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

colourofsound

monquixote said:

colourofsound said:

BintyTwanger77 said:

How would I integrate and use a Strymon Sunset in one of the loops of the MS3, seeing as it has 2 drive circuits that can be used separately or stacked (or in parallel)? Or is this something that works better with simpler pedals in the loops?

The MS-3's CTRL output can switch any Strymon 'Fav' input. It works just like an amp footswitch, so you could have the Sunset in a loop and as well as switch between the current setting and a favourite setting.

Are you sure of that?

A lot of switchers don't work with Strymon stuff because they don't follow the same convention as 90% of pedals. I found that to my cost with the Flint.

I am not sure, no. I've never tried it but have read numerous forum posts stating success with Strymon pedals and Boss, Gigrig or other switchers to that effect.

Chances are you will need to do some fiddling in your switcher to make sure its switching correctly, the Boss switchers can be configured so that different functions can be assign to the ring and the tip of a stereo cable, for example.

dindude

BintyTwanger77 said:

Andy's demo of the MS3 for PGS is excellent as ever, AND he plays Oily Water from my favourite Blur album (Modern Life...) to demonstrate setting a momentary switch. His demos are the best.

His use of Oily Water to demonstrate was nothing short of genius.

PhilM

Tiny compared to the GT100

Wazmeister

Mine arrived yesterday and Im with @Dungus, it's gonna take a bit of time to get my head around it

It is surprisingly small, which is nice, but the screen is like something out of the 1980s. Poor clarity and pixelated.

That aside, the unit looks very promising...

vasselmeyer

The UI of their floor units is one thing that BOSS really REALLY needs to work on. I have an ES-8 which is an astoundingly capable piece of kit. You can pretty much switch anything from anything to anything in any order.  It's not quite Helix-level of configurability (is that a real word?) but for  managing a bunch of pedals, external switches, MIDI devices and expression pedals it's second to none.

The  UI sucks. It's  a 2-line 20 character LED display. Once you get into the manual and understand the philosophy behind the patch building it's very very easy, but it requires study. At the Feb guitar show I stood in front of a Helix, which I'd never  even laid eyes on before and built a version of my rig in less than 5 mins. If I look at the Headrush, I'm sure I could do the same.

I know BOSS is a quality manufacturer with  a long history and tradition, but  I wish they would look at their floor units and  get the UI out of the 1980s.

colourofsound

vasselmeyer said:

The UI of their floor units is one thing that BOSS really REALLY needs to work on. I have an ES-8 which is an astoundingly capable piece of kit. You can pretty much switch anything from anything to anything in any order.  It's not quite Helix-level of configurability (is that a real word?) but for  managing a bunch of pedals, external switches, MIDI devices and expression pedals it's second to none.

The  UI sucks. It's  a 2-line 20 character LED display. Once you get into the manual and understand the philosophy behind the patch building it's very very easy, but it requires study. At the Feb guitar show I stood in front of a Helix, which I'd never  even laid eyes on before and built a version of my rig in less than 5 mins. If I look at the Headrush, I'm sure I could do the same.

I know BOSS is a quality manufacturer with  a long history and tradition, but  I wish they would look at their floor units and  get the UI out of the 1980s.

I agree with you in theory, but in practice how would they make a unit so small with a better UI? And keep the price down? I'm sure they have to weigh up its features vs the market they're aiming at.

hotpickups

I must be the only one who isn't getting one. I'll stick to my DA units

Teetonetal

Of the loops were seperate I'd get one. As it is ill stick to my es5 and what I have.

Megii

Been research about the MS-3 online, and the one thing I can't find anywhere, including in the manual/Boss website, is a comprehensive list of all the 112 built in effects. I don't suppose anyone can provide that?  

jamiexsilver

Megii said:

Been research about the MS-3 online, and the one thing I can't find anywhere, including in the manual/Boss website, is a comprehensive list of all the 112 built in effects. I don't suppose anyone can provide that?  

https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/MS-3_Parameter_Guide_eng01_W.pdf

All listed in there mate.

Megii

jamiexsilver said:

Megii said:

Been research about the MS-3 online, and the one thing I can't find anywhere, including in the manual/Boss website, is a comprehensive list of all the 112 built in effects. I don't suppose anyone can provide that?  

https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/MS-3_Parameter_Guide_eng01_W.pdf

All listed in there mate.

That would be the one - should have spotted that, but cheers, much obliged @jamiexsilver ;

jamiexsilver

Megii said:

jamiexsilver said:

Megii said:

Been research about the MS-3 online, and the one thing I can't find anywhere, including in the manual/Boss website, is a comprehensive list of all the 112 built in effects. I don't suppose anyone can provide that?  

https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/MS-3_Parameter_Guide_eng01_W.pdf

All listed in there mate.

That would be the one - should have spotted that, but cheers, much obliged @jamiexsilver ;

No worries mate, I've just got one so if you need to ask anything ask away.

Megii

Think I'm about to order one... - not in stock everywhere (I would probably have gone with Gear4Music if they had stock) but Reidys website says they have stock, and specifically says free next working day delivery if ordered before 2pm. So - a decent place to buy from in your experience chaps?

andyoz

Is there an MS-5 coming then?

I want to run 4 cable and that would only leave me with two loops..

Wonder if it will have the loops 'unblocked' as well...

Megii

Megii said:

Think I'm about to order one... - not in stock everywhere (I would probably have gone with Gear4Music if they had stock) but Reidys website says they have stock, and specifically says free next working day delivery if ordered before 2pm. So - a decent place to buy from in your experience chaps?

Ordered! should arrive tomorrow, so hope they're OK. They seemed to have good reviews for service, so I just went for it. I guess a few changes in store for the old pedal board, and a few items to sell on here in the coming days if all works out. Frighteningly easy to spend £400 on the credit card when the GAS strikes isn't it?  

Megii

andyoz said:

Is there an MS-5 coming then?

I want to run 4 cable and that would only leave me with two loops..

Wonder if it will have the loops 'unblocked' as well...

I wondered about this, and there may well be - although if they charge much more for it, then they are starting to compete with things like the Helix LT I would imagine - people may look at the price difference and decide it's not enough less to justify buying such a thing maybe.

Megii

Anyhow, my MS-3 arrived today, and I just spent a while going through the presets, flipping individual effects on and off, and noodling around. I really like it - it has a serious pro-gear, built for gigging, vibe about it, the construction seems very solid, and I like the switches, which seem robust but also fairly quiet and smooth to operate. The built in tuner is actually pretty decent too, so I don't know if I'll keep a separate one on my board any more. I like the system for switching between preset and individual effect modes - all well thought out to be as straightforward and quick as possible.

As to the effects, and I'm just going on first impressions from the presets - the modulations/delays/reverbs seem very good indeed to me, with a smooth, pristine, clean quality. Maybe I'd like a few more variants on the modulations, but I'll have to have a play and see what range of sounds I can get from them - they will certainly do nicely enough for me.

The drives seem not so brilliant if I'm honest, although I may be able to get something I find more tolerable with a bit of tweaking. But on first impression, they are somewhat harsh and fizzy. But really I'm OK with this anyhow - I got this unit intending to use it with a couple of my own drive pedals I like in 2 of the loops, which is what I'll do - drive sounds aren't a massive thing for me anyhow, and I don't need to have tons of different models/flavours of overdrives and distortions - as long as I've got a couple of good tones on tap.

So now I've got the job of re jigging my pedal board with the new MS-3 installed, and getting a bank or two of my typical favourite effects combinations/setting programmed in, and then I'll be on my way I guess.

Wazmeister

I'm on the fence with mine... It may yet go back...

I actually think that the screen is SO archaic as to be almost unusable at times... My Helix is due this month (birthday pressie) and that might do all that I need and more.

My first thoughts was as a midi device, but Ive been trailing the Faves switch for CB Brothers/Gravitas and that seems to work very well.

I need an hour or so with just the MS-3 on its own I guess.

Update to follow.

Megii

Wazmeister said:

I'm on the fence with mine... It may yet go back...

I actually think that the screen is SO archaic as to be almost unusable at times... My Helix is due this month (birthday pressie) and that might do all that I need and more.

My first thoughts was as a midi device, but Ive been trailing the Faves switch for CB Brothers/Gravitas and that seems to work very well.

I need an hour or so with just the MS-3 on its own I guess.

Update to follow.

I can understand what you're saying here - I'm sure the Helix will have way more capability, and also obviously a vastly better screen/interface. I did consider finding the money for a Helix LT, but in the end, for me that would just be overkill - I would probably never use the amp models, impulse responses and all that - I really only want something I can simply place between guitar and a clean amp, but with the ability to change effects combinations/settings quickly. So for me the extra expense for a Helix is not justified - saying that, if I already had a Helix, I guess it's likely I'd keep it, overkill or not, and wouldn't have looked at the MS-3.

The MS-3 screen is pretty basic also it's true - I'll just get all my own patches sorted and know where they are (unlikely to need much more than 4 banks of 4 patches) and then the screen becomes less important for me anyhow. But agreed Boss should be looking to improve this aspect on future products.

Megii

Decided to just go for it and get on with things - painful in a way, but needs to be done:

http://imgur.com/M8dK6KS
http://imgur.com/UAknwPj
http://imgur.com/KBhmrcc
http://imgur.com/GyyRPoF

Having trouble figuring out how to show images directly from new Imgur account, will have it sorted at some point I hope.