GCX Setup Help

[axeman8]

John, how does this look for up front:

Guitar->Tuner->Wah->Whammy->Sparkle Drive->Flanger->ISP->Amp ?

I tried all of my pedals out in front and in the loop yesterday. These are the ones I want in front. Next is placement!

[JohnClark]

Looks perfectly fine to me... how does it sound to you?

[axeman8]

John,

Everything is sounding great. Working on programming up my patches now. Can you explain the MIDI part of programming for dummies? I have a Digitech 256XL that I have plugged into a loop. I want to be able to assign programs on the 256XL to a patch. Is there an easy way to understand this?

Also, I have a second amp that I really like the clean tone on. Is there a way to incorporate this into my rig so that I can call up a program and switch right over to the other amp?

Thank you in advance!

[axeman8]

John,

Here's a follow-up after playing around with this last night. Currently, I have 2 GCX's hooked up. GCX 2 has the 256XL in Loop 1. Loop 6 of the GCX 1 goes into Loop 1 of GCX 2 from the amp's effects loop. I programmed the GCP under the Expanders section to GCX 1, GCX 2 (both -- for channels), and 256XL under MIDI channel 4. The 256XL is set to MIDI channel 4. I tried programming something by calling up the program number I wanted on the GCP. I held down Edit to enter programming. The 256XL is listed and I chose, for example, channel 27. I chose GCX 2 and Loop 1. I saved. I noticed that Loop 1 was not lit up on the GCX 2, so I don't think it's controlling anything? I also tried to change to different programs on the 256XL from the GCP and didn't see any communication. I double-checked the MIDI channels and they match. What exactly am I missing? I believe the MIDI Out of the GCX 2 is going to the MIDI in on the 256XL. I forgot to double-check that this morning.

Thanks for the help. I really think things are shaping up and I am loving the sound. The Decimator in front and in the loop keep things nice and quiet. I just need to figure out how to control the Digitech 256XL.

[JohnClark]

When you go into the Edit Preset mode on the Ground Control Pro, you should first see any named devices, then any enabled GCX units as you repeatedly press the Bank Down button. If you stop at the GCX-2 screen and press any of the upper row buttons, do you see the same numbered loop LEDs on the second GCX respond?

[axeman8]

I saw all of the units, but when pressing the loop on the second unit, it did not light up in the rack. I went through all of the options again and went on to exit the setup mode. After GCP rebooted, something changed and everything is working now. The loops light up on the rack and I am able to access and change programs on the 256XL. This is the happiest I have been with my rig since I set out to put it together years and years ago. Thanks for the help, John.

If I want to add a second amp to the mix just to engage a clean channel every once in awhile (while muting the other one), what's the best approach?

[JohnClark]

Right on! Be sure the second GCX is powered on before starting the first GCX (since it is the one that is likely powering the Ground Control Pro)... The Ground Control Pro sends a SysEx message at startup, or whenever exiting Setup Mode that tells the GCX units in a system what number in they are.

For the second amp, you could use a GCX Loop to do this as shown in Example 2 under the A/B Switching section of the GCX manual if you are simply going to run to the front end of this amp. Alternatively you could switch between the two preamp sections of these amps as shown in Example 1 under the A/B Switching section of the GCX manual.

Good Luck!