BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

[Phantasmagoria]

I've had this in cotton wool since the early 2000's when I bought it new. Never really liked a tone out of it, maybe more for the 'feel' than actual sound though. Everthing I played with high gain either seemed really choppy (had to fight it) or if I loaded a patch with delay/reverb (enough to smoothen it out) it sounded washed out/lacked any kind of power or focus. Now the problem was very likely my lack of tweaking abilities & the fact that most of the stuff I read in the manual went over my head. Also, I lack the patience it takes to tweak deeply & endlessly.. :laugh2:

Off & on I've thought of selling it (resale is ****ty), giving it away (dude I offered it to free bought something else :laugh2 & basically just getting rid of it. But then I also remembered that the modulation effects & stuff were actually pretty awesome & I liked the idea of just having them all in one box & being able to use them with any of my amps without patch cables & wires & stuff everywhere (why I don't have/like pedalboards). So I started giving some thought to trying to hook something up with it.

The first thing I did was something I googled called the '4 cable method'. Turned out to be a huge PIA & it did'nt work either (maybe I had to enable the loop on the processor..I don't know..no sound) Then I tried just using it as a pedal going into the front of the amp. That worked but a) It was a bit noisy & made my amp sound plastic ..like an amp sim b) I was'nt psychologically happy with plugging into the FX unit instead of my amp..I just prefer my guitar lead going into my amp..used to it.

What I stumbled on myself (sounds incredible/works without hassle/I plug into my amp not the FX board/easy to switch to different amps) was plugging my guitar into the front of the amp -> Amp's Loop 'FX send' -> Multi-Fx unit's main (guitar) input -> Multi-FX's main mono output to amp's Loop 'FX return'.

Turn off the preamp in the Multi-FX unit. Just use modulation..

WOW! everything sounds amazing..totally natural tone (keep's my amp's own tone intact) no noise, lots of really usable/great sounding effects & options..really sounds brilliant. The delay & reverb are super lush & sound out of this world...no kidding. To be honest, I'm surprised as hell, but it actually sounds/feels a lot better/quieter than when I use my individual effects (reverb/delay etc) in the loop & it's way less hassle too :bigthumb:

Really a great sounding easy way to hook things up for HUGE TONE Just thought I'd share.. :bigthumb:

Can't wait to try it with a recording... pretty sure it'll make a massive difference...let's see.

Had to change the little "coin battery" on the board inside since it's been unused for the better part of 15-20 years ..works just fine now.



:bigthumb:

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

I’ve been saying this for years. I’ve had several multi Fx unit over the years and had the same experience as you.
The digital Fx (reverb, delay, modulation) sound killer....it’s just the OD and Distortion sounds that blow.
If you (or anyone) can get good OD sounds from your amp or a standard OD pedal into the front of your amp and use the Boss for Fx in the loop then you’ve got a decent little setup there.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

I was reading somewhere that the real 'culprit' is the speaker sims & that if you bypass the onboard cabs the amp sims actually sound pretty good for direct recordings with IR's. I have'nt tried those out at all ...just been using my amp's own drive/distortion with the GT-6's modulation. But I might as well give that a go with my Mooer Radar IR loader pedal when I have the time & see what that sounds like too ..just out of curiosity.

 

[Mincer]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

I have a GP-100, with is DNA-related to the GT-6 in a rack form. It does have that nasal thing going on, but the delays and mods are really wonderful. Modern effects can't do what these units do. I use mine in my guitar synth/looping setup, and doesn't sound bad, although it will probably get replaced with my Fractal (although I love the feedbacker effect, which the Fractal doesn't do).

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

Yeah man..I remember the mod effects sounding great but still did'nt expect things to sound anywhere near as good as they do. The depth & richness is quite something really.

All I've really tried editing & messing around with is the delay & reverb so far since that's actually all I use as far as effects go really, but the chorus's (presets) sounded amazing when I checked those out yesterday..I even used a couple of clean boost/drive (OD) effects which are a seperate section than the "preamp/speaker" bank & they sounded sweet pushing the amp...very usable indeed.

It was always in the back of my mind to try it out this way ..guess i was just to lazy to hook it up. Really glad I finally did :bigthumb:

 

[Mincer]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

Does the GT-6 have an analog preamp with digital effects? I forgot which Boss model had that. My GP-100 is one of their first with all digital everything (COSM).

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

After some quick googling lol, t was the GT-3 & GT-5 that had analog preamps. Your GP-100 seems to be the same generation/rack version of the GT-6 (also COSM)..same dull gold finish & everything.

I bought the GT-6 over ..I think it was Zoom's GNX3, also just out at the time, because of the analog style knobs. I'd never seen those on a multi-fx processor before. Thought it would make things easier ..& it did for basic tweaking, but deeper editing was still a pain in the ass




EDIT: ^^ I meant Zoom's GnX4.

 

[Mincer]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

You know, I never really grab the knobs on the GP-100...I always go into the menu. These days, I am spoiled by PC editors for most digital devices like this. It is hard to stare at a tiny 2 line LCD screen and edit the 60 parameters per sound.

 

[devastone]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

The first thing I did was something I googled called the '4 cable method'. Turned out to be a huge PIA & it did'nt work either (maybe I had to enable the loop on the processor..I don't know..no sound)

Yes, the 4CM puts your amp preamp in the loop, so yes, you need to turn it on (which is pretty easy FWIW). May need to check the levels too. I had GT-6 when they came out and used it in the 4CM with a few amps, I think my main amp was a Soldano HR50+ IIRC. It worked great. I think Nuno still uses a GT-8 for his delay and mod effects live. The advantage of the 4CM over running the whole thing in the loop is you can use the wahs, compressor, ODs, whatever, in front of the amp too. The wah on it is pretty good, and the ODs can be used as boosts.

I have a GT-100 now that I'm using for everything direct with decent results.

 

[SAguitar]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

I started with the GT-5, which I really liked at the time and played the heck out it for several years. Then I sold it to a friend and got the GT-6, an upgrade, right? Well, I never liked it as much as the GT-5 but I wrestled it into a usable shape and gigged it for a few years. And then I sold it and moved up to the GT-8 which took months more of fixing enough patches to feel comfortable with. I've always plugged my guitar into a stomp or two (mostly overdrives) and then into the Boss. Somewhere in there, I read that they seem to sound more "real" if you turn off the cab sims, so I went for that and yes, things got better. I used the GT-8 for a few more years before I started to get heavily back into stompboxes, and now I have a large floorboard with about 10 stompers on it.

Currently, I go back and forth between the GT-8 and my big ol' floorboard. The Boss seems to be more predictable in that I can always get what I have it programmed for when I turn it on. The old school floorboard is a bit more finicky and it drives me nuts when I accidentally kick a knob somewhere and things get either crazy or silent. And then I am often changing the effects out and as we all know they don't always work well together. But it's all in fun and I'm still working at getting better with the tools I have.

 

[kyleivanblake]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

Every single generation of COSM is useless to my ear.

I do however love my ME-70, I use it more than my $2500 pedalboard.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Aceman]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

Guitar > Wah > Mesa Stilletto

FX out > GNX3 > FX In. Delay, chorus, flange, verb, pitch, etc....

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

I started with the GT-5, which I really liked at the time and played the heck out it for several years. Then I sold it to a friend and got the GT-6, an upgrade, right? Well, I never liked it as much as the GT-5 but I wrestled it into a usable shape and gigged it for a few years. And then I sold it and moved up to the GT-8 which took months more of fixing enough patches to feel comfortable with. I've always plugged my guitar into a stomp or two (mostly overdrives) and then into the Boss. Somewhere in there, I read that they seem to sound more "real" if you turn off the cab sims, so I went for that and yes, things got better. I used the GT-8 for a few more years before I started to get heavily back into stompboxes, and now I have a large floorboard with about 10 stompers on it.

Currently, I go back and forth between the GT-8 and my big ol' floorboard. The Boss seems to be more predictable in that I can always get what I have it programmed for when I turn it on. The old school floorboard is a bit more finicky and it drives me nuts when I accidentally kick a knob somewhere and things get either crazy or silent. And then I am often changing the effects out and as we all know they don't always work well together. But it's all in fun and I'm still working at getting better with the tools I have.

The GT-5 was the reason I got the GT-6. A friend of mine had one & he got some killer heavy tones out of it. Then the GT-6 came out & I assumed it was an upgrade. Loved the mod FX ..could'nt get on with the drive/distortion...if there was a way of making it sound good I did'nt know it. Bought a tube amp ..then another ..then another ..& another ..& so it went :lol:

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

Yes, the 4CM puts your amp preamp in the loop, so yes, you need to turn it on (which is pretty easy FWIW). May need to check the levels too. I had GT-6 when they came out and used it in the 4CM with a few amps, I think my main amp was a Soldano HR50+ IIRC. It worked great. I think Nuno still uses a GT-8 for his delay and mod effects live. The advantage of the 4CM over running the whole thing in the loop is you can use the wahs, compressor, ODs, whatever, in front of the amp too. The wah on it is pretty good, and the ODs can be used as boosts.

I have a GT-100 now that I'm using for everything direct with decent results.

Yeah..I read that & it sounded like a good idea (4CM) but I want something I can plug into different amps quick & the only FX I know I'll ever end up using regularly is delay/verb. So this method is working fine for me ..at least for now :bigthumb:

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

You know, I never really grab the knobs on the GP-100...I always go into the menu. These days, I am spoiled by PC editors for most digital devices like this. It is hard to stare at a tiny 2 line LCD screen and edit the 60 parameters per sound.

It's hard to edit the 60 parameters per sound. Period. :laugh2:

 

[Mincer]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

Absolutely, it is. I use a lot of midi controllers too, so that makes things harder. These days, you'd use a computer graphic editor, and it would be a lot easier. BTW, I don't use my GP-100 with an amp. It goes direct into a mixer, mixed with the guitar synth (an aux send goes to my looper). It sounds better direct than plugging into any amp- I've tried.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

I did some super-quick/rough hi-gain clips with a couple of Celestion IR's (Gold open-back 1x12 & V30 4x12) & one with my own mic'd 1x12 Cab (Eminence Legend GB128) ..


They're all up on this page (ran out of Soundcloud space )

https://clyp.it/user/25y4jmx4



All with the same settings. Just using a minimal amount of delay & reverb from the GT6..I will get into more spacial sounds later :laugh2:

The amp was my Cicognani Brutus Live (30 watt) head.

 

[67Mopar]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

Yes, the 4CM puts your amp preamp in the loop, so yes, you need to turn it on (which is pretty easy FWIW). May need to check the levels too. I had GT-6 when they came out and used it in the 4CM with a few amps, I think my main amp was a Soldano HR50+ IIRC. It worked great. I think Nuno still uses a GT-8 for his delay and mod effects live. The advantage of the 4CM over running the whole thing in the loop is you can use the wahs, compressor, ODs, whatever, in front of the amp too. The wah on it is pretty good, and the ODs can be used as boosts.

I have a GT-100 now that I'm using for everything direct with decent results.

Carl Martin makes a Quattro multi-effects pedal that sounds great! I believe it has a loop, but there's no mention of being able to use it in a 4CM configuration. The Tech 21 Cali Fly Rig sounds awesome as well, but comes with no loop. I loved using the GT-5 in-front of my Marshall Super Lead amplifiers. Once I went to the Jubilee, I stopped using it.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

Just recorded a short jam with my Brutus Live head/Emi GB128 1x12 (for the lead track) & a couple of IR's/Mooer Radar for the rhythm & Bass...it's a bit sloppy but I have'nt been doing much actual playing lately :laugh2:

Used some GT-6 presets for the delay/reverb..



Had to have the volume down pretty low for the solo though ..so you can hear birds chirping in the background

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: BOSS GT-6 multi-FX unit resurrection..

*BUMP* ..only because I'd been making a few stupid (but critical) mistakes & I think I finally know how to hook this up to sound just the way I want it to...

First..That clip up there is'nt really indicative of how usable it can sound. I messed up in a couple of ways..ie, I had the pedal EQ "on" when I thought it was disabled/just the amp's EQ. Second, I had it hooked up with the output Selector set to "Small amp" which apparently is the wrong thing to do because the onboard speaker sim is selected by default at the output & I thought I'd disabled that as well.

I now I my output set to "Stack Return" with the speaker sim & onboard preamp disabled/bypassed...this is the way it's meant to be set if your putting it in the amp's loop (which is how I'm running it).

Needless to say there's a pretty big difference when things are set right. I also came across a "universal" EQ setting by some guru-type dude on a forum for the GT-6 that pretty much evens the output of the unit out so that it sounds super-transparent & true to the signal you feed it. That was very effective & a HUGE plus.

Anyway...

Here's a short clip of the sound (with my AMT Stonehead 50W SS head) straight from the GT-6's output into my interface WITHOUT a cab sim. As you can hear, the onboard speaker sim of the GT-6 is definitely disabled here..


NO cab sim:




And this the same tone with an IR from my Mooer Radar IR loader ("4x12 Rect. T") applied to the output (single & double-tracked):


w/ Mooer Radar Cab sim:

The good thing is the recorded tone is pretty compareable to the tone I hear coming out of my amp (just a little less hairy/cleaned up a bit) ..and that's something I was struggling to achieve before, but I think I've finally nailed it. This *should* improve my recorded tones a whole lot ..at least so I hope :bigthumb: