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Post subject: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 3:30 pm
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I was going to get a mustang 3 but then recently have leaned toward the g-dec 3 30.

I read about them on these forums and still can't decide. Price aside how did you decide if you chose one or the other?

I'm going to use it only for practice in my home. I play mostly rock/metal.

Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 8:26 pm
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Hi Nippy, I've have a G-dec jr which was a good basic practice amp. When I sent it in for repairs I was in a similar delimia as you. I picked up a Mustang IV on a steal of a deal and I coudn't be happier. With the Mustangs the backing tracks are simply mp3 files so there is a big option out there. I think the G-dec's are more specific to the amp and probaly not interchangable. Plus the footswitch options are better with the new Mustang's. Fender Fuse is great so the amount of presets is not that big of a deal as you can tweak them to what you like and I can't see my self actually using 100 at any given time but then again they are available. The G dec's do have some looping capacity so that's a plus but if I can figure out the extra software "abelton and amplitude" that might not be that big of a deal.
I really like my Mustang but to be honest I'm sure I would like a G dec 30 too plus they do have the new Metal, Blues , and Country versions that are taylored more to what YOU like.

Bottom Line: Buy a Fender You'll Be Happy


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 8:40 pm
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IdahoRed wrote:
Hi Nippy, I've have a G-dec jr which was a good basic practice amp. When I sent it in for repairs I was in a similar delimia as you. I picked up a Mustang IV on a steal of a deal and I coudn't be happier. With the Mustangs the backing tracks are simply mp3 files so there is a big option out there. I think the G-dec's are more specific to the amp and probaly not interchangable. Plus the footswitch options are better with the new Mustang's. Fender Fuse is great so the amount of presets is not that big of a deal as you can tweak them to what you like and I can't see my self actually using 100 at any given time but then again they are available. The G dec's do have some looping capacity so that's a plus but if I can figure out the extra software "abelton and amplitude" that might not be that big of a deal.
I really like my Mustang but to be honest I'm sure I would like a G dec 30 too plus they do have the new Metal, Blues , and Country versions that are taylored more to what YOU like.

Bottom Line: Buy a Fender You'll Be Happy


Thanks for the info. Where did you get the good deal on the Mustang IV?


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 8:44 pm
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Are the G-Dec 3.0 30's a newer model then the mustangs?

Which is the most up to date?


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 8:53 pm
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G-dec 3's 15 and 30 and the Mustang I and II are about the same age. Mustang III, IV, and IV are the Next Gen and the G-dec Metal, G-dec Blues, and G-dec Country are the latest issue


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 7:49 am
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I bought a G-Dec 3 30 when they first came out. Love the backing tracks through the tweeter on the amp, multiple pre-sets, and the ULT-4 footswitch is as good (if not the same as) the Mustang 4 button footswitch.

When the Mustang 1 and 2 came out, I was still okay with my G-Dec as superior for my needs. Now with the Mustang III - V coming out, my opinion has changed. If I was buying today I would probably get the Mustang III or IV for the cost value.

I think the available tones on both amps are still quite similar if you tweak them through Fuse. However, the improved ability to tweak the tones right on the amp without a computer, the addition of sag and bias controls, effects loop, and the tantalising possibility of an expression pedal in the future make it the winner in my eyes.

The Mustang community seems to have all the energy and excitement at the moment. The only clear advantage for the G-DEC is the SD slot. The looper is okay but not a home run. The extra Jazzmaster and acoustic amp models are very quiet and don't do that much for me. The G-DEC special editions are not steps forward: just variations of what was already available.

I think the G-Dec 3 line was a bridge for Fender from the original G-decs to the Mustangs. It will probably fade away or transmogrify somehow in favour of the lower cost Mustangs. I love my G-DEC 3 but if it broke and they offered me a store credit I would be looking closely at the Mustang III to see how it sounds at bedroom levels.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 7:52 am
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Hopefully the next generation going forward integrate the GDEC backing tracks into the Mustangs awesomeness. Right now you can play GDEC backing tracks through FUSE, but you obviously need your CPU near your amp which is a pain for some of us.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:05 am
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Thanks for the input. I'm posting this question on the g-dec sub forum to see if the responses there are any different.... you never know.

If the products are fairly similar it would be nice to see Fender consolidate the products so that there isn't redundancy.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:03 pm
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100% G-DEC 3 series. They are built for shedding/practice. And sound just as good as the Stangs. I have both. The 30 has a speaker that can handle the jamtrax beautifully, I recommend it highly.

They both use the same core modeling engine. You can't go wrong with either one, but if you're not going to gig the amp and shed a lot, definitely the G-DEC 3 30. Playing to tracks is very good for your time and chops.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 2:58 pm
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DavidOwen wrote:
I think the G-Dec 3 line was a bridge for Fender from the original G-decs to the Mustangs. It will probably fade away or transmogrify somehow in favour of the lower cost Mustangs.

Yeah, looking at these modelling amps a little it really seems like they're in their infancy. To me it seems slightly schizophrenic of Fender to have the two different ranges.

I was really interested in the G-Dec 3 for a while, because I love the idea of all the blues amp presets (and backing tracks), but reading the manual it's not actually clear how many amp models it offers. It turns out that the "24 presets" of the Mustang I & II are actually only 8 amp models, and all the other presets settings are basically just saved positions of the volume and tone knobs. Ok, I'm simplifying a little here, because of the built-in effects, but it seems like even though you can maybe get 4 more amp models from Fuse and upload them to the Mustang, that's still only 12 essential amp models. In theory the technology offers an infinite variety, so only 8 or 12 amps seems like a bit of a limitation and thus I'm suspicious of how many models the G-Dec 3 actually offer. The manual does not say - maybe its "100 presets" are in fact only 8 or 12 or 20 amp models, but likewise plus different volume, tone & reverb settings.

Ultimately, what the G-Dec offers over the Mustang is basically a built-in MP3 player. I mean, it's a really fancy MP3 player, with the midi drum-machine and the ability to loop short backing tracks properly, and it's designed specifically for guitar practice and just improving the experience and pleasure of playing guitar at home alone, but you're still paying quite a premium for what's basically an MP3 player. The 30W G-Dec is twice the price of the 40W Mustang - £150 extra. The MP3 playback hardware in these amps is not expensive, the cost is in R&D and in assembling musicians to record high-quality backing tracks, so hopefully the price will fall in the future, and G-Dec type features will become standard on cheaper amps.

Hopefully someone's going to come along and demolish my arguments by telling me how many amp models the G-Dec actually offers, and that these far exceed those of the Mustangs. The manual certainly doesn't tell me, so Fender haven't done a great job on upselling me. I'll still consider a G-Dec, if they're truly awesome, but I kinda think I'll be happy enough grabbing some jam tracks off of YouTube (and elsewhere), saving them as MP3 format and whacking them on an old iPod or off-brand MP3 player.

I've gotta say that I hate the idea of having an LCD display in an amp - that doesn't do much to imitate those classic old valve amps. I love the interface of the Mustang I & II, and I feel their dials and LEDs are a much better take on how to modernise amplifier controls. I don't think that layout is perfect, but I really like some of the things they've done - having the LEDs turn red, orange and green to go from an 8-poisiton switch to 24, and likewise sub-dividing the A, B, C &c of the effects with 3 LEDs in each position. I find those quite elegant interface elements - IMO it should be possible to enable more functionality, comparable to that of the G-Decs, whilst maintaining such a simple interface.

At the end of the day, you've got to decide how much the G-Dec's looping and backing-track playback is worth to you. Fender have certainly "added value" (that's a business and marketing term) by offering professionally-recorded samples.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:51 pm
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The G-DEC 3 series has no midi. It has an excellent looper. And excellent on-board jamtracks, and the ability to easily add your own. It saves your preset to your fave jamtrack. And of course tons of FUSE.

The G-DEC 3 30 has 22 amp models:

Blackface™ Clean,
Blackface™ Drive,
Blackface™ Distorted
Jazzmaster™
Garage Rock,
Garage Punk,
Very Distorted
British Jangle,
British Blues,
British Steel
Modern Crunch,
Modern Metal,
Modern Shred
Hot Rod™ Grit,
Hot Rod™ Lead
Acoustic Dreadnought Mahogany,
Acoustic Jumbo,
Acoustic Dreadnought Rosewood,
Acoustic Parlor (small body)
Tweed Clean,
Tweed Drive,
Tweed Dirt

Somewhere I've seen a real amp equivalency, one of them ( I think "Garage Rock") is supposed to be a Sunn.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:59 am
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Musicmaster2 wrote:
...
The G-DEC 3 30 has 22 amp models:

Blackface™ Clean,
Blackface™ Drive,
Blackface™ Distorted
...

So the Blues, Country and Metal models don't actually add any amp models, they just add presets (volume, tone, effects dial settings) to the existing amp models?

I'm extremely suspicious that three settings all called "Blackface" are actually different amp models. Surely they're just the same amp model, each with different effects added? Otherwise, why wouldn't they be named differently? Both the Mustangs and the G-Decs have built-in overdrive and distortion effects, right?


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:20 pm
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Nope, the Blackfaces are simply different BF amps: Twin, DR, etc. There's some decoder floating around on the net that tells you which is which but I just use my ears at this point, I don't really care what they call em.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:03 pm
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Musicmaster2 wrote:
Nope, the Blackfaces are simply different BF amps: Twin, DR, etc.

Ah, ok. I didn't realise Blackface was a series (or era?) of Fender amps.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang or G-Dec 3... Which to get
Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:35 pm
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Yeah, can't remember what the third one is supposed to be, maybe a Vibroverb or something. But in the decoder list they break the BF amps out as to their secret intentions per model. It's on the net someplace, maybe Fender has it, though it's not in the manual. But the Twin and Deluxe Reverb are always the first two BF starter models.


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