[mgbills]

Good Evening All,

So...a while back I bought this cool GCX, and I've yet to hook it all up. I read through old threads on the topic, most notably when PlayinDead was leaving Analog Land.

So...should the chain be:

a) OBEL Guitar Main Out > GCX >> Effects >> SMS Classic >> Mc2100

or

b) Guitar > SMS > Mc then in a whole separate loop Guitar > OBEL Out TRS > JBox > Send side > GCX > Effects > Jbox > Guitar

Hope this makes sense to somebody but me. I think it could work either way, but would love to hear the logic of others

Also, Vic talked about special cables that somehow reduced the 357,000 patch cable the GCX will take. Anybody have a simplified take on reducing the leads between a rack drawer & the GCX?

Peace
M

[playingdead]

I'm not sure I understand the question, exactly, but if your guitar has the onboard effects loop, you want to connect the effects loop out to the input of the GCX, and the output of the GCX to the effect loop return on the guitar. Then the guitar's main output goes to the SMS and so forth. That way the only time the GCX is in your signal path is when the guitar's effects loop is engaged. Putting the GCX between the guitar's main output and the SMS obviates the need for the OBEL.

Regarding the cabling issue, there's no way to reduce the number of cables the GCX needs, but I was able to essentially halve the size of the pigtail by ordering custom patch cables using stereo TRS cables (like the one on your guitar's effects loop cable) split to 2 L jacks on the pedal end and 2 straight jacks on the GCX end. That gives you two sets of jacks per single stereo cable, so with eight pedals, that's 8 regular size cables in the bundle instead of 16 cables. Big difference.

The stereo cables I ordered from Redco were 40 inches long. You will also need six 1 foot cables to connect the loops on the back of the GCX together, and one 2 or 3 foot cable to stretch from loop four to loop five.

Hope that helps ...

[mgbills]

Thanks Vic!

This is exactly the clarification I needed. I read the GCX manual, and it seemed like putting the guitar signal through that device would in effect be double buffering (once through the guitar). What I suspect is that the GCX would attempt to "condition" the signal from the Waldo Buffer, and at the very least there would be some tone modification.

That's the trouble with being just inquisitive enough to be dangerous...mostly to myself

Thanks for clarifying the cabling stuff as well. I originally was thinking I'd build each cable by hand...but then I realized that between work, house, wife, grown up kids, & practice...it would take two years.

Peace
M

[myoung6923]

It will be double buffering but that's ok.

The signal going from the OBEL send is post-buffer and then it goes into the GCX - but since it is already low impedance it's not really affected by the buffer in the GCX.

You can test it by flipping the OBEL bypass switch and A/B the clean signal and the GCX signal. I'm willing to bet that you won't hear any difference at all.

[playingdead]

Plugging the guitar into the "feed thru" panel avoids the GCX's buffer if you feel the need to.

"There are two front panel feed thru's which provide convenient connection to your switching system. The feed thru labeled "GUITAR IN" is buffered and the the feed thru labeled "FEED THRU" is passive. The passive feed thru is simply hard-wired from the front jack to the rear. The most common use for the passive feed thru is for an "amp out" connection (passing from the back to the front). You can also use it as an instrument input if you do not wish to use the buffer."

[mgbills]

My preference would be do let the GCX handle the pedal chain only, and run the main out clean when the OBEL is off. I love the tone of the SMS, Mc, & JBL's with a healthy dose of reverb. Since the band I play with part time does R&R (other), and 25% GD, I have a lot of freeboard. I use a typical Jerry pedal group, + a Fuzz. Always start with that pristine clean tone. That's where my heart is.

[playingdead]

Nice.

If you need a Ground Control Pro to go along with it, I have a spare.

[mgbills]

Thanks for the offer Vic. I purchased the complete giddy-up from Jdsmodulus before his most untimely passing.

[MichaelCarolina]

Vic - I am new to the board - first post outside the intro section. On the spare Ground Control Pro, would you please PM me with details?