Fender g-dec 30 hack

This means that you can carry on trying to perfect that tricky lick over and over again without having to reach for the amp controls and risk breaking your concentration — a nice touch. As a practice tool, G-DEC 3 is undoubtedly impressive, but you might be forgiven for assuming that the closed-back combo's inch driver and a power rating of 30 solid-state watts confine it to the domestic environment only, even in this, the larger of its two incarnations.

However, stereo jack line-outs mean that hooking the amp up to a PA system and getting a satisfying stereo spread is simple. If you don't need to compete with a loud drummer, the watt GDEC 3 is a viable gigging option for smaller stages. The onboard SD flash memory card reader allows you to save and recall a potentially limitless library of customised sounds and backing tracks via Fender's FUSE software and online community.

As a result, this might just be the ultimate do-it-all solution for the many one-man-band guys on the live circuit who sing and play along with backing tracks. Simply hook up the amp to your computer via USB, install the software and begin tweaking amp model and effects parameters. The software also allows for effects combinations that are impossible to achieve via G-DEC 3's control panel, such as putting modulation and delay 'in front' of the amp in the signal chain.

Once you've sculpted your sound, which is a simple task for anyone who has used an amp modelling software package, you can save it in one of slots in the amp's onboard memory or store many as you like on an SD card.

Then the real interactivity starts. Register at fuse. The only downside is not being able to blame the bassist for bum notes. Importantly, the front panel's 'band level' control allows you to tweak the level of your backing track relative to your guitar sound. Even when working with the backing tracks that come pre-loaded at the factory, fine tuning of the band level is required on a track-by-track basis as you'll find that some of the guitar tones cut through the mix more than others, while the perceived overall level of the backing tracks varies.

Thanks in no small part to the high-frequency tweeter that accompanies the amplifier's regular inch speaker, reproduction of the backing tracks without a PA is bright and three-dimensional with an impressively rounded, firm bottom-end. But what's really interesting is just how well the onboard guitar tones work in the context of a full band mix.

This is a welcome reminder that context is everything; sounds that raise eyebrows in isolation can work perfectly when the backing track is rocking away. Detailed analysis of G-DEC 3's individual modelled amp tones is largely irrelevant due to the sheer amount of tone-shaping that the FUSE software offers.

If you don't like it, you can tweak it. No, it's never going to sound exactly like an original '65 Deluxe Reverb, but to split hairs over authenticity is to miss the point; this is an amp about fun and functionality. Turn the Data Wheel to select presets in Play Mode.

There are 3 banks of presets, P permanent , U user and S song —each bank is indicated by the first character P , U or S in the upper left corner of the display. P and U bank presets see illustration below both include everything in your "band:" your guitar amp and effects, bass player, drummer and occasionally an accompannist.

S bank see bottom illustration includes MIDI songs up to 62 songs, depending on file size and stores the songs in the order of performance.

Each S bank preset displays a song number and name on the top line. The next line shows the current guitar preset which always starts as QA1 in the box below. The QA box shows three quick access guitar presets. These QA presets are your personal favorites that you want to use with that particular song.

Activate any QA preset using the buttons below the quick access labels, QA1 , QA2 , QA3 at the bottom of the display or the corresponding footswitch button.

To modify components of a preset Amp Type, Effects, Bass line, etc. Press a Mode button repeatedly for menus, then turn the Data Wheel to adjust the settings for the highlighted menu item. Song Mode. Press the SONG button repeatedly to display each of the menus:.

Menus may display instructions, button labels and settings that you can edit using the Data Wheel. To start, first compose a song by selecting drums, bass, guitar preset, etc.

Then, after saving your songs, you can rearrange them in the order of your performance using the SongOrder menu. It allows you to rearrange the order of the S bank presets songs for performance. It allows you to compose songs in two screens: Global and Measure :.

Here you can edit:. During playback the top portion of the screen will change to show the current measure number. Here you can select:. Your song data will automatically be stored for recall, even after the amp has restarted. Once saved, it can be treated as if the song were downloaded from the PC for performance. It allows you to delete songs from the S bank.

It displays the percentage of memory used for song storage. Amp Mode. Utility Mode. Phrase Sampler. DUB : This button is ignored if the amp is set to half speed playback. Overdubbing only records the guitar signals. MIDI patterns stop when overdubbing starts and they cannot be restarted until overdubbing is complete.

Phrase Sampler—States and Controls how the current state affects what each of the buttons do. PLAY : Start playback if a loop has been previously recorded, ignore otherwise. Start overdubbing on next pass through tapping again, prior to the overdubbing starting, cancels. PLAY : Exit record mode and begin playback truncates loop to nearest measure if the amp is set to 4 beat lead in mode.

OVERDUB : Exit record mode and begin playback and begin overdubbing truncates loop to nearest measure if the amp is set to 4 beat lead in mode. PLAY : Stop overdubbing and continue playback on next pass through. In Modes 1, 2 or 3 the display will show the current Preset or Song number that is loaded on the amp, and in Tuner Mode the display will show the current note.

You cannot change footswitch modes while the Phrase Sampler is recording or overdubbing. Also turns on the LED above the button. Button 3: Increments to the next preset U or P or Song. Button 4: Starts or Stops a pattern if the user is on a U or P preset.

If the user is on a S preset the song starts and the footswitch switches to QA mode so that the user can access the 3 QA presets associated with that song during playback. Upon completion of the song the footswitch will automatically return to mode to so that the user can select the next song. LED will blink if the amp is finishing overdubbing a loop and will turn on once playback begins or off when playback has halted. LED will turn on once recording begins and off when playback has halted.

LED will blink if the amp is waiting to overdub on the next pass or stop at the end of the current pass and will turn on once overdubbing has begun or off when overdubbing has finished. Refer to the interface manufacturer for proper device setup. See figure for connections. The above configuration will allow you to dump and load presets to and from the computer. To dump any one or all presets see Utility Mode page 12 you will need third party software running on the PC.

Load a G—DEC 30 preset file ending in. The G—DEC 30 is always ready to receive these files. In some instances you get a fixed bassline but in others it follows a set of chord changes, like in the various blues presets where you can jam along to an endless bar. Some presets are designed to sound like a particular band, you can easily figure out who from the cryptic preset names , while some have even cheekily nicked the bassline from a particular song: we noticed Immigrant Song, Billie Jean and Smoke On The Water in there among others.

Generally, the guitar sound that comes with the preset is just right for the backing and encourages you to jam along. This is no bad thing as you can find yourself stretching your playing by accommodating musical styles - not to mention keys - you might normally cross the street to avoid.

There are, however, plenty of parameters available for editing the guitar and effects sound to taste if desired. The G-DEC is a damn fine idea. Find us in print, on Newsstand for iPad, iPhone and other digital readers.

MusicRadar The No. Home Reviews. Our Verdict. Pros Great for instant practice. Potential for more complex backing tracks through MIDI. Suit almost all guitar styles.