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Post subject: Please help me decide, Mustang II or G-DEC 3 15W
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:45 pm
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Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:41 pm
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Short version: I have about $200 to spend, I am only a hobbyist, I don’t have others to jam with. The backing tracks of the G-DEC really appeal to me, but can I get the same performance out of the Mustang II using my laptop? (can I download the same or similar backing type tracks using MUSE, play them through my comp, and essentially have the same experience?)

Longer version: I have been playing guitar for 24 years. However, I am really an acoustic guy. I have recently gotten the itch to start electric again. The last time I bought an amp there was no such thing as modeling, hell, the internet wasn’t even around.
I started looking around and found the mustang series. I was blown away that one amp could offer so many different sounds! Then I kept looking and found the G-DEC series, now I don’t know which one to get. I definitely want the best sounding amp I can buy with my ~200, but sound directly from the amp isn’t a huge issue. I will probably play as much with headphones as anything else. I don’t plan on gigging with anything. I only play alone.

Ultimately, I think that the background tracks offered by the G-DEC seem perfect for me, I can play with a band even though I have no friends that play. But I have major questions.

1. Can I play with the same or similar backing tracks using FUSE through a mustang II utilizing my laptop?
2. Quality from the speaker itself isn’t my #1 priority, but is one way way better than the other?
3. What about the fizz? Is one affected and the other not?
4. Are the available settings different between the two? I mean if FUSE has a setting available for one amp, wouldn’t I be able to download the exact same setting for the other?
5. My understanding is that I can change tempos and keys with the loops on the G-DEC, can I do the same in FUSE on my laptop and run it through the Mustang?
6. There are books that come with SD cards for the G-DEC, can I use the SD cards through my laptop using a mustang, and get the same experience?

Ultimately I want the all the abilities that I think come with a G-DEC. But I am wondering if a mustang with a laptop can do anything a G-DEC alone can do?

I am posting this on both the G-DEC and Mustang forms to get both sides.

I truly thank you for reading my long-winded post and look forward to insight.


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Post subject: Re: Please help me decide, Mustang II or G-DEC 3 15W
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:43 pm
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My understanding is that the Mustangs are a newer modeling generation, so sound better. I don't think you'll be able to tweak the G-DEC through Fuse to do everything the Mustangs do.

The fizz problem is on the Mustang 3 and higher. The 1 and 2 had a different problem which was fixed with a firmware update.

I think it's possible to connect any sound source to the AUX IN of the Mustang 2 and hear it together with your guitar, but better see what M2 owners say.

I don't know about tempos and SD cards. Perhaps the Fuse manual has more info: http://fuse.fender.com/support.php


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Post subject: Re: Please help me decide, Mustang II or G-DEC 3 15W
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 8:27 am
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dgast wrote:
1. Can I play with the same or similar backing tracks using FUSE through a mustang II utilizing my laptop?

You can play the band tracks in FUSE, but I think the functionality is a little lacking compared to the onboard controls on the GDEC. Those tracks are essentially just samples that are designed to be seamlessly looped by the GDEC or FUSE software. So you can play them back in a media player of your choice, but your going to get a 30 second sound sample or however long the actual "loop" is. Now, if you have editing software (and there are some free ones out there (the Mustangs come with Ableton)), and you have the time, and patience, you could manualy piece the loop together. But it will take some skill to get it to loop seamlessly.

I think the band track feature of the GDEC is it's best selling point. I wish Fender would update FUSE to allow Mustang users the same level of control within the software. But really, my only complaint is that I can't control the output level of the band track independently from the master level. Sometimes it's hard to hear your guitar cut thru the backing track.

BUT... The internet is a wonderful thing. There are tons of backing tracks that you can download from various web sites. You can go on Youtube and search "backing track" and find hours of entertainment that you can play right out of your computer speakers.

dgast wrote:
2. Quality from the speaker itself isn’t my #1 priority, but is one way way better than the other?

I don't know about way better. Your going to get similar tones. I never spent a whole lot of time with the GDEC, but for me and my ears, there was no question that the Mustang amps, with its overal range of tones, sounds the best of any Modeling amp I've heard.

dgast wrote:
3. What about the fizz? Is one affected and the other not?

At present only Mustang III, IV, or V have potential fizz issues.

dgast wrote:
4. Are the available settings different between the two? I mean if FUSE has a setting available for one amp, wouldn’t I be able to download the exact same setting for the other?

The amp models, effects, and controls are different and therefore not interchangeable. A GDEC preset will not work on the Mustang.

dgast wrote:
5. My understanding is that I can change tempos and keys with the loops on the G-DEC, can I do the same in FUSE on my laptop and run it through the Mustang?

Not in FUSE. See comment above about editing software.

dgast wrote:
6. There are books that come with SD cards for the G-DEC, can I use the SD cards through my laptop using a mustang, and get the same experience?

I'm not sure what these "books" are, as far as I know the SD cards store the data for the band tracks. Your not going to be able to use them with the same experince without the GDEC. But as I mentioned, I've found no shortage of non-Fender jam tracks that I can download and play back in any media player of my choice. (Quality of said tracks may vary depending on source)

My opinion: I went with a Mustang III for the bigger speaker (and bigger sound that you get out of it) and better overall tone and better control of the tone and effects. If your using it with headphones a lot and don't plan on using it for the occasional jam sessions or small gig, the GDEC might be the way to go. I'd LOVE to be able to utilize the band tracks in Fuse with the same functionality as the GDEC, but it's not a deal breaker for me.


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