NPD: Boss MS-3

[Blille]

I've been selling a bunch of stuff to buy an MS-3 and simplify my board. A couple of weekends ago I had to tweak every single pedal between songs and that was it. I have the SF, BM and DMM in the loops and the MS3 does reverb, the occasional phaser, secondary delays (reverse, digital, super long etc) and random effects (slow gear for swells etc). If I want to expand I figure I can hook up a stereo reverb after the MS-3 and control it via midi and replace the double muff at the beginning of the chain with an OD that I can control remotely (e.g Suhr Drive).

Hopefully I can figure it all out

 

[mantis]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

I got the MS-3 as soon as it came out. The Editor Software isn't available yet but it's supposed to be out this month.
My First impressions of the MS-3 where basically it's a stripped down GT-100 with 3 loops. The Screen sucks and setting it up with the editor I'm no fan of.
I first had mine wire in the 4 cable method as I wanted to send Modulation effects into my effects loop and then have what I wanted out front of the amp.
I found just like the GT-100 it alters my amps tone and that drives me crazy. I wanted to rip it off my board and just go back to pedals and pick up a ES-8.
But I decided to try another way and I wired the MS-3 out front of my amp and put my TC Electronics Delay and Reverb Pedal in my effect loop. I also put a Boss Wazacraft Chorus in the loop which none of them are controlled with the MS-3.
Out front I use Loop 1 and I put a TC Electronics Spark Boost pedal there which is controlled by the MS-3. I have 2 other OD pedals I may wire into the Loops but they are not that important so I haven't yet.
I use the internal Noise gate from Boss but I'm finding I'm not that happy with it or I'm not setting it up perfectly. I use to use the Boss NS-3 and then the TC Electronics Sentry which is awesome by the way. I like that pedal much better then the Boss NS-3 and internal MS-3 noise gates.
When I was using the 4 cable method, I had Loop 2 as the loop for this wiring. I followed the typical method and found my amp lost bass and volume. The Patch level and over all volume I think it stupid. I can see the Patch level if you want to use that as a boost but that should be an option not a standard. I also understand the GT-100 as I owned it and the last 2 before it and thats how that worked. The MS-3 is an effects processor only and pedal switcher so all those stupid features in my option should not exist. It should be no more then just a all in one pedal like if you had pedals but now you have the ability to set up patches, setup different delay levels and all settings of each digital pedal, move them around in your pedal order just like pedals and save them to recall them as needed for your songs.
I don't know why Boss feels the need to add so many more features when none of them are necessary like global eq. If you want EQ make it a pedal inside and insert it where you want. Why do you need a global eq? It only messes things up and I hate it as I know thats a part of my frustration with these products.
I know I should just get a ES-8 and call it a day as I'm probably never going to be satisfied with these things. I love my tone dry on my amp with nothing and when I want to add in effects I don't want them to alter my nature tone of my guitar or amp sound. Just add in what I'm adding in.
Pedals do a pretty good job at that when you use high quality cables, use high quality pedals and Buffers. Boss pedals don't screw up your tone when you turn them off. They most of them have built in buffers and despite what anyone says, their buffers are as good and better then most if not all pedals made. I have messed around with a lot of pedals and some built in buffers suck ass. Boss buffers work and when you remove the pedal listen and then add in the pedal your tone doesn't change. It doesn't darken up or get bright due to tone loss.
I can't see why the MS-3 does. I'm getting very little tone loss with the MS-3 out front when I turn all effects off and run the guitar in and out of the MS-3 to the front of my amp.
I tried both ways and it was very little tone loss. But when I wire in the 4 cable method, my amps natural tone falls on it's face.
I know there has to be a way to preserve your natural tone but I'm at a loss where I should set everything up. I've been messing around with Boss GT since the GT-8 and I always get rid of them after a year or so , go back to pedals, the new GT comes out , I go get it, use it for a year , sell it go back to pedals, the new GT comes out again and I start this cycle all over again.
The MS-3 feels the same way to me and I want so badly for this thing to work out. It's perfect to me IF I can get it transparent. I damn near would just use the internal effects if I could get my sound right.

Sorry for the long rant, this subject just hits a nerve for me as I just want it to work. Do you have any of my issues with your setup? What do you think of the Global eq and all the stupid patch level setting etc? I just think all that is so over kill and if Boss feels the need to add it, we should be able to use then or not. A bypass if you will.

 

[Blille]

NPD: Boss MS-3

@Mantis I'm sorry it's not working out for you, you may be right and maybe you bought the wrong pedal and an ES-5 or 8 (or the mastermind or whatever) may be better for you?

I'm still in the honeymoon period but I have a few differences with your setup/opinion:
1) I don't go in the loop, just in front
2) I don't mind the global EQ. Depending on where I play (venue, microphone etc) I tweak my settings and this just makes it easy for me
3) it feels like you had a very clear expectation of how navigation should work. I didn't and it works ok, I can get patches done. The desktop software will be out in a couple of weeks.
4) I'm ok with the trade off when I want to have a looper and multi effects in one for $400. I sold my EHX Silencer. Is the gate on the MS-3 great? No, but it will do the job, maybe I get to make it work better as I use it.
5) I assumed that with the buffer it was going to alter my tone but I'm fine with how I can tweak it back with the global EQ.
6) Most of my tone comes from my amp and the DMM in front. Apart from the reverb (which I may get something after the ES-3 for) I don't really need a ton of the effects. It's just a nice have that saves me from having pedals I rarely use.

You may make somebody here happy if you flip it

Btw you may want to ask your questions here https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/boss-ms-3.1832750/page-18

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[jayylmao]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

Yeah I'm loving my ms-3.

I found editing patches to be very easy. I wish they add an update to dim the screen tho lol

I'm also just running it straight into a clean tube amp. No point of using 4CM.


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[jayylmao]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

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[jayylmao]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

I've actually moved the GE7 off my board to make room for some incoming pedals. I just have it infront of my amp


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[Blille]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

I've actually moved the GE7 off my board to make room for some incoming pedals. I just have it infront of my amp


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Nice. What effects do you use the MS3 for?


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[mantis]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

@Mantis I'm sorry it's not working out for you, you may be right and maybe you bought the wrong pedal and an ES-5 or 8 (or the mastermind or whatever) may be better for you?

I'm still in the honeymoon period but I have a few differences with your setup/opinion:
1) I don't go in the loop, just in front
2) I don't mind the global EQ. Depending on where I play (venue, microphone etc) I tweak my settings and this just makes it easy for me
3) it feels like you had a very clear expectation of how navigation should work. I didn't and it works ok, I can get patches done. The desktop software will be out in a couple of weeks.
4) I'm ok with the trade off when I want to have a looper and multi effects in one for $400. I sold my EHX Silencer. Is the gate on the MS-3 great? No, but it will do the job, maybe I get to make it work better as I use it.
5) I assumed that with the buffer it was going to alter my tone but I'm fine with how I can tweak it back with the global EQ.
6) Most of my tone comes from my amp and the DMM in front. Apart from the reverb (which I may get something after the ES-3 for) I don't really need a ton of the effects. It's just a nice have that saves me from having pedals I rarely use.

You may make somebody here happy if you flip it

Btw you may want to ask your questions here https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/boss-ms-3.1832750/page-18

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it's cool man. I gotta try it out anyway.
I don't have mine in the loop either and it's ok out front. This configuration is fine. I just put my Delay in my effects loop and leave it on unless I'm gonna use a Delay for clean and not worry about when switching patches for delay carry over.

The Editor will decide if I'm gonna keep it or not. It does switch the amp channels perfectly with the TRS cable and when I get my Mesa Boogie TC-50, it has Midi so I'll be able to fully control that amp as well. It has 3 channels.

 

[jayylmao]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

Nice. What effects do you use the MS3 for?


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I've been using the screamer, muff fuzz, chorus, delay, reverb. The pitch shifter works really well. Have a patch for half step down. Also have a patch for octave down for that royal blood sound. There was an organ patch that sounds really good.

I mostly just am setting up patches for sounds I am used to using. I'd like to experiment with it deeper using the Tera echo and stuff

I also used the slow gear for my lap steel patch.


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[Blille]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

I've been using the screamer, muff fuzz, chorus, delay, reverb. The pitch shifter works really well. Have a patch for half step down. Also have a patch for octave down for that royal blood sound. There was an organ patch that sounds really good.

I mostly just am setting up patches for sounds I am used to using. I'd like to experiment with it deeper using the Tera echo and stuff

I also used the slow gear for my lap steel patch.

Very cool. This reminds me I still haven't played with the pitch shifter. I stumbled upon the organ patch and it did sound great.

I don't get the Tera echo yet but it definitely has potential


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[mantis]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

 

[mantis]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

I added the Sentry Noise gate to Loop 1 and use it on drive Patches. I don't use any Noise gates on clean patches.
The Volume Pedal,Waza Chorus , Flashback and Hall of fame in that order are in my effects loop and are not controlled by the MS-3.
The Spark is in Loop 3 and the Waza Blues Driver is in Loop 2. I built a few patches today messing around. Hank Mentioned the -10 output so I'm using the Patch level adjustment to compensate.
I'm using a Voodoo Labs Power supply to power everything. The Voodoo has a audioquest 10ft Power cable on it. It's underneath the raiser.
The board is a sloppy mess but I'm just messing around with the MS-3 so if it stays I will build all custom length patch cords and make it really nice.
I think this thing works much better out in front of your amp then in the effects loop unless your effects loop is designed for -10. Mine is +4 and non adjustable which is why I lose volume when I use the MS-3. I lose it up front as well but with the Patch adjustments I got it setup pretty well.

 

[Blille]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

So you have the noise gate before the drives?

I miss the gate between my drives (loops 1,2) and delay (loop 3) but I'm not sure why you have the gate in loop 1. Don't you want the gate after all your dirt?


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[mantis]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

So you have the noise gate before the drives?

I miss the gate between my drives (loops 1,2) and delay (loop 3) but I'm not sure why you have the gate in loop 1. Don't you want the gate after all your dirt?


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The gate with this switcher really doesn't work correctly unless I wire it differently. The Sentry Gate from tc electronics has a built in loop that you wire it as follows.
Guitar>>> INPUT of Gate>>>SEND>>>>Dirt Pedal chain>>>RETURN of Gate>>>> OUT to front of your amp.
Thats the correct way to use this gate so it gates your guitar and your dirt pedals. If I put it in Loop 1, I gate the guitar. If I put it in Loop 3, I gate the dirt pedals when they are ON.
I prefer to use this gate with it's loop so what I would have to do is wire it outside the MS-3 by using the Gates loop but that would Loop the entire MS-3 which is not needed for Modulated effects.

 

[Blille]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

Have you downloaded the editor yet?

https://www.boss.info/us/products/ms-3/downloads/


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[mantis]

Re: NPD: Boss MS-3

Yep all day