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T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

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  • #16
    Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

    Originally posted by dystrust View Post
    They're VERY similar. I've heard that they share a lot of algorithms and wouldn't be surprised to learn that it's true.

    I don't have a ton of experience with those, but the G Major 2 & G System both sound like professional level equipment. They probably don't have the same tweak-ability as a Strymon Big Sky or Eventide Space, but they're trying to do a bunch of things rather than one or two. As long as your effects needs are more general, they'll probably work well. OTOH If you need some of the off-the-wall reverbs that are popular in P&W lately or really esoteric delays, you'd be better off with Eventide / Strymon / Helix / etc.
    I agree. I have limited experience with the G-Major 2, but to me they sounded and operated very similarly, and the YT videos I've seen on the matter seem to confirm this.

    I will say this: The basic algorithms for effects were figured out decades ago. People may have their preferences, and there are plenty of variants, but the improvements in sound in digital effects stem mostly from the units themselves having more firepower and better A/D converters. Where the latter is concerned, I don't really think there have been many improvements since these units were designed. In other words, the units lack the flexibility of modern units (and the G-System in particular demands a little work to be set up properly in many cases), but what they do they are excellent at.

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    • #17
      Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

      As nice as the effects the Gmajor 1 & 2 have had hardware issues. The Gsystem, Nova System & GForce are solid units, pricey when they came out but still usuable today. Although there are more options in the market now.

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      • #18
        Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

        I’ve been looking into the G System more, seems very powerful for effect parameter tweaking and the integration with the Nova Drive is very cool.
        Oh no.....


        Oh Yeah!

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        • #19
          Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

          Originally posted by allstarrme View Post
          I too still have G system that I use. I stepped up to it from a nova system. I think the G major 2 is pretty close in terms of effects to the G system and could be used the same way with a midi controller. The effects are still great sounding and do everything I need. Much better than the built in effects in my H&K grandmeister. Some of the advanced effects are limited but it’s got all the basics down and they can be switched on or off separately from switching between presets.

          I wish it had some looping ability and the midi implementation is weak. I would have liked a different midi cc for each preset programmed to a switch. I solved this by using the relay switching instead which allows me to toggle between channels in a preset. If it had a few more buttons that were programmable it would be great. Considering it was last updated in 2011, it still sounds light years ahead of most pedalboards. If you need boutique effects that are out there it won’t work but for a great chorus, delay, reverb, phase, eq, noise gate, etc. it does the job well.

          There is quite a learning curve and I spent a lot of time reading about set up and building my own cables and rack panels for my custom set up. I’m sure the curve for setting up a digital system like a kemper is just as steep. The price for the tc systems has dropped dramatically too so it can get you a good setup on a budget.

          Are you still using the Nova Drive and Elektron? Seems pretty powerful in terms of multiple drive options.

          This (G System) seems a lot simpler than my big ES-8 loaded board, and you still get the 4 drives you really want.
          Oh no.....


          Oh Yeah!

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          • #20
            Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

            I’m using a nova drive, the elektron drive, my H&K tubemeister and a Friedman buxom boost currently. Moving a tc vintage pre drive, a bogner xtc or a decibel 11 dirt clod in rotation at times.

            The elektron drive does a ton of sounds well, but it defaults to switched off and it can’t stack drives internally. I can send a midi cc for it at each preset though and have the loop it’s in stored as on. The nova drive has only 2 drive sounds but 18 presets and can stack the two sounds together. The tubemiester has 3 channels and I have a relay switch set up to switch between 2 of them, instead of just turning the loop off. I removed the boost section of the G system by locking it out and made it turn on the 4th loop that my boost is actually in. The built in boost just attenuated the overall volume and restores it for a boost in the G system.

            I have a separate external switcher I could add another loop or two with, if I designate another relay switch button. I have been playing with adding a boost going into the power section (return) for more of a volume boost rather than gain. I also have one side hooked up to a Palmer direct box, so I can play around with wet/ dry setups through the left and right sides.

            The G system have some great studio quality effects in it. The 2260 they are based on is still used today as a plug in.

            The routing and midi controls aren’t perfect but it can be worked around, and as a controller and effects unit it is very powerful. I built all my cables by hand and used balanced cables, isolated transformers and pseudo balanced cables through out. I think I spent more time reading about setting it all up than anything. I even color coded the cables to my amp so I can’t screw it up on a dark stage.

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            • #21
              Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

              Ok, bumping back up...

              So the G Major and G Major 2 have effects like compression and wah that you would want in front of your amp, delays and reverbs that you want in the loop, and some you may want in either place. As far as I can see, there’s no loop, so it either has to sit in front of the amp or in the loop, right?
              Oh no.....


              Oh Yeah!

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              • #22
                Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

                Does it have distortion too? Perhaps they really just mean for you to us their pedals/models etc I to the front of a clean amp.

                That is an option. With that much processing mojo, why not?
                Originally posted by Bad City
                He's got the crowd on his side and the blue jean lights in his eyes...

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                • #23
                  Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

                  I dont see an SR loop on the back of those, in that case it cannot be split up in 4cm. Most people that bought the GMs used them for mods & time based stuff and other rack units for the other stuff. Their nova series had the algos borrowed from their rack stuff, those were a good option if ya wanted specific tc fx.

                  Always wanted to get the nova repeater, never found a good deal on one, have a flashblack around. I like tc algos but I find others like strymon and what not that came later more branched out & varied, better ad/da converters and so forth. Back when ad/da was pricey, the units that used the best were pricey too. Nowadays they have gotten reasonable cheaper so they are everywhere offering better S/N ratios and transfer.

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                  • #24
                    Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

                    Originally posted by Aceman View Post
                    Does it have distortion too? Perhaps they really just mean for you to us their pedals/models etc I to the front of a clean amp.

                    That is an option. With that much processing mojo, why not?
                    It’s basically all effects minus gain (other than EQ). The G Major was incredibly popular with the Mesa users, get all gain from the amp except maybe a Tube Screamer, then G Major in the loop for reverb/delay/chorus.

                    I’ve still got a bug to get a TriAxis, we’ll see.

                    Originally posted by Hank- View Post
                    I dont see an SR loop on the back of those, in that case it cannot be split up in 4cm. Most people that bought the GMs used them for mods & time based stuff and other rack units for the other stuff. Their nova series had the algos borrowed from their rack stuff, those were a good option if ya wanted specific tc fx.

                    Always wanted to get the nova repeater, never found a good deal on one, have a flashblack around. I like tc algos but I find others like strymon and what not that came later more branched out & varied, better ad/da converters and so forth. Back when ad/da was pricey, the units that used the best were pricey too. Nowadays they have gotten reasonable cheaper so they are everywhere offering better S/N ratios and transfer.
                    That makes sense. In all likelihood the new Plethora x5 probably sounds better.

                    I wonder if this rack exploration is a bad idea... I’ve got great pedals now, maybe if I do get the TriAxis I just use it Pre/Power like a standard amp and be done with the rack stuff.
                    Oh no.....


                    Oh Yeah!

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                    • #25
                      Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

                      You are right regarding the FX loop: these units are getting quite old technologically, and the G-System was pretty much the first unit to even explore 4CM within the same unit. The effects are voiced to be placed where they are, but it is a compromise. Then again, I maintain that the effects still sound great. At the end of the day, both pedals and rack units come with constraints of their own, and you'll have to decide for yourself which ones you want to put up with.

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                      • #26
                        Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

                        Originally posted by Sirion View Post
                        You are right regarding the FX loop: these units are getting quite old technologically, and the G-System was pretty much the first unit to even explore 4CM within the same unit. The effects are voiced to be placed where they are, but it is a compromise. Then again, I maintain that the effects still sound great. At the end of the day, both pedals and rack units come with constraints of their own, and you'll have to decide for yourself which ones you want to put up with.
                        For how inexpensive and available they are, you could run one before and one in the loop, still cheaper then one Eventide or Strymon unit. I think the optimal thing for me may be a few analog pedals in front (Univibe/Phaser, analog delay, maybe an analog Chorus) then something like a GM2 in the loop for the remainder of delays, reverbs, pitch shifting, chorus, etc.

                        We’ll see if this idea takes off again. I keep coming back to it so clearly it’s something I want to explore.
                        Oh no.....


                        Oh Yeah!

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                        • #27
                          Re: T.C. Racks - G Major / G Major 2 / G System / G Force

                          Originally posted by PFDarkside View Post
                          For how inexpensive and available they are, you could run one before and one in the loop, still cheaper then one Eventide or Strymon unit. I think the optimal thing for me may be a few analog pedals in front (Univibe/Phaser, analog delay, maybe an analog Chorus) then something like a GM2 in the loop for the remainder of delays, reverbs, pitch shifting, chorus, etc.

                          We’ll see if this idea takes off again. I keep coming back to it so clearly it’s something I want to explore.
                          That would work well indeed. For myself, I have no interest in going back to a pedalboard rig, so I'll stick with the G-System until a proper replacement comes along. If the Plethora sells well, one might hope for an expanded, racked version...

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