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Heart of a Worshipper International Expounded Upon
Gear Review
Digitech Genesis 3 Guitar Processor
Digitech Genesis 3
Features:
* List Price - $299.95 (Includes Power Supply) |
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The Digitech GENESIS 3 is a guitar effect unit designed to be used primarily in a recording studio environment. This is kind of a niche market, but that doesn't mean a product like this doesn't have merit. Sometimes it's hard to get a good electric guitar sound laid down when recording; and capturing the personal tone that many guitarists spend years trying to perfect, is an art in itself. The right stomp box or pedal can make recording easier. Many of the new higher end multi-effect pedals are coming with digital outs that are included primarily for recording. This unit was purchased at a local Guitar Center on clearance for $149.99. A bargain price for a guitar processor with so many features.
The GENESIS 3 is basically one of Digitech's higher end guitar processor pedals, turned into a desktop unit. It fits nicely on a recording desk or a music stand. Digitech has thought this one out pretty thoroughly, a fact that quickly became evident within a few minutes of using the GENESIS 3.
What's Inside the Package
The Digitech GENESIS 3 comes in a bright blue and gray box with the unit wrapped in bubble wrap and protective foam. You get the desktop unit, user's guide, a big power supply, and the GenEditTM Patch Editor software. The box feels quite light, but the actual unit is hefty feeling, weighing in at a little over 2lbs. Some free samples of software are also included such as a basic version of Guitar Tracks 2 for PC and Metre Se for Mac.
Construction
As a desktop model, I guess the unit really doesn't need to be metal because it's not like it's gonna be stomped on like a pedal, or gigged with a lot. This is probably why Digitech made the unit with a plastic case. The unit isn't metal. It's a thick heavy plastic, but at least it looks good!
It's also very obvious that the GENESIS 3 was designed to be used primarily in a recording studio environment, because there are knobs for just about everything! Not having to use space for a pedal switch, and volume/whammy pedal, leaves a ton of room for more knobs. I like this idea, and while recording, I could tweak to my heart's content, and not have to worry about paging through tons of menus just to get at something I wanted to change. A huge difference from the Yamaha Magicstomp we reviewed, which sounded excellent, but only had a few controls to work with.
Connections
The rear panel of the GENESIS 3 is full of connections, but lacking a USB port for some reason. This model came out just before USB got so popular in guitar equipment, so that may be why. Otherwise they pretty much covered it. For the 1/4" jacks, they used cheap looking plastic jacks, instead of the nice sturdy metal 1/4" jacks like the Magicstomp pedal has. I have found with several pedals and instruments, that the plastic inputs aren't as sturdy as the metal ones, and some of my gear is just sitting because the jacks pop now. Popping jacks just won't do in any kind of performance setting. That has only happened to me with gear that has the plastic jacks, so you can see why I'm a little cautious right? The Zoom 505II acoustic pedal has these plastic jacks too, and the first model we tested had a problem with the input jack very soon after purchase. Please manufacturers, don't go cheap here! Players that use your equipment daily wear the cheap jacks out and it's annoying, and expensive to repair. Nobody wants to take or send their main pedal in to get the input or output jacks repaired soon after purchase. It's an inconvenience that I believe can be avoided by putting durable jacks in from the start.
Aside from the input and output jacks, Digitech has included a 1/8" CD in Jack, a push button for using the Control X foot controller, or a Midi foot controller, Midi in and Midi out/thru jacks, digital output, and power supply input. A lot of needed jacks are packed into a small amount of space, and it is used judiciously.
Electric Guitar Sound
There are 96 sound programs available here. 48 preset and 48 user programs. As with many multi-effect pedals, there is a plethora of amp and cabinet models, choruses, delays, reverbs, and even an acoustic simulator. This is not a unit designed for acoustic guitar though, and the simulator is typical of pedals that don't specialize in that area. Just so-so.
The
effects are quite crisp sounding. An old Les Paul and a newer Stratocaster both
sounded good in different ways, and with different amp/cabinet models and
effects to complement each type of guitar. There is a special selection in the
menus to make a single coil pickup crunch up and sound like a humbucker. A great
idea that actually works! I used it on a 1989 Stratocaster Ultra, and it really
did make those single coils sound better for distorted sounds.
I compared the GENESIS 3 to a few other electric pedals from Digitech, Boss, Behringer, and Line 6. The Yamaha Magicstomp had the cleanest and most high quality sound out of all of them to my ear. BUT...and it's a big but :), the GENESIS 3 has a great and much more easily tweakable sound of it's own. It has the clarity and crispness that guitarists have come to expect from a high quality guitar effect, and if you want the sound of the GENESIS 3 in a floor pedal, you can buy the same sound engine in a different package for the floor. There are so many things to tweak on the newer multi-effect pedals that it makes it very difficult to compare each sound from each pedal. But, if you've got a good ear, you can tell if a pedal can be tweaked to have tone or not pretty quickly.
The distortions here are outstanding, and the Warp feature allows you to change the whole sound by either turning a knob, or using a midi pedal to control Warp. Seen that feature anywhere else other than Digitech? Nope. I had no trouble getting a nice bluesy crunch sound that had some good tone with the Strat and a Tech 21 Trademark 60 amp. Of course the hardcore distortions are there too, and because of the nature of this beast, the user is able to mix and change many aspects of the distortion's character, just by using a few knobs and buttons.
The reverbs are high quality, delays are fabulous, and the chorus and clean effects are good enough that this box could be used just for clean sounds alone. There is a tap tempo button on the front panel which is a much needed feature for many a player. This can also be controlled via Midi. In addition, you have noise gates, flangers, a de-tuner, swell, tremolos, a panner, phaser, filters, ya ya, and a pitch shifter (to name a few.)
Some pedals and effect processors have an annoying delay between patches that can be a problem when playing in a stage concert type setting. Who wants to hear the pause between channels or patches when the guitarist changes sounds or channels? Not me. If a pedal or effect unit does that, then I won't keep it in my normal setup. The internet is full of posts where people are complaining about this sort of thing on various products. The GENESIS 3doesn't have a problem in this area. It switches smoothly with just a little delay, but not enough to be a problem.
A great feature of this desktop
unit is that Digitech has thoughtfully included full Midi capabilities with it.
That means that you can control many of it's functions by using a programmable
Midi Control pedal. Digitech sells an expensive Control X pedal
specifically designed for the
GENESIS 3. Instead,
I purchased a Behringer FCB1010 Midi Controller
(review to come), and after a little programming, had it working flawlessly with
the GENESIS 3.
Then I had a whammy and volume pedal to boot. Using Midi the
GENESIS 3can be played
through on stage with it sitting on the floor, or on a stand. I used it this way
a few times. Although bulkier than a one piece setup, it worked and sounded
good. The fact that using Midi is an option makes the unit not just for the
studio only, but also feasible for other uses. The plastic construction would
make me steer away from regularly gigging with it though.
If you can't find pre-programmed sounds that you like, there is a great website from Digitech at www.digitech.com/soundcom. On the website, a whole new world is opened up for users of Digitech products. There are model specific user's groups, and huge patch libraries to download and put into the GENESIS 3, and other Digitech products. Digitech is to be commended for having some of the best internet product support out there.
Acoustic Guitar Sounds
Acoustic tone is very important to me as a praise and worship leader who leads with acoustic electric guitar most of the time. All I could think while playing the acoustic simulator is "Yeah right!" Honestly, I've heard keyboard acoustic simulations that sound ten times better. But don't fault the GENESIS 3. It's acoustic simulator is as good as any other one I've heard on a processor designed for electric guitar. Acoustic sounds are not this type of pedal's specialty. It makes a solid body electric sound a bit like an acoustic and that's about the best any of them can do.
Conclusion
Their isn't a lot not to like a about this desktop unit. Especially if recording is in the picture. Getting a great recorded guitar tone is an art in itself, so a tool like this can be a life saver. In a home studio, loud guitars are not always welcome. With the Digitech GENESIS 3, you can go digitally direct into the mixer/recorder. Slap some headphones on; and it's possible to record great guitar sounds deep into the night without waking the wife or little ones. Competition is stiff in this area with units from Line 6 and Behringer competing. The GENESIS 3gives them all more than a run for their money. Hopefully Digitech will continue the line past the GENESIS 3, and have a Genesis 4 or 5 out soon.
by William Charles
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