New Boss GX-1B

[BassApprentice]

A smaller, simpler version of the GX series. Like the form factor a lot.

https://www.boss.info/us/products/gx-1b/

 

Edited yesterday at 10:19 by BassApprentice

[NoirBass]

The leak was correct!

 

 

[BassApprentice]

Ooops! Didn't see that thread after a quick look. Good spot from you though!

[clauster]

Looks good.  Seems that on this model the Bluetooth is built in rather than requiring the Boss dongle. 

[SumOne]

Nice, looks good.

 

I like the hexagon buttons that light up - very clear to see what effects are on/off and is quick to edit their parameters. I'm not sure but perhaps a bit confusing with the labelling as isn't it the case that the effects won't always be in that order?

 

It looks like it is limited to about 8x effects in the chain and it seems there is no parallel signal processing, the effects list looks similar to the other GX pedals and the and GT (perhaps a couple of slight niche limitations like the Tape Echo has upto 3 playback heads and I seem to remember the GT having upto 4). I don't think those things are really much of an issue, it is quite rare to really need signal chains with more than 8 things on and most of the effects have clean blends. No effects loop could be an issue for some.

 

A couple of nice features that aren't on the more expensite GX and  GT pedals: Can be battery powered (4x AA batteries), and built-in bluetooth for playing along to. 

 

For fitting in the gig bag for rehearsals and being battery powered I'd quite like to see an even more compact version without the expression pedal as you do have the option to add one. That smaller size would also be good for fittting it onto pedalboards like people do with the Stomp and Core, fx loop would be useful for that use though. So yeah, looks good  - but a smaller version without the expression pedal but with fx loop would be ideal for me.

 

£228 from Thomann ....GX-10 is £70 extra and that has bigger screen that's a touchscreen, parallel processing, longer effects chains, effects loop, but doesn't have bluetooth or battery power or the hexagon lights so it's a tough call.

 

Edited yesterday at 12:08 by SumOne

[MichaelDean]

Versus the rest of the GX range, I can see a new drive: 

SA DI DRIVE

This models a TECH21 SANSAMP BASS DRIVER DI.

 

New amps:

ACOUSTIC - Might be in the guitar list on the GX-10/100

This is the optimal amp for acoustic bass and similar instruments.

SUPR FLAT

An amp with flat tonal characteristics.

FLIPTOP

This models the Ampeg B-15.

SW-TOUR

This models the SWR SM-400.

 

A new Glitch delay too. 

 

Hopefully they'll make their way to the rest of the GX range...

[Al Krow]

5 hours ago, SumOne said:

Nice, looks good.

 

I like the hexagon buttons that light up - very clear to see what effects are on/off and is quick to edit their parameters. I'm not sure but perhaps a bit confusing with the labelling as isn't it the case that the effects won't always be in that order?

 

It looks like it is limited to about 8x effects in the chain and it seems there is no parallel signal processing, the effects list looks similar to the other GX pedals and the and GT (perhaps a couple of slight niche limitations like the Tape Echo has upto 3 playback heads and I seem to remember the GT having upto 4). I don't think those things are really much of an issue, it is quite rare to really need signal chains with more than 8 things on and most of the effects have clean blends. No effects loop could be an issue for some.

 

A couple of nice features that aren't on the more expensite GX and  GT pedals: Can be battery powered (4x AA batteries), and built-in bluetooth for playing along to. 

 

For fitting in the gig bag for rehearsals and being battery powered I'd quite like to see an even more compact version without the expression pedal as you do have the option to add one. That smaller size would also be good for fittting it onto pedalboards like people do with the Stomp and Core, fx loop would be useful for that use though. So yeah, looks good  - but a smaller version without the expression pedal but with fx loop would be ideal for me.

 

£228 from Thomann ....GX-10 is £70 extra and that has bigger screen that's a touchscreen, parallel processing, longer effects chains, effects loop, but doesn't have bluetooth or battery power or the hexagon lights so it's a tough call.

 

 

Very helpful thanks! I, for one, would miss the parallel processing - it's a very neat way of having a number of variations on one patch, without needing to scroll patches. And the larger touch screen is definitely helpful for ease of reading patch names from a greater distance, plus on-pedal editing.

 

But great that Boss are giving bassists options, and whilst I'm not trading in my (your ex :)) GX10, I would take this over eg a Zoom B2-4, which I guess is its likely target competition?

[MichaelDean]

Apparently there's a bass synth on the GX-1B! Hopefully that gets moved over too 🤞

Edited 20 hours ago by MichaelDean

[Al Krow]

20 minutes ago, MichaelDean said:

Apparently there's a bass synth on the GX-1B! Hopefully that gets moved over too 🤞

 

Be interesting to hear if it's any good first 😅

 

The best multi-fx bass synth patch in the budget / mid-tier range I've come across is still by...Zoom.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

This popped up on my YouTube feed yesterday . I don’t know who the bass player is doing the demos . She has a lot of knowledge,while going through many basses .

I immediately thought of the ME-50 B which hasn’t really been out that long . Similar price too it seems .

 

As a person who practices at home these days and records stuff on GarageBand, this seems good . I don’t know how fiddly this would be to use in terms of menu diving etc.

The ME50b is more bulky ( downside  ) but seems straightforward otherwise . It looks like the GX-1B would be usb powered like the zoom B3 unlike the ME50 B which needs to be run on batteries or 9v power supply . 
Does the GX1 B have a looper ? 
 

It’s good that both of the units mentioned can be controlled by the Boss apps if that floats . I don’t think I’d bother though as it means more menu diving .