Boss Ge-7 - Comments

Kenneth Kotsay · From: Davie/Ft Lauderdale, Florida

I have GE-7 Equalizer, but seldom ever use it, I have no patience trying to adjust all those levers.

What's the secret? after all your amp has all adjustments you need to get the sound you so desire.

Any comments?

Bill A. Moore · From: Silver City, New Mexico, USA

Adjust one slider at a time, leaving the others flat, and you will figure out the frequency you want to boost or cut.
I never played in a band with a sound man, and learned how to dial in a room for our optimal sounds, (with feedback supression), in just minutes.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

The beginning settings for a Do-Bro on a Boss GE7 is 100/-15, 200/+15, 400/-15, 800/+15, 1.6K/-15, 3.2K/+15 6.4K/-15 and Level/0 in middle. With these settings and a plastic/nylon bar is a very close Do-Bro sound. For your guitar and amp. it may take a little tweeking to get the best Do-Bro sound.
Happy Steelin.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Since they've been producing GE-7s for decades, they are not all created equal. The one I had (purchased new circa 2009) was extremely noisy, so I subsequently unloaded it. It did do an acceptable reso imitation, if you could overlook the constant hiss.

Bill A. Moore · From: Silver City, New Mexico, USA

I have 2, and did the Allums mods to both, really lowers the noise floor

Steve Lipsey · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

You can also just buy the Analogman modded version, noise is completely gone. Or you can send yours to him for mods
Note that noise in the unmodded one only appears if you boost, rather than cut, frequencies.
_________________
https://www.lostsailorspdx.com
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham Resos, 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor

Asa Brosius · Posted 24 Mar 2020 2:39 pm

To the question, the secret is patience and trial. If you're happy with your amp tones, better not to get on the 'improvement'train.
As a dobro player, I'm not a fan for the effect on steel. I used a ge-7 after an overdrive pedal I quite like. I had two for awhile, also did the Monte mod- it was an improvement but not vast.

ajm · From: Los Angeles

I have three of them, but got them real cheap, so don't think I spent a fortune.

#1: I have a pedal board with a Road Rage/Loopmaster true bypass switcher for each of the pedals/loops.
One of the pedals is a cheap Univibe type that leaves a lot to be desired on its own, both in terms of EQ and also a volume drop.
The GE-7 is after that pedal in the same loop and is adjusted to account for the EQ and volume drop.
When I switch in the Uni pedal the GE-7 is also in the same loop.
The Uni pedal is then tolerable.

#2: I use it as mentioned above for a dobro sound, but not with a pedal steel.
Try it with a 6 string acoustic-electric and a slide some time.
You'll probably be surprised.

#3: It isn't really a GE-7, but is a Danelectro Fish and Chips that I got for ridiculous cheap.
Somebody else here uses one and turned me on to them, maybe Greg Cutshaw.
I've been using it to try and simulate the old Scholz Rockman tone with a delay and chorus and distortion.
However, despite scouring the internet and seeing several topics on doing this, I personally haven't had much luck and am about ready to throw in the towel.
If you want that Rockman sound you either need to:
a) Buy a Rockman.
b) Use one of the programs that people have created for the Kemper or Axe-FX or Line 6 devices or similar.
(Yes, I realize that most people here are not interested in the Boston tones.)

Noise: Some of the old GE-7s were noisy.
The first one that I bought was.
After prowling the internet and seeing several articles about it, I replaced three of the op-amps with better/different ones, and it is absolutely noticeable.
I didn't do the Monte mod.
If you're somewhat "handy" electronically you can replace fewer parts and accomplish the goal.
I think that many of his kits replace parts that don't do anything.
However, if you're a semi-handy person with a soldering iron, I'd go with one of his kits.
His kits are well packaged and from the few I've seen come with very clear instructions.
Unless you get one that requires drilling and such it might be pretty hard to mess up.

Steven Paris · From: Los Angeles

ajm · From: Los Angeles

Steven Paris:

There may be a couple of different versions of the GE-7, either in terms of circuit boards or components (like op amps) used.
Supposedly one of the versions already has lower noise op amps.
I bought mine used off of CL, and when I tried it out when I got it home it was definitely noisy.
Therefore, replacing the op amps was worth a shot.

There are three types of op amps used in the pedal, five total parts.
I looked at the schematic and decided to only replace three of them (all the same type).
They happened to be the ones in the EQ "slider" section, so I figured that was a good place to start.

So (on the schematic that I have).......
IC1,2,3
Was: TL022CP
Is: OPA2227
They are expensive, but I had them laying around.
Note that the OPA2227 types do draw more current.
Since I almost always run off of a DC supply this wasn't an issue for me. (See chart/table below.)
Also, FWIW I installed sockets for the three op amps at the same time.

For reference...........
IC4
Is: JRC4558DD, no change

IC5
Is: HA12017, no change (may also be an HA1457W)

Regarding the op amps that I changed, here is a brief chart showing noise levels and current draw.
There are cheaper ones besides the OPA2227 that are also less noisy than the stock TL022.

TL022 (stock), DC draw < 1ma, Noise 50 nv/Hz
OPA2227, 10 ma, 3 nv/Hz
NE5532, 10 ma, 5 nv/Hz
UPC4558C, 6 ma, 8 nv/Hz
OPA2604, 12 ma, 10 to 25 nv/Hz
TL072, 2.5 ma, 18 nv/Hz

Monte Allums replaces a bunch of other parts in his kit, not only this kit but others as well.
I have used several of his kits, and quite frankly some of the parts he replaces IMO either don't or won't make any difference to the sound.
Since I have a basic knowledge, and had parts already laying around, I decided to try my own theories.
For someone with little to no electronics experience, buying his kits are probably a good deal.

John Limbach · From: Billings, Montana, USA

Used the OPA 2227 instead of the 2604 in my NV112 too. If low noise is good, lower noise is gooder!

Forum Index > Electronics		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: