Boss GT-1

105
February 2017 Guitarist
review BOSS GT-1
In Use
The GT-1 runs from four AA batteries that
are good for up to seven hours of playing
time or it can be powered by a standard
nine-volt adaptor. While it features a rugged
metal top surface with reassuringly solid-
feeling footswitches, it has a plastic base
that seems tough but would probably not
stand up to the rigours of heavy gigging as
well as a metal one would. However, there
is joined-up thinking behind that plastic
base as Boss sees this pedal as something
you could slip into the pocket of a guitar
bag’s accessory pouch, and therefore has
designed it without hard metal edges, so it
won’t cause damage to your valuable guitar.
The three footswitches offer easy access
to all of the facilities. In normal use, the first
two select patches: one scrolling up through
the list, the other down. The third (CTL1)
footswitch is assignable. You can use it to
turn on and off any effect – or a combination
of effects – in a patch, so it can be used to
turn overdrive/distortion on and off, or
perhaps overdrive and delay together for
solos. It can also be set up as a tap tempo
switch. Combined footswitch presses
access the tuner and looper, which itself is
operated with the CTL1 footswitch.
The treadle pedal covers all the popular
bases – there are 87 different effects that
F
eaturing Roland’s COSM amp and
effects modelling, the Boss GT range
of multi-effects processors has often
been the ideal choice for those who like
the practicality of having all their onstage
effects in one box, or those who want a
complete self-contained signal chain with
fully processed sound for recording. Since
2012, the GT-100 floor pedal (£365) has
been the flagship model, with the GT-001
desktop unit (£209) also being available to
give players the COSM experience without
a floorpedal. Now, Boss has released the
GT-1, a floorpedal that offers the COSM
sounds from the GT-100, but delivers them
in a form factor that’s much smaller and
fully portable, and incidentally replaces the
similarly sized ME-35 (£165).
What you get is a patch-based unit
with 99 preset patches alongside 99 user-
programmable ones; it also functions as a
looper with 32 seconds of mono memory.
As well as standard inputs and outputs,
this diminutive unit offers an aux input to
connect a music player for playing along
to, and a headphone output so that you
can do it without disturbing anyone else.
In addition, you can monitor the sound
(if you’re taking advantage of the GT-1’s
capability as a USB audio interface for
recording to your computer).
1
The latest Boss GT is the smallest yet, fi tting into your gigbag and putting
modelled amps and effects under the feet of a new generation of players
BOSS GT-1 £185
What You Need To Know
Aren’t the other GT series floor
pedals huge?
Yes, up until now the GT units have
been quite large as they needed
the space to fit in the footswitches,
but this one has a footprint that’s
305mm by 152mm with just three
footswitches and a treadle.
Why so small?
In a word, portability. It’s designed to
fit into the pocket of a guitar bag and
can run on batteries, so you can take
it and use it anywhere.
Why would I want to do that?
You’d get a fully polished amp and
effects sound anywhere you went with
your guitar: just plug in and listen on
headphones. It might also work for a
gig where you have to travel light.
Words Trevor Curwen Photography Neil Godwin
2
3
GIT416.rev_boss.indd 105 20/12/2016 10:53