Mark V + TC Electronic G-System - Changing Channels

[Iconoclysm]

Greetings El Guru,

I recently set up my Mark V head to be switched with my G-system and took detailed notes. Here's what I did below. Sorry if it's too detailed, but I put more in case you weren't too familiar with getting around the G.

1. I took a 6" Y cable splitter cable (single stereo male plug to 2 mono females is what I used), and you'll need two if you wish to switch for solo or EQ as well. Also you'll need at least two mono cables of whatever length it takes to reach your Mark V. My Gsystem "brains" are rackmounted and sitting on top of my Mark V.

2. Plug the first Y-cable into SW1 switch on the Gsystem. The Y-splitter I purchased is color coded black (TIP) and red (RING). I plugged the TIP end into Ch.2 switch on the MKV, and the RING into Ch.3. The I took the TIP from the second Y-cable and plugged into the SOLO switch.

3. On the Gsystem pedal board, select the preset you wish to change. Hit EDIT (upper right most button) then use PAGE (just to the left of EDIT) to scroll through to RELAY parameter and hit ENTER (bottom left blinking light).

4. Use Encoder C to switch the right most parameter to say "RELAY A", then use Encoder A to change the "0000" that you'll see to a combination that switches the V. Here are my settings:
To switch to Clean: CCCC
To switch to Ch2: 0CC0
To switch to Ch3: CC0C
To switch to Clean with SOLO boost: C0CC
To switch to CH2 with SOLO boost: C0C0
To switch to CH3 with SOLO boost: C00C

5. When you're done, just save the preset by holding down the preset select button until the LCD screen changes, then hit DOWN/ENTER to save.

Hope this helps!

Awesome, thanks man!

After reading the other posts here, I'm wondering how many of you ran all of those cables from the floor instead of removing the "brains" or "console" and just ran an ethernet cable (heavy duty with neutrix connectors, preferably) from the "shell". There is no way in hell I'd do the 6 cable method at 20 feet.

 

[El Guru]

DeadAirD, thank you so much!!!! 8)

THAT was what i was looking for... :wink:

Best Regards.

 

[DeadAirD]

Also, I guess I should add that as soon as I can save the money, I'm getting either the Amp Gizmo or the CFX4 to switch my amp. The Gsystem is just too slow to react, which is really odd because previously I used a Gmajor and the switching on it was much faster, pretty instant actually. I contacted TC several times asking why it was different between equipment, but all I got was a lame answer about how the delay is only 50ms. I can tell you it's longer than that for sure...more in the range of 200ms by my calculations (my math may be wrong). It's taking the length of an eighth note at about 150bpm to switch. Unacceptable to have to hit the switch that soon to change in time, esp. with the quick and frequent changes I do in my band's music.

Hopefully, either RJM or Axxess will come out with the custom cable for their product and the MKV soon!

 

[Iconoclysm]

Also, I guess I should add that as soon as I can save the money, I'm getting either the Amp Gizmo or the CFX4 to switch my amp. The Gsystem is just too slow to react, which is really odd because previously I used a Gmajor and the switching on it was much faster, pretty instant actually. I contacted TC several times asking why it was different between equipment, but all I got was a lame answer about how the delay is only 50ms. I can tell you it's longer than that for sure...more in the range of 200ms by my calculations (my math may be wrong). It's taking the length of an eighth note at about 150bpm to switch. Unacceptable to have to hit the switch that soon to change in time, esp. with the quick and frequent changes I do in my band's music.

Hopefully, either RJM or Axxess will come out with the custom cable for their product and the MKV soon!

If the G-System is slow to react, are you sure that it's not just as slow with the MIDI switching?

 

[Bill11]

There is no way in hell I'd do the 6 cable method at 20 feet.

I agree. Thats why I moved away from the G system and bought a Nova system that just plugs right into the front. Fewer controls, similar great effects, 1/3 of the price, and the ease of use...priceless.

 

[Iconoclysm]

There is no way in hell I'd do the 6 cable method at 20 feet.

I agree. Thats why I moved away from the G system and bought a Nova system that just plugs right into the front. Fewer controls, similar great effects, 1/3 of the price, and the ease of use...priceless.

But you didn't decide to remove the brain and just use the single control cable? I do the 6 cable method but only need 3 foot cables...I do admit that the method is a pain in the *** but it would be a hell of a lot worse if I left the brain in the footswtich.

 

[DeadAirD]

Sorry for the confusion, what I meant earlier was that the relay switching was slow to react. Changing effects from preset to preset for the most part is pretty instant. Before recently deciding to clear out my rack a bit more, I was using the Gmajor solely for relay switching, which is kind of a waste, so I'm selling it to get a separate MIDI amp switcher. You'd think for a $1500 piece of gear the relays would be at least as fast as their $450 piece of gear. Aside from that flaw, I love the Gsystem!

 

[DeadAirD]

Also, earlier I was quoted as stating that I'd not do the 6 cable method at 20'...that was actually Iconoclysm's post in reaction to mine.

Since my Gsystem "brains" are rackmounted, I only have 2 cables running from my pedal boards to the amp and that's the CAT5 cable for the Gsystem and a cable out from my volume pedal to the input of the Gsystem. I have a second pedal board with just a Boss TU-2 tuner (far superior to Gsystem and allows complete bypass) going into my wah then into my Ernie Ball stereo volume/panning pedal, then to the Gsystem. I have an Ibanez with a piezo pickup system, so I use the Vol/pan to switch outputs from my main rig to an acoustic amp.

 

[Bill11]

There is no way in hell I'd do the 6 cable method at 20 feet.

I agree. Thats why I moved away from the G system and bought a Nova system that just plugs right into the front. Fewer controls, similar great effects, 1/3 of the price, and the ease of use...priceless.

But you didn't decide to remove the brain and just use the single control cable? I do the 6 cable method but only need 3 foot cables...I do admit that the method is a pain in the *** but it would be a hell of a lot worse if I left the brain in the footswtich.

Hi Iconoclysm,

I hear what you are saying. I find that some gigs are so close on space that the floor is the best or only safe place for effects so any thing that needs a rack creates a problem. But I gues that overall, I've been getting away from effects, and am pretty satisfied with the sound of my LSC head or LSS head and my 2x12 cab straight up or sometimes, with a Barber Burn unit.

 

[Supreeth]

Also, I guess I should add that as soon as I can save the money, I'm getting either the Amp Gizmo or the CFX4 to switch my amp. The Gsystem is just too slow to react, which is really odd because previously I used a Gmajor and the switching on it was much faster, pretty instant actually. I contacted TC several times asking why it was different between equipment, but all I got was a lame answer about how the delay is only 50ms. I can tell you it's longer than that for sure...more in the range of 200ms by my calculations (my math may be wrong). It's taking the length of an eighth note at about 150bpm to switch. Unacceptable to have to hit the switch that soon to change in time, esp. with the quick and frequent changes I do in my band's music.

Hopefully, either RJM or Axxess will come out with the custom cable for their product and the MKV soon!

To add to this:

I spoke with Chris from Mesa regarding this today and he strongly discouraged me from using the G-System to switch the V. The reason being that the ground voltage from the G-System is not compatible with most Mesas. He specifically mentioned the Dual/Triple rectifiers and the Roadster having issues. This could be why the switching is slow. He also added that they've not done factory tests with the Mark V and the G-System so it'll be best to err on the side of caution. He recommended the RJM or Axxess products in conjunction with the G-system.

cheers,
Supreeth

 

[niilz]

Well, I did a setup between MKV an GSys w/ one y-cable from GSys "switch 1" to MKV "channel 2" and "channel 3" and a mono cable from GSys "switch 2" to MkV "Solo" and as long as you do not want to switch the EQ on/off via relays (with a second y-cable instead of the mono cable) there is no problem with this configuration. No need for a gizmo etc...

The switches react as fast/well as the MKV floorboard and do not make louder noise after you have switched 10-20 times. :lol:

What really makes the switching of the channels too slow, is the noisegate in the GSys (if it is set to fast/high).