Zoom G3X questions

[jorgemg1984]

Hi everyone, been searching for a multi-fx unit and have actually done some posts here recently so sorry for another one. The G3X seems perfect for my needs and it would be in a board with a ditto looper. 9v 500ma is also perfect.

I play mainly jazz and I am extremely happy with all my gear - amps, cabs, guitars, pickups, strings, picks.. you name it. I am in the final process of finishing everything and needed some of your help.

I need something that will cover me a few things:

1) gives me delay, reverb and a volume control for my acoustic which does not have an internal preamp so no volume control; I have been using a dispatch master for delay and reverb, love the delay but the reverb is a little too ambient sometimes and the volume pedal is a must.

2) nice headphone sound for house practicing with my electrics

3) tuner mute, delay, reverb and volume pedal on the fx loop of my "jazz amps" heads. I need the volume pedal because I like my volume knob on 9 so I need the volume pedal to lower the sound for comping and then get back to max again which must be 9 and not 10.

4) Being able to get a nice jazz clean sound with the amp / cab sims trough the PA wold be nice but not essential. I have a board with a Barb EQ / Tube Screamer RC Booster / Flashback / HOF / Booster / ADA GCS-2 that takes well care of that. Still the blackface model and the Tweed / Brownface (with low gain) I assume it would give me decent sounds right?

What I don't care about

1) changing patches, I use one sound trough the gig all night

2) fx that are not reverb or delay

3) looper (have a ditto for that)

So... I have a few questions

1) How is the tuner, decent?

2) How are the reverb and delays? I use a present yet subtle reverb usually and a very low mix dark delay to add some trails to the sounds à la Rosenwinkel. I don't neeed them to be stellar, just nice sounding. (I mean without any amp or cab sim, just as a regular delay reverb for an amp).

3) How does the volume pedal work for volume control?

4) Are the blackface / low gain bassman / low gain vibroverb sounds decent?

5) How is the headphone sound? Does it have enough volume? Does it sound decent? I know you must put it on direct mode but how does the G3X knows you're using headphones or monitors? They require different levels...

5) Can it handle line level for fx loop use? Not a deal breaker if it doesn't but I would be perfect if it did

Sorry for all the questions, thanks in advance!

[RyanM]

I've only had it for a few weeks and haven't really dug in to all the sounds yet. For your needs it's fine and can't be beat in it's price range. It's my first modeling unit so I can't compare it to the others, but the others may be overkill for what you need. You'll get more info searching sites such as thegearpage.net

The expression pedal can be set to control any parameter of any of the effects in use, or volume. Setting patches and effects can be done on the unit but it's much easier to connect it with usb and manage all of the settings through the included software.

I haven't tried using both headphones and monitors simultaneously, but under the global settings you can set the individual output levels. The headphone jack is a separate output.

The Fenders, reverbs, and delays are all good. If interested in the delays I recommend getting the external tap tempo pedal, because you can only do that with small button on the top row (not footswitch controlled).

[jorgemg1984]

Thanks Ryan!!

I don't need both monitors and headphones at the same time, I see know you can control the output's levle in both instrument and line level.

Nice it all sounds good, I do not need tap tempo honestly but I will use my M-Audio Expression Pedal to control the delay's feedback.

Any more opinions?

[krueger]

...
So... I have a few questions

1) How is the tuner, decent?

2) How are the reverb and delays? I use a present yet subtle reverb usually and a very low mix dark delay to add some trails to the sounds à la Rosenwinkel. I don't neeed them to be stellar, just nice sounding. (I mean without any amp or cab sim, just as a regular delay reverb for an amp).

3) How does the volume pedal work for volume control?

4) Are the blackface / low gain bassman / low gain vibroverb sounds decent?

5) How is the headphone sound? Does it have enough volume? Does it sound decent? I know you must put it on direct mode but how does the G3X knows you're using headphones or monitors? They require different levels...

6) Can it handle line level for fx loop use? Not a deal breaker if it doesn't but I would be perfect if it did

Sorry for all the questions, thanks in advance!

1) It's decent, not great. I use it live and for practice. If doing intonation i think it is a bit too unstable.
2) Definitely nice would say. You can also combine and reorder any combination of delays (even the same one) which is flexible. A lot to choose from.
3) I have the G3 with an external Zoom FP02 pedal. Works as expected. I mostly use it as a volume boost and set the output level heel down to 75%, then I push toe down to get 100% for leads. It can also be assigned to the input volume (or any other assignable level).
4) Yes. I especially like the Vibroverb low gain. It has a fat sound which I like.
5) Volume to spare. Unless you mess up the levels on the patches you can damage your ears with the level on max (120). I'm on 20-30 with clean/jazz patches through headphones. You will need to adjust the levels when connecting to monitors vs headphones. Another way to adjust the volume is to keep a healthy line level out (around 100 global level) and adjust the direct/daw mix which is available also under global. This is necessary when doing monitoring for recording with headphones. Works well, though.
6) I haven't tried it much with send/return scenarios, only with fx return into the power amp. There it works great. Maybe I'll give it a shot later tonight with my Peavey Bravo and report back.

I'm a very satisfied G3 user. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the G3 to anyone.

EDIT: Tried it as a delay/reverb unit in the fx loop of the Peavey and it worked just fine. Global volume level at 100 seems to be a good starting point in this scenario.

[jorgemg1984]

Thanks for all the info Frederik!!

[Frank67]

I personally have never heard any sound out of a Zoom that I liked. Neither did I like the build quality. It always felt cheap to and not very sturdy to me. I may (actually probably!) not do justice to the unit that you mentioned since I haven't considered Zoom's for quite a while.

I would throw in that for similar money you'll get a really nice Fender Mustang Floor that is super-duper versatile and has all the features you want. It is very sturdy, easy to use, has cab sim if you want to go direct and can be turned off if you go into a cab. It has a decent tuner, a volume pedal, decent reverb, decent delay, a *very* decent blackface simulation. In my mind it is a really good deal that Fender offers there. Of course it also has a million features that you don't need (now :-)), but if I understand correctly what you want it would be fine for all of that (and in my totally subjective opinion is likely to be much better than the Zoom).

Happy hunting!

(Ha ha, I also keep saying that I am in the very last stages of gear aquiring :-) :-) .... but it is too much fun to simply stop. But of course, you are a gigging professional and you have a much more valid need for it than I do)

[nosoyninja]

Hi jorge. I own a zoom ms 50g. Same exact processing chip, same exact effects and amps, etc. Different I/O. First off, both the g3 and th ms 50 both have different output levels for aux send input or combo front input, so you could use it either way by flipping a setting.

As to the sounds... Knowing you from your posts here, you will probably be underwhelmed by them. The amps and cabs are OK, not astounding, and don't have that many parameters to adjust. They also use 2 of max 6 processing slots. The HD reverb model, which is the only reverb you would probably use, uses 2 processing slots as well, and sounds just OK.

Don't get me wrong. I love mine, it's a sturdy workhorse type piece of gear... Solves a lot of issues in a single unit. But I didn't get it for it's astounding quality, just it's practicality.

K

[jorgemg1984]

I personally have never heard any sound out of a Zoom that I liked. Neither did I like the build quality. It always felt cheap to and not very sturdy to me. I may (actually probably!) not do justice to the unit that you mentioned since I haven't considered Zoom's for quite a while.

I would throw in that for similar money you'll get a really nice Fender Mustang Floor that is super-duper versatile and has all the features you want. It is very sturdy, easy to use, has cab sim if you want to go direct and can be turned off if you go into a cab. It has a decent tuner, a volume pedal, decent reverb, decent delay, a *very* decent blackface simulation. In my mind it is a really good deal that Fender offers there. Of course it also has a million features that you don't need (now :-)), but if I understand correctly what you want it would be fine for all of that (and in my totally subjective opinion is likely to be much better than the Zoom).

Happy hunting!

(Ha ha, I also keep saying that I am in the very last stages of gear aquiring :-) :-) .... but it is too much fun to simply stop. But of course, you are a gigging professional and you have a much more valid need for it than I do)

Hi Frank, thanks for chiming in, you and I seem to agree on gear

I get your point - but I see Zoom as I see Digitech. 10 years ago no way. But they seem to have come a long way... My H2 works very well and I've had it for some years now!

The Fender seems great BUT it's 100€ more expensive and, even more important, it's too big. It's the Zoom or nothing...

Well I know it's hard to say "I am over". But I can say I am 90% there, I am VERY happy with my sound... finally! I am just fine tuning some parts of my gear, just that I actually wish I had more gigs now that I like my sound so much, I might have to emigrate some day... I don't really see myself doing something different.

Even for non-professionals gear can be fun and as long as you don't get crazy or bankrupt enjoy it

[jorgemg1984]

Hi jorge. I own a zoom ms 50g. Same exact processing chip, same exact effects and amps, etc. Different I/O. First off, both the g3 and th ms 50 both have different output levels for aux send input or combo front input, so you could use it either way by flipping a setting.

As to the sounds... Knowing you from your posts here, you will probably be underwhelmed by them. The amps and cabs are OK, not astounding, and don't have that many parameters to adjust. They also use 2 of max 6 processing slots. The HD reverb model, which is the only reverb you would probably use, uses 2 processing slots as well, and sounds just OK.

Don't get me wrong. I love mine, it's a sturdy workhorse type piece of gear... Solves a lot of issues in a single unit. But I didn't get it for it's astounding quality, just it's practicality.

K

Thanks K, if the modelling is bad it's not a deal breaker for me. What is important is reverb, delays, tuner, volume pedal...

You think the only usable reverb is the HD? I had a Nova System before and the effects were fine but usable to me. I like my HOF reverbs much more but I was hoping the Zoom ones were decent... not at all?

[nosoyninja]

Thanks K, if the modelling is bad it's not a deal breaker for me. What is important is reverb, delays, tuner, volume pedal...

You think the only usable reverb is the HD? I had a Nova System before and the effects were fine but usable to me. I like my HOF reverbs much more but I was hoping the Zoom ones were decent... not at all?

Well, I can't compare the reverb sounds to a Nova or to the HOF, since I haven't used them. I'm just saying to manage expectations and you should be fine. To my ears, the HD reverb is pretty good. The delays are also pretty good, I guess. I mean, if the nova system was not great to your ears, this is a step down from there, not up.

Anyways, just my opinion. I'm more of a "good enough" type of person when it comes to my sound and my gear, but I'm always impressed by your interest and comitment to your sound, Jorge, which you share with all of us here.

K

[jorgemg1984]

Thanks K! I don't have high expectations, I just hope they are "fine", this is, usable. I don't need them to be stellar, just fine really.. Let's see if I can borrow one to try.

[RyanM]

The sounds are great, it's a better unit than the Fender... sounds like FrankLearns is reviewing the unit without having ever played or heard it? Weird.

[Frank67]

The sounds are great, it's a better unit than the Fender... sounds like FrankLearns is reviewing the unit without having ever played or heard it? Weird.

No i did not. I simply said i didn't like zoom stuff previously - and cautioned that i probably don't do justice to the present zoom lineup. The last time i tried any zoom stuff was the model that preceeded the present G2nu maybe 3 years ago and it sounded bad, was clumsy to operate and felt like cheap plastic.

Then i went on to saying that i like the fender but never said that it is better than the zoom as i have never tried these two things side by side - you seem to have a more informed opinion on the comparison ... All is good - peace :-)

[Gramps]

The G3 is anything but "cheap plastic". It's built like a tank but sound is so subjective that all I can say is it works for me.

[jorgemg1984]

Great Gramps - how do you use it?

[Frank67]

The Fender seems great BUT it's 100€ more expensive and, even more important, it's too big. It's the Zoom or nothing...

Thomann lists the mustang floor as 270€, the zoom as 254€ .... But I understand that you find it too big. It is kind of big (but good :-) ... And very convenient to use. Like a collection of amps or different collections of stompboxes or a combination of both).

[jorgemg1984]

In my country Thomann lists it at 177€... and the Mustang at 279€. And the size is really impossible for me

[Gramps]

Great Gramps - how do you use it?

I only play in my living room and use the G3 into a JamMan Stereo and just use a Behringer monitor (Eurolive B205D) as an amp. It sounds fine from 3 feet away and that's all I need.

[Frank67]

In my country Thomann lists it at 177€... and the Mustang at 279€. And the size is really impossible for me

Silly me - 254€ was the g5 - the g3.x goes for 179€ here. I understand the size argument of course

[jorgemg1984]

I only play in my living room and use the G3 into a JamMan Stereo and just use a Behringer monitor (Eurolive B205D) as an amp. It sounds fine from 3 feet away and that's all I need.

Excellent, thanks.

[jorgemg1984]

Silly me - 254€ was the g5 - the g3.x goes for 179€ here. I understand the size argument of course

If they were the same size / price I would probably go with the Fender!!

[yebdox]

Jorge, I have a G3 that I use with an EB volume pedal. I haven't tried to tweak the amp models much, mostly got it for the processing and to avoid carrying a large pedal board to jams. I have a HOF on my pedal board, and it's much nicer than anything on the G3. I have a TC Nova delay on my board as well, and it is a bit more pristine than the delays on the G3, but they are definitely usable.

Having said that, I still like the G3 and will likely put it on eBay and replace it with a G3X, as that will be cheaper and more versatile with the built in expression/ volume than buying a new buffered volume pedal (the EB is a major tone sucking device.... Didn't realize how bad until I tried playing my Godin nylon string thru the G3 straight in to the amp....major improvement. )

[jorgemg1984]

Thanks yedbox, nice to know that!!

As a side note it's always a good idea to get a buffered or active volume pedal... or use some buffer or on pedal before it. Otherwise it will suck a lot of tone... more noticeable on acoustics because they reach higher frequencies. The AMT LLM1 is small, kind of cheap and works well because it's active.

[yebdox]

Good advice, Jorge, and something I didn't really study much until that moment I plugged the Godin straight in and realized how much I was missing! Then tried it with other electrics and... I just ordered a buffered pedal from T1M. But the expression pedal on the G3X should be more versatile (and hopefully suck less tone!) so I will likely just replace the G3.

[jorgemg1984]

Nice, hope it will solve your problem!!

Do you have any preamp on the Godin or juste piezos?