Boss is back in the synth business – and its new GM-800 could be the best way to get keyboard sounds from your guitar yet

Boss has expanded its synth pedal lineup with the GM-800 – a next-generation stompbox that might be your best bet for squeezing keyboard sounds from your electric guitar or bass guitar.

The Boss catalog of synth pedals is widely considered to be one of the best on the market, and the GM-800 looks to build on this reputation by utilizing a new Serial GK digital interface, and the same ZEN-Core Synthesis System that is found in some of Roland’s most popular keyboards and synths.

This ZEN-Core system – “the most powerful synth engine in Roland’s long history” – is a combination of PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) synthesis and advanced modeling technology, both of which promise to provide “an infinite playground for sonic discovery”.

With the same operating core as the JUPITER-X and FANTOM keyboard, the GM-800 comes loaded with over 1200 Tones that recreate an array of pianos, organs, orchestral instruments, and other sounds “only available with keyboard-based instruments”.

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The GM-800 has been unveiled alongside a host of GK series accessories, including user-installable guitar and bass pickups (GK-5 and GK-5B), which are designed to work in tandem with the GM-800’s high-speed pitch and string tracking processor.

Elsewhere, two GK converters – GKC-AD and GKC-DA – have been released to facilitate integration between Boss’s updates Serial SK system and older 13-pin interfaces in a range of setups. Dedicated Serial GK cables have also been unveiled.

In practice, the GM-800 is organized into Scenes, which are where the 1200 Tones, 70 Rhythm sounds and 90 Effects types can be arranged. In any one Scene, four Tones can be utilized alongside one Rhythm option, with a swathe of parameters, pitch settings and sensitivity adjustments available via the four controls below the screen.

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Fine tonal tweaks are also available through these Scenes: a bass sound can be assigned to the lower strings, for example, while a piano effect can be simultaneously slapped on to the higher strings. Heck, Tones can even be applied right down to a specific fret range.

Overall, there are 150 user-configurable scenes, with 100 of those arriving with factory-loaded presets – and, as a notable bonus, the GM-800’s DSP allows for sound carry over when switching between Scenes.

As for the rest of the controls, the four footswitches are wholly configurable, and can be tasked with Scene selection, pedal hold, pitch bend, Tone browsing and more. Master Output and Select knobs, along with a handful of functional buttons, complete the topography.

Though it’s a pedalboard-friendly unit, the GM-800’s potential extends far beyond the floor: it’s compatible with desktops, laptops and MIDI via USB and MIDI ins and outs, and can be linked to Roland’s Cloud to harness an ever-growing crop of sonic options.

A dedicated Serial GK pickup is required to operate the GM-800, but, as Boss notes, it looks to be a straight-forward installation, with a space-saving connector and low profile ensuring a seamless attachment to the body.

Both the guitar and bass pickups are compatible with “most” models, and internal sensors can be adjusted to accomodate different bridge spacings.

So, is the GM-800 Boss's synth masterpiece? Well, yes, probably – it looks like a seriously powerful bit of kit, and one that will no doubt pique the interests of all synth aficionados.

The GM-800 will be available in August for $749. 

Head over to Boss to find out more.