Post by JAC on Mar 1, 2018 21:03:43 GMT
Let me start off by saying that I purchased this pedal with the intention of using it as a practice tool for my Ukulele when travelling. I don't play guitar but I do play Piccolo bass, which is basically a guitar missing two strings, so I will be giving it some use within the guitar frequencies.
Let me also say that I am no effects expert, I am still very new to the effects world, but I have been using Zoom multieffects pedals since I started playing bass. I used the Zoom B2 for a few years and then moved on to the B3 when it was released. After using the B3 for some years now, I have found it to be a very valuable tool to me, even if I don't use that many effects on it.
Although I am very happy with the B3, I wanted something that was a little smaller and lighter that I could fit in my hand luggage, along with the Uke, and not have to worry too much about it. The G1on (and the B1on, note that these pedals are identical except for the presets etc.) looked to be a perfect option in this sense, and turned out to be just that.
One of the main diferences between the B3 and G1on are the connectivity options. The B3 has a USB audio interface, allowing me to connect it direct to my laptop, this allows me to record, use PC effects and to also use the PC as a looper. The B3 also has a DI out, allowing direct connection to a mixer when needed. The G1on has neither of these (it does have a USB port, but more on that in a moment). However, the G1on has an Aux in port, allowing me to run either my PC, or phone (which was not possible with the B3) into it. Both of them have stereo output, the B3 being two jacks (L also doubles as a headphones socket), whereas the G1on has a single stereo jack (which also doubles as a headphone socket). Although I would love the USB interface and DI, the line in on the G1on actually makes more sense in my situation where I want a rig that is as small as possible, I no longer need (although I still can) use my laptop as an aux device, I can use my phone instead.
So, on to the functionality...
Here the device is completely different to the B3's set up. On the B3 you have 3 footswitches that have different functions when short ot long pressed. This allows you to access the tuner, mute, bypass, looper etc. all with your foot, it also allows and extra control or expression pedal to be connected for further functionality. The main thing missing from the B3 is the ability to control the rythm playback with your feet (unless you modify the pedal).
On the G1on you only get 2 foot switches, which is fine and I expect less functionality, but a short press moves one patch up (or down) and a long press quickly cycles up (or down). You can enter the tuner mode by pressing both pedals at once, but you must select in the tuner options menu whether you want muted or unmuted tuning, you can't change without going into the tuner menu (by hand). On both the B3 and the much older B2, a long or short press let you choose between bypass and muted tuning. This is a big step backwards in my opinion.
The control of the looper and rythm playback is also an issue on this pedal. There is a small button that you press (with your hand) to enter the rythm section, the same button then serves to cycle between rythm or looper. Once in the rythm section, the foot switches control play and stop, one on each pedal, a long press does nothing. Rythm type, bpm etc. must be selected using the dial and buttons (which is understandable, although a tap tempo would have been nice). The looper makes better use of the foot pedals (left is play and rec, right is stop and clear) but there is no undo option, at least that I have found yet (no, I haven't read the manual, I'm a man! ).
If you want to return to the effects patches from the looper or rythm, you need to press another small button (by hand) called home to exit. There is a mod where people glue rubber (or other objects) on top of these small buttons so they can be pressed with your foot. I will probably end up doing this, although I am not sure it will be good for the buttons, but seriously Zoom, one small footswitch to do this (using a short and long press for different functions) would have been well worth 5€ more!
One other thing that confuses me about the way Zoom have set up control for these pedals is the repeated funtion on both the scroll knob and the left and right buttons. When in a patch, pressing left or right lets you move between the different slots and functions of the patch, but so does turning the knob left or right. Once you want to change something, you press enter and then continue to scroll with the knob, so what is the use of the left and right buttons? Couldn't they have been left out, along with swapping the enter button to a click on the scroll knob? Surely that would have saved them the space and money to add the extra foot switch for the looper and rythms etc!!
Changing settings in a patch is a little tedious, but that is the case with most multifx that have a limited number of buttons. I would probably have layed out the control a little differently, but it is by no means the worse I have tried (the B2 was a nightmare!!).
One final thing about the functionailty is the USB that I mentioned earlier. Unlike the B3, this connection is only intended to be used for firmware updates and to power the pedal. The B3 can also be powered via USB (although some report issues) but it has a B type connector. The G1on is a mini USB (not micro) but can be powered by a phone charger or a battery pack. As the JBL Charge (a great bluetooth speaker by the way) is also a power bank, the speaker can power the pedal which is pretty cool.
Although the USB is only made for firmware updates, a simple software program called ZoomLib has been created which allows you to back up and to re load effects into the pedal. It is not anything like the Zoom Edit&Share software, which lets you change settings from your pc, but it is very handy for saving patches and for sharing patches between users. The software (and some user made patches) can be found here: www.zoompatches.com/forum/index.php?topic=53.0
So how does it sound?
The most important part of an effects pedal is obviously what it sounds like. Here I am going to be a lot briefer as I have only had it for a short while.
My first impressions are that the preloaded patches suck, as with 99.9% of premade patches I have tried on any pedal. The overdrives and dirts seem to also be pretty crappy, but I will need to blend them with other things before I can give a proper opinion.
I also feel that this pedal is noisier on the amp and compression effects than the B3, creating a lot of background noise. The good news is that the ZNR is just as good as on the B3 and does and excellent job of removing the noise.
One of the reasons I opted for the G1on over the B1on was due to some issues I have with the B3. Some of the effects do not pick up the higher strings of the uke and it is as though that (or those) string is muted. I thought that the G1on, as it was designed for guitar, would be better at processing those notes, but it seems to be exactly the same as the B3. I havent pinpointed exactly what settings and effects cause this, but I will investigate further.
I haven't had chance to run the Piccolo through it yet hopefully I will get some time this weekend.
In a couple of weeks I will be on a month trip where this will be my only set up, so I should be able to get a good grasp on the pedal by the end of the trip.
Let me also say that I am no effects expert, I am still very new to the effects world, but I have been using Zoom multieffects pedals since I started playing bass. I used the Zoom B2 for a few years and then moved on to the B3 when it was released. After using the B3 for some years now, I have found it to be a very valuable tool to me, even if I don't use that many effects on it.
Although I am very happy with the B3, I wanted something that was a little smaller and lighter that I could fit in my hand luggage, along with the Uke, and not have to worry too much about it. The G1on (and the B1on, note that these pedals are identical except for the presets etc.) looked to be a perfect option in this sense, and turned out to be just that.
One of the main diferences between the B3 and G1on are the connectivity options. The B3 has a USB audio interface, allowing me to connect it direct to my laptop, this allows me to record, use PC effects and to also use the PC as a looper. The B3 also has a DI out, allowing direct connection to a mixer when needed. The G1on has neither of these (it does have a USB port, but more on that in a moment). However, the G1on has an Aux in port, allowing me to run either my PC, or phone (which was not possible with the B3) into it. Both of them have stereo output, the B3 being two jacks (L also doubles as a headphones socket), whereas the G1on has a single stereo jack (which also doubles as a headphone socket). Although I would love the USB interface and DI, the line in on the G1on actually makes more sense in my situation where I want a rig that is as small as possible, I no longer need (although I still can) use my laptop as an aux device, I can use my phone instead.
So, on to the functionality...
Here the device is completely different to the B3's set up. On the B3 you have 3 footswitches that have different functions when short ot long pressed. This allows you to access the tuner, mute, bypass, looper etc. all with your foot, it also allows and extra control or expression pedal to be connected for further functionality. The main thing missing from the B3 is the ability to control the rythm playback with your feet (unless you modify the pedal).
On the G1on you only get 2 foot switches, which is fine and I expect less functionality, but a short press moves one patch up (or down) and a long press quickly cycles up (or down). You can enter the tuner mode by pressing both pedals at once, but you must select in the tuner options menu whether you want muted or unmuted tuning, you can't change without going into the tuner menu (by hand). On both the B3 and the much older B2, a long or short press let you choose between bypass and muted tuning. This is a big step backwards in my opinion.
The control of the looper and rythm playback is also an issue on this pedal. There is a small button that you press (with your hand) to enter the rythm section, the same button then serves to cycle between rythm or looper. Once in the rythm section, the foot switches control play and stop, one on each pedal, a long press does nothing. Rythm type, bpm etc. must be selected using the dial and buttons (which is understandable, although a tap tempo would have been nice). The looper makes better use of the foot pedals (left is play and rec, right is stop and clear) but there is no undo option, at least that I have found yet (no, I haven't read the manual, I'm a man! ).
If you want to return to the effects patches from the looper or rythm, you need to press another small button (by hand) called home to exit. There is a mod where people glue rubber (or other objects) on top of these small buttons so they can be pressed with your foot. I will probably end up doing this, although I am not sure it will be good for the buttons, but seriously Zoom, one small footswitch to do this (using a short and long press for different functions) would have been well worth 5€ more!
One other thing that confuses me about the way Zoom have set up control for these pedals is the repeated funtion on both the scroll knob and the left and right buttons. When in a patch, pressing left or right lets you move between the different slots and functions of the patch, but so does turning the knob left or right. Once you want to change something, you press enter and then continue to scroll with the knob, so what is the use of the left and right buttons? Couldn't they have been left out, along with swapping the enter button to a click on the scroll knob? Surely that would have saved them the space and money to add the extra foot switch for the looper and rythms etc!!
Changing settings in a patch is a little tedious, but that is the case with most multifx that have a limited number of buttons. I would probably have layed out the control a little differently, but it is by no means the worse I have tried (the B2 was a nightmare!!).
One final thing about the functionailty is the USB that I mentioned earlier. Unlike the B3, this connection is only intended to be used for firmware updates and to power the pedal. The B3 can also be powered via USB (although some report issues) but it has a B type connector. The G1on is a mini USB (not micro) but can be powered by a phone charger or a battery pack. As the JBL Charge (a great bluetooth speaker by the way) is also a power bank, the speaker can power the pedal which is pretty cool.
Although the USB is only made for firmware updates, a simple software program called ZoomLib has been created which allows you to back up and to re load effects into the pedal. It is not anything like the Zoom Edit&Share software, which lets you change settings from your pc, but it is very handy for saving patches and for sharing patches between users. The software (and some user made patches) can be found here: www.zoompatches.com/forum/index.php?topic=53.0
So how does it sound?
The most important part of an effects pedal is obviously what it sounds like. Here I am going to be a lot briefer as I have only had it for a short while.
My first impressions are that the preloaded patches suck, as with 99.9% of premade patches I have tried on any pedal. The overdrives and dirts seem to also be pretty crappy, but I will need to blend them with other things before I can give a proper opinion.
I also feel that this pedal is noisier on the amp and compression effects than the B3, creating a lot of background noise. The good news is that the ZNR is just as good as on the B3 and does and excellent job of removing the noise.
One of the reasons I opted for the G1on over the B1on was due to some issues I have with the B3. Some of the effects do not pick up the higher strings of the uke and it is as though that (or those) string is muted. I thought that the G1on, as it was designed for guitar, would be better at processing those notes, but it seems to be exactly the same as the B3. I havent pinpointed exactly what settings and effects cause this, but I will investigate further.
I haven't had chance to run the Piccolo through it yet hopefully I will get some time this weekend.
In a couple of weeks I will be on a month trip where this will be my only set up, so I should be able to get a good grasp on the pedal by the end of the trip.