Mark V with G System

[mbgs]

I just bought a Mark V and did notice a slight tone change when engaging the G System thru the effects loop as the manual indicates may occur. Can an external switching devices (i.e. G System) control the FX bypass similar to the foot controller that comes with the M5? It seems as though the only option is use the manual switch on the back of the amp?

 

[bucketbot]

Yes the loop can be switched on & off by the G System in the same way as it can with the Mark V footswitch but only if you use something like the mini amp Gizmo to switch this via midi as there is no TS jack on the amp for this.
However I don't really think that is what you are getting at. :wink:
I assume you are referring to the hard bypass switch :?:

I don't think that can be switched in or out any other way than with the toggle switch on the back of the amp.

 

[SteveO]

Once I got all of my levels dialed in with my G System and Mark V I didn't notice any tonal changes that I would think twice about. It's a bit of work and there is no definitive list of level values to work with (because everybody sets their channels differently), but once you get it fully set up you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[mbgs]

The tone change I hear when going thru the M5 effects loop / G-System buffers is subtle but I do notice the change relative to the FX being turned off thru the M5 footswitch. I dropped a ton on the M5 so it's worth another $200 for a Gizmo if that enables the same functionality as the footswitch. I also understand the Gizmo switches channels faster than the G System.

Thanks

 

[bucketbot]

I use a Lehle Sunday driver as a pre input buffer & it makes a big difference. I now have no loss of tone & am able to set the input gain on the G to 0 db.

The mini amp gizmo & MkV Custom cable is a good investment as it switches channels instantly & also allows you to switch all the amps features. :mrgreen:

 

[Mrjason]

I own a Mark V and G system also. I found a tone change in the loop that had me upset for a little while. There is an impedance thing going on from the insert loop and Mark V effects loop.
The Loops 1-4 on the G system have higher input impedance than the insert loop. I hook my G System up to loop 4 vrs the insert loop using the 4 cable method. Mind you reprogramming all the channels to turn off insert and leave loop4 active was a small pain but only took a little while. I plan on trying a Sunday driver one day as i read that helps also but that day hasnt come yet so i cant comment on how that helps. I suggest trying loop 4 and see how your ears feel about it.

 

[bucketbot]

I own a Mark V and G system also. I found a tone change in the loop that had me upset for a little while. There is an impedance thing going on from the insert loop and Mark V effects loop.
The Loops 1-4 on the G system have higher input impedance than the insert loop. I hook my G System up to loop 4 vrs the insert loop using the 4 cable method. Mind you reprogramming all the channels to turn off insert and leave loop4 active was a small pain but only took a little while. I plan on trying a Sunday driver one day as i read that helps also but that day hasnt come yet so i cant comment on how that helps. I suggest trying loop 4 and see how your ears feel about it.

I remember reading your post on the G System forum about that. :wink:
I would definitely recommend giving the Sunday driver a go. I found it made a huge difference & allowed me to use the insert loop with no noticeable impedance mismatch problems. It also allowed me to reduce my input Gain on the G to 0db & set all the other G System Global settings to zero attenuation compensating with the gain controller on the sunday driver with with a resulting level matching the way the amp sounds with just the guitar connected to the amp front input with no real noticeable loss of tone. :mrgreen:

 

[mbgs]

Thanks, I'll give loop 4 and the Sunday Driver a try. BTW I have my guitar direct in to the amp because there was a noticeable high frequency attenuation going through the G System. Hopefully the Sunday driver will solve that issue as well.

 

[juikkipuikki]

I used G-System with MarkV about ½ an year and then decided to sell it because it sucked my signal(using ebtech HE2 and set properly using Laird's white paper) and didn't bother invest to any buffer box. I also used ISP decimator pro rack g but still there was some odd humm/buzz going on(even if I was running via furman pl pro dmc). So I sold it and also the decimator because I realised that I didn't need it after selling g-system :O That odd hum was gone.

Now Im running Mark V with RJM rack gizmo(with pedals and soon axe fx2) and controlling that with RJM mastermind.

I dont know if this is very good post but just saying, g-system wasn't my thing

 

[Mrjason]

I should add that I totally dig my G system! Let alone my Mark V !! :mrgreen:
I am picky about my tone and the G system is pretty **** transparent in loop 4 like i mentioned before. I didnt like the tone change when hooked up to the insert loop and would have sold it before trying loop 4. I play a PRS with hot pickups and it really was noticable. Now there is a very slight difference and i mean very slight. Enough for me to want to keep it.
Its much better then the effect stomp boxes i used before. All the delays I have tried before this thing really tone sucked bad and I NEED my chorus and flanges. This thing works for me!
The effects are top notch. I use real short cables and have not experienced any noise at all since owning it at home nor band practice. I'll try that Sunday driver one day Bucketbot!

 

[bucketbot]

I should add that I totally dig my G system! Let alone my Mark V !! :mrgreen:
I am picky about my tone and the G system is pretty **** transparent in loop 4 like i mentioned before. I didnt like the tone change when hooked up to the insert loop and would have sold it before trying loop 4. I play a PRS with hot pickups and it really was noticable. Now there is a very slight difference and i mean very slight. Enough for me to want to keep it.
Its much better then the effect stomp boxes i used before. All the delays I have tried before this thing really tone sucked bad and I NEED my chorus and flanges. This thing works for me!
The effects are top notch. I use real short cables and have not experienced any noise at all since owning it at home nor band practice. I'll try that Sunday driver one day Bucketbot!

Agree totally. :wink:
I also have no issues with hum or buzz even with the amp on V high gain settings.
I aslo do not use a noise Gate. However I do use balanced cables for all my connections via a TRS cable snake & I find I have no need for hum eliminators except for when I use a second amp connected to the G system Left output to give me stereo.
In that case I use one for the front input of one amp & that seems to kill the ground loop hum.

 

[Mrjason]

Man Bucketbot ... sweet snake skin Mark V. That looks awesome!

Mbgs .. please post back after you try loop 4 or the Sunday driver. I am curious to hear what you think.

 

[lesterpaul]

I should add that I totally dig my G system! Let alone my Mark V !! :mrgreen:
I am picky about my tone and the G system is pretty **** transparent in loop 4 like i mentioned before. I didnt like the tone change when hooked up to the insert loop and would have sold it before trying loop 4. I play a PRS with hot pickups and it really was noticable. Now there is a very slight difference and i mean very slight. Enough for me to want to keep it.
Its much better then the effect stomp boxes i used before. All the delays I have tried before this thing really tone sucked bad and I NEED my chorus and flanges. This thing works for me!
The effects are top notch. I use real short cables and have not experienced any noise at all since owning it at home nor band practice. I'll try that Sunday driver one day Bucketbot!

a big +1...loop 4 takes care of the issues
haven't they issued a new gsystem that adresses this?(the black one?)

 

[mbgs]

I did try loop 4 instead of the "insert" path and did not notice a difference. It still sounds a little better to my ear bypassing the G-System buffers when not needing any effects and just using the M5 tone. I still dig the sound of the M5 with the G-System for digital effects.

 

[Mrjason]

I'm suprised you dont hear a difference mgbs. I would agree that bypassing the loop will give you the most natural unaltered tone when not needing effects haha... i just usually need a little something .

 

[iceman]

I used G-System with MarkV about ½ an year and then decided to sell it because it sucked my signal(using ebtech HE2 and set properly using Laird's white paper) and didn't bother invest to any buffer box.

I'm considering getting the G-system for my setup. I reviewed Laird's white paper and he recommends the ebtech hum eliminators. I had an HE8 for a short while but got rid of it because it seemed to roll of higher frequencies and attenuate the volume (maybe I imagined the frequency roll off). I looked up the manual on ebtech's website and they specifically don't recommend using their gear with a guitar setup unless there are no other options (minus the humx product). Is this due to impedence mismatches or line/instrument level mismatching? I think the level mismatch should be ok to deal with but if it is impedence mismatching then I'm not sure how it is ok to use in this setup with out tone suck. Any ideas?

 

[screamingdaisy]

I read through Laird's paper, and while informative I think he way over-thinks things. A lot of what he talks about in terms of using balanced cables and ebtecs makes sense if you need the absolute lowest noise floor possible... however it's also a well known fact that nothing is transparent and every device you add to the signal path will have an affect on the signal that flows through it. The end result is that you're degrading the signal in an effort to lower the noise floor when chances are the noise contributed by the G-System is already well below the noise levels you'll experience due to all the electrical equipment in your local bar.

Myself, I set the unit on my amp and use a bunch of short patch cables to connect everything.

 

[bucketbot]

I read through Laird's paper, and while informative I think he way over-thinks things. A lot of what he talks about in terms of using balanced cables and ebtecs makes sense if you need the absolute lowest noise floor possible... however it's also a well known fact that nothing is transparent and every device you add to the signal path will have an affect on the signal that flows through it. The end result is that you're degrading the signal in an effort to lower the noise floor when chances are the noise contributed by the G-System is already well below the noise levels you'll experience due to all the electrical equipment in your local bar.

Myself, I set the unit on my amp and use a bunch of short patch cables to connect everything.

What you say is of course true as whenever you add anything to your rig apart form a guitar-cable-amp you can expect some signal degradation & perhaps it's also true that maybe Laird does sometimes over think things.

However in his defence I say thank god he does!! as without him many of us G system users would be absolutely stuffed!

What's more his advice is sound & never incorrect (even if sometimes over the top for what you are trying to achieve) & almost always of at least some use. :wink:

 

[screamingdaisy]

I'm not going to knock the quality of his paper, however it's always useful to have competing opinions when researching something that's as subjective as how to configure a guitar rig.