Digitech GSP2101 Artist and Peavey 6505+

[Roncore]

Hello all!

I was just gifted a Digitech GSP2101 Artist. I actually had one of these when Iw was a teenager. Blast from the past!

Here is what I want to do. The cleans of the 6505+ aren't...clean, of course. I mean I can get them close, but I'd rather have a more sterile sound. This of course is where the GSP2101 comes in. Is there any way to use the GSP2101 for just the cleans and then switch back over to the 6505+ for the gain of course? Can I pull this off somehow or am I going to have to get a dedicated poweramp for the GSP and then A/B switch back and forth between that and the 6505+ for my cleans/gain?

Thanks for any help!

 

[StefTD]

I am not sure about the 6505+ but I own a 2101, too

If you're able to change the Channels of the 6505+ via Midi you could use the 4-cable-method and disable the preamp
of the 2101 on the presets where you get the main-sound from the 6505+.

The manual is floating around in the internet as a .PDF maybe check this, the German manual featured such a setup if
I remember correctly.

It would look a bit like this:

Guitar --> Digitech 2101 input --> Digitech 2101 FX-Send --> 6505+ input
6505+ FX-Send --> Digitiech 2101 FX-Return --> Digitech 2101 Output --> 6505+ FX-Return.

Plus the midi stuff

You could also try using the 2101 just as a FX processor, it would be way easier to hook up.

Guitar-->6505+ input-->6505+ FX-Send-->2101 Input --> 2101 FX-Send --> 6505+ FX-Return

You still need to get the midi stuff running, but I think you can get the 6505+ cleans to sound better with the
EQ options and maybe compression + some chours/delay from the 2101.

A/B switch + dedicated poweramp would be nice, but you could also go A/B switch and just go direct with the 2101,
a dedicated active monitor for the stage would probably be nice.

 

[RiF]

Interesting coincidence. I undusted my old GSP 2101 one week ago and despite the scratchy level pot, it still works fine. The tube-based input section is pretty cool, especially for cleans or crunchy cleans on the "Clean Tube" setting.
I have to try that thing in the 4-cable wiring method that StefTD described with my amps, too.
The 2101's send and returns are before the digital section, so there should still just be one AD/DA conversion trip involved.

I am not sure how to switch from a "Gtr->GSP Patch 1->Amp/Clean" to a "Gtr->GSP Patch 2->Amp/Dirty" setting with a single footswitch if your amp does not support MIDI channel switching.

 

[drew_drummer]

I am doing a similar thing with a GSP1101 and my EVH5153 50-watt head.

I'd suggest avoiding 4-cable method and midi. It doesn't work too great in my opinion - gaps of silence between patch changes, midi latency, and tone suck with some units (not sure about the GSP2101) put me off the whole thing.

What I am planning on doing is this:

Guitar -> front of the amp pedals -> ABY switcher like the Lehle Little II
Little II output -> Front of amp, amp set to crunch or high-gain
Little II send - > Front input of amplifier modeller for clean tones, in my case GSP1101, and in your case GSP2101
Amp modeller Line out - > Some sort of stereo reverb pedal - left side
Real amplifier SEND -> Noise Gate
Noise Gate Output - > Stereo reverb pedal - right side
Mono output of reverb pedal -> Amplifier FX-Return

So effectively you're switching between the front of the modeller and the front of the amp. It will take the preamp signal and gate it when you're not playing, meaning you wont get tons of noise-floor coming through. The stereo reverb pedal will take the output from the modeller and the output from the noise-gate, merge them to mono, and send them to the amps FX return.

Should be a fairly easy to setup process.

 

[Roncore]

Wow, lots of stuff to consider, thank you guys so much!

 

[Deathprayer82]

i would put the 6505 preamp in the Loop of the Digitech so also the Digitech can get of the Hum of the Peavey!, do all switchings on the Digitech and go back to the Peavey Poweramp.
I did something similar...for years i played a 2112...but for Distortion i had a BOSS GT8 in the Loop of the Digitech...also the Distortion did run thru the 10 band EQ of the Digitech and got fatter. Was a strange but great setup! Heavy as fuck! My GT8 did not sound that good without the Digitech...and my Digitech not without the GT8 ha!
Once a friend of mine had a TripleX in the rehearsal...i just tried to putting in the Triple X in the Loop of the Digitech instead of the GT8 and it worked great too! Also no extra gate needed.
I don´t know how it is with the 2101...but with the 2112 it was possible to choose instead of Crunch..or Overdrive distortion "external loop" and thats how the Peavey comes into your Digitech!

So Chain = Guitar - Digitech input - Digitech Send - Peavey Input - Peavey Send - Digitech Return - Digitech output - Peavey Return

Try it! Works Great!

in my setup there was no midi switching...if you only need the heavy 6505 tone + some digitech clean/crunch tones...you don´t need

 

[drew_drummer]

It works great until you need to switch patches, and then all hell breaks loose.

Okay, not hell... but basically it kills the smooth transitions when going from channel to channel.

 

[Roncore]

To be honest, the only things I really want to use to Digitech for is a straight nice sterile clean sound, and maybe some gating. My massive pedal board takes care of the effects, the 6505+ has the heavy taken care of and plus I don't have the foot controller with it yet anyways.

 

[Roncore]

i would put the 6505 preamp in the Loop of the Digitech so also the Digitech can get of the Hum of the Peavey!, do all switchings on the Digitech and go back to the Peavey Poweramp.
I did something similar...for years i played a 2112...but for Distortion i had a BOSS GT8 in the Loop of the Digitech...also the Distortion did run thru the 10 band EQ of the Digitech and got fatter. Was a strange but great setup! Heavy as fuck! My GT8 did not sound that good without the Digitech...and my Digitech not without the GT8 ha!
Once a friend of mine had a TripleX in the rehearsal...i just tried to putting in the Triple X in the Loop of the Digitech instead of the GT8 and it worked great too! Also no extra gate needed.
I don´t know how it is with the 2101...but with the 2112 it was possible to choose instead of Crunch..or Overdrive distortion "external loop" and thats how the Peavey comes into your Digitech!

So Chain = Guitar - Digitech input - Digitech Send - Peavey Input - Peavey Send - Digitech Return - Digitech output - Peavey Return

Try it! Works Great!

in my setup there was no midi switching...if you only need the heavy 6505 tone + some digitech clean/crunch tones...you don´t need

Ok Deathprayer, I hooked it up like you said. Seems like now I can use my effects switch on my 6505+ footcontroller to switch between the gsp 2101 and the amp. Pretty neat, I think that's how it's supposed to work.

 

[drew_drummer]

Also another route you can take, and one I am about to try as soon as it arrives... get the AMT Electronics F-1 or V-1. They have a loop specifically for another preamp, meaning you can A/B between a JFET clean-amp-in-a-box courtesy of either of those models, and then your 6505... meaning you can use the 6505 for crunch and high gain, and have access to three levels of gain at once.

Just depends on how good the pedal themselves sound. I ordered the F1, it's based on a Fender Twin. Going to give it a try.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

The easiest way to utilize the 2101 is to get an A/B switcher that splits the signal to the inputs of the 2101 and 6505+. The 2101 will have a clean patch loaded up and its output will go to the FX loop return. The A/B switcher is your footswitch.

 

[Roncore]

The easiest way to utilize the 2101 is to get an A/B switcher that splits the signal to the inputs of the 2101 and 6505+. The 2101 will have a clean patch loaded up and its output will go to the FX loop return. The A/B switcher is your footswitch.

THIS is originally what I wanted to do, but I'm not sure how all of the routing would go. The 6505+ Is a mono cab (one input). Would I have to get a Y split cable for the cab?

 

[Roncore]

Also another route you can take, and one I am about to try as soon as it arrives... get the AMT Electronics F-1 or V-1. They have a loop specifically for another preamp, meaning you can A/B between a JFET clean-amp-in-a-box courtesy of either of those models, and then your 6505... meaning you can use the 6505 for crunch and high gain, and have access to three levels of gain at once.

Just depends on how good the pedal themselves sound. I ordered the F1, it's based on a Fender Twin. Going to give it a try.

Wow, that's intense, just checked them out! Let me know how you like it!

 

[drew_drummer]

For the AB switching method (I also have a Lehle incoming to allow me to do this way too!) you don't need a Y cable for the cab. You just need to run your guitar into the input of your AB switcher, and then the A output to the amp input and the B output to the input of your modeller, and then the output of your modeller into the FX loop return of the 6505.

You'll need an AB switcher that can also switch the ground signal, a ground lift, or has isolated outputs, so you don't get a ground loop. You also might need to think about switching the amp channel at the same time as you'll still get some preamp noise from the 6505's preamp.

Looks like we're both in the same position here!! I will let you know how I get on with the AMT once it arrives.

 

[psycle_1]

I think this may be easier:
Guitar-> splitter (should be able to use something like a chorus or flanger pedal that has stereo outputs. Anything that splits the signal and passes the signal to both outputs simultaneously will work). One side goes to the 5150 input, the other to the 2101 input. Leave the pedal on bypass. Output of 2101 to FX loop return. Use the FX Loop switch on the footswitch to change between 5150 and 2101.

 

[drew_drummer]

^ It wont work. You almost certainly *will* get a ground loop. That's why you need an AB pedal that can switch the ground, or lift it on one of the outputs.

 

[drew_drummer]

 

[kernelxsanders]

You've probably got this figured out, but you can do it the really simple way if you don;t mind hitting two buttons. Make a patch for your clean tone then hit the bypass button (assuming you have the controller) and the channel switch.

 

[Roncore]

I don't have a controller but I didn't even think of that haha, great thinking!