Boss GM-800 Unboxing and Setup 

Buy a SY200… nice piece of gear but no Piano no sax…

If you have an audio interface plugged into a computer check out midi guitar 2. You use your normal guitar pickups. A video is coming explaining it. It is much cheaper than these other guitar synths. As others have said, the SY200 is a great synth too.

I regret buying this unit. Just stick to your guitar or learn how to play a keyboard if you want synth sounds. Too many compromises here and still lots of tracking issues. Better sounds though..

ok in the next video I will include a Cello and a violin demo. Filming it now

​@@marcuscurtismusicEternally grateful!

They have come a long way indeed

I go into detail in the other videos. This was the first guitar synth video I made. Do yourself a favor and avoid the GK-5 pickup. There are several reasons for this. First there are no controls on the GK5. this means there are no buttons to change patches and there is no volume nob to control the synth volume. This is a design flaw in my view. Second it does not do a good job when paired with the GM 800. I get a lots of ghost notes and tracking is an issue. The GK3 works much better with the GM 800. Th GK5 pickup works great with older guitar synths like the SY-1000 and the GR-55. It is more sensitive and tracks a little better. Trying to use it with the GM-800 has been difficult to say the least. You will be better off buying the grey box called GKC AD Converter box. It is only 200.00. You will spend 250.00 on the GK5 pickup. If you buy the other converter box called GKC DA you will be able to hook two synths together. I cover this in the last video I made. I am able to play all three synths at once from one guitar.

One of the limitations of the GM800 is the fact that it is only a synth. No guitar mods or amp mods are included. Even though it is a better synth than the GR-55 you lose the guitar function all together. The GK pickup allows me to plug into the synth and use a guitar amp at the same time. The only problem is that you have two cables coming from your guitar, and that is just asking for trouble. The workaround for me has been to use a wireless connection for the guitar jack. If you are using a looper, hopefully it is a stereo looper. Plug the wireless fob into one of the stereo inputs and plug the synth cable into the other. If your looper is mono, then you could use the same approach, but you will need a Y cable for your mono input. You can get wireless systems from Amazon and they range anywhere from 30 dollars to 200 dollars in price.

You also need the cable that connects the GK-5 to the GM-800. Last time I checked it can cost as much as 50 dollars. It is a separate purchase.

I am actually working on a few ideas for upcoming videos. First I would say don't sell your GR-55. hold on to it if you can. You can actually use both synths together from one guitar. Upcoming videos will show you how. The GM-800 does not have any of the VG guitar and amp modeling this means the GR-55 still has value. In the next video I am going to share my patch collection for the GR-55 via google drive. You will find many great patches that are designed around the amp and guitar models. If you do decide to sell your GR-55 there are other options. You may want to experiment with the wireless systems you can find on Amazon. Instead of plugging your regular pickups into a GK-3 use a wireless system and go to your amp. They sell between 35 to 60 dollars. They are rechargeable and they last for about 5 hours. Stay away from the UHF wireless and go for 2.4G or 5G wireless. These are the same frequencies a router uses. These devices have 4 channels so you can use up to four at one time. www.amazon.com/LEKATO-Transmitter-Transmission-Frequency-Rechargeable/dp/B07TYRQ222/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2GEE4C7KSSF35&keywords=guitar%2Bwireless&qid=1695054485&sprefix=guitar%2Bwireeless%2Caps%2C138&sr=8-8&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc&th=1

This seems to be a trend with new gear. The Tonex pedal does not have a power button too. How much money could they possible save by not installing a power button? I am to the point that the first thing I am going to look for on new gear is a power button. If they don't have one then I think i will pass.

@@marcuscurtismusic Se puede hacer ese botón externamente. Así lo he hecho.

lol yeah the new lapel mic is overly sensitive.

I have a video coming out tomorrow that will demonstrate the differences. What I can tell you now is that the new synth does track better than the GR-55 using the GK-3 pickup. There are issues with the GK5 that in my view, need to be resolved. One thing I don't like is that you cannot control the synth from the GK5. However, you can control the synth from the GK3. From that pickup you can change patches and control the volume. You even have a guitar out that you can run through a separate pedal board. So if you already own a GK3 you have two choices. Buy the new pickup for 250.00, 0r by the grey converter box for 200.00 and use the GK3. This expense needs to be included when considering this purchase. I think the next video will answer most of your questions.

Many thanks. Great video and great job!!@@marcuscurtismusic

If you are using the GK3 pickup and using the grey box to interface with the GM 800 then yes the Guitar out can go into an amp. You can also connect to a guitar amp by using a wireless system connected directly to your guitar's pickups. This won't effect the synth connection.

They could have easily built a 13 pin connection into the new synth. It looks like they are trying to convert to a new system. I believe the reason for this is that many guitar players have complained about the 13 pin connection. I have seen this for myself and I have heard complaints from guitar players. Most of these guitar players prefer wireless or they want a basic quarter inch connection. I think Boss is trying to provide that through the new way of connecting the guitar. The problem is their approach has a lot of design flaws. I prefer the GK3 pickups for this reason.

SY-200 and SY-300 are great pedals. I have the SY-1000. The whole SY series is good. In some respects this is a step backwards. There are design flaws. I bring them out in the other guitar synth videos. But this does do something none of the other synths can do and for some reason it is not a main selling feature. I think the group of people that design this overlooked some practical applications.

I agree. total design fail. but at least I can use the old GK3 pickups. Hard to say how much longer GK3 pickups will be available.

Great advice. "Don't get carried away by the RU-vid hype." You Should try this before you commit to it.