Living with the Boss GT-1 - 5 years on. Review & evaluation / pros and cons 

I've been using my GT1 for over a year now and I keep finding amazing (useable) new sounds. Personally, I find life easier when I edit it using Tone Studio, although it's certainly a good idea to know your way around the actual unit for live settings if thing go pear-shaped.

I have been using the GT-1 since 2017 in plus-minus 50 gigs (blues band and guitar duo) and numerous rehearsals. Besides the tones and ease of use, the unique selling point was the battery usage. I finally switched to the HX Stomp due to the fact that the GT-1 is missing the traditional stomp switches. The plastic switches were never my favourite. Nevertheless thumbs up for the Boss GT-1. The GT-1 is still in use by our singer who plays guitar during the gig on a few songs without the need for preset switching.

I like all of your videos on the GT-01. One note about the compressor, I have used an old LAB Series amp for years with a built in compressor. The compressor is between the preamp and the power amp. So, I found by moving the GT-i compressor at the end of the effect chain it becomes much more useful , controllable, and musical.

I got mine in 2018 & can’t believe how great it is. I use it to record with 99% of the time & my tone-snob friends all think I’m miking my amps. I’d buy it again.

I think context is important. If you’re playing in a noisy pub, GT1 is ideal. Less so when tone is critical such as a recording studio. It seems better with cleaner tones. I like that you’ve been gigging it for years with no apparent problems. I’ve just bought one to try out.

​Nasa way back then when it started, didn't have a computer with a chip as powerful as the one on the GT1 pedal to send a man on the moon.. Especially since the last 2 years the technology has even improved a notch., with the GT1000, the OD200 for distortion (that is hybrid) and the MD200 for modulation.. Those multi effects come equipped with a 32 bit chip at a 96 kHz sampling rate .. The technology is so good now that you wonder if some folks seem to have super powers or dog ears, to tell the difference between an analog and a digital multi effect..

Speaking as a 68 year old I’ve had tons os multi effects units over the last 30 odd years, l got the GT1 about 7 months ago, all can say about it, it’s a completely different beast than anything out there, clean amp sounds really good, l don’t really use distortion, reverb, delay or compressor on the unit l have my own pedals for that, preamps are well useable on the GT1 certainly can’t go wrong for the money especially second hand, no need to spend silly money these days it’s all a con in my opinion, if you can’t get a good sound out of this unit you’re in the wrong game, 🎸🎸🎸🎸

I’ve heard you playing in Howlin’ Wolf (GLA) and was amazed with your superb sound. I was even more surprised when I saw you play through GT-1 straight into Blues Junior.. then I found your videos on YT and guess what.. I bought one and now I’m selling my old HD500x 🤣 What an amazing little piece of gear! Simple, well-built and sounds great. Thanks Gary!!! 💪

It took me around 3 months just to realise how it responds so incredibly uniquely to the particular guitar being used via it, then the tweaking really began then how to get it out and into the proper cab/s with the real power amp to set it free...it's so good it's borderline terrifying actually.

I have one and its pretty versatile but you need to spend a bit of time trying to get your desired tone by combining the preamps, overdrive, compressor, amp and guitar modelling, but its got everything you'd need from clean, accoustic through to heavy overdrive and lead sounds. Overall a good pedal for the price and size and capabilities.

Another useful chat on this doofer. Thanks Gary, good to get feedback from someone who is out on the frontline bustin out guitarness. I'm closer to buying one, but as I'm tighter than Simon Cowals forehead, I'm still looking for one in absolutely pristine condition for about £40 😂

Dude wields it like a Light Saber, and totally appropriate for this tool. 🤙

I like the ME-80 for ergo but the GT-1 for sound. It does od/ds/fz better than the ME-80. Modulation/time based fx are solid on both.

Thanks for the good video Gary. I love my GT-1 too, just struggling with a couple points if you can give any hints: When I try to use a heavy lead tone for a strong riff where I need volume high, the signal coming out of the GT-1 is clipped before I can do anything on the mixer. The only way I can remediate this is to lower the patch level, effect level or gain, all of which compromises the volume I need. Am I missing something? Would connecting a DI box between the GT-1 and the mixer help? The other issue is: I could not find a way to turn on "trail" for the delay/reverb effects, resulting in rough transitions between patches in the middle of a song. I guess this is a limitation on this model? Thanks again.

Gary, just found your channel. A bit off track, but I was looking for effects for a synthesizer.... mainly chorus, delay, reverb... My Nord Lead 2x synth is wonderful but sounds so dry with no effects. The GT-1 might be the way to go

The reason you BD feels "rounded" or compressed without the "immediacy" on the GT-1 is because it's DSP/digital. It's a piece of software that takes time to execute in order to get that modification to the tone signal. The analog pedal is immediate because it doesn't have to execute an algorithm. It's not taking microseconds before producing the sound.

I think these devices are so capable of sculpting 'personalised' tone, they are in their own right as good as a customised amp or boutique rig, theres no shortage of available obviously tweaked tones being demoed for sale only, I'm not much of a fan of the concept personally, but if there was some way I could freely avail my tones I might be interested in doing so, I think the newer capture units might be able to capture my tones and rig as I hear it slaying in any room or venue etc. I'm not willing to avail my actual tweaks per say but it might be fun to freely share perhaps my end results for them to also enjoy.

I've had a bunch of these different modelers. The GT -1 punches WAY above its weight. I have HX stuff, never had Fractal or Kemper though. GT-1 is a great unit especially for the price point. Small and fits in a gig bag, can run on batteries, it's hard to go wrong. And a lot of features Boss has had for years that many don't know like Acoustic simulation, Hum to single imitation, Single to Hum imitation, it's pretty crazy. No hate from me.

so if you gig with the gt1 do bring an amp or run straight to a mixing board? which amp do your run with it?

Another good GT1 video, although I have had mine about 18 months and still not using it anywhere near it's potential. Slowly figuring it out, got the extra footswitch recently. Was wondering if you ever use it straight into the PA using the preamp/amp and cab simulation, I am thinking that would be useful at some really small venues or as an emergency backup if my amp packed up. What are your thoughts on that?

Thanx for sharing your thoughts and experiences with Boss GT1. I just wondered: why not put the Boss GT1 in the effects loop of your amp? There is a setting for this in the setup for connections with amps. I've used it, however I'm not an expert - but to me this seems to work ok. I use the Boss GT 1 in the FX-loop of my Orange Crush 35 RT. The reverb of this amp is somewhat weak, so the GT 1 is far better. An I don't have to mess around with 777 pedals in our flat. BTW I have used the GT1 for four or years or so,

I swore off anything digital for 20 years after the 505. I held on to my busted old green russian Big Muff like my life depended on it because of that dogshit Zoom pedal. Everyone tells me "just get a Quad Cortex, dude" or "did you lose your helix or something?" But I'd rather have 1 modest multi-effects pedal and save the rest of my money for individual pedals.

I don't mean to be rude, I just love it when fellow GT1 owners and users put up vids and how to's etc, I own a large range of amps and pedals I've had for quite a while and I've had a GT1 as my main go to for the only 3 main tones I use, there is no shortage of vids from owners who have not even come close to what it delivers if understood and set right for the 3 tones I revolve around, they are constantly either used to a conventional amp or 'in chain' with a conventional amp and I still laugh quietly, Boss know and knew most will get a half reasonable out of them even to any amp, but the entire universe goes off it's axis when you learn the proper way they are really meant to be used, I obviously know, because mine is under lock and key and I'm constantly being asked to reveal my tweaks and explain how I run it live and in the studio too. I wish I could avail my secret, but it's not for sale at any price because I know what it can do when allowed to breathe as intended.

Hi Gary I would like your advice . I have a Roland cube street ex , I have been looking at the gt1 and the new ME90 . Which one should I get . I’m a beginner never had a pedal . Secondly what’s the best way to connect to my cube . ? Thanks for your videos