GSC-2 Guitar System Controller

There are available two versions of the controller with different footswitches. The GSC-3 model with metal footswitches and backlighted descriptions and the GSC-2 model with silent, backlighted footswitches.

Guitar System Controller (GSC-3/ GSC-2) is the programmable switching device of effects’ loops (looper), the controller which replaces the amp’s footswitch and the MIDI foot controller in one. By pressing just a single footswitch it enables:

• to activate selected effects (connected to effects loops),
• to set the amp channel and other amp’s functions controlled by its footswitch input,
• to select program numbers at MIDI devices (e.g. effects’ processors) and to transmit Control Change type commands.

True passive signal path doesn’t contain any active elements (gaining the signal) which could change the guitar tone. All effects and the input buffer are attached by electro-mechanical relays into the signal path (TRUE BYPASSED circuits).


Basic characteristics:

• six loops for connecting effects,
• possibility of switching on the high impedance input buffer (identical with a tube amp characteristics) at any preset,
• the TUNER output with the silent tuning function which receives the signal through very high impedance circuit (no influence on a guitar signal),
• six 9V DC outputs supplying effects (in two separated sections, 500mA each),
• 2 separated outputs (2 lines each, latching type) for amp's switching by its footswitch input,
• MIDI output for controlling MIDI devices by Program Change and Control Change commands,
• tap tempo function (sending the tempo to the MIDI device),
• 100 presets memory (10 banks, 10 presets each),
• possibility of copying of whole bank and single preset,
• possibility of putting down the modyficator function to the footswitches (ON/OFF effect, switching amp channel or call the preset on the particular MIDI device,
• AUX connector for connecting an extension modules, eg. AUX BANK UP/DOWN FOOTSWITCH WITH MIDI IN ,
• USB connector for connecting to a PC, enabling downloading, editing and saving presets, also firmware upgrades,
• 10 metal footswitches with backlighted descriptions (GSC-3 version),
• 10 silent, backlighted footswitches (GSC-2 version),
• three modes of bank selection and no banks mode,
• the input for connecting a wah-wah effect pad (wah-pad) to control the system by placing the foot on the wah-wah effect,
• external power supply with 4 meters long and flexible cable,
• durable, powder-coated casing.

It is possible to connect to GSC-3/ GSC-2 the » G LAB AUX BANK UP/DOWN with MIDI IN FOOTSWITCH as an expansion module with two footswitches to switch the banks and MIDI IN input to control the controller by other device.

The GSC-3/ GSC-2 connecting diagram

The LED display, mode indicators and footswitches, matched with the numbers from 0 to 9, makes the programming of the presets much easier. Below is shown the preset programming procedure.

Below is shown the example of the guitar system presenting the functionality of the GSC-3/ GSC-2.

In the bank No. 1 we have 10 presets – it means that pressing just a single footswitch will set all elements of the system.

In the bank No. 2 the footswitches from 1 to 5 are the presets. Pressing next one of 6,7,8 footswitches will cause in switching ON and OFF the particular effect. Footswitches 9 and 0 work as an amp channel switches.

Such a functionality gives a possibility to use the GSC-3/ GSC-2 as the controller of the whole system and simultaneously as a substitution of the effects’ ON/OFF switches as well as the amp footswitch.


In order to make the programming more easy the GSC-3/ GSC-2 has a USB interface to connect the device with the PC.

» The G2Soft 2.4 (zip, 4.11 MB) available on the G LAB web page, enables reading the GSC-3/ GSC-2 data, saving data at the GSC-3/ GSC-2, saving data on your PC, reading from the given file the particular preset or all presets, banks and settings. It enables also editing on the PC screen, copying presets and banks, editing the settings, printing the presets table, etc.

The small dimensions of the GSC-3/ GSC-2 enable to arrange the pedalboard without its enlarging. Thanks to the GSC-3/ GSC-2 we can gain the functionality which up to now was available only for the best guitarists in the world. Below are shown the examples of the pedalboards maintaining the real dimensions’ proportions.