Digitech GNX3 as acoustic preamp

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betaphase

betaphase

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Hi eveyrone. I have a GNX3 which I bought for my electrics, but now I want to get a nice acoustic soundhole pickup for my acoustic guitar. I don't want to have to get an active pickup, so I was hoping to be able to use my GNX3 as a preamp. I figure it will preamp the sound, and process it a bit so that I can EQ everything and even add some effects. I was wondering if anyone here had ever used an effects processor to preamp a passive acoustic soundhole pickup, and how that worked out. Your input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
that's a good sign

so you get a good clean sound? does it sound like acoustic enough? what settings do you use (amp type, output settings)?
 
I'll be honest with you, the "Acoustic Patch" on the Gnx3 sounds great using a Strat.
I don't really use my acoustic guitar thru my Gnx3. I mainly use the Gnx for electric lead guitar effects.
But you can if you want, it sounds o.k. when used with a Fender or Vox combo and a little bit of reverb.
 
not to be a prick

but that acoustic patch on the gnx3 doesn't sound nearly as good as the sound i'm trying to get, and that has nothing to do with what I'm trying to achieve. if you go to this website http://www.fingerpick.com/pickups.htm and see the video you'll know what I mean. that's the sound i would like to get.

the acoustic patch on the gnx3 does not sound like a natural acoustic sound. though it's almost as realistic as a very unnatural acoustic amplification, it's nothing to compare to the actual sound of an acoustic guitar.

what I want to know is how well will the gnx3 work with a good passive acoustic pickup to create a reasonably natural acoustic sound.
 
Are you wanting this sound for live applications, recording or both? I can share with you what I use for both.

For live: Martin HD28V with a fishman under-saddle pickup and the Fishman Pro Platinum EQ DI box. Sometimes I go into the PA with it or through an Acoustic Amp. That's an active pickup. I've used other Acoustic guitars without an active pickup into the Fishman Pro Plat. E.Q. which will boost your signal before your main amp. It has a notch filter on it so you can tune out that unwanted feedback if you are running your input to an amp with 2x12 speakers.

For recording: I use a large condensor Mic pointed at about the 12th fret away from the guitar. You just have to move your Mic to find the sweet spot. I run that signal through a Focusrite VoiceMaster Plat. Pro. into any recording device.

So to kind of answer your question, I really never use my Gnx3 for an Acoustic guitar. I do agree the "acoustic guitar" patch is really not that good.

However, the Gnx3 will boost your signal, it is a preamp in a sense. If you are hell bent on using the Gnx3 with your passive pickup try these setting:

AMP = Direct, Blackface, or CleanTube
Cabinet: Direct, or 65 1x12
Amp Parameters= don't adjust the Gain too high. no more then 50
Noise Gate= On
EQ= your choice
Compressor=Off

Hope that helps.
 
thanks

For recording I have an MXR condenser mic which I plug into my lexicon omega box and record on my computer.

Now I need stuff to play live. I would prefer to use dedicated equipment for this application, if I had it. The problem is, I don't. It's not that I'm hell-bent on using the GNX3; it's just that it's all i've got. I'm looking to start doing a little bit of live playing, and I don't have an electric/acoustic guitar, or an acoustic amp. What I do have is a nice acoustic guitar, my gnx3 and a small PA (or the house PA wherever I play). I figure my cheapest, quickest, and easiest solution to be able, to start playing live with acoustc, would be to buy a decent acoustic pickup, which I haven't chosen yet, but am leaning heavily toward the LR Baggs M1.

I just wanted to know if hte GNX3 could work. In the future I hope to get some nicer stuff but for now I think I'll make do.

Thanks for all your help. I'll try those settings as well.
 
One more bit of advice that has worked for me. Once you get your acoustic pickup and plug everything in as if you are playing live, use the GENEDIT software program that came with your Gnx3.

Don't adjust your patches using the little knobs on the front of the GNx3.
You will need midi in and out to your computer to run the GENEDIT program.

The program makes tweaking a breeze. It's just a matter of using your mouse and keyboard and you are done.

The other nice thing is that you can save all of your Gnx presets on your hard drive. So if you mess up something on the Gnx you can always transfer it back from your computer's hard drive and midi.

I hope this helps.
 
yeah good idea

i'm familiar with the software. i've used it. I have the cables.

thanks again
 
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