Fender G-DEC

subversion

Moderator
fender_gdec.jpg


Feder G-DEC
$499 (NETT)

If you`ve come across Fender`s Cyber Twin amp, you`d be easily overwhelmed by the feture laden aspect of it- the various amp pallette at your fingertips. Enter the G-DEC. Besides being a smaller incarnation of a Cyber-technology amp per se, the G-DEC is packaged to allude enjoyment, hence its name- Guitar Digital Entertainment Centre.

Build/ Features
The G-DEC is a physical reincarnation of the now defunct Bullet Reverb practice amp, down to the metal corner protectors. The obvious difference here is the absence of a carrying handle, in place is a locking strap implying the G-DEC`s portability. The presence of a better quality grille cloth reflects the effort to offer a better product in its entirety, instead of the fraying prone, tuck in version of the extinct Bullet Reverb amp.

The core feature of the G-DEC are its guitar related patches- 17 amp modules/ 29 effects/ 10 reverbs & a digital tuner. There is also an accomparying rhythm section comprising of bass & drum; it is an entertainment centre after all isn`t it?

On the control front, the G-DEC keeps imminent fuss to a minimum, featuring only 2 rotary control knobs. As this is a digital product, push buttons (rubber) make an obligatory feature & a metallic parametric knob to edit your patches. Ready for tone?

Sounds/ Tone
An immediate concern with a product of this nature is the degree of its preset patches- which are all splendid I must say. The accuracy pertaining to the patch labels such as Country/ Classic/ Metal etc, are impressive in terms of the drive intensity, modulation parameters & mix level. Also impressive is the amp type patch. Upon selection, stack options feature a marked thickness you`d appreciate especially as a measure to counter the treble-inclined nature of an 8" speaker.

Distortion fans, please be advised that the drive types offered by the G-DEC is strictly Fender based. No plexi/ rectifier emulation available but Fender`s interpretation of these tones is more than a match.

Last say
I`m throughly impressed with the entertainment value of the G-DEC, thumbs up to that.

However, the amp`s control panel needs an immediate inclusion of an EQ section. It`s rather obvious that the immediate access a player requires in terms of tonal rectification is definitely the EQ. I`m terribly burdened by having to access the EQ section through the edit option, instead of immediate availability.

The metallic rotary knob which controls the parametric values gives an increment of 0.1 with every rotation- imagine having to raise your treble by 1, you`d have to turn this knob several times. Certainly, this consideration needs rectification.

Despite offering an impressive tonal palette, the overall tone still sounds treble-excessive, mainly attributable to the 8" speaker on board. Fortunately, the G-DEC has a rear external output for extension cabs, this is really useful for live situations, if you ever decide to use this amp for gigs.

All in all, despite the setbacks mentioned above, the G-DEC is a winner in my books. It`s thoroughly entertaining & offers useful features for the beginning player- that phrase sampler is especially practical to slow down fast guitar passages for you to nail, when you hook up your CD player to this amp. Forgive the G-DEC if it sounds whiny at high volume settings, reality check- it`s still a practice amp after all.
 
This looks like a great amp for a beginner like me with all those features!

But since this amp already has some effects, does it render buying of another multi-fx (eg. Boss ME-50) useless if I want to experiment with different sounds?
 
Hey Benz,

Maybe you can try the amp first and then decide whether its onboard effects are enough to experiment with different sounds. Of course with a mfx, you'll be able to preset the effect settings you want and bring it around jamming with you with ease, instead of having to lug the amp..

Just my .02cents :D
 
the G-DEC's appreciation isn't quite about having reputable multi-FX offerings on board to such an extent it excludes the necessary acquisition of others but rather it's convenience.
 
Thanks for the advice. I shall get this amp first and the other effects later if I find it insufficient for my needs.
 
THERE IS THE GDEC 3 15 now...
nyway,gt my GDEC 15 for $390 today.
recommended:)
 
Last edited:
Back
Top