The GigRig G3S is a floor-unit pedalboard switcher from The GigRig: the company's G3 switching system built with a small screen next to every footswitch1. Where a standard switcher leaves you remembering which preset lives on which switch, the G3S puts a label on each one, which matters when you are working with large set lists. As The GigRig puts it, "if you have 99 banks with up to 28 presets per bank, you're going to want screen next to the footswitches"1.
The unit switches 12 effects loops in a passive true bypass matrix, stores up to 99 banks of presets, sends MIDI, handles stereo, and edits over Bluetooth from a phone. It sits at the top of the current G3 range: the G3S Atom is the compact alternative, which The GigRig says was built "without compromising on any of its features"21.
A G3 switcher with a screen for every footswitch
The G3S is, in The GigRig's own description, "its G3 built with screens next to each footswitch"1. It is an effects pedal switching system built as a pedalboard switcher floor unit, and the screens are the point: as The GigRig puts it, "if you have 99 banks with up to 28 presets per bank, you're going to want screen next to the footswitches"1. The G3S adds the display layer to the G3 platform: 12 dedicated OLED preset screens sit alongside the main screen, giving preset labels for all 14 switches1.
Each OLED display shows up to five characters, enough for a short name or number, and brightness is adjustable. The main TFT LCD screen shows the bank, preset number and name, Pre and Post Gain levels, and the menu system1.
The footswitches are The GigRig's own OptoKick design, milled from stainless steel. The company describes the approach plainly: "our own-design OptoKick footswitch uses light instead of mechanics to do the footswitching, so there's nothing to break"1.
Presets, modes and MIDI
The G3S holds up to 99 banks with up to 28 presets per bank, and can be configured for Preset mode or Stomp Box mode1. In Preset mode a footswitch recalls a whole snapshot of loops and settings; in Stomp Box mode the switches behave more like individual pedal on/off controls.
MIDI is deep. Each preset can send up to 20 separate mappable PC and CC MIDI messages, and there are 2 expression pedal inputs for realtime CC message control1. The G3 range also gained features through software updates, including a MIDI Sequencer, extra stompbox modes, expression pedal inputs, and MIDI commands fired when presets turn on and off1.
Editing does not require a computer. The G3S connects over Bluetooth, and The GigRig lists "software updates, system back-ups, set-list editing all from your phone"1, through the G3 Web Editor or the G3 iOS app, which also handles preset labeling1.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Presets | Up to 99 banks, up to 28 presets per bank1 |
| Modes | Preset mode or Stomp Box mode1 |
| MIDI per preset | Up to 20 mappable PC and CC messages1 |
| Expression | 2 pedal inputs for realtime CC control1 |
| Editing | Bluetooth to G3 Web Editor or G3 iOS app1 |
Loops, stereo and bypass
The 12 loops are a Passive True Bypass Matrix, and they can be paired for stereo effects: up to 6 stereo loops, 12 mono loops, or combinations of the two1. Stereo delay and reverb trails work from any loop on any preset1, so a preset change does not chop off a decaying echo.
The two outputs behave differently, and it is worth knowing which is which:
- Out 1: true bypass with the input and output amps off. It is earthed and must be connected to ground at all times1.
- Out 2: buffered and isolated, using The GigRig's Hi-Def Isolation circuit for what the company calls true full frequency isolation1.
Signal handling is generous for pedal-level gear: maximum input is 16.5V peak to peak, input impedance is 3.3M Ohm, and the signal bandwidth including true bypass and the Pre/Post amps runs from 4Hz to 100KHz1. The G3 also offers programmable Pre Gain on every preset, which can buffer, attenuate or boost the input to your effects and can be switched out entirely, plus TRS remote switching for other gear3.
Power and connections
The G3S runs on 9V DC through a 2.1mm center negative connector at 950mA1.
At 950mA the G3S needs a dedicated power outlet rated well above typical pedal currents. A battery is not an option, and a shared daisy chain outlet that cannot supply the full draw risks problems. The GigRig recommends its Generator power supply, supplied with the G3 Switching System, for the G3S Atom21.
For comparison, the smaller G3S Atom draws 850mA on the same 9V DC, 2.1mm center negative supply2.
G3S against the rest of the range
The G3S is the full-size, screen-equipped flagship. The G3 is the same switching system without the per-switch displays. The G3S Atom keeps the screens but shrinks the format: 6 loops (each configurable for stereo with a TRS cable), up to 16 presets per bank across 99 banks, 2 outputs with one isolated and phase reversible, and the same Bluetooth editing2. The G3 Atom is its screenless counterpart.
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Questions
What is the difference between the GigRig G3S and the G3?
The G3S is the G3 switching system built with screens next to each footswitch. It adds 12 dedicated OLED preset displays alongside the main screen, giving preset labels for all 14 switches, so you can see what each footswitch does instead of remembering it. The switching, loops and preset structure are those of the G3.
How many characters can each G3S preset display show?
Each of the 12 OLED preset display screens shows up to five characters, enough for a short preset name or number. The main TFT LCD screen separately shows the bank, preset number and name, Pre and Post Gain levels, and the menu system.
Can I edit G3S set lists from my phone?
Yes. The G3S connects over Bluetooth for software updates, system backups and set-list editing from your phone, through the G3 Web Editor or the G3 iOS app. Preset labelling is done there too.
Is the GigRig G3S true bypass?
Its 12 effects loops are a passive true bypass matrix. Output 1 is true bypass with the input and output amps off, and it is earthed, so it must be connected to ground at all times. Output 2 is buffered and isolated, using a Hi-Def Isolation circuit for full frequency isolation.
How much current does the GigRig G3S draw?
It runs on 9V DC from a 2.1mm center negative connector at 950mA. That is well beyond what a battery or a small daisy chain outlet can supply, so it needs a dedicated 9V output rated for at least that much current.
Can the G3S run stereo delay and reverb trails?
Yes. The 12 loops can be paired for stereo effects, giving up to 6 stereo loops, 12 mono loops, or a mix. The G3S supports stereo delay and reverb trails from any loop on any preset.
Sources (3)
- The GigRig, The GigRig
- The GigRig, The GigRig
- The GigRig, The GigRig
