Effects options...please clear some confusion...

[The_Kid]

Thanks for any help guys.

First off: history. I've come from the multi effects background, I had a gt-3. Liked it. GT-8, Loved it. But I didnt like all the cables for those units to use properly. I had a G-Major, seemed to alter the punchiness feel of my sound no matter what settings. Just tried pedals for six months or so...not liking it, plus to really get sounds I want, I'm gonna spend more on pedals and a ground control and a GCX.


So I've tried all the kinds of effects set ups.

I can't seem to find a solution that I'm happy with. Here is what I want/dont want.

Wants -
some sort of ease of set up (read: not 18 cables to setup/tear down)
a variety of good quality effects
ability to route effects as I want

Would be nice -
Stereo loops to be able to run a dual amp sound at some places
Some onboard preamps to get sounds I can't get with my amp
only having one cable up to a footswitch for the unit

Units I'm looking at:

Boss GT-10 - I'm familiar with it, had good sounds with the GT-8, didnt like the 4-5 cables I had to run to the back of the stage/rack/amp not a bad price for what you get seems to fit most my needs, but I can't do the stereo thing

Axe-Fx - all the clips seem nice. Everyone says they are top notch effects in there. the preamps sound good. But the price is a bit much, especially when I would need a footswitch as well.

TC G System - Don't know too much about it, I've read a bit. seems like it would fit most of what I need.

Not sure of other options...any suggestions? I eventually would like to put my rack stuff and head in the same case and keep it all connected.

 

[blackba]

A Boss GT-8 with a PedalSnake! That would be perfect in my opinion. The PedalSnake is really a few cables bundled together, but it should make setup and teardown MUCH easier than running separate cables!

That Pedalsnake looks really cool, never heard of one before.....

 

[Giga]

Line 6 maybe ? (serious suggestion)

Giga.

 

[ToneFreak]

Nova System

Or...

G-System

 

[TX6Strings]

That Pedalsnake looks really cool, never heard of one before.....

I've wanted one for a long time, but haven't really had the need in the last couple of years. If I ever go back to running three or four cables from the back of the stage to the front, I'm getting one. It seems like a GREAT idea.

I had this same problem and just took 3 cables (2 for the loop, 1 from the amp to the board) and wrapped duct tape around them

 

[The_Kid]

what is the difference between the nova and g systems....

 

[The_Kid]

I looked online at the novak, doesnt really achieve what I want out of the preamp stuff.

My amp is a three channel, so I either need a effect system that can switch all three channels, or a system that will allow me to use a clean preamp system with the two preamp channels from my amp.

The GT stuff does this, but I dont really want a floor based processor if I can avoid it.

 

[ttosh]

I am really enjoying my setup for tonal quality and few cables overall.

GCP for footswitching into gcx which will control all three channels on your amp. I am using the Eventide Eclipse but you could use the Ax Fx with a Carvin SS Power amp for wet signal. Using the Suhr ISO Box to seperate wet/dry. One cable out to GCX is it and few cables in small rack.

Great sound with one great effects unit [wet] and you still have your dry amp tone. Cannot be beat IMHO.

 

[The_Kid]

yeah my initial plan was the GCP, but its a lot to invest for a weekend warrior at best you know? which is why i'm looking into something more efficient...if there is anything....

 

[Zorran]

i use a g system with my mark IV, and i currently use a skreddy screwdriver in one of the loops..and i got an mi tube zone and an isp decimator on the way. the g system is awesome because it lets you keep your connections close to the amp, and then just have the controller out in front of you connected via an ordinary cat 5 cable. also it has midi and relays so its good to switch 4 channels. the effects are pretty good and the conversion is clean enough too..im pretty happy. setup time is minimal as well. the only downside...non routable effects. if you want that..id say go axe fx + poweramp.

 

[Audioholic]

Is your amp midi switchable?

the G system can do switching on non midi amps too I believe with relays. I love the G-system. I have the axe FX too. Axe has killer creative fx, and routing wise the most flexible by far. Still, once I get my rack finished, I am going back to my G-system for my live rig, and the axe is going back to the studio rack. With the Axe, you will need another floorboard to control the efx. I also have noticed a wierd glitch type of sound when sending tap tempo to the delays. love the efx though, killer.

I just was playing with the G-system tonight setting up some new patches, man, it really is killer, the phaser on that thing is just so lush its makes me cry. Flexible routing? well you can't really change the order of the efx as far as I know, but I have yet to have a time when that really mattered. I have all my stuff sounding great. the G-system just works for me.

Nova, its a slimmed down version of the G-system, if you don't need loops and amp switching, its the one I would go with


So, my vote is for the G-system,

 

[The_Kid]

the routing thing would be cool...but honestly, what effects really would be used in front anyway?

I know wah, but I eventually want the dunlop rack wah, so thats outside anyway...

 

[Zorran]

if you use the 4 cable method with the g system, your wah and 4 loops for pedals are all in front of the amp. you may not need the dunlop rack wah

 

[meanstreet]

You had trouble with the G Major robbing the balls of your JSX/XXX? I've used a G Major with both of those amps with ZERO issues and still kept all the balls of the tone. Did you set the I/O setting to CONSUMER to match the loop level of the JSX/XXX?

 

[The_Kid]

yeah, I set that up. I probably just missed a setting, that was over two years ago, dont really remember my settings. but I just specifically remember one or two practices where I didnt bring my rack stuff, and just plugged straight into the amp that I noticed that it really had some punchiness to the dynamics of chugging some palm mutes that it just seemed to be missing before. I never really sat that extensively to remedy it.