Zoom G3X

UnclePsychosis

Hey folks

I've got a B3 and really like it, so I'm considering getting a G3.

My question is, is it worth the extra for the G3X? Are the wah models any good? Are there any downsides to having the extra functionality?

steamabacus

I tried out a G3X a while ago although I didn't end up getting one. The main reason I looked at the G3X as opposed to the G3 is that it allows you to have a wah/expression pedal and an external tap tempo pedal. On the G3 there is a combined socket for either an expression pedal or a momentary tap pedal. Other than that, I believe they're pretty much identical.

monquixote

Yeah they are the same except the pedal. 

If you need the pedal get an X if not get the standard one.

Fuzzdog

I had a G3X initially - I really didn't like the built in expression pedal, the travel was far too short and it just felt a bit cheap.

Sold it, got the basic G3, and made an expression pedal from an old Cry Baby shell - works for me, and feels so much better.  Popped a momentary switch in the toe switch position and used the good old 'splice the buggers together' trick to get the G3 to accept both expression and switch at the same time.  I also cheat and have the tap button wired to an external footswitch.

I wobble back and forth on the quality of the wahs - they're certainly usable, but nothing spectacular.  I've owned worse sounding wahs, and I've owned better.  Very handy having them integrated, as my G3 is both my backup rig and my 'I can't be arsed to carry an amp when you're just going to make me play really quietly so screw you I'm plugging straight into the PA' rig.

UnclePsychosis

Cheers guys. I'm not really sure I "need" the pedal, but according to the sold items on eBay the G3X only sells for £5-10 more than the normal one which makes me think that its worth getting the G3X just "in case". Although it does look like the X version is quite a lot bigger so maybe I should stick with the smaller one. 

@fuzzdog don't suppose you followed a guide or anything for that crybaby conversion? I have an old battered one lying around that literally never gets used so that could be an easy solution for me. 

Fuzzdog

Plenty of guides on t'internet for converting a wah to an expression pedal - finding a suitable pot is the most tricky part.  The stock Crybaby pot does work, it's not perfect, but can be made to be quite usable with a bit of fiddling to get the calibration right.

If you wire a momentary switch in parallel with the pot, it lets you use both, but usually only if the expression pedal is fully forward.

EDIT - I just actually fired up the G3, as it had been a while since I used the wahs (I usually use my trusty old modded Morley wah/volume with it) - I don't have it wired up like I described earlier at all!  I did attempt to get the toe switch in the wah to bypass/activate it, but I now remember that I couldn't do it as there's stupidly not an assignable value for wah bypass, and the switch does absolutely bugger all wah-wise.  The switch can be assigned to all sorts of things, just not wah.  Expression pedal does work fine though, you just have to use one of the footswitches on the actual unit to turn wah on and off.  Why Zoom didn't let you use the external switch for that, I have no clue.

ROOG

I have the G5 which I believe is a G3X with a few additional buttons and screens, I can't say that I like the Wah pedal, as it doesn't have the feel I would expect, hard to explain, but it feels a bit too linear. I do use it for volume control though.