Zoom G3X

[roger bayliss]

It did a great Heart Barracuda with the vintage Flanger when I tried it out the other day. Not too sure about the amp sims as they seem a bit bright to my ears but the effects are really good.

[dave robinson]

It did a great Heart Barracuda with the vintage Flanger when I tried it out the other day. Not too sure about the amp sims as they seem a bit bright to my ears but the effects are really good.

I agree about some of the amps but you can tame them.

[AlanMcKillop]

Well, it's giving me a few headaches trying to put my own patches in, got Dave's in no problem .............. maybe I should read the instructions.

[dave robinson]

Hi Alan, the problem with the instructions is that some of them are missing. I was hours trying to do something and it wouldn't work, they had omitted to mention a button that needed to be pressed . . . I found it by messing for ages.

Give me a ring and I'll go through it if you like.

[AlanMcKillop]

Just noticed your post Dave, thanks. However, I think I've sussed it having spent a good number of hours on Saturday. Some great sounds in such a little unit and I've not even got round to the amp simulations yet.

[dave robinson]

I'm pleased that you are getting some pleasure from it Alan. I can't stop messing with different options and sounds, it's very simple to use which is a breath of fresh air to what went before.

[leddo]

Glad to see you are enjoying the Zoom G3 pedal Dave, but it is worth pointing out that it is quite old (about 2008 I think) in Zoom terms. When it first came out you could only use 3 patches at a time, then a software update allowed six to be used in keeping with the then new Zoom G5.
Since then Zoom appear to have gone down the single pedal route and have about 3 or 4 out just now. The one that I think would interest folks on here is the CDR 70 pedal (around £85) which only has chorus, reverb and delay (hence the CDR in the title). It appears to offer different delay effects from the G3/G5 and if you are not using the amp sims and are stuck for space it might be better option for members looking for a cheap delay pedal. I haven't used one yet but there are some very promising previews/reviews on youtube.

[dave robinson]

Glad to see you are enjoying the Zoom G3 pedal Dave, but it is worth pointing out that it is quite old (about 2008 I think) in Zoom terms. When it first came out you could only use 3 patches at a time, then a software update allowed six to be used in keeping with the then new Zoom G5.
Since then Zoom appear to have gone down the single pedal route and have about 3 or 4 out just now. The one that I think would interest folks on here is the CDR 70 pedal (around £85) which only has chorus, reverb and delay (hence the CDR in the title). It appears to offer different delay effects from the G3/G5 and if you are not using the amp sims and are stuck for space it might be better option for members looking for a cheap delay pedal. I haven't used one yet but there are some very promising previews/reviews on youtube.

Is there a swell pedal on it, if not it won't be much use for my needs.

[leddo]

The new pedals are based on a single stompbox design so you are out of luck on the swell pedal front I'm afraid

[dave robinson]

Today I got out the ESE Echomatic, Etap2hw and Zoom G3x and did some recording directly into my Roland 2480 work station.
Now I haven't used the Roland for about three years as I prefer to work in the living room on my Macbook using Logic, but I only have an interface to record two channels at a time, so I need to get my head around the Roland again because it can record the band in one.

I found a good early Vox tone with the onboard effects, then kept it the same for all three echo machines that went into it, so every recording had the same amp sound. I used my G&L S-500 and again kept the same settings on the guitar. Amazingly all three recordings of Wonderful Land and Apache sound very close to each other and to the original recording even though one of the machines is the real deal as an echo, i.e. valves, tape and motor, whilst the Etap2hw has a valve preamp and the Zoom is strictly solid state. The point I'm trying to make is that the ESE cost over a thousand pounds, whilst the other two were modestly cheaper but still delivered the same quality, I'd defy anyone to pick out which was which, the point being you don't need to spend a fortune to achieve the sound. My playing at the moment is heavily impeded because of my recent illness, so I'm playing at about fifty per cent of my capability, but I think the results would be pleasing to anyone. I used the Etap2hw in the studio yesterday through the Boogie for a rehearsal and it was awesome. I heard the ESE a few weeks ago the the AC30 at another rehearsal and it too was awesome and I know the Zoom does the business a I have used it live for the time I've had it, about four weeks.

What I did find today was that my Wonderful Land patch on the Zoom needed the first three heads turning up louder to match the ESE & Etap sound.
Anybody who's got those patches from me and wants the same, I'll happily send the updated file.