GSP1101 and FCB300

[clutch71]

I'm tired of tapdancing with my current rig and started reviewing rack mounted processors. Which asically leaves me with 3 choices GSP1101, G-Major, and G-system with the latter being too pricy for me.

IF you skim the manual for the GSP1101 #7 in the set up wizard on page 12, appears to be the configuration for me. I believe I can assign effects internal to the unit that I would like to run out front, ie OD's, Fuzz, Flange, Phase, Whammy, Octo's (effects I don't currently own BTW minus the OD) etc. While assigning effects such as chorus, delay (which I do own), and reverb to the loop.

I emailed Digitech and spoke with them on the phone. Very helpful but not very knowledgable about amps. They confirmed that in theory #7 would work the way I wanted it too but my main concern was would the unit also provide channel switching? Their reply in the e-mail was "it should." This is true to a point. The unit does allow for channel switching via midi control...but the amp must have a midi input which the DSL 50 does not have. I thanked them for their time and almost gave up.

I went to Roland's web site and started to read about the FC300. It has two 1/4 " jacks labeled amp control. Reading the manuals it should be able to receive midi messages from the GSP1101 and transmit them through the FC300 to the DSL 50.

On a side note another reason I'm leaning toward the Digitech over the G-Major is the amp modeling for "silent" practice at night. If I don't like the Digitech I can always return it in 30 days and try a G-Major.

Just wondered if anyone out there is using these items and their thoughts on them. I'm also continuing to read the manuals for each and hoping my theory of the pairing is sound. I'm giving it another couple of days for research and reading up on the manuals.

Thanks in advance

 

[dgabriel]

Here is the "low down" with the GSP 1101.. It can sound great.. but you have to know that its not as easy as DIGITECH leads you to believe.

i run mine in set up 7.. mesa triple/dual rects..
i had to disconnect my neg(-) to both 1/4 cords that ran between the amps loop and the gsp effects. it was way to noisy.. humming and white noise over took my amps sound..

i use a axess cfx4 amp controller to channel switch. really works very well.

the GSP stomp boxes actually sound very close to the originals. wah is good also. and all where they need to be" IN FRONT OF THE AMP"S INPUT" the GSP delays, reverbs, and pitchshifter are in the amps loop..
these too also sound good.

i use a cheap and reliable MIDI BUDDY to controll it all.. one click of a button the MESA- GSP- CFX4 all switch fast.

i am goin to buy a CONTROL 2 to have use of the wah or volume features.

i also tried the GSP 1101 as a stand alone preamp into a mesa 2:100 power amp/4x12.... well it sounded ok.. i couldnt get the MESA crunch and tone that I crave. I dont think their Hi gain tones are good enough yet. The high gain tones seem to be a little 80's sounding. not modern enough. even with a mesa power amp the tones sounded thin and lacking UMPH>>.. VEry BRIGHT.. and worse on stage.. So i went back to using my TRIPLE rect.. as the sole preamp...

 

[clutch71]

I'm having some problems figuring out how to make the FC300 respond to the GSP. I got it to change the amp channels and it will bank up and down between the presets but I can't figure out how to make it do both and I can not get it to recognize the expression or volume pedals.

Sisnce it will bank up and down I'm assuming it's hooked up right. Here's how I have it. I have two 5 pin midi cables. One from the out of the FC300 to the in of the GSP and the second from the out/thru of the GSP to the IN of the FC300.

I've read the manuals and am still lost. This is my first experience with MIDI. Anyone with MIDI experience would be greatly appreciated!

 

[disassembled]

First off you only need 1 midi cable so hook it up like this:

FC300 midi out to GSP1101 midi in

So let me get this right:

You can change patches and banks on the FC300 right? The problem is using the expression pedal?

You have to do some reading of the Roland and GSP manual. Each expression pedal is given a number which you also have to program into the 1101 so it knows what expression you want.

Since you are new write down exactly what you are trying to do:

IE Right expression pedal will control Wah pedal movement on patch 1 amp will be on channel 1

Once you get the concept of what has to happen everything else should fall into place.


First, let's just get everything hooked up properly and go from there.

Greg

 

[clutch71]

Greg - Thanks for the reply. I have just the Midi out on the FC300 hooked to the GSP and it now recognizes EX SW 1. Tinkering yesterday on the expression link page I finally figured it out. The key is to assign the expression link to certain "pedals" ie (EX SW 1 = CC82 in the GSP Edit/Select screen) and then select it on the X-Edit software. However it would not recognize expression pedal 2. Please keep in mind that I'm using "Standard mode"

Back to tinkering...

 

[clutch71]

OK, I got both expression pedals working. But I still do not fully understand Control or Patch mode. I went into control mode and set certain "stomboxes" in the GSP and assigned them to "pedals" on the FC300. It would turn on or off what I assigned... but I could not then program a "sequence." Also in this mode when a wah pedal was assigned it would turn other effects off, ie chorus, delay, wah, dist what ever I assigned. Kind of strange.

Additionally I thought the GSP would switch channels via midi. I was hoping in standard Mode on the FC300 that I could assign "channels" to a midi control switch (CC 81, and CC82) from the GSP. Still haven't figured that out. I can assign switch the channel within control mode by assigning it at the pedal level on the FC300 but not from the GSP through the FC300.

This is the longest tweaking curve any help would be appreciated!

 

[clutch71]

Bump for tech help...

I'm experiencing midi lag with the expression pedals on the FC300 when used in conjunction with the wah in Standard Mode. When used in Control Mode with the wah engaged and I run it through wah range, it "turns" on other effects assigned to other footswitches. The GSP does not appear to be able to change "channel" on the amp without manually changing it on the FCB300.

Kind of frustrating. I have about two week before my 30 day trial runs out.

 

[clutch71]

All figured out. For Midi noobs, like myself...The first thing you do in the GSP is set up your controllers. You go through your FC300 manual and determine the corresponding CC pedal.

Standard mode is exactly that. It banks up and down between presets.

Control mode you go into the expression links of a preset and assign them to pedals For example pedal 1 =cc65 which turns on and off distortion/0d (and it changes channel BTW), pedal(cc66) = modulation, pedal(cc67) =delay, pedal(cc68) =reverb, pedal(cc69) =wah on, pedal(cc7) = preset volume, and pedal(cc16) =wah. This way your FC acts just like a standard pedal board that you turn off and on effects at your disposal.

Sys Ex only works with other Roland products.

Patch mode works similar to the above but you create midi messages with patch on/patch off control/ and amp control. You must set up the on/off values within the FC300. It's important to remember from one patch to the other what is turning on and what is turning off.

Example you want a ryhthmn tone with a little OD on the high gain channel, and then cut to clean with delay, chorus, and reverb on your clean channel.

Overdrive patch
Set patch on 001=cc, cc=65, val127(without individual pedals at 127 they will not come on, that took 2 hours to figure out!) amp control to 1 "on" 2 "off.'

set the patch off (001=001=cc, cc=65, val000)

Clean patch
set the patch on (001=cc, cc66, val127) (002=cc, cc67 val127)
(003cc, cc68, val127) amp control 1"off" 2"off"

set the patch off (001=cc, cc66, val000) (002=cc, cc67 val000)
(003cc, cc68, val000)

Problems solved. The midi lag was solved by updating the firm ware from V1.3 to 2.0.

The expression pedals cutting on/off other "pedals" when assigned in control/patch mode was accomplished by unhooking the USB cable from GSP or computer. Kind of a silly design flaw and nowhere addressed in the manual or when speaking to Digitech on the phone. Makes tweaking with the software difficult.

Well hope you enjoyed the post and anyone with GSP questions feel free to PM me.

EDIT: I corrected the values in patch mode. I had some things wrong.