I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

[Aceman]

Here is what I want to do:

I want to use my amp for two channels of dirt and boost. The amp handles ALL of that. Footswitch, etc. Maybe a tuner which I use as a mute also straight into the front. Maybe a wah or one additional dirt pedal for the occasional slight whimsical dirt modification.

Then, in the loop, What I want is patches that handle about 5 individual delay settings, a chorus, a flanger, and maybe three or four chorus/delay settings. I basically want to use that thing to throw a specific delay or combination of delay-chorus etc on a specific song, a solo or whatever.

Doers it do that? Clean simple and easy?

OR is the Line 6 M5 more what I really want/need? Who know about that (Dave...)?

I want to be able to on/off and effect in the middle of a tune, or on an additional one (Like song with chorus, then add delay for solo, then off again)

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

That thing has mix levels for all the pedals, doesn't it?

 

[jayylmao]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

Yes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gregory]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

You definitely don't want a Line 6 M5. You only get one effect at a time and have to scroll sequentially up or down to select another effect.

I'm not even sure an M9 will make you happy either. You get 6 effects available in any given preset divided into three slots. For each slot you can use either effect A or effect B or no effect. Then there's the M13 which is a monstrosity: 4 slots with 3 choices per slot. It consumes a fair amount of floor space, but that's what happens when you have access to 12 effects, though you also get 4 separate displays with controls and a 5th column of switches for tap tempo, looper toggle and access to presets.

 

[Aceman]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

I'm cool with programming a verse/chorus/solo/verse bank or something like that if that's what I need.

Or programming song 1, song 2, solo for 2, song 3 etc...

But I really want to go delay, delay off, chorus, chorus off, Delay plus chorus, off....etc

 

[Blille]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

This is a good demo, they go over how to do a simple patch etc https://youtu.be/q8AQeY3_t9c

Also, there's this thing called a manual that holds all the answers... https://www.boss.info/us/support/by...manuals/19223d67-1bd1-4e5f-aac9-207c4fc22fe9/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mantis]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

I assume you mean the Boss MS-3?
If so then yes it can do all of that. I own one and I have mixed feeling about it. I'm waiting on the software editor which I feel is essential to a product like this. It sucks to adjust it from the Switcher. I hate how small the screen is. I had the Boss GT-100 before this and it basically sounds the same.

I think IF you can figure out the correct output levels maybe you can make it transparent. I don't know that answer to that question yet. I never was able to get any of the GT series transparent. I had the GT-8, GT-10 and the GT-100.
This new MS-3 is kinda special as it is just effects which is what I think the GT-100 should have been. Boss does a horrible job at Amp Simulators in my opinion of course.
I find stand alone Boss pedals to be some of if not the best sounding in the business. I have tried many other brands and I always seem to find my way back to Boss.
The MS-3 can switch Amp channels 2 different ways. 1 with the TRS connection which is fantastic is lighting fast and Midi if your amp is so equipped. There are no issues at all there. I actually love that as I'm considering changing amps to a Mesa Boogie TC-50 which is the first amp I fell in love with since my Krank Revolution 1. The TC-50 has Midi switching and I'm all in.

The beauty of a product like this and why I keep coming back for more is exactly like your needs. Wanting different settings on Delay Chorus etc. What you do is use the 4 cable method on Loop 2 or 3. Or wherever you want. Then you insert the effects after the Loops which will be in your amps effects loop. Effects before the Loops will be in front of your amp .
The Tuner is either Muted or pass through your choice. It's in the Tuners settings. I comes factory Muted Tuner mode and you have to change the settings to hear your guitar while Tuning. I like it either way unless I want to do a quick tune while holding a note.

I think you should pick one up they are only $399 which is a very low price for what it can do. I personally wish Boss would have made a Higher end version like Wazacraft level or something and have it be of even higher quality.

If you get one I've been messing around with mine for a while now so I know a few things about it.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

I'm using a Zoom G5 in a similar fashion to what you're asking for. I just keep it in stomp box mode which gives me access to 4 separate effects (controlled individually), the onboard tube booster (nice for solos) and the Z-pedal itself (which controls 3 effects). Unless I'm making a radical change for a certain song, I don't have to bank up or down during a gig. I use separate dirt pedals in front, a delay pedal after, and my amp's reverb.

The internal chain goes something like this:
• Clean Boost
• Wah
• EQ
• Phaser
• Cry (talk box)
• Tremolo
• Flange
• Chorus

The Phaser, Cry, Tremolo, and Flange are all controlled by the four switches along the front of the unit. The wah is activated by the toe switch of the Z-pedal, and (of course) is then controlled by the up/down motion. The chorus is brought into the mix by twisting the Z-Pedal to the left, and the gain on the clean boost is increased by twisting the pedal to the right. Then, as mentioned before, there's a separate button for the onboard tube booster.

It turns out to be a great way to fit 9 pedals into the space of about 5... and to have the option of changing it up easily by just switching to another bank.

I like some of the amp models and dirt pedals inside, and it's got a great selection of delays & reverbs, but I opted for this setup in order to minimize banking up or down during a gig. I wanted the ability to turn individual effects on and off instead.

 

[gregory]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

In terms of how I prefer to operate post-gain effects, I ascribe to the philosophy of Steve Morse: I use expression pedals to blend delay and chorus in parallel with my dry tone. I also like individual stomps in front of the amp, but hate to tap dance. Presets are OK, but only if I still have the ability to turn on and off elements within a preset.

I like to see the lay of the land right in front of me. I have a lot of trouble with systems that require you to toggle between preset and stomp mode. The best I've come up with are presets that select my amp channel and make specific stomps available and assign different functions to the two or three expression pedals. Having the stomps at the ready but not on is the most ideal. Some tap dancing is still required but with this scheme it's more easily managed, especially with expression which I tend to ride and then back all the way off when I'm done.

I guess it's really more of a Bradshaw/Morse hybrid.

Anyway, there are so many ways to control your base tone and effects, it's hard to know what's right for everyone. I know very little about the MS-3, other than it doesn't seem to have anywhere near enough buttons on it for me.

 

[Mincer]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

I'd more recommend an M9, and a less frilly amp, but one that has a solid clean sound you can alter with the effects on the M9.

 

[Aceman]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

I'd more recommend an M9, and a less frilly amp, but one that has a solid clean sound you can alter with the effects on the M9.

What does 'Less frilly amp" mean?????


Not opposed to using FX Distortions....But I really just want to run banks of delay, chorus, reverb and such.

 

[gregory]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

If you have a loop and want choruses and delays that's where I'd put the M9.

I've fought a long hard battle to get the M9 to behave like a Boss CE-3 (yeah, I prefer them over the CE-2 for a couple of reasons, not to mention feeling better about tearing into them since they go for 1/2-1/3 the price of a CE-2, used). Anyway, I just bit the bullet and went with the CE-1 model which is plenty capable. I have no issues with the delays, and sweep echo is definitely worth trying if you've never done so before.

6 effects on tap plus multiple banks of 6 different layouts (presets) is pretty powerful. It can send midi change commands as well. You just gotta be careful not to hit two buttons at once and they are pretty close together.

There's another thread about Line 6 dirt models. They're a bit meh, to the point that lots of players find them unusable. I like to stack them which pretty much blows the entire wad with an M9. When I had two, the one in front of the amp was for things like a phaser, vibe, wah, whammy, flanger and compressor, which led into outboard dirt pedals.

Depending on what you need, the HD500 may be a better choice, and since they are two generations old you can get them for dirt cheap. They have all the same effects as the M-series and then some in addition to better routing options and more control. The downside is that the interface for the effect parameters is a complete joke compared to the M-series which can make tweaking painful; slightly better with the editing software.

 

[Aceman]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

Ummm, yeah. That's what I said - Chorus/delays in a loop. But I might want to hit 5 different delays and two chorus settings and change them from song to song. Does the M9 do that?

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

While the MS-3 is cool and would probably work, I'd rather have your pedals, your amp and a full fledged Switcher (Boss, One Control, Joyo, etc.) than a MS-3. If you want to use 4-cable method, you lose a loop leaving you with two loops. I guess if you only want one dirt box it will work, I'm not sure if manual mode will do everything you need or not.

You want the controller to switch channels and boost, right?

 

[jayylmao]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

Unless you get your hands on a delay pedal with presets (strymon??) the ms-3 will be more than enough to handle all your needs and stop you from having 5 delay pedals or having to change them in between songs


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jayylmao]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

If you were in manual mode I think you can have 3 delays on tap. 1 in the delay slot and sub delay in fx1 and fx2. But you could also just set one delay for each patch and switch that way


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jayylmao]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

Having a patch for each delay is probably the best way because you can name the patches so you won't forget what delay is which


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gregory]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

Ummm, yeah. That's what I said - Chorus/delays in a loop. But I might want to hit 5 different delays and two chorus settings and change them from song to song. Does the M9 do that?

It depends on how you would prefer to operate the pedal/how you plan to use these 5 delays and 2 choruses. How do they differ from one another? Take the choruses for example: if it's just a speed/depth/mix thing you could add a switch to toggle between the two sets of settings, unless you want to use them both at once.

It certainly has the ability to do what you like through different presets, and I'm sure that's what you'd need to do with the MS-3. Have you checked into any of the product documentation?

 

[Hank-]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

Ace wouldn't the boss DD500 delay will do what you want minus the flange maybe? Although it might do that as well. Its got 8 assigns(8 parameters can be changed with one stomp within a preset). You should look into this since it looks like a programmable delay(& a flanger) in the amp's fx loop is what you really want.

That thing has midi & expression/footswitch option available to plug into it as well.

There are other delay options as well but since this one goes for $299 new its a good choice.

 

[Aceman]

Re: I want to have a serious talk about the Boss M3

While the MS-3 is cool and would probably work, I'd rather have your pedals, your amp and a full fledged Switcher (Boss, One Control, Joyo, etc.) than a MS-3. If you want to use 4-cable method, you lose a loop leaving you with two loops. I guess if you only want one dirt box it will work, I'm not sure if manual mode will do everything you need or not.

You want the controller to switch channels and boost, right?

No - I'll handle channels/boost with the amp switch.