idiot requiring help! many thanks.

[tylerlangan]

Hi there,

I currently own a Boss GT6B and play it straight into a Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout (as in I go directly out the output of the pedal into the normal guitar input of the amp) and have noticed that when I play with the pedal as opposed to without out, I lose alot of my tone from the amp. From my understanding the Boss is supposed to be true bypass so this shouldn't happen?

Am I just going mad?

Furthermore, should I be plugging the Boss into the FX loop of the amp, I'm really unsure as to what an FX loop actually is, if anyone could inform me on this... it would be greatly appreciated.

I also wish to purchase an Alesis drum machine which I understand has two phono outputs on it, is there anyway I could run this into my amp so that I could play along with it?

Once again I Apologise for my tremendous technical ignorance and really appreciate any replies to this.

Thanks all!

[dannybuoy]

I'm not sure the Boss is true bypass. You could by or make a true bypass looper to completely disengage the pedal from your signal chain if you like though, it's a popular option for pedals that suck your tone dry.

The FX loop of an amp allows you to run effects in-between the pre-amp and power amp sections. Some effects such as delay and chorus can sound better after the pre-amp, espcially if the pre-amp is set up for an overdriven tone. Most FX loops run at a higher signal level than your basic instrument level though and most pedals won't like the higher voltage coming from your fx loop's send jack. What you can do however, if you have a pedal that can do amp simulation you can plug this straight into the fx loop return socket so you can bypass the tone colouration of your preamp and have all the sound coming from the pedal. I'm not saying you should do this though as I doubt the Boss emulation sounds better than your Mesa would.

One way to get the drum machine to work would be to get a cheap little mixer like the Behringer Xenyx 502 and put it in the FX loop of your amp. This will let you blend in a bit of drum machine signal to your main output.

[umph]

i don't think any boss pedals are true bypass, alot of the cheaper ones have terrible buffered bypasses

[Guest MoJo]

How are you getting on with your GT-6B? I have had an on/off relationship with mine since buying it about 6 months ago. Sometimes it comes to gigs with me, sometimes it doesn't. Most of the factory presets are unusable twonk (Pedal Ringer springs to mind).

I could see it's use as a recording tool or for live work if DI'ing into a desk where the amp/cabinet models would come into their own but using it as I do as an (expensive) effects unit, I can't see the point of using the amp and cabinet models when I'm completely satisfied with the sounds I get from my Laney B1 head and 4x10 cabinet.

As the Laney has a very usable built-in compressor, I only use it for a bit of flanger now and then and distortion in one song which makes it pretty poor value for money for me. I have thought about selling it but, with the market as it is, I'd get next to nothing for it.

Never noticed it 'sucking the tone' out of my amp in bypass mode however and I do run it in the FX loop of my amp

Edited August 23, 2008 by bassman2790

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='dannybuoy' post='268323' date='Aug 23 2008, 09:17 AM']What you can do however, if you have a pedal that can do amp simulation you can plug this straight into the fx loop return socket so you can bypass the tone colouration of your preamp and have all the sound coming from the pedal.[/quote]

I might try this with the amp simulation on and see what I get, thanks

[tylerlangan]

[quote name='bassman2790' post='268397' date='Aug 23 2008, 10:45 AM']How are you getting on with your GT-6B? I have had an on/off relationship with mine since buying it about 6 months ago. Sometimes it comes to gigs with me, sometimes it doesn't. Most of the factory presets are unusable twonk (Pedal Ringer springs to mind).[/quote]

I think it's okay, I think the compressors would be good if they didn't leach all of my tone... some of the distortions and choruses aren't bad....

Although it has made me realise that I only like a tiny but of distortion once in a while and even then I would probablly never use that in a band situation. I just tend to use it for the tuner and rubbish looper thing.... it's just made me want to get a real looper though, shame about their prices!

I think once I'm settled in uni (after sept.) I'll sell it on and pick up a tuner, compressor and looper when I've got the cash =)

Edited August 24, 2008 by tylerlangan

[cheddatom]

I've heard quite a lot of bad things about the GT-6B but.....

I used to know a bass player who played custom statii through a 2 x 4 x 10" TE stack, and he sounded amazing, and he used a GT-6B ALL of the time. I only quote his gear because I don't think you would spend that kind of money without researching your stuff, and I assume he did the same sort of testing for his effects.

[BassMunkee]

Red Onion Solutions - get onto them and they can do you a very cheap, very good bypass pedal.