Boss GT-6B Bass Effects Processor


Boss GT-6B Bass Effects Processor
by Jack Conrad
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Boss released their first new multi-effects processor in five years, the Boss GT-6B for bass guitar. This floor-based unit utilizes Roland's COSM¨ modeling technology for many of its effects as well as classic bass amp and speaker cabinet simulations. The large, easy-to-read LCD Play Screen display sits atop of a front panel that includes numerous knobs, buttons and dials all well marked in an intuitive arrangement. There are seven footswitches and an expression pedal for full control and bypassing of each effect section. If you'd rather do your editing with an ax rather than a mouse, this is the one--you'll not see layers of menus and increment/decrement buttons here.

The rear panel has a 1/4 inch instrument input jack, two 1/4 inch output jacks, a headphone output with level control, two XLR outputs, a stereo jack for an external pedal, MIDI I/O and power. 24-bit A/D converters and a SPDIF output put you in the digital world with no clocking issues--just connect the SPDIF output to your digital mixer input and go. There's a tuner for those who must play in tune. (Note to Roland: maybe the Rolling Stones could use one). I used the cool Sound-on-Sound feature to create loops for my Sonic Foundry ACID program.

Besides the modeled compressor banks, overdrive, distortion and wah-wahs, there are also high-quality effects like delay, reverb and equalization. There are also two more banks of special effects! Bank FX-1 has Octave, Enhancer, Slow Gear, Defretter and Ring Mod. I combined the Defretter and Chorus and all of the sudden; I was playing cooool Smooth Jazz. Far out! Bank FX-2 has Phaser, Flanger, Harmonist, Pitch Shifter, Pedal Bend, 2x2 Chorus, Auto Slap (for the funk-challenged like myself), Short Delay, Vibrato, Humanizer, Tremolo/Pan and Bass Synth (show those dang keyboard players how a bass synth should be played). There are 40 preset patches and 80 spaces for storing your own creations. You can start from scratch or tweak one of the presets and save it with a new name.

This is a well-built piece of gear with so many features; you're only limited by your imagination. I used it on a project studio demo with a digital connection to Pro-Tools and everybody was blown away by the quality of the compression. Selling for $495 MSRP, get more information from Roland Corporation U.S., 5100 S. Eastern Ave., P.O. Box 910921, Los Angeles, CA. 90091-0921. Telephone 323-890-3700 or Web to www.bossus.com or www.rolandus.com

Jack Conrad, bass-playing former touring member of The Doors and The Beach Boys bands, ex-studio musician and co-writer of three top ten hits with cuts by The Babys, Heart and Three Dog Night.

Edited by: Barry Rudolph

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