Conference napalm::guitar

    Well I got it
    
    
    	I bought the GT with the Boss FC-50 foot controller.
    
    Firstly I have never had a midi rack type effects unit before (always
    stomp box amp man).
    
    Features:
    
    99 patches - 90 have factory presets 9 Blank for user patches.
               - factory programs recallable as individuals or as a whole.
    	       _ Heaps of distortion presets but unfortunately not many
    	         clean type sounds.
    	       -Most of these are fairly usable but will require editing.
    
    Layout:
    		The unit is made up of sections which are:
    	Preamp - Pitch - Reverb - EQ - Delay - Leslie.
    
    	The preamp contains Compression Overdrive Noise Gate .
    	The Pitch sections enables all your flanging and chorus needs.
    	The Eq can be either 3 band or  5 band sweepable
    	
    I cant remeber specs as I dont have the book with me.
    
    	The box works by choosing what effects you want to use in up 
    to 8 diferrent configurations. The guitar preamp is available in all.
    
    	It has incredibly versatile editing and midi features.  The only
    thing hard for me is working in numbers as opposed to turning knobs.
    Eg:200Hz at 00dB boost or cut blah blah.  I just turn knobs for the
    sound I want.
    
    	I am pretty happy with the sound I am getting and the unit is
    perfectly suited to what I want.  ( I am in a duo which uses sequenced
    backing and covers everything from soft acoustic numbers to full blown
    hard rock) As I become more familiar with it the true flexibilty of it 
    may be revealed.  I will also not be using an amp with it just
    foldback.
    
    	For now I am happy I don't have to lift a Fender Twin anymore.
    Also I was blown away by the Stereo ....it is fantastic and we will
    be running stereo at gigs from now on.
    
    Am I a midirackpuke now?????8^).
    
    
    
    P.K.

Am I a midirackpuke now?????8^).

The symptoms are begining to show....:-)

dbii

Yes, it's true - the symtoms are rearing their ugly heads...
But fear not - I think in the "What is a MIDI rack Puke topic" 
it was decided that one box did not a MRP make...  

We could make you an honorary member or an 'Associate MRP'
:)

jc 

    Or Midi Rack Nausea?

    a regular chunk off the old,.. blob?
    

    Re .1
    
    I'm thinking of sinking my hard earned cash into a GT, they're about
    399 pounds Sterling here in the UK...a lot of dosh.
    
    I've had a demo and play around with one and love the sounds...but is
    there anything else I should seriously consider giving similar
    features, or is the GT the considered champ of rack guitar effects now?
    
    Any advice gratefully received.  
    
    PS - I'm playing a range of music from straight/chorus sounds thru
    slight edge for blues and full out rock, so I need a wide range of
    capabilities. 
    
    Cheers
    
    Dusty 'Guitar' Miller

    re -1
    Hi Dusty
    
    	I have had my Quad for a couple of months now, I am still happy
    with for the enviroment that I am using it in.  I am in a duo and
    we use sequenced backing and cover all styles of music so having
    a versatile effects processor is a must (I used to use a Twin and
    have stomp boxes but got sick of lifting it).
    	One major point ....and I don't mean to open up a can of worms 
    ... I have never heard an effects unit that comes close to a clean
    strat thru a valve amp..just My opinion.
    	So if you need versatility/high quality sounds/small light gear/
    this is a good unit.. but if I was playing in a band that did mainly
    one type of music I would prefer to use and amp...and bands don't
    generally like you going direct and hearing your guit through the
    fold back monitors.
    
    	If you have any specific questions go ahead and ask.
    P.K.

    Hi PK,
    
    Thanks for the info.  It sounds like a good machine, I'm particularly
    interested in the clean sounds (chorus, leslie, others) as I get a
    pretty good overdrive sound with my Fender Stage 185 amp (not valve but
    damn close sound).  I assume that the presets if they are mainly
    overdrive can be written over and stored.
    
    I am also interested in the switching - are you fixed with triggering
    through one at a time, or can you "call up" specific sounds in some way
    (other than with midi!).
    
    Much of the blues stuff I play live is not in a set sequence - the band
    plays what it and/or the audience wants, so I need to be pretty quick
    on the sound settings!  Obviously being able to switch straight into 
    a preset sound would help here.
    
    Thanks for your help - by the way where are you? (US, UK, OZ?)  If US
    what sort of price do these things go for there?
    
    Cheers
    
    Dusty Guitar Miller
               

    re -1
    	Firstly I am in the land of Oz so I dont know what they go for in
    the US but I bet it is cheaper than here.
    
    Regards the amount of presets you have 100  and you cand define to
    these what you want.  You will need a foot controller I use a
    fc 50 Ithink it is made by Boss.
    
    These settings are dumpable over midi.  Also you can dump the
    Quadraverb plus brains into it and use it as a full on vocal
    effects processor for the studio.
    	Go and give one a demo but if you are going to plug it into
    an amp turn off the cabinet simulation,and also you may not like
    the heavy reverb that is assigned to most sounds but you can change
    this very quickly.
    P.K.

    MIDI is the way to go for switching presets, I'm afraid.
    You can store the presets in any order you like, but if your
    not working from a fixed set list, that won't do you much good.
    
    FWIW - MIDI is simple, and cheap (well, the controllers can be had from
    $100 up...
    
    I have a QuadraVerb  (no "GT"), and I love it.  I tried a GT once and
    thought the distortions/overdrives were pretty lame.
    
    Check out DIGItech's offerings (Twin Tube, GSP21 etc...).  They seem to
    be real popular, and have pretty nifty footswitches included - at least
    the GSP21 does.
    
    If you don't need overdrive, and you want just effects, I'd highly
    recommend a plain ole Quad, DSP128(+ ?) etc...  Seems like most units
    that have built in distortions/od's seem a little skimpy on the good
    stuff.  Why get the distortions if your gonna use your 185 ??
    
    jc (With his $.02)

    Well I have had this box for approx 1 year so I thought  I would pass
    on my feelings after much water has passed under the bridge.  
    
    	Firstly it is amazing how much you change/learn in a year.
    The box is still doing it's job but I had a lot of trouble (still
    going on) trying to get the guitar to cut through the mix.  Till
    after reading a magazine on how to get rid of unwanted bass booming
    I turned the mids on my desk right out....presto much better sound,
    still not fabulous ....but better.
    
    	I think the secret of getting a good sound with this and maybe
    other boxes is in the eq section...something I still play with.
    You have to not adjust them while playing alone, you have to do
    it in the context of the band/live situation.  This box sounds
    fabulous on it's own (I guess to sell it in the shop) but
    basically none of the presets are even in the ballpark for my live use.
    
    	Has anyone else got one of these or am I the only one (sucker 8^) )
    who bought one?
    	But I guess the big question is .....are any of us really happy
    with our *tone* a year down the track after buying the GTS toy that
    we tell our spousal units and ourselves "Babe, but this box will be the
    only one I will ever need".  
    
    	Boy its funny reading notes you wrote a couple of years ago isn't
    it you think "boy was I lame"
    
    8^).
    P.K.

>    You have to not adjust them while playing alone, you have to do
>    it in the context of the band/live situation.  This box sounds
>    fabulous on it's own (I guess to sell it in the shop) but
>    basically none of the presets are even in the ballpark for my live use.
    
    This is true for just about any amp or effects unit.  What sounds good
    to you in your living room may not sound good at all when you're
    playing with the band.  Fix your sound at practice and don't screw
    around with it at other time.  Tape your practices to make sure it
    really sounds the way you think it does.
    
>    	But I guess the big question is .....are any of us really happy
>    with our *tone* a year down the track after buying the GTS toy that
>    we tell our spousal units and ourselves "Babe, but this box will be the
>    only one I will ever need".  
    
    Only once.  When I bought my Marshall JCM900.  It's been almost two
    years since I got it and I still love it's sound.  This is absolutely
    *the* tone I'd been looking for all those years before.
    
    Greg
        

    re -1
    	What type of band situation do you play in ...what do you cover..
    and what other rack or stomp gear do you use...oh yeah what kind of
    guitar..how much do you have in the bank....do you like smoking after
    ......
    8^).
    P.K.

    re: .15                                      
    
>    	What type of band situation do you play in 
    
    Since I got that amp, I've played in three types of band situations, a
    (more or less) "classic rock" band, an original rock project, and am
    putting together an "alternative rock" type thing right now.
    
>    ...what do you cover..
    
    Depends on what I'm doing...almost all rock of some form.
    
>    and what other rack or stomp gear do you use...
    
    Most of the time I just use a little Boss EQ stomp with the JCM900. 
    I'll occasionally use a chorus or delay.  What I add depends on what I
    need and what's laying around.  I'm not big on effects and don't like a
    "processed" kind of sound.
    
>    oh yeah what kind of guitar..
    
    These days, it's a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe about 95% of the time.  I
    used to play an Ibanez RG560, but I like the feel and sound of the
    Gibson better these days.  I also have a Strat style parts guitar with
    a humbucker and two single coils that I really like, but it's in the
    process of being renovated now so I haven't played it in awhile (hard
    to play with it all taken apart like that...)
    
>    how much do you have in the bank....
    
    That's really none of your business, but I will say that my Marshall
    cost far less then most of the rigs I used before that I was never
    happy with...
    
>    do you like smoking after......
    
    Naw, I don't smoke.  8^)
    
    Greg

    RE -1
    Thanks for the info Greg.
    P.K.

    Anyone know of a mailorder house that sells the Alesis Quadraverb+?
    
    thanks,
    Mike

I got a quote for $379 last week on a QuadraVerb+ from Thoroughbred
(800)800-4654

FWIW I also was quoted:
	BOSS SE-70		585.00
	BOSS SE-50		399.00
	ART MULTIVERB ALPHA SE	410.00
	DIGITECH DSP256XL	329.00

Guess what I'm in the market for.....

Geoff

>Guess what I'm in the market for.....
    
    how many guesses do I get?