried to make adjustments via the device panel controls alone. Tone Studio makes the unit far easier to use and control, as it also does for the Katana series of guitar amps.

There are lots of features, like linking multiple settings to a single switch that I'm not sure can be done at all without Tone Studio.

I wish Boss would create a version of TS for iPad or Android tablet, as many are more likely to have one of those away from home vs. a computer.

 

[Jazz Ad]

I had a very bad impression of this unit when it got out. I tried it again last week and didn't find it any better.
It's not inherently bad, good interface but to me it sound bland and liveless, especially compared to current Zoom units but also with older Boss units like the ME50B.
With say a B3n I can choose a sound, maybe tweak it a bit and get to work. It falls into the mix just fine.
With the GT1B there's always editing to do and it never becomes satisfying. It sounds either cliché or weak.
It's like their taylored the sounds for bedroom use rather than real world. It makes it more appealing in the shop, not so much with a band.

 

[cheapbasslovin]

I had a very bad impression of this unit when it got out. I tried it again last week and didn't find it any better.
It's not inherently bad, good interface but to me it sound bland and liveless, especially compared to current Zoom units but also with older Boss units like the ME50B.
With say a B3n I can choose a sound, maybe tweak it a bit and get to work. It falls into the mix just fine.
With the GT1B there's always editing to do and it never becomes satisfying. It sounds either cliché or weak.
It's like their taylored the sounds for bedroom use rather than real world. It makes it more appealing in the shop, not so much with a band.

I'm gonna respectfully disagree. I got mine to replace a B3, and while it's not as intuitive as a B3, I am able to dial stuff in that sits just a little better than the B3 stuff did. I also owned the ME50b and it was trash by comparison (B3 and GT1B are miles ahead of the ME50B, IME).

I'll grant you that there's not a ton of just extreme sounds on tap and at times that is a little disappointing, but for a bunch of different sounds sitting in a pretty standard rock mix it's way easier for me to dial this in than the B3.

 

[Meaculpa]

just saw a youtube clip in which was stated that you cannot stack effects in the boss GT1B. I dont understand.
Maybe a stupid question : is it possible to combine the effects within ?
eg compressor + distorion + chorus + reverb + preamp ?

You cannot stack 2 distortions.. or 2 preamps..perhaps that was you heard on that video.

 

[greenscharlie]

ok, i ll put a tubescreamer in front of it

 

[RattleSnack]

I'm gonna respectfully disagree. I got mine to replace a B3, and while it's not as intuitive as a B3, I am able to dial stuff in that sits just a little better than the B3 stuff did. I also owned the ME50b and it was trash by comparison (B3 and GT1B are miles ahead of the ME50B, IME).

I'll grant you that there's not a ton of just extreme sounds on tap and at times that is a little disappointing, but for a bunch of different sounds sitting in a pretty standard rock mix it's way easier for me to dial this in than the B3.

Same thing here, except I had MS-60B. I loved the format and the options, but range of settings was often extreme and I had a hard time dialing normal sounding effect. My opinion was so divided, that I bought and sold MS three times before giving up
Oh, and bypass never sounded natural to me.
Boss has much less effects to choose from, but somehow feels more like pedalboard to me. Settings feel to me like they range from usable to usable, like typical analog pedal.
I don't know, I'm not saying Boss is allround better piece of kit, but it fits my needs better.

 

[Plain Old Barry]

I don't know, I'm not saying Boss is allround better piece of kit, but it fits my needs better.

Agreed!

In my case, I only use the preamps when needed for specific purposes. I have equipment that sounds great with my instruments plugged straight in. I don't need a pedal to create my basic sounds.

To me, the GT-1B has eliminated a bunch of occasionally used pedals, like phasers, flangers, volume pedal, wah, and chorus, and added a slow gear, acoustic simulations, synths, etc... the one or two song wonders, in a tiny space. I'll add preamps for certain sounds, sometimes even working against my amp settings for my "best" sound. If I played a synth or octaver or other effect often or all night long, I'd probably seek the exact pedal that floated my boat.

This is a GREAT tool when you need certain and many different effects or sounds for one or two songs each, and you can build different settings for the same effect(s) or chains, which is rather hard to do with discrete pedals.

I think the real user difference is the type of work an individual is doing. Those in an all or mostly original band can create their signature bass sound and play it all night long. Others who work with multiple acts, society gigs, or wide ranging cover bands may need to imitate many sounds, and a device like this can be very helpful. Without needing this:

I still use an external compressor, graphic EQ, and Q strip, for on the fly adjustability, but the multi-effects unit has replaced a lot of boxes.

 

[Rilence]

Does it do anything as well as a standalone top notch pedal ? No it doesn't. Does it do a whole bunch of things maybe 80% (I'm just pulling a number here to illustrate, take actual number with a grain of salt...) as well as a top notch standalone pedal ? Yes it does. Will every effect work really well with every instrument & every amp/cab ? Again, no. But show me a pedal/similar bit of kit that does.

Does what it says on the box, and for 300 bucks you get plenty of bang for your buck.

 

[RattleSnack]

Does it do anything as well as a standalone top notch pedal ? No it doesn't. Does it do a whole bunch of things maybe 80% (I'm just pulling a number here to illustrate, take actual number with a grain of salt...) as well as a top notch standalone pedal ? Yes it does. Will every effect work really well with every instrument & every amp/cab ? Again, no. But show me a pedal/similar bit of kit that does.

Does what it says on the box, and for 300 bucks you get plenty of bang for your buck.

I am ok with used condition, so I got mine for 120€. One more usefull thing it can do, that Zoom can't, is to be used as a USB recording interface.

 

[Plain Old Barry]

Does what it says on the box, and for 300 bucks you get plenty of bang for your buck.

I bought mine used, mint in box, for $140, so it's not a bad thing that some don't like the device.

I already owned a Katana, so I was familiar with Tone Studio and the simple way to build patches.

 

[Rilence]

I bought mine used, mint in box, for $140, so it's not a bad thing that some don't like the device.

I already owned a Katana, so I was familiar with Tone Studio and the simple way to build patches.

Nice deal Barry ;-) We have this thing called the 'Australia Tax' which applies to everything imported because we're at the arse end of the universe, so it's a bit pricier here