Help with GT-6B settings?

[Wademeister63]

Big Red is kind of old junk these days I guess but I'm hoping someone has enough knowledge to help me get some decent sounds from mine. I've been out of band situations for a few years and just the other day got myself a spot in a Black Sabbath tribute band. I have the old GT-6B hanging around here for quite a while but never was in a band that had much need for effects, so I never really got to know the unit very well.

Now I'm working on getting Geezer's tone out of the thing and having a bit of a tough time doing that. I got something sorta kinda passable I guess... I mean the wah sounds ok but the OD/distortion/fuzz sounds like a giant tone dump no matter what I do. Also it seems like all the distortion settings are more fuzz/buzzy and not grindy/growly like I want. Hopefully that's more my ineptitude than an actual shortcoming of the pedal and someone can clue me in a bit as to some settings to explore. I'm not at a point in the band where I want to spend money on gear (first rehearsal is in 3 weeks!) so I'll be working with what I've got for now.

If the unit just plain isn't up to the task, then I'll buy a couple pedals later on if this band really works out well. I'm guessing I'd go for like a Darkglass Vintage Tones (open to suggestions) and Geezer crybaby probably. I have an original GCB95 crybaby and that thing seems like a tone destroyer as well. Feels like it just kills all the meatiness from my sound.

By the way, I have a Kustom Groove 1200, Carvin B800 and B1500 to play through. Genz Benz 212 Neox cabs, a Bill Fitzmaurice 2-10 omni, and an Avatar 1-15 if you care to make suggestions. I've been A-B'ing stuff and just from hearing it at home, it seems like the B800/GB Neox is probably going to be my go-to setup. Good solid tone IMO and not too bad to lug around.

 

[Tricaptain]

Total necro-response; pardons. Just to offer, though... while I don't have one at the moment, intend to get another one used (had one for some years). I wouldn't give up on the GT-6B just yet... sometimes, it takes a slightly different approach to achieve what you're looking for...

If possible, approach the unit as if it were individual stomp boxes, and start likely, sprinkling things from each here and there, as such. Sometimes, the best overdrive/distortion sounds don't come from just overdrive/distortion settings alone...

...perhaps try 'light' overdrive, with EQ either before OR after the effects... experiment by raising/lowering certain EQ frequencies/settings. Additionally, try approaching these settings with the help of your source bass tone! Sounds obvious (pardons for that!), but if you approach it where your source bass tone is more present in the foundation of the tone, with just a little bit of the overdrive to add grit, the overdrive/distortions might not be as disappointing! Again, I also can't stress enough how powerful a little (or, even a lot!) of EQ can do...

...all this, and the Wah coupled with these can really behave a bit differently, depending on your settings! Stand-alone, some of the effects/sounds might not be all that awesome... but coupled with others, depending on their settings, could be much closer to (if not, exactly) what you're looking for!

If you're not there yet, hope this helps somewhat! Cheers!