New BOSS SY-1000. The Hex-pickup is not dead. Long live the 13-pin plug!

Piing

Axe-Master
New toy, expected for January 2020.

https://www.boss.info/global/products/sy-1000/

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SOAR INTO THE INFINITE
The SY-1000 is a breakthrough creation machine that transforms your guitar or bass rig with limitless sound design options. This powerhouse music tool opens a bold new chapter in the legacy of BOSS guitar synth innovation, fusing decades of R&D with our latest software and hardware advancements. Backed by a cutting-edge sound engine, high-octane DSP, and evolved GK technology, the SY-1000 delivers the finest performance and most organic playing experience to date.

Three simultaneous instruments and premium processing let you craft any sound you can imagine—intense analog-style leads, warm pads, moving synth textures, modeled electric and acoustic tones, or all at once. And with freely configurable footswitches, outputs, and external controls, you can maximize the hardware for any workflow. Sonically vast and deeply expressive, the SY-1000 is an infinite well of inspiration, energizing your musical vision with endless possibilities.

  • BOSS’s most powerful guitar/bass synth and modeling processor ever
  • Next-generation synth engine with custom DSP and 48 kHz/32-bit processing throughout
  • Unprecedented sound and expression with three simultaneous instrument types and advanced real-time signal processing
  • Each instrument provides pitch, level, and panning of each string for instant alternate tunings and wide, layered voicings
  • New Dynamic Synth perfectly follows the guitar’s natural envelope for uncompromised tone shaping
  • New sound engine and GK 13-pin interface deliver clear, dynamic sound and precision tracking with zero latency
  • Dynamic Synth includes two 16-part step sequencers for evolving control of pitch, filter, and amplitude
  • Newly refreshed versions of historic BOSS/Roland guitar synth and modeling technologies: OSC Synth, GR-300, E.Guitar, E.Bass, Acoustic, VIO Guitar, and Poly FX
  • Normal ¼-inch guitar/bass input for blending and Dynamic Synth processing
  • Premium effects and amps derived from the flagship GT-1000
  • Large LCD and intuitive editing interface for free-flowing sound creation
  • Eight freely assignable footswitches, external control support, effects loop, and configurable Main/Sub outputs
  • USB Audio/MIDI and MIDI I/O, plus Guitar-to-MIDI/Bass-to-MIDI function
  • Dedicated Guitar and Bass modes
  • Customize sounds with the BOSS Tone Studio editor and download pro patches at BOSS Tone Central
  • Roland GK-compatible pickup and 13-pin cable required for full access to all synth and modeling features
I've highlighted some features in red that make me wonder if I should start selling my Roland VG-99 and the Boss GP-10

And the VIO Guitar is back! It was one of my favorites at the VG8. I never understood why it was removed
 
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Oh, boy! Still loving my VG-99 and use it primarily for quick tuning changes and experiments and then into the AXE-FX. Will investigate this for sure, but think that I'll probably be fine with the VG-99.

As to whether it can replace the VG-99, we'll have to see where the sacrifices have been made. S/PDIF is gone, but who cares? I use it a bit currently, but 'meh'.
It looks awesome but I really do wish that Roland would knock it off with the phony & decades long-running "Use Roland xxxx Power Adapter Only" charade. Just give us the current draw and the polarity on the rear, please. I know, I know... it's a marketing ploy to sell more of your branded accessories, but the ship has sailed.
 
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Godin and Kiesel still do 13-pin guitars. Adding a GK pickup to a guitar isn't too hard. There's a number of places to get alternate mounts for the pickups - some of the 3D printing sites have some, John Mann sells a pickup ring adapter for some PRS guitars here - http://guitarvaultusa.com/, there's a few guys on Ebay/Reverb that offer some as well. The "wart" installs easily by just loosening your strap button.
 
I use my GR-55 for a few songs at every gig, but it does all I need it to do in my current band. (A few string parts, a few piano parts, and one Goo Goo Dolls song with a ridiculous guitar tuning.) I'm not seeing that the SY-1000 would give me enough more to justify the $1000 price tag. Looks like a fun piece of kit, though.
 
Same here. I was really hoping for PCM sounds update. Pitch to Midi conversion would have to be really good and it still would require another piece of hardware. Maybe more information to come but seems like a combo of the SY and GT. I have an Axe so I don't need a GT.
 
I have tried all midi pickups including GK3 and they all sucked. The best tracking midi guitar ironically was Jam Origin and the Boss Sy-1 - both do not use a midi pickup.
 
Just the other day I was looking at the gr55 and wondering if to get one to replace my VG-99....both very cool pieces of gear!

I'd totally get one depending on the sounds and creativity options

Lots more options now with stuff like Fishman triple play....before it was basically roland and axon....market is still niche but it has caught on a lot more now

As for tracking, the pickup doesn't really do the tracking it's the unit...I have an axon and it's still BLISTERING quick....I can play malmsteen runs and it keeps up. Roland however was not as fast, so it gave the impression the gk pickups sucked.

Also, the gk3 takes a little tweaking to get the sweet spot, and the action, amount of fret noise and your technique play a HUGE role in the results. It's not plug and play as they make it, but you CAN get fantastic results with a little tweaking
 
I think something has to change in order for midi guitar to step up. Some fretboard sensors or other tech.
I see nothing new in this device, will have the same glitches and false notes when you release the note.
Midi guitar is an attractive concept, but in reality it ends up sounding like a really bad keyboard player that constantly hits a wrong note.
You can edit that in a recording, but live its just too unreliable- you can do everything right and it can still end up sounding wrong.
 
I think something has to change in order for midi guitar to step up. Some fretboard sensors or other tech.
I see nothing new in this device, will have the same glitches and false notes when you release the note.
Midi guitar is an attractive concept, but in reality it ends up sounding like a really bad keyboard player that constantly hits a wrong note.
You can edit that in a recording, but live its just too unreliable- you can do everything right and it can still end up sounding wrong.

The SY-1000 features a Guitar-to-MIDI converter that you can optionally connect to an external midi synth, but the internal synths and the V-Guitar are not using MIDI. It is using modeling technology; the same as the Axe-FX but processing each of the 6 strings separately. It captures all the playing nuances with absolutely no glitches or false notes
 
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Good news. It can send PC and CC messages, so it can be used as a floor controller for the Axe-FX.

For many years I've been using the VG-8 for both V-Guitar and as floor controller to send PC & CC to the FX at the rack, but the strange format of the VG99 didn't allow that, so I stopped using it live. Now I can go back to that setup: SY-1000 at the floor and Axe-FX III at the rack
 
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Good news. It can send PC and CC messages, so it can be used as a floor controller for the Axe-FX.

For many years I've been using the VG-8 for both V-Guitar and as floor controller to send PC & CC to the FX at the rack, but the strange format of the VG99 didn't allow that, so I stopped using it live. Now I can go back to that setup: SY-1000 at the floor and Axe-FX III at the rack
I may well use this same setup, going back to 13 pin again with this unit LOLL
 
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