Sweetwater is a leaky bucket - Boss GM800 Guitar Synthesiser

[arkieboy]

I'll work out how to add a picture to this post later, but apparently there's a new hexaphonic product incoming from Roland/Boss, leaked in a mailer from Sweetwater.

What might well turn out to be the most interesting thing is that it looks like the 13-pin cable is on its way out - either the accompanying GK-5 is digital over a regular guitar lead (is regular coax good enough for that?), or (I think more likely) wireless and the jack socket on the pickup box is the input for your regular guitar.

I have a sneaking suspicion that 'GM' means 'guitar modeller' which means it would be a pedalboard friendly version of the modelling part of the SY1000, presumably without the amp modelling. But at some point you have to assume the GR line will migrate to the Boss brand, and changing the model series would be a way of emphasising the break with the old multi-core cables.

[Wonks]

[arkieboy]

And as if by magic, Wonks appeared <3

Thanks. You wouldn't think I'd been in IT pretty much all my working life!!

[BigRedX]

No image visible...

Just two blue squares with question marks.

[Wonks]

No image visible...

Just two blue squares with question marks.

I know Arkieboy can see them and they come up fine on my phone and tablet, (posted from my PC so not cached pictures), so they should display OK elsewhere.

[zenguitar]

Both images are displaying here clearly.

Andy

[Folderol]

Images fine here, with a far from 'current' browser.

[merlyn]

Looking at the picture of the pedal, there is an input labelled 'GK'. It looks like a jack socket as it is sticking out slightly. This could be a 3D mockup, rather than a photo. It would be a bit nutty for Roland to drop the 13 pin connector, as that cuts out everyone who already has a 13 pin setup. Nutty is quite possible.

[arkieboy]

Looking at the picture of the pedal, there is an input labelled 'GK'. It looks like a jack socket as it is sticking out slightly. This could be a 3D mockup, rather than a photo. It would be a bit nutty for Roland to drop the 13 pin connector, as that cuts out everyone who already has a 13 pin setup. Nutty is quite possible.

Speculation over on vguitarforums is that there's a 13 pin socket just to the right of the output knob. If I compare that with my SY1000, the GK input has two screws horizontally either side, just like the socket above the output knob, whereas the midi connectors don't seem to have screws directly connected to them - there are single screws close by, but they don't align with centres for these sockets.

Of course, doesn't mean it's not a midi port - given the foot pedal options I think you would definitely want some kind of midi foot controller too. Maybe on minijacks?

[arkieboy]

If they are doing digital multiplex over ¼" cable from the guitar wart, then I'm guessing the sockets along the top from R-L are GK-5 input, regular guitar input, send-return and stereo out.

[merlyn]

If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on there being a 13 pin (so far called GK) input.

That doesn't necessarily mean the GK 5 uses 13 pin, though

[Wonks]

Obviously the ‘GM’ in the unit name means that it’s going to be a General MIDI unit only.

[arkieboy]

Obviously the ‘GM’ in the unit name means that it’s going to be a General MIDI unit only.

[arkieboy]

It seems Sweetwater aren't the only colander in musical instrument retail

https://www.thomann.de/it/boss_bgk_30_s ... _cable.htm

'serial GK cable'

Mentions a GKC-AD and a GKC-DA. GKC is the Boss designation for the 13pin cable.

(shout out for Matteo on vguitarforums for the spot)

[OneWorld]

Images fine here, with a far from 'current' browser.

Same here, and my browser, Opera, is one that some sites don't like.

The SOS seems slooooooow today though

[merlyn]

... Mentions a GKC-AD and a GKC-DA. GKC is the Boss designation for the 13pin cable. ...

I imagine those boxes go between 13 pin and serial GK. That does signal the phasing out of 13 pin, although they might not do it this time.

The box attached to the GK 5 looks pretty ugly. It looks as though they were trying to design it out of existence, failed, and were left with a rectangular box.

Probably the marketing department found that the main reason for the lack of uptake of guitar synths is that "I don't like the look of it" and "Slash doesn't have a sci-fi gizmo on his guitar".

[arkieboy]

... Mentions a GKC-AD and a GKC-DA. GKC is the Boss designation for the 13pin cable. ...

I imagine those boxes go between 13 pin and serial GK. That does signal the phasing out of 13 pin, although they might not do it this time.

Completely agree. New products will have serial GK and we'll probably have the GKC-AD/DA available for some time.

I have three 13-pin guitars and pretty new GKC cables so I'm good for a while

[arkieboy]

https://youtu.be/F-XpmmtR47U

No 13 pin input, but serial GK through.

Synth engine is ZEN-core, so pitch recognition rather than waveshaping. Four layers. A piano patch was demonstrated, which will please those looking for an updated GR-55.

No guitar out on the wart I think, difficult to be completely sure. They briefly showed the 13pin convertor boxes.

I’ve not followed what ZEN-core is properly capable of, and it remains to be seen if there are any limitations in the box. But it’s pretty exciting, and Alex can certainly demo this kit.

Apparently Sweetwater are taking advance orders at $750 =with= the pickup.

I want one. I had one of the first SY1000s in the UK but will probably wait for a little while on this one.

[arkieboy]

Also https://www.boss.info/global/products/gm-800/

But I have a meeting so commentary later

[Wonks]

For the installation kit to come out? Blue or red guitar this time?

[Wonks]

Not a lot on tracking speed and stability so far from what I could see. Seemed good, but it would be good to get some independent thoughts on it, which will probably have to wait for a while.

[arkieboy]

The next one will be blue

But if the cable doesn't route the regular guitar signal, I'm probably going to be doing 13-pin for a while yet.

[arkieboy]

Not a lot on tracking speed and stability so far from what I could see. Seemed good, but it would be good to get some independent thoughts on it, which will probably have to wait for a while.

Product will be available in August apparently. Again leaky Sweetwater!

£689 https://www.andertons.co.uk/boss-gm-800 ... izer-pedal apparently without the GK-5

£172 https://www.andertons.co.uk/boss-gkc-ad ... -converter if you want to plug your existing 13-pin kit into it

[arkieboy]

Not a lot on tracking speed and stability so far from what I could see. Seemed good, but it would be good to get some independent thoughts on it, which will probably have to wait for a while.

Alex is really good. I'd want to see what my fumble fingers could do with it first!

[Wonks]

At least the GKC-AD gives you a guitar signal out option, so you don't need to run two leads.

Reading the GM-800 quick-start guide, the GKC-AD also works with quite a number of different hex magnetic and piezo systems, not just the GK3 or GK3B.

The details of the GK5 just lead to a 404 error page on the Boss site ATM, but the GK5B had more details (though no manual) but no indication of a bass input signal jack.