4 cable method with your boogie....

[jdurso]

Well, I tried the 4-cable thingy... and it sounds great with my cheapy amp and my Boss GT-8.

is that because its bringing the cheapy amp up a notch with modelling or you using the preamp as your main tone?? what kind of cheapy are we alking about?

 

[Newysurfer]

so it sounds like a lot of people using fx units like the ones i mentioned are using the gt-8..... looking at the manuals of the gt-8 and the gt-pro leads me to believe the gt-pro my be more suited for a 4 cable method as one of the loops looks like its more or less dedicated for a preamp.... just wondering if the better routing of the pro is worth the extra $$$

i do wish however the axe-fx either came in a less expensive pure fx unit without all the modeling because that unit is sick.... played my friends today and the fx are up to par with an eventide..... the amp modeling is also so good.... he just got a 2:100 to use with it and OMG!!! unreal sounds... but they still haven't nailed the boogie tones.... they always sound too fizzy.... i know boogies are known for their sizzle but why do all amp modellers, even ones as good as the axe-fx envision boogies with all this sizzle in them... maybe i didnt tweak it enough... i dont know.... but to me if i had 1400 to blow on fx that thing would be mine and i'd never look back..... but i guess for now the gt-8 or pro looks like a better investment

Hey Djurso - I think the GT8 is the best of the mid priced range of dig modellers and just pips the Tonelab and Pod because of it's added flexibility but it's not user friendly and I would have been lost in it if I had not joined up the Boss GT Central forum. Really a great bunch of musos there. Super helpful with no attitude. There's a tonne of info there about the 4 cable method and everything else and if you need to know anything the forum gurus will sort you out no prob's. So if you buy the GT8 get on that forum and read up.

I can run my Mesa 5:50 in the following ways
1) Guitar direct to amp
2) Guitar to amp with stomps for delay, wah, volume
3) Guitar to GT8 to Harmonic Converger to Mesa
4) Guitar to GT8 (used as an effects unit only) to Harmonic Converger to Mesa. This gives me everything in the GT8's FX1 & FX2 sections plus my Mesa preamp and power amp
5) Guitar to GT8, Harmonic Converger and amp using 4cm. Then I can use either the Mesa's, or the GT8's pre-amps, and place them anywhere in the chain

All give good results but nothing beats guitar direct to a Mesa IMHO.

 

[JoeEllison]

Well, I tried the 4-cable thingy... and it sounds great with my cheapy amp and my Boss GT-8.

is that because its bringing the cheapy amp up a notch with modelling or you using the preamp as your main tone?? what kind of cheapy are we alking about?

The amp is a mid-1980s Fender Princeton Chorus. And what I mean is that it is a marked improvement from either the pedal plugged into the amp's input or through the effects loop alone.

 

[jdurso]

wish i knew about that harmonic converger when i had my vetta... then again maybe i wouldnt have ditched it for the roadster..... anyway sounds like a great product..... do you have a preference between running gt8 in front of the amp and the 4CM??

also what did you mean by "This gives me everything in the GT8's FX1 & FX2 sections plus my Mesa preamp and power amp "??

 

[jdurso]

is there a big difference between using the HC or not? haven't read much on the unit being used for tube amps (not saying it doesnt sound good), but the guy who builds these obviously is just focused on modellers.... have you tried it in your boogies loop with nothing else? just wondering what results you would get as i love experiementing.

 

[Newysurfer]

is there a big difference between using the HC or not? haven't read much on the unit being used for tube amps (not saying it doesnt sound good), but the guy who builds these obviously is just focused on modellers.... have you tried it in your boogies loop with nothing else? just wondering what results you would get as i love experiementing.

There's so much BS floating around about the Harmonic Converger (HC)and all that criticism comes from people who've never owned one or even heard one. Everyone who has one just raves with compliments including me.

I've used it with a Marshall Valvestate, a Roland Cube 60, a Vox AC50 and my Express 5:50. Does the same thing on any amp and will work with any dig modeler. It totally removes fizzz from a dig modeller plus it improves the tone enormously so you have the warmth, feel, clarity and dynamics of a full tube amp. If you have a tube amp and a dig modeller the HC will return the tube amp tone that the dig modeller sucked out. If you have a SS amp the HC will make it sound like an expensive tube amp. It works better on distorted tones but is also great on clean ones. I wouldn't use a dig modeller without a HC. Worth every cent IMHO.

Check out reviews on Harmony-Central plus the inventor/maker has a section on the Boss GT Central Forum called "Radleys Corner" and you can email him direct if you wanna know more. :lol:

 

[Newysurfer]

also what did you mean by "This gives me everything in the GT8's FX1 & FX2 sections plus my Mesa preamp and power amp "??

Just that with the GT8 you can use it in "Manual Mode" which bypasses the 8's pre-amps so you go thru your amps preamp and power amp section. The GT8 is then used as an effects unit and you can use all the effects included in it's FX1 and FX2 section - there's about 30 of em - like delay, wah, tremelo, reverb, pitch shifter, acoustic similator, guitar simulator, ring modulation, phaser. flanger, EQ, tone modifier, compressor, sustainer etc etc. You can still use the tuner & noise gate as well.

All the effects are equally as good as most analog pedals IMHO except for wah which will never beat a Bad Horsie or Crybaby but then again no modeller will do that (will the Axe-FX ????).

The advantage here is that I use my 5:50 for clean/crunch/overdrive/ distortion/reverb and then the GT8 for delay, EQ, tuner, noise gate, compression, flanger, phaser or whatever else. To cover all that territory with individual analog pedals will cost like 3 times the money (would need about 15 pedals) plus there's all the tone suck, setup, hum, power, reliability issues involved with stomps. Just as complicated as setting up a dig modeller.

The end result tone wise between these 2 analog/digital options is about the same IMHO with big advantages for the digital option on cost, reliability. convenience, portability and versatility.

I use both otions depending on the situation. When I need lots of effects I go digital GT8/HC thru the 5:50 power amp (ie, connect to the FX Return). Needing just a few effects I go thru the 5:50 with the GT8 for effects only(using either conventional or the 4cm). Needing just delay and/or wah I'll go full analog and leave the GT8 at home. Best of both worlds.

 

[jdurso]

also what did you mean by "This gives me everything in the GT8's FX1 & FX2 sections plus my Mesa preamp and power amp "??

Just that with the GT8 you can use it in "Manual Mode" which bypasses the 8's pre-amps so you go thru your amps preamp and power amp section. The GT8 is then used as an effects unit and you can use all the effects included in it's FX1 and FX2 section - there's about 30 of em - like delay, wah, tremelo, reverb, pitch shifter, acoustic similator, guitar simulator, ring modulation, phaser. flanger, EQ, tone modifier, compressor, sustainer etc etc. You can still use the tuner & noise gate as well.

All the effects are equally as good as most analog pedals IMHO except for wah which will never beat a Bad Horsie or Crybaby but then again no modeller will do that (will the Axe-FX ????).

The advantage here is that I use my 5:50 for clean/crunch/overdrive/ distortion/reverb and then the GT8 for delay, EQ, tuner, noise gate, compression, flanger, phaser or whatever else. To cover all that territory with individual analog pedals will cost like 3 times the money (would need about 15 pedals) plus there's all the tone suck, setup, hum, power, reliability issues involved with stomps. Just as complicated as setting up a dig modeller.

The end result tone wise between these 2 analog/digital options is about the same IMHO with big advantages for the digital option on cost, reliability. convenience, portability and versatility.

I use both otions depending on the situation. When I need lots of effects I go digital GT8/HC thru the 5:50 power amp (ie, connect to the FX Return). Needing just a few effects I go thru the 5:50 with the GT8 for effects only(using either conventional or the 4cm). Needing just delay and/or wah I'll go full analog and leave the GT8 at home. Best of both worlds.

thanx for all the great information.... this is why i love this forum....its making my decision very easy

 

[Newysurfer]

No wurries Jdurso - glad I could be of help

 

[Artmusic]

Where can I find info on how to set up this 4 cable method for my GT-8. How do you run the cables?
Thanks,
Art

 

[jdurso]

there is a boss gt-8 forum floating around..... i think someone posted a few links in this thread..... i just typed in 4 cable method into google and found a lot of info when i was considering it

 

[Artmusic]

Thanks, I found what I was looking for. The GT-8 is a pretty versitile piece of equipment, I will find out if this setup alters my sound in a negative way.
Art

 

[SneakyPete]

Thanks, I found what I was looking for. The GT-8 is a pretty versitile piece of equipment, I will find out if this setup alters my sound in a negative way.
Art

I know it did mine, until I did the serial fx mod on my 2-ch Rect-o-verb. A lot of the presence and highs came back after the mod, and definitely made a difference.

 

[thindave]

Has anyone played around with the PodX3 yet? I used to have a PodXTLive which I used with a Bose system and it was ok, but I sold it and for G-System to run with my MarkIV (since I wasn't going to be using the Bose for a while).

Well, I'm going back to the Bose for this solo gig I'm doing and would like to get a unit which I could use with either the MkIV (4CM) or the Bose - I'd love to hear comparisons between the X3 and the Roland unit...

 

[Artmusic]

What is the modification you are talking about?
Art

 

[Bruceta]

Here you can see some pitures of the 4CM (GT-8 and RK II).

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=17009&highlight=

Pay attention to the color of the cables that you will be able to understand (and copy) where each cable needs to be connected.

 

[SneakyPete]

What is the modification you are talking about?
Art

If you're talking about the serial mod, here you go:

http://www.grailtone.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15653&highlight=serial+paralell+parallel

 

[Bruceta]

Here is the MOD for those who cannot download from Rapidshare.




It is the same file I uploaded in Rapidshare

 

[MikeGossard]

How do you use the GT-8 to switch the Mesa's channels, and can this only be done on a two channel amp?

 

[Artmusic]

I got the 4 cable set up going tonight. With the GT-8. In a word, it works great! OK, that's 3 words but i digress...... Once I got the volume levels set and inserted the LOOP in the proper place within the GT-8 I then copied the template patch to 8 additional patches and then edited each one for a different sound. I am using the control switch to turn on and off my delay and then using the patches for different sounds. Not very much noise at all, I am using the noise supressor just before the delay. I am using the LSC's reverb and I really didn't loose much tone at all. Very responsive and articulate sounding. Very Cool!! Thank you guys, very much!!
Art