Boss MS-3 Multi-Effects Loop Switcher just announced...

BintyTwanger77

Just thinking about mini-boards and this came to mind. Could I have a couple of ODs (RYRA Klone and JRockett Blue Note tour) and an El Capistan in the 3 loops?

europeanme

As an owner of a GT100 and 3 pedalboards, for me this addresses so many frustrations!

The GT100 overdrives / distortions are too fizzy / digital sounding through an amp; it's difficult to find a balance between too fizzy or too flat and lacklustre. The amp sims are great for home recording but some can sound too 'boxy'. Yet the modulation, delay and reverbs are good enough for live and studio situations. 

So there's good and bad in the GT100 and it looks like Boss have realised this in th MS-3.

With my pedalboards, I have also been using a loop switcher (One Control Crocodile Tail) which was brilliant for creating patches for live situations but took up too much 'board real estate plus, there's no UI so you need to remember patches numerically. 

The fact that I can put 3 drive / boost pedals in the loops, use the on-board modulation and use the midi out facility with my Strymon (sorry!) pedals makes the MS-3 a no brainier for me; analogue drives - MS-3 modulation - midi controlled delay and reverb. 

I preordered on June 1st and stock is due in to Andertons on June 30th (though, based on previous experience I won't be surprised if this will be put back) and can't wait for delivery. 

I'll report back once I get my hands (and feet) on one!

BintyTwanger77

europeanme said:

As an owner of a GT100 and 3 pedalboards, for me this addresses so many frustrations!

The GT100 overdrives / distortions are too fizzy / digital sounding through an amp; it's difficult to find a balance between too fizzy or too flat and lacklustre. The amp sims are great for home recording but some can sound too 'boxy'. Yet the modulation, delay and reverbs are good enough for live and studio situations. 

So there's good and bad in the GT100 and it looks like Boss have realised this in th MS-3.

With my pedalboards, I have also been using a loop switcher (One Control Crocodile Tail) which was brilliant for creating patches for live situations but took up too much 'board real estate plus, there's no UI so you need to remember patches numerically. 

The fact that I can put 3 drive / boost pedals in the loops, use the on-board modulation and use the midi out facility with my Strymon (sorry!) pedals makes the MS-3 a no brainier for me; analogue drives - MS-3 modulation - midi controlled delay and reverb. 

I preordered on June 1st and stock is due in to Andertons on June 30th (though, based on previous experience I won't be surprised if this will be put back) and can't wait for delivery. 

I'll report back once I get my hands (and feet) on one!

Don't apologise for owning a Strymon!

Aidanspaghetti

Speaking of Strymon - Is it likely they'll throw into the multiFx scrap? That'd be a thing of beauty to behold and hear I'd imagine.

monquixote

Aidanspaghetti said:

Speaking of Strymon - Is it likely they'll throw into the multiFx scrap? That'd be a thing of beauty to behold and hear I'd imagine.

The problem they have is that based on the massive premium they put on their products a mfx would likely be way more expensive than a Helix and they would have to do updates and UI.

Niallseroreilly

Is it three loops(with multiple pedals in each) or just three pedals?

BintyTwanger77

monquixote said:

Aidanspaghetti said:

Speaking of Strymon - Is it likely they'll throw into the multiFx scrap? That'd be a thing of beauty to behold and hear I'd imagine.

The problem they have is that based on the massive premium they put on their products a mfx would likely be way more expensive than a Helix and they would have to do updates and UI.

I reckon the price would be somewhere in the region of an Eventide Eclipse.

Kebabkid

Niallseroreilly said:

Is it three loops(with multiple pedals in each) or just three pedals?

I wondered this, too.

For example, I have my Keeley Comp on all the time but my 3 main pedals would be a couple of ODs and a boost (Keeley 808, Xotic EP Boost and OCD). Would this still work having the 4 pedals but only 3 of them that required switching in and out? And what about a Wah? I note there's one in the unit so you'd need an expression pedal. Would this be included as one of the 3 loops or separate to them?

jeztone2

Hmmmm I think this may be on my shopping list. Thing is Id like an extra loop just so I could have 3 drives and something like an M5 or another delay. But its compact. I was thinking about the Atomic Amplifre 12 as an all in one solution. But this might just work.

colourofsound

Kebabkid said:

Niallseroreilly said:

Is it three loops(with multiple pedals in each) or just three pedals?

I wondered this, too.

For example, I have my Keeley Comp on all the time but my 3 main pedals would be a couple of ODs and a boost (Keeley 808, Xotic EP Boost and OCD). Would this still work having the 4 pedals but only 3 of them that required switching in and out? And what about a Wah? I note there's one in the unit so you'd need an expression pedal. Would this be included as one of the 3 loops or separate to them?

@Niallseroreilly ;It could be either or both; you could have an OCD in loop 1, 3 modulation pedals in series in loop 2, then an analog delay in loop 3.

Remember, they're just analog send and return loops, just like on an amplifier. The switcher doesn't know or care whether you have one pedal in that loop or 15; its function is to turn that loop on and off at your bidding.
 
@Kebabkid ;If you have your comp on all the time it doesnt need switching; so it'd sit between your guitar and the ms-3. Same with the wah; there'd be no way around that.

If you used the built-in wah via expression pedal it would use one of the onboard effects slots, not one of the 3 loops. The benefit is you'd be able to change what the expression pedal controlled depending on the patch you'd programmed; i.e a wah on patch 1 but a volume on patch 2.

Kebabkid

Thanks @colourofsound - Wow! That's really useful info and it makes the unit even more appealing for me.

I need to look into this some more

Cheers

english_bob

Kebabkid said:

Thanks @colourofsound - Wow! That's really useful info and it makes the unit even more appealing for me.

I need to look into this some more

Cheers

The manual is on the Boss website. You know you've gone full nerd when you start reading manuals for gear you don't even own, but it's always helpful if you're assessing whether it can do what you need it to do.

dindude

Kebabkid said:

Thanks @colourofsound - Wow! That's really useful info and it makes the unit even more appealing for me.

I need to look into this some more

Cheers

Cos, I think it would work really well for your needs, as said, comp upfront, three  drive pedals in the three loops, expression pedal. Done.

PhilM

Adding one of these and controlling it from ctlout 1+2 would be a cheap way of having 5 switchable loops, with the added bonus of the signal not having to enter the MS3 at all for these two loops.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132106690845

monquixote

PhilM said:

Adding one of these and controlling it from ctlout 1+2 would be a cheap way of having 5 switchable loops, with the added bonus of the signal not having to enter the MS3 at all for these two loops.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132106690845

If you have Suhr or Bogner pedals you don't even need to do that as they have control inputs.

english_bob

PhilM said:

Adding one of these and controlling it from ctlout 1+2 would be a cheap way of having 5 switchable loops, with the added bonus of the signal not having to enter the MS3 at all for these two loops.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132106690845

Although it looks like it can't have both loops engaged or bypassed at the same time. 

The next option would be something like the Decibel 11 Loop Expander.


I can see a lot of people feeling like it's a toss-up between one of these and an ES-5 for what they want to do with it.

colourofsound

english_bob said:

PhilM said:

Adding one of these and controlling it from ctlout 1+2 would be a cheap way of having 5 switchable loops, with the added bonus of the signal not having to enter the MS3 at all for these two loops.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132106690845

Although it looks like it can't have both loops engaged or bypassed at the same time. 

The next option would be something like the Decibel 11 Loop Expander.


I can see a lot of people feeling like it's a toss-up between one of these and an ES-5 for what they want to do with it.

I've gone ES-5 plus a Line 6 M5. Obviously I don't have multiple effects at the same time with an M5 but i can make use of the 5 loops; whereas 3 is too few

english_bob

colourofsound said:

I've gone ES-5 plus a Line 6 M5. Obviously I don't have multiple effects at the same time with an M5 but i can make use of the 5 loops; whereas 3 is too few

I've got an evolving masterplan to have two M5s to cover reverbs, modulations, filters and anything else I don't use often or don't want a particular "niche" version of, put the DD-500 in the same loop I use for the amp's effects loop and use MIDI commands from the ES-5 for patch changes and bypass, then have two loops left open for drives or a compressor or something. Those NUX switchers would even let me swap between two pedals in the same loop, so I could have a comp and an alternative drive in the same loop, or keep the analogue octaver I really like. I reckon it would all fit on to a not-ridiculously sized board too, assuming an angled one where you can stash stuff you don't need to get to quickly (like the NUX switchers) underneath. 

jamiexsilver

Does anyone have any inside info on when these are due out in the uk? Everywhere has them on pre order only.

Wazmeister

jamiexsilver said:

Does anyone have any inside info on when these are due out in the uk? Everywhere has them on pre order only.

Jamie, looks like they've just arrived...

GAK and Peach have them in stock, for now, but Id imagine that these will fly out. Ive just ordered one