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Post subject: A few questions ...
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 5:41 am
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I'm thinking about buying a Fender G-DEC 3 15 and I'm curious to hear what everyone thinks of them. And I have a few question about it too.

1. Can you store your own backing tracks in MP3 or WAV format on a 2GB SD-card and use them without saving them to the amp's harddrive? And can you do the same with presets you make, either in Fuse or on the amp itsself?

2. Can you play through the amp using a preset, but not a backing track?

3. Are you happy with the sound of the standard presets and backing tracks?

4. Can you adjust Gain, Treble, Volume, Bass for every preset?

5. Can you play it without selecting a preset, to get a clean tone ?

Sorry if some questions are stupid, I just don't know a lot about amps yet ...


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 8:21 am
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I have the G-DEC 3 15, and love it. Fits my practice needs perfectly.

To answer your questions:

1. Yes. Yes.

2. Yes.

3. Yes, though I do mess around with the settings when I want to.

4. Yes.

5. No. Presets are loaded by default. Clean presets exist, or you can create your own.

6. Here's my answer to the question you didn't ask: Yes, get the foot switch.

Good luck, whatever you decide!


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:12 pm
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And is it easy to get typical Slash, Satriani, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd tones out of it or to create them via FUSE?


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:52 pm
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kristof_w wrote:
I'm thinking about buying a Fender G-DEC 3 15 and I'm curious to hear what everyone thinks of them. And I have a few question about it too.

1. Can you store your own backing tracks in MP3 or WAV format on a 2GB SD-card and use them without saving them to the amp's harddrive? And can you do the same with presets you make, either in Fuse or on the amp itsself?

2. Can you play through the amp using a preset, but not a backing track?

3. Are you happy with the sound of the standard presets and backing tracks?

4. Can you adjust Gain, Treble, Volume, Bass for every preset?

5. Can you play it without selecting a preset, to get a clean tone ?

Sorry if some questions are stupid, I just don't know a lot about amps yet ...


1. Yes. I don't use fuse to store the files on the SD card. If your computer has an SD card slot, you can just drag and drop the files into the folders that the amp creates when you format the SD card on the amp. Either way, the 2GB SD card will hold quite a bit.

2. Yes you can play without a backing track. Simply select the preset and start playing. If you want to use the backing track you have to hit the start button to start a backing track playing.

3. Initially, you will probably find that some of the presets sound a little harsh. I went through and dialed the gain down (very easy to do) on the harsh ones and then saved them back.

4. It is very, very easy to adjust gain, treble, bass, volume, and even individual effects such as delay, chorus etc. Very easy indeed.

5. I would simply select a preset that you don't like and adjust it down to clean and save it.

If you don't mind spending a little bit more, the 30 watt version is, in my opinion, much better sounding than the 15 watt. Additionally, when I first got the amp I went berserk playing with all of the presets and FX. You will have so much fun seeing what the amp can do that time will just fly. Heck, the first night that I had it, I did not go to bed until about 5 am. To save your back, you might want to buy an amp stand so that you don't spend so much time hunched over the amp.

All in all, the G-decs are great practice amps.


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:09 am
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Thanks for the great answers guys , I couldn't find them in any review.

Now the only thing left for me is to go out and try one :)
Is it a good amp to play Slash solos, Satriani, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Blues Lead, etc ?


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:24 am
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kristof_w wrote:
Thanks for the great answers guys , I couldn't find them in any review.

Now the only thing left for me is to go out and try one :)
Is it a good amp to play Slash solos, Satriani, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Blues Lead, etc ?


I am not a big fan of the fuse software. For me, it is much easier to make adjustments from the control panel. After a few minutes of playing around with it, you will feel right at home and can dial just the right sound you need for those styles of music. I should note that my dislike of the fuse software is just a personal opinion. I don't like fuse because I feel that it is not very Mac friendly and I haven't touched a windows PC since migrating to the Mac.

Good luck with trying the G-Decs out. I think that you will find them enjoyable.


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 6:30 am
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Since I didn't get much response to my recent thread, with similar questions, I'll tag on here:

1) can you download individual tracks and save them on the GDEC (not the SD card)?

2) these complaints with mac... how bad is this? I mean, Fender came out with a mac version of FUSE and it STILL doesn't work well? Because in a video demo with Greg Koch, he said you don't need the FUSE software, but that you could do alot more WITH it than you can with the amp alone?


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 6:38 am
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ruger9 wrote:
Since I didn't get much response to my recent thread, with similar questions, I'll tag on here:

1) can you download individual tracks and save them on the GDEC (not the SD card)?

2) these complaints with mac... how bad is this? I mean, Fender came out with a mac version of FUSE and it STILL doesn't work well? Because in a video demo with Greg Koch, he said you don't need the FUSE software, but that you could do alot more WITH it than you can with the amp alone?


You can download individual tracks and save them on the G-DEC. But, the amp doesn't have very much space. You will likely have to remove some of the existing tracks to make room. I find it much easier to store tracks on the SD card and also way easier to manage tracks by putting the SD card in my computer. Moving tracks to and from the G-DEC or the card in the G-DEC is very slow.

Using FUSE just makes things easier. I have a Mac and FUSE works, but barely. Using it normally results in multiple power cycles of the amp and relaunches of FUSE. I've sort of figured out its idiosyncrasies and can normally get what I want done these days with only minimal lose of hair. But, it can be frustrating at times.


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 6:48 am
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Thanks for the answers. I'm surprised at the Mac problems, I know PCs are way more prevalent, but Mac is THE "music computer"... :roll: I'm not really a big modeling guy, and the #1 reason I'm buying the GDEC is for the backing tracks... it's just so easy to jam when you've got 10-15 min... no computer, no ipod, just turn on the amp & play.

Plus, as I've read alot of other people say, it looks to just be FUN. Just fun playing with all the presets & jamming with the tracks. It'll never replace my tube amps of course, but it seems to be a very good "all-in-one" jamming/practice amp that's small enough to put anywhere (no pedalboard, doesn't weigh 60 lbs, etc).

If it's good enough for Eric Johnson & Paul Pigat to dig, it's good enough for me!


OH..... just thought of something else: I wonder what mac OS people are using? I'm still on Snow Leopard, haven't upgraded to Lion yet.


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 7:20 am
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ruger9 wrote:
Thanks for the answers. I'm surprised at the Mac problems, I know PCs are way more prevalent, but Mac is THE "music computer"... :roll: I'm not really a big modeling guy, and the #1 reason I'm buying the GDEC is for the backing tracks... it's just so easy to jam when you've got 10-15 min... no computer, no ipod, just turn on the amp & play.

Plus, as I've read alot of other people say, it looks to just be FUN. Just fun playing with all the presets & jamming with the tracks. It'll never replace my tube amps of course, but it seems to be a very good "all-in-one" jamming/practice amp that's small enough to put anywhere (no pedalboard, doesn't weigh 60 lbs, etc).

If it's good enough for Eric Johnson & Paul Pigat to dig, it's good enough for me!


OH..... just thought of something else: I wonder what mac OS people are using? I'm still on Snow Leopard, haven't upgraded to Lion yet.


I have used it on snow leopard and lion. The biggest problems that I have encountered are with fuse and the extended-journaled formatting of the macs hard drive and with the backup function not working right when attempting to backup both presets and backing tracks (only the presets get backed up). Brad acknowledged the problem but could only give me manual workarounds.


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:24 pm
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Just thought I'd add my 2 cents - and I know everyone's amp needs/wants vary - but I thought I couldn't live without a tube amp and had one just to have one but I never used it, I used my G-DEC 3 Thirty 100% of the time. Its plenty loud, sounds good, has lots of easy to adjust effects and cabs and for practice, its just the most dang fun you can have.

I just sold my last of 3 tube amps. Just slowly got rid of them as I found I was using them less and less until... sorry, baby, you might as well be sold - and the last one went.

+1 on the 30 amp model too. Sounds lots better and it blows away the 15 in volume. I used to own the 15 and returned it for the 30. (Again, that's just me, I'm sure for some the 15 is perfect). :)


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 11:41 am
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truebluefliplover wrote:
ruger9 wrote:
Thanks for the answers. I'm surprised at the Mac problems, I know PCs are way more prevalent, but Mac is THE "music computer"... :roll: I'm not really a big modeling guy, and the #1 reason I'm buying the GDEC is for the backing tracks... it's just so easy to jam when you've got 10-15 min... no computer, no ipod, just turn on the amp & play.

Plus, as I've read alot of other people say, it looks to just be FUN. Just fun playing with all the presets & jamming with the tracks. It'll never replace my tube amps of course, but it seems to be a very good "all-in-one" jamming/practice amp that's small enough to put anywhere (no pedalboard, doesn't weigh 60 lbs, etc).

If it's good enough for Eric Johnson & Paul Pigat to dig, it's good enough for me!


OH..... just thought of something else: I wonder what mac OS people are using? I'm still on Snow Leopard, haven't upgraded to Lion yet.


I have used it on snow leopard and lion. The biggest problems that I have encountered are with fuse and the extended-journaled formatting of the macs hard drive and with the backup function not working right when attempting to backup both presets and backing tracks (only the presets get backed up). Brad acknowledged the problem but could only give me manual workarounds.


Fuse is working fine on my PC, but I plan to get a Macbook Pro soon and will be bummed out if it starts acting up. What kind of problems does the "extended-journaled formatting of the Mac's hard drive" create?
Overall, the Gdec 30 is making practice more effective and fun.

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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:25 pm
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Something I thought of today... maybe the FUSE the amp ships with (CD-ROM) is an older version, and if you download the newest version from the Fender site it may have less problems? Just hoping out loud here...

I have a macbook pro, and I should be ordering my GDEC within the nest few days, have it within the next week or so, so I'll check back in on how FUSE is working with my MBP with snow leopard (still need to upgrade to lion)


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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:31 pm
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ruger9 wrote:
Something I thought of today... maybe the FUSE the amp ships with (CD-ROM) is an older version, and if you download the newest version from the Fender site it may have less problems? Just hoping out loud here...

I have a macbook pro, and I should be ordering my GDEC within the nest few days, have it within the next week or so, so I'll check back in on how FUSE is working with my MBP with snow leopard (still need to upgrade to lion)


Definately download Fuse 2.4.1 and don't mess with what ever is on the CD that comes with it.

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Post subject: Re: A few questions ...
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:00 pm
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Drew365 wrote:
truebluefliplover wrote:
ruger9 wrote:
Thanks for the answers. I'm surprised at the Mac problems, I know PCs are way more prevalent, but Mac is THE "music computer"... :roll: I'm not really a big modeling guy, and the #1 reason I'm buying the GDEC is for the backing tracks... it's just so easy to jam when you've got 10-15 min... no computer, no ipod, just turn on the amp & play.

Plus, as I've read alot of other people say, it looks to just be FUN. Just fun playing with all the presets & jamming with the tracks. It'll never replace my tube amps of course, but it seems to be a very good "all-in-one" jamming/practice amp that's small enough to put anywhere (no pedalboard, doesn't weigh 60 lbs, etc).

If it's good enough for Eric Johnson & Paul Pigat to dig, it's good enough for me!


OH..... just thought of something else: I wonder what mac OS people are using? I'm still on Snow Leopard, haven't upgraded to Lion yet.


I have used it on snow leopard and lion. The biggest problems that I have encountered are with fuse and the extended-journaled formatting of the macs hard drive and with the backup function not working right when attempting to backup both presets and backing tracks (only the presets get backed up). Brad acknowledged the problem but could only give me manual workarounds.


Fuse is working fine on my PC, but I plan to get a Macbook Pro soon and will be bummed out if it starts acting up. What kind of problems does the "extended-journaled formatting of the Mac's hard drive" create?
Overall, the Gdec 30 is making practice more effective and fun.


Drew:

I would not let my comments about the G-Dec 3 and Mac issues deter you. Both the G-Dec 3 and the Mac Book Pro are fantastic in their own right. I spent many years as a computer tech mostly on DOS and Windows machines. Since making the move to the Mac, I have never been happier.

Sometimes I think that the problems that I have had with the Mac and the G-Dec appear to be the exception and not the norm. Firstly, I use the Mac's Extended Journaled file system. One of the reasons that I prefer this format is because it makes working with very large files transparent. I use to have big problems before with Windows choking on some of the 8+ gig files. This has never been a problem with my Macs. As far as the G-Dec goes, for some reason, when I save presets to my Mac hard drive and try to load them back in, the G-dec always says that they are corrupted.

The second problem, and the one that has stumped both me and Fender's representative Brad Traweek is that I cannot do a backup of both presets and Band Tracks. I have had the G-Dec since it was first released and installed the software immediately. I have always updated both the Fuse software when it is released and the Microsoft Silverlight. I have even tried deleting the software and reinstalling and my backup problem persists. When you do a backup, the dialog box should give you the option of backing up just the presets OR both presets and Backing Tracks. For some unknown reason, I only get the old original dialog box that allows you to back up the presets with no option for the backing tracks.

There is probably some little preference file dumped in some subfolder somewhere that is causing my backup malfunction. It isn't a BIG problem because I very rarely use fuse. I like the layout of the controls on the G-Dec and I am comfortable with them. If something happened to the G-Dec 3, I would definitely purchase another one. It is a great practice amp. If something happened to one of the Macs, I would definitely buy another one (been thinking about that anyway).

Anyway, good luck with your G-Dec and your future Macbook. I would expect that you will be very happy with both.


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