GP-10 - Help deciding..GP10 or GR55

Started by Zouny1, March 30, 2015, 03:49:34 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Zouny1

Hi Guys,
New to the forum. Im a gigigging guitarist and need help deciding between the GP10 and the GR55.
I play in a couple of different bands plus im the house guitarist at a couple of jam nights. My dilemma is i cant afford both units right now, but my originals band and cover band have different requirements. I can see the GP10 working well for my originals act as it can be incorperated into my current pedal board/amp rig to add extra guitar effects and acoustic models, but the cover act is doing songs like "Sledghammer","Rehab" by Amy Winehouse and "When Doves Cry", so lots of Brass and strings which ive been trying to emulate on guitar,but not always successfully!
    My question is how well could you do say a brass or string pad on the GP10 using internal synths or a tablet/ipod/pc using soft synths?,or is it possible to integrate the GR55 into my current live setup for multi fx as succesfully as the GP10?
Which would you choose/recommend for my situation? Thanks for your help guys,love the forum
Let It Happen

Elantric

#1
QuoteMy question is how well could you do say a brass or string pad on the GP10 using internal synths or a tablet/ipod/pc using soft synths?,

Review the MP3 examples of the vast array of non guitar tones that Ainsoph has coaxed from the Boss GP-10.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=13382


For me ( and my focus of meat and Potatoes guitar tones ( Not SYNTH!) the choice is clear, the Boss GP-10 gets 10 times more use than my GR-55 - the GR-55 feels sluggish at gigs by comparison -

I prefer GP-10 because its far more live gig friendly for my needs:

* GP-10 has Rapid patch changes ( compared to the sluggish 1/4 second gap on every GR-55 patch change) 

* GP-10 has multiple assignable CTRL Pedals

* GP-10 has Dual Expression pedals, (after adding a Roland EV-5)

* GP-10 has unique  ability to be used with a Computer based live Guitar to MIDI VST / Au Synth performance playback box - without the mutes  / gaps on each patch change that gets in the way when trying to use GR-55 / VG-99 as the audio interface for your VSTi/AU Player in a similar manner. Same applies for using GP-10 as audio interface to play backing tracks at Solo gigs

* GP-10 has superior Guitar / Amp models compared to GR-55 / VG-99


Zouny1

Thanks Elantric
wow, i didnt think those sounds were possible with the GP10! This is probably a case where near enough is good enough once those sounds are mixed with the band sound. I must say when demoing these two units in the store,i felt somehow more connected with the GP10,like the sounds were being played by me and coming direct from the guitar whilst the GR55 while still sounding good made me feel unconnected somehow,like it took my head space out of the music! I also felt the GP10 gave more scope to develop a personal/individual thing if that makes sense. Ainsophs patches are the icing on the cake.
   I also have to say with my lack of experiance in vguitar,this forum has been an invaluable resource and such a refreshing experiance from other forums where questions are answered instead of degenerating into in fighting and bit#$*ness.
Let It Happen

Elantric

QuoteI also have to say with my lack of experiance in vguitar,this forum has been an invaluable resource and such a refreshing experiance from other forums where questions are answered instead of degenerating into in fighting and bit#$*ness.

You are welcome -

But know there are numerous folks here who feel opposite, and  prefer the GR-55 to the GP-10.

Quote,i felt somehow more connected with the GP10,like the sounds were being played by me and coming direct from the guitar
I concur  - for me the Boss GP-10 was "love from the start"  - I ordered a backup GP-10 after the first week of ownership
   
Check the Group Buy Price ( see your inbox)

Zouny1

I was watching a Steve Stevens demo of the GR55 where he sustains a string pad chord while playing a guitar line over the top





can the gp10 do this?
Let It Happen

Jim Williams

I have both and each has it's pro and cons. I have a NextBook tablet that was cheep and I have some good 32 bit softsynths that the GP-10 controls very well with a very small footprint on stage, Keep in mind I don't use guitar synth live very often I just have set it up in case the need ever arises. The GP-10 does have the option to assign the hold function to a CTL pedal but I have never tried it. The guitar sounds in the GP-10 are miles above the GR-55 so that may be be an option for you. I can get the Power drive COSM amp to sound pretty close to my Marshall DSL 100H. The match is will fool most of the crowd to thinking you have a real guitar amp.

the GR-55 has some great synth sounds and control features and the synth sounds are more out of the box.  In the GP-10 you have to create them from scratch and you are limited to a old school analog synth sound and no sampled instruments. You do have more layering options and the MS Scoop COSM amp is very flexible and it is fat and has good tone. The guitar is very noisy and that makes it hard to use with you "real" guitar rig but with some gating it's not that bad.
Skype: (upon Request)

Everything from modeling to the real deal, my house looks like a music store.

Zouny1

Damn! You guys have been helpful, but.now I feel like pulling the trigger on both!
It seems they both have something the other doesn't.
Let It Happen

Zouny1

In your opinion would a setup of gp10 and gr55 connected with a US20, gp10 for guitar sounds and gr55 for synths be practical/do able?
Let It Happen

Pete1959

If it helps, I had both a GP-10 and  GR-55
I also ordered one of Codesmart's GKPX-14 Parallel Box which you can read up on elsewhere on this forum to connect the 2 with his short 1 meter cables as well.
I may put the GKPX-14 up for sale but haven't decided as it is a great device. Who knows what the future brings?

In the end, I liked the GP-10 sound & package so much better, I sold the GR-55. The slow patch change and all those wonderful synth sounds were more "toy" than any practical use for me on stage.

Gotta post my pictures of my 3 guitars with GK-3 and current rig. Quite a testament to how far I went with the advice from this forum. From the GKPX-14 to the Gittler GK 13 pin cables to the Stompblox and of course FRFR which I now use.

If you appreciate the forum, I suggest to anyone out there who hasn't yet, they should make a contribution to the forum much as I did.


Jim Williams

#9
I use the US-20 but there are some other options out there too.

Skype: (upon Request)

Everything from modeling to the real deal, my house looks like a music store.

JolietJake

#10
I have the GR-55 and have played with the GP-10.

I think I'll stick with the GR-55 for several reasons, but the 3 things I would miss the most are:
1. That huge display screen on the GR (Thanks to my eyesight getting older  >:( )
2. The Media playback from the enclosed USB. It's possible to play a one man gig with just the GR-55 and a PA (I've done it several times).
3. Three patch switches (even if they do change slowly) instead of the Up-Down scenario.

OK I'm not a tone "perfectionist" or "snob" but to be honest although not perfect the GR-55 is much more than just adequate sounding and I've always managed to get some amazing sounds from it.

CodeSmart

I play mostly 80's classic rock in a cover band. I have great use of the GR-55 for all the string layers and organs it provides to this kind of music. I don't use GR-55 for emulation, alt tuning etc. To me the GR-55 is the synth guy of the band. The GR-55 goes out to the PA in stereo. I would never ditch this fifth band member. The Journey, Whitesnake, Europe, Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper songs would not be the same without the synth guy.

The part of me playing guitar use GP-10 to a Marshall tube amp for guitar effects. In my setup I definitively would ditch the GP-10 before GR-55. I however like the GP-10 as a light weight effect box but sadly my old Boss GT-10 allowed me to go 4CM into my pretty expensive Marshall head which gave better sound/dynamics.

In my opinion GP-10 is replaceable with stomp boxes or a GT-10/GT-100. The GR-55 is not, as I have found great use of the dual PCM synths it provides in our 80's line-up.

Zouny1, as you can see you get very different answer depending on who you ask.
But I got more gear than I need...and I like it!

Spaces caper

I agree with Codesmart above, and honestly everyone's points.. Gr-55 is the indepsensible synth player and I feel the gp-10 is fantastic for standard 6 string sounds.  The acoustics on the gp-10 are jaw dropping, but I cannot make the horn/string tones sound as authentic as the gr-55 (not saying it can't be done, but I have not yet). 

I think Boss/Roland did a nice job of making these units very capable, but definitely different.  So you can buy both, rather than needing to decide! ;)




Jim Williams

#13
I have lots of guitar gear from Roland,Line 6 and TC electronics. If I hooked it all up together it would be a huge set up that would take up most of a stage and that would be stupid. Instead I look at a playing situation and decide what gear will be necessary. If I have the sound of a keyboard player I work with a keyboard player, for me guitar synth is a studio tool and should be use rarely in a live guitar playing gig. I guess if you are a rhythm guitar player guitar synth might be something you might do but I play lead guitar and I mostly am the only guitar player in the band. I tend to want my guitar to sound like a guitar and the magic is not in the amp, effects and guitars... it is in your hands. If you are playing a cover of "another brick in the wall" It doesn't matter if you have that big organ in the background or have your effects set up like David Gilmore's.... if you don't play the part correctly nothing else will help you.

You need to decide what you need to make the sound you want and get it. Simple but a sound idea. You are not me and our musical ideas and need are nothing alike.

You are an individual that knows what you need and no one can tell you otherwise. Don't let yourself caught up in all the options that are out there to trap you into spending money only to discover that you had all the right gear in the first place.

Above all else be musical....
Skype: (upon Request)

Everything from modeling to the real deal, my house looks like a music store.

Elantric

#14
WELL SAID JIM!

+1

My own opinion
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6125.msg42056#msg42056
Remember All These devices provide icing, a few more colors to your "sonic artist palette" - not talent, and you certainly don't need anything on this entire forum to find a job and much success as a working professional guitarist.

Speaking from experience - if not kept in check, its too easy to be stuck in an endless cycle of G.A.S -   with its never ending stack of manuals to read , only to discover the "known bugs" the manufacturer will never tell you exist, which forces you to find yet another solution -  can actually hinder your progress as a musician.

Remember Music is a means of non verbal communication.  Advanced musicians with soul and mastery of their instrument can instantly move the human spirit like a puppet master.  - don't fall into the trap of thinking that stepping on that shiny new FX pedal will ever replace learning new scales, studying harmony and composition, and improvisation, working on your timing, learn how to listen to the rest of your band and find your role to contribute everything you can to each bar and measure of the song you are currently playing  - often that means channeling the gods, and knowing when to play a spontaneous improve solo that blows peoples minds, or play one well placed chord stab, or just one note, or  know when its best to stand still and play nothing at all.

Zouny1

Thanks everyone for the replies and thank you Jim for putting it into perspective.
I've pulled the trigger on a GP10 and a boss RC3 looper. In the end I want the unit to be an extension of my playing and from the limited time I've had with both units and the sound advice I've recieved here, I feel the GP10 is the best way to go for me. I do like the GR 55, but for my intentions I think the GP 10 is more suitable and versatile.
   Thanks for making me feel welcome here and I look forward to sharing my experience of the 10 with you when it gets here :)
Let It Happen

Spaces caper

Quote from: Jim Williams on April 04, 2015, 05:31:23 AM
I have lots of guitar gear from Roland,Line 6 and TC electronics. If I hooked it all up together it would be a huge set up that would take up most of a stage and that would be stupid. Instead I look at a playing situation and decide what gear will be necessary. If I have the sound of a keyboard player I work with a keyboard player, for me guitar synth is a studio tool and should be use rarely in a live guitar playing gig. I guess if you are a rhythm guitar player guitar synth might be something you might do but I play lead guitar and I mostly am the only guitar player in the band. I tend to want my guitar to sound like a guitar and the magic is not in the amp, effects and guitars... it is in your hands. If you are playing a cover of "another brick in the wall" It doesn't matter if you have that big organ in the background or have your effects set up like David Gilmore's.... if you don't play the part correctly nothing else will help you.

You need to decide what you need to make the sound you want and get it. Simple but a sound idea. You are not me and our musical ideas and need are nothing alike.

You are an individual that knows what you need and no one can tell you otherwise. Don't let yourself caught up in all the options that are out there to trap you into spending money only to discover that you had all the right gear in the first place.

Above all else be musical....

I'm actually a little confused as to the motivation of this post.  He states he is a gigging artist, so obviously he is musical.  He asked a specific question about units (in the best possible place) and obviously knew a certain degree of info about both.  Why spend three negative paragraphs to say "dont worry about gear, keep playing"?  Insightful for a novice 16 year old guitarist, but undeniably useless for a gigging player, when you think about it.

Elantric

#17
Lets keep score

The 1st post in the thread is by Zouny1 - seeking opinions :"Help deciding..GP10 or GR55"

Jim Williams (A VERY Experienced user BTW) voiced his thoughts   -
QuoteI have both and each has it's pro and cons. I have a NextBook tablet that was cheep and I have some good 32 bit softsynths that the GP-10 controls very well with a very small footprint on stage, Keep in mind I don't use guitar synth live very often I just have set it up in case the need ever arises. The GP-10 does have the option to assign the hold function to a CTL pedal but I have never tried it. The guitar sounds in the GP-10 are miles above the GR-55 so that may be be an option for you. I can get the Power drive COSM amp to sound pretty close to my Marshall DSL 100H. The match is will fool most of the crowd to thinking you have a real guitar amp.

the GR-55 has some great synth sounds and control features and the synth sounds are more out of the box.  In the GP-10 you have to create them from scratch and you are limited to a old school analog synth sound and no sampled instruments. You do have more layering options and the MS Scoop COSM amp is very flexible and it is fat and has good tone. The guitar is very noisy and that makes it hard to use with you "real" guitar rig but with some gating it's not that bad.
Suggest read more of Jim Williams incites on VG/GR/GP gear -
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=921

and read his great tutorials
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=26

Many here get too caught up in recreating 100% of all studio tones for the setlist they play in a Cover band.

Myself I'm typically  the hired gun "Lead Guitarist"  - I can tell you Live or in Studio its more important to concentrate on what your fingers are doing.

I interpret Jim Williams 2nd post as :

A Guitarist should Never loose sight that Rule #1 is Demonstrating to the public your excellent musicianship

and i agree !   



 

Majiken

+1 Jim & Steve

& echo what has been said on the GR-55 for the USB stick port and using the synth sounds in the studio-exactly the reasons why I haven't been more aggressive trying to sell my "55".

Now, if anybody needs a L6 Pod X3 Live.... ;-)
Take what you need, put back a bit more, leave the place behind you better than it was before :-)

www.majiken.rocks

Zouny1

Actually Jim's post was extremely helpful! Sometimes as musicians we get lost in the choices of toys available and need reminding to, as Frank Zappa said, 'Shut up and play yer guitar'.
Jim and Elantrics posts reminded me of just that, and actually helped me decide on just that.
While I want to do a good job for my cover band,my main goal is to move my playing forward and it helped me decide the GP10 was the way to go for me. Any advice from a fellow experienced musician that makes you think is valid in my book and we can all use a little kick up the backside occasionally to refocus on what's important!
Thanks all, every post has been helpful
Let It Happen

Zouny1

PS: being a guitarist, I suffer from the dreaded GAS like the rest of us. Which means I'll probably end up with a used gr55 or 33 at home at some point just to play around with.  ;D
Let It Happen

Spaces caper

#21
Quote from: Elantric on April 04, 2015, 02:20:58 PM
Lets keep score

The 1st post in the thread is by Zouny1 - seeking opinions :"Help deciding..GP10 or GR55"

Jim Williams (A VERY Experienced user BTW) voiced his thoughts   - Suggest read more of Jim Williams incites on VG/GR/GP gear -
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=921

and read his great tutorials
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=26

Many here get too caught up in recreating 100% of all studio tones for the setlist they play in a Cover band.

Myself I'm typically  the hired gun "Lead Guitarist"  - I can tell you Live or in Studio its more important to concentrate on what your fingers are doing.

I interpret Jim Williams 2nd post as :

A Guitarist should Never loose sight that Rule #1 is Demonstrating to the public your excellent musicianship

and i agree !   





More eloquently stated, Elantric. 

I use a good amount of gear but do not feel it is "stupid" to do so.  It's just different forms of expression, and that, is absolutely just as important.  Most of us are beyond simple guitarists at this point.  We are incorporating a virtual world with an organic one and different tones and philosophies will emerge.  Knowing your gear and using it properly is the new game for those trying to create something new and unique. 

Spaces caper

Apologies to all for the extra emotion.  It's the full moon and I didn't enjoy the "smite" I received from some child here.

I'm glad the posts have helped

Zouny1

Spaces caper, thanks for jumping in. I hope I didn't come across as having a go at you and really appreciate where you were coming from. The thing I like about this forum so far compared to others is the debate is healthy and respectful and as a result there's something helpful in every post.
   Thanks again guys
Let It Happen

Elantric

#24
QuoteI use a good amount of gear but do not feel it is "stupid" to do so.



Since I dont have roadies, Just keeping track of the eventual maze of possible FX, while concentrating on my playing at a live gig, while keeping the gremlins at bay and avoiding  '"Murphy's Law"  taking the whole thing down mid song  - can become more of a burden that easily distracts from playing Guitar for a Live Audience, who want to see musicianship they can make a spiritual connection with.


Since I dont have a road crew, it makes me enjoy my current rig



Godin LGX-SA> Boss GP-10 + EV-5 for Control / pan Rhythm / Lead



- and use a Cube Street EX for small to medium gigs
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=11600.0


- lets me focus on my Guitar Playing, and gives me options to shift gears at last minute and play a "COSM Acoustic ""un-plugged"" sounding  1st set  - with same gear.


with my SKB iCase with sunscreen for GP-10 and 15" laptop.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8917.msg102232#msg102232



and I can use it 100% Battery Powered by adding a +9VDC Battery Pack for the Boss GP-10 -
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=10662.msg96964#msg96964



XTPower 10000mAh External Battery
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00935L44E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1



or
RAVPower 15000mAh Portable Power Bank Pack External Battery
http://www.amazon.com/RAVPower-15000mAh-Portable-External-Battery/dp/B00DVB7F0S/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1428198716&sr=8-16&keywords=Port+Ultra+High-capacity+Portable+External+Rechargable+Backup+Battery



Or larger Poweradd Pilot Pro LE-030 32000mAh External Battery

[/img]
. . . when I need to go Battery Power Busking performing solo during the monthly Downtown Art Walks,

the Same SKB iCase case holds both






i can flip the screen towards the audience, and perform to Surf Videos or "Video FX Triggered by MIDI Guitar"  playing to the crowd on the R7 Screen