# GT8 Setup



## dino (Jan 6, 2009)

I will bet there is lots of people out there who bought a Boss GT8 and now it sits unused as they found it too difficult to use ? Just like myself.
Is there anybody out there who has partially mastered this GT8 to be able to tell us in simple words how to set it up. The book is crap that comes with it. I have read online alot about using the proper input and output levels. 
I keep hearing about how great this processor is but cannot enjoy its greatness as I am sure many out there can't. I think Boss should have included a step by step video of setting it up.
So if anybody can be of help please share your info ....... thanks
Dino


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## the-patient (May 19, 2009)

Hey Dino!

I'd recommend a website called www.thestompbox.net for your question. For a while there was a community built most entirely around the gt-8. I haven't had it in so long that I'd be no help, but maybe someone over there could help !

Dylan


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## forum_crawler (Sep 25, 2008)

The thing is... the GT series processors are not very good if you are trying to model amps. Boss just doesn't seem to get it right, well, at least for the high gain stuff. Their modeling of the JC-120 is good, and so are their effects.

I have a GT-6, which is very similar to the GT-8 as far as sounds are concerned, and one of the issues I have with it, even when using the 4CM, is that it will always "digitize" my signal to the point where it feels like it rob the tubiness out of my amp.

If you use the GT-8 in the effects loop of your amp, you will get much less colouration, and it will sound better, since the effects in these units are actually not too bad. A parallel effects loop would be the best for this time of thing.

Alternatively, I would suggest you never get rid of it, even if you find something else that will give you better sounds (like an RP1000, or some other high end modeler) since the Boss GT units have a hidden treasure in them: Midi control. Yes, these GT units can be used as midi controllers. While they are not able to control multiple devices independently like say, a Voodoo Labs ground control pro can, it can certainly control something like a Digitech GSP1101 and save you the money of having to get something else to do so... You can even get creative and only use parts of the GT-8 such as the amp control, and tuner while getting everything else from your favourite modeler/amp/midi stuff...

Just a long thought which didn't touch at all on your question... lol


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## Decibel Guitars (Oct 14, 2010)

If you're having specific issues, head on over to Boss GT Central - The Front Page and ask around on their forums. That's THE place to go for anything related to the GT series.

I have a GT-6 and completely disagree about the modeling. I've been extremely happy with the tones out of my GT-6 for over 8 years now, everything from clean through crunchy mid-gain sounds up to blistering high-gain stuff. I regularly get compliments on my sound when playing live.


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## forum_crawler (Sep 25, 2008)

You must have gotten "the one" off the production line...

I bought the GT-6 when they first came into market... whenever that was. Many years ago for sure... I kept it for years, and tweaked pretty much every day, but was never able to get the awesome tones I was hoping to get out of it. Finally, after years of trying to make the amp models sound good, I started looking into distortion/overdrive pedals. When I finally realized I had spent too much money on said pedals, plus how the GT-6 still did something to my tone even in bypass... I let it go.

I then realized I didn't want to break my back anymore bringing my big board (at the time), my guitar, and my tube amp to practice, so decided to pickup another one do to the 4CM, thinking that maybe I was a bit of a snob. Turns out this other unit sounded just like my old one did, and made me not want to play it. So, long story short, I decided to sell it again, but before doing that, I wanted to explore its ability to control my GSP1101 using midi. Lucky me, it works! so now I don't have to bring my board with GCP, Wah, Volume, Tuner, etc to controll the GSP1101 for practice. I can just bring the GT-6. So this time the unit stays, but not for its ability to produce sounds, but for its ability to be used as a midi controller.


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## Decibel Guitars (Oct 14, 2010)

I've always run my GT-6 into a dedicated power amp and good cabinets, and have always been pleased with the results. For a while it was a Peavey Classic 60/60 into a Genz Benz G-Flex 212, now i'm using a Crate PowerBlock (power section only) into two Mesa Thiele 1x12s. I run it on the Line Out (headphones) output profile for wide frequency response, and i leave the amp and cab simulators on... it always sounds terrible to me with them off, even though i'm running into guitar cabinets and not a full-range setup.

I also build most of my patches from the ground up, treating the amps like i would the real thing. I find Roland does a very good job in having the controls match up to the real amps. I remember having a Rectifier tone that wasn't quite all the way there, and spending some time in front of the real thing in a music store. I went home, dialed in the same settings on the GT-6 and it was bang on. 

I think where a lot of people get stuck is they use the factory presets and i have never played ANY multi-effect unit that had good factory presets. They're all too exaggerated, trying to show off the extreme range of the unit for demos and music store noodling. But as a basis for usable everyday tones, they're usually way off. 

I tried the GT-6 using 4CM with my Mesa F-30 and really didn't find it worked well in that application. After my rig got increasingly complex, i decided to go back to using the GT-6 live and i'll keep my F-30 and Blackstar HT-5 for use in the studio.


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## forum_crawler (Sep 25, 2008)

Well, no digital modeler can be judged based on the factory presets. They are always over the top, and just not quite usable.

I started using the supplied amps and tweaking them, making my own patches. Then, I tried making my own models from the ground up, and still. They sounded good on their own, while playing at home, but in the context of a band... nope. Perhaps I should be clear on that... It is easy to sound good at home, but once you are in the context of a band, it is much more tricky. I tried in front of my amp, 4CM, running into the power section of my amp, tried using the regular out, the line out, you name it... In every occassion, I found my amp by itself sounded better than with the GT-6. The only model I did like in it was the JC-120, and using it clean. The distortion was no match for my amp's distortion, so I didn't see the point of using it that way.

The other guitar guy in my band uses a Digitech RP500, and the effects sound very good (perhaps on par with the effects on the GT-6), but the drive models are much better, vastly superior I would say. The GSP1101 also uses the same DNA processors as the RP500/1000, and there is no comparison as far as amp models are concerned. The effects are comparable, the nod going to boss for having an acoustic guitar simulator that is actually not too bad. However since I am crazy, I could even run the GT-6 in the loop of the GSP1101, and get effects from the GT into the GSP...


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## Decibel Guitars (Oct 14, 2010)

One thing that keeps me using the GT series is the ability to put effects anywhere in the chain and to be able to modify just about any parameter using the Assigns. Nothing i've tried even comes close.

What kind of amp were you running the GT into? I never liked the sound of it into a guitar amp. It always sounded way better going into a pure power amp.


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## forum_crawler (Sep 25, 2008)

First it was a Marshall Valvestate 100 combo, then a Peavey ValveKing 212, and lastly a Traynor YCS100H2.

The Traynor is the one that sounded the best, but then again, that is a very awesome amp that doesn't get the love it deserves. For high gain tones, I compared it against a Marshall JVM 410H, JCM800, Soldano Avenger, Mesa Nomad, Dual and Triple Rectifier. Out of all the amps, the Traynor was the cheapest, and to me it sounded close enough to all of the above amps to make it hard to justify the huge price difference between it and the other amps.

Despite the Traynor being as good as it is, the GT-6 did take away from its character. Even the GSP1101 did this to the amp, so now it has it's on setup that I use for practice which despite being good, can't touch the Traynor for warmth, tone and dynamics, especially at high volume.


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## dino (Jan 6, 2009)

I am not sure of the GT6 is similar to the GT8 or not, I own the GT8 and I have a friend who has the GT6 and swears by it. He said he does not use an amp at all as he patchs right into the PA System of where he is playing. I have had mine 3 years or more and take it out a couple of times a year and try to make it work for me. Just recently I think I learned a few things about it. One is , its important to get the output level correct as it will clip. I always leave the output on line and phones as it seems like the best to not screw up with. I also have a roland AC60 amp which I put it through. Because its a clean amp it works well for me. I do not put the reverb or delay on at all. I still think Boss should of included a DVD for the GT8. The guy who goes from town to town demo'ing it for Boss has it all set up for the features. He does not take the time to talk about using regular amps and if you bought one what the first thing you should do when you have it hooked up right out of the box. I bet there is alot of GT8 buyers who will agree with me. I know I am not a rocket scientist!


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