Hey there.. A few questions about GCX / GCP + a Roadster

[mikhael47@gmail.com]

I have a Mesa Roadster, Gmajor 2 and a GCX (I have yet to setup the GCX).

I plan on picking up a GCP this week.

1) it's been suggested I use a Boss EV500L as a volume pedal to control my Gmajor2's output volume. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

2) I want to use an IA for tap tempo. Does anyone do this?

3) I plan on setting up my 4 preset buttons to handle the 4 channels in my amp + bring up a preset on the Gmajor2. Is there anyone else using IA's for Channel Switching on a Roadster or 3ch Dual Rec?

4) I plan on putting a compressor and a distortion pedal into the loops on the GCX. Are there any tips on how to make this work well with the switching? (i.e. do I need to put the switching in the first 4 loops or would it be better in the last 4).

I think that's it for now. Hope someone can answer these for me.

[nyteowl]

1) Most any expression pedal or passive (non-powered) volume pedal will work, so you've got plenty of options there.

2) You can easily configure an IA button to be a tap tempo switch.

3) I would advise reversing your thinking here and use IA buttons connected to the switching jacks on the back panel of your Roadster to control channel switching, and the 4 buttons on the bottom to send program change messages to your G-Major 2. When configuring your presets, make sure the appropriate IA button is lit for the Roadster channel you wish to initially use with the GM2 preset to which you'll be changing. Then, when you change presets using the bottom four buttons, the Roadster channel will change as well, and after that you can use the 4 IA buttons to change the Roadster channel again without changing the GM2 preset.

4) The GCX loops do not need to be used in any particular order, so you can make your connections any way you wish. Personally, I would put my effects pedals in IA buttons 1 thru 4 and use buttons 5 thru 8 for the channel switching on the Roadster, but that's just my opinion.

[mikhael47@gmail.com]

1) Most any expression pedal or passive (non-powered) volume pedal will work, so you've got plenty of options there.

2) You can easily configure an IA button to be a tap tempo switch.

Thanks! That's what I thought!

3) I would advise reversing your thinking here and use IA buttons connected to the switching jacks on the back panel of your Roadster to control channel switching, and the 4 buttons on the bottom to send program change messages to your G-Major 2. When configuring your presets, make sure the appropriate IA button is lit for the Roadster channel you wish to initially use with the GM2 preset to which you'll be changing. Then, when you change presets using the bottom four buttons, the Roadster channel will change as well, and after that you can use the 4 IA buttons to change the Roadster channel again without changing the GM2 preset.

I tried that with my friends GCP/GCX rig and I found that it worked, but it was confusing because the lights did not shut off when I switched from channel to channel. I know this sounds nit picky but I need visual cues on stage to know where I am at sometimes. Not to mention it appeared that several channels were engaged on my amp at once.

4) The GCX loops do not need to be used in any particular order, so you can make your connections any way you wish. Personally, I would put my effects pedals in IA buttons 1 thru 4 and use buttons 5 thru 8 for the channel switching on the Roadster, but that's just my opinion.

Good advice on the IA's however, as stated above my switching isn't quite working the way I'd like it to. On the flip side, my patches I use in the Gmajor2 are actually not that different from each other. I have 3 "Main" sounds, and a few special patches I can load into bank 2 for specific songs.

Thanks for your input, you have been quite helpful!

I am sure Dom will chime in when he comes online

[domct203]

3) I plan on setting up my 4 preset buttons to handle the 4 channels in my amp + bring up a preset on the Gmajor2. Is there anyone else using IA's for Channel Switching on a Roadster or 3ch Dual Rec?

I use a Control Switcher for channel switching of my Roadster (which looks like half a GCX to the GCP) as I did not want to waste audio loops in my GCX.

I use all the IA buttons to switch in/out GCX Loops and effects in the G-Maj. All my channel switching is in my 4 presets. I have presets select amp channel & G-Major Patch, then use the IA buttons to improvise that specific preset.

For example, preset 1 is always my Clean tone (Roadster CH1, G-Major patch #1, G-Maj Chorus block(IA 5), GCX Loop #1(IA 1 (Dynacomp)). While I am in my clean patch I can control 8 effects through the IA buttons. Preset 3 is always my Distorted Rhythm tone (Roadster CH4 Modern, G-Major patch #4, all effects (IA) off, with instant "stomp box" control of 8 effects (GCX Loops & G-Major effect blocks). Preset 4 is always my Lead tone (Roadster CH3 Vintage, G-Maj patch 3 with delay (IA#7) and reverb (set in patch), GCX Loop #1 (IA1-Dynacomp), & GCX Loop#2 (IA2-BB Pre).

This gives me "one stomp" access to my four basic tone modes (Clean-Dirty-Heavy Rhythm-Lead) and allows improv with 8 effects through IA buttons.

The great thing about the GCP/GCX/Control Switcher is it's versitility. How you set it up depends on how you use the rig. I like to have my four basic "core tones" all set up and ready to go at the press of one button, with "Instant Access" to my effects to change the "flavor" of that core tone on the fly.

Dom