Los Angeles, CA (June 23, 2017) -- Boss announces the GT-1B Bass Effects Processor, a compact multi-effects unit for bassists. Equipped with Boss’s flagship-level sound engine, the GT-1B is a powerful mobile tone companion that gives players a diverse selection of pro-level preamps and effects for stage and studio playing.
The GT-1B features 90 unique effects including 13 different preamp types, all specially tuned for bass. Among these are a selection of premium effects that use Boss’s advanced Multi-Dimensional Processing (MDP) to maintain an instrument’s natural character and response. A dedicated looper is included as well, providing a useful built-in tool for jamming and spontaneous creativity.
The GT-1B’s intuitive interface makes it simple to build sounds and fine-tune parameters — even for players who are new to multi-effects. Easy Select and Easy Edit functions streamline patch creation, allowing beginners and pros alike to achieve polished multi-effects sounds with just a few tweaks.
Though designed to be light and compact, the GT-1B still delivers the rugged durability that Boss is famous for. In addition, a choice of AC or battery power provides flexibility for performing and practicing anywhere.
The Boss Tone Central website gives GT-1B users access to many free patch collections created by pro bassists. The free Boss Tone Studio software provides a full-featured editor/librarian for the GT-1B, as well as integrated access to all the patch collections at Boss Tone Central.
Boss has released the Katana-Mini, the latest addition to the Katana guitar amplifier series. Since their introduction in 2016, Katana amps have received accolades for their class-defying sound, authentic tube response, onboard effects, and great value. Portable, battery-powered, and very affordable, the Katana-Mini makes serious Katana tone accessible to everyone – from bedroom players and home hobbyists to traveling and recording guitarists.
The Katana-Mini features a multi-stage analog gain circuit that produces a wide range of highly expressive sounds. Inspired by Boss’s flagship Waza amp, the Brown setting delivers refined high-gain tones sought by the world’s greatest rock players. Crunch provides overdrive that’s ideal for rock rhythms and bluesy solos, while Clean offers crisp, sparkling tone with big dynamic response. Also included is a three-band analog tone stack for sound shaping, plus a tape-style delay for ambience.
Thanks to Boss’s comprehensive design approach, the Katana-Mini produces rich, full sound from a modest footprint. The amp weighs just under three pounds, and sits easily on a tabletop or shelf. And with the comfortable, integrated handle and battery operation, it’s convenient to grab the Katana-Mini and travel to all types of indoor and outdoor destinations.
The Katana-Mini is equipped with a Phones/Rec Out with cabinet voicing, providing polished tone for silent practice and recording applications. The amp is also equipped with an Aux In jack for jamming along with music from a smartphone or other playback device.
Boss announces the RV-500 Reverb and MD-500 Modulation, two new effect pedals with 32-bit/96 kHz AD/DA, deep programmability, and advanced features. The pedals share the basic design of the companion DD-500 Digital Delay, a best-seller that’s has been lauded for its great sound, powerful editing capabilities, intuitive interface, and expressive real-time control. Carrying on the DD-500 benchmark, the RV-500 and MD-500 offer musicians unlimited creative capabilities with cutting-edge Boss technology.
The RV-500 features 12 modes and 21 reverb types, and all include sound-shaping parameters like modulation, ducking, and EQ. On tap is everything from standard reverbs to shimmer, non-linear, fast decay, SFX, and more, plus recreations of the classic Roland SRV-2000 and RE-201 Space Echo. Thanks to powerful DSP, players can access a full-featured digital delay with modulation along with every reverb, and even use two patches at once with Simul mode.
The versatile MD-500 provides 12 modes and 28 different mod effects. Included are Boss’s famous chorus and Roland’s legendary Dimension D, plus flanger, tremolo, phaser, vibe, slicer, ring mod, and more. Many effect modes include advanced Prime variations newly developed for the MD-500. Simul mode enables using two patches at once, while the Insert Loop function lets the user position mod effects around external pedals for the best sound.
Free editor/librarian software is available for both the MD-500 and RV-500, allowing users to edit sounds and organize patches on a computer via USB.
For more information:
Boss
Philadelphia-raised metal guitarist Xander Raymond Charles has built himself quite a following on YouTube—his subscribers now number over 120,000. But when he’s not YouTubing, he’s playing live, and earlier this year, he went out on a national tour with metalcore artist elijah. Charles formed half of elijah’s brutal dual guitar section, along with Brandon Kyle. Ahead of a recent Nashville gig, the two shredders sat down with PG’s Chris Kies to share what they packed for the road trip.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Rooting Around
Charles’ go-to metal machine is this Fender Jim Root partscaster with a 2014 Strat body and 2018 neck. He put in a pair of Root’s signature EMG Daemonum pickups, then pulled out the neck one out of “boredom” while on tour. He’s also replaced a lot of the factory hardware with odds and ends from Lowes or Home Depot. Like most of the duo’s guitars, the partscaster is tuned to drop C, and this one rocks a set of Nashville-made Stringjoy .012–.062 strings.
From the Bench to First String
Kyle’s main ride is this ESP LTD TE-401, which started its life as a backup but has graduated to be Kyle’s No. 1. It’s an affordable model from ESP’s line that Kyle maintains is one of the best-sounding guitars he’s ever played. He loves the playability and feel, which are similar to the Fenders he grew up playing. Obviously, the EMG pickups give it more gas than other T-styles.
Backup Warhorse
This single-humbucker, JM-style ESP LTD XJ-1 HT is another warhorse in Kyle’s stable and serves as a backup during elijah’s current set. It’s equipped with D’Addario XL .012–.056s.
Low and Long
This stunning Squier Vintage Modified Baritone Jazzmaster can handle all of Charles’ low-end demands with its 30" scale length.
Fresh from the Lab
Charles was gifted this 7-string Cerberus prototype, which is geared up with locking tuners, a single Guitarmory Pickups humbucker, and a 30" scale length.
Quad Power
Both Charles and Kyle are running Neural DSP Quad Cortexes, and after some testing, both decided to roll with a profile of an EVH 5150 loaded with EL34s. For clean sounds in the set, they lean on a Friedman profile. Sennheiser wireless systems let both guitarists cut loose onstage.
"Seeing this whole amp come to life has been a dream come true," said Orianthi, "it’s a beautiful amp and it really reflects my eccentric personality!"
The platinum-selling virtuoso guitarist has gained a reputation as a multi-faceted artist, singer, songwriter and first-call collaborator. With roots planted firmly in hard rock, her latest single "First Time Blues" featuring Joe Bonamassa and "Ghost" are a combination of blues-based riffs and memorable melodies. She is currently on tour in the USA and working on a new album to be announced soon.
The Oriverb, inspired by the Rockerverb 50 MKIII Combo Neo, is voiced to embody Orianthi’s unique sound. It has a cleaner mid-range warmth that reflects her classic blues and rock tone, whilst retaining all of its desired variable distortion.. A tweaked EQ gives the Oriverb creamy, sparkly cleans and saturated screaming overdrives.
Fitted with a pair of lightweight, British-made Celestion Neo Creamback speakers and EL34 valves, the Oriverb has that definitive British flavour with incredibly versatile tone shaping abilities. The new combo also boasts a much-loved footswitchable spring reverb, built-in attenuator for maxed out textures at neighbour-friendly volumes, switchable power options and a near-transparent, valve-driven effects loop. The cabinet is crafted using the highest quality 15mm Baltic birch plywood, making it one of the lightest 2 x 12” speaker cabinets on the market and is finished in an embossed white Tolex, selected by Orianthi.
"We created this to be something very special, unique, something that when people plug into it, whatever guitar they are gonna use through this, it is going to amplify their personality," explained Orianthi, "being able to bring something to life that I feel a lot of people are really going to enjoy has been a real honour. I am so proud of this amp and I can’t wait for people to check it out."
To find out more about the new Oriverb, plus all the other Orange Amplification
products, please go to orangeamps.com.