The GigRig G3 is an effects pedal switching system: a floor controller that sits at the front of your pedalboard and routes your pedals through 12 passive true bypass loops, so you can bring any combination of them in or out with one press instead of dancing across individual footswitches1. Made by The GigRig, it arrived in 2020 as the successor to the award-winning G22 and sits at the head of a four-unit range that also includes the G3 Atom, the G3 Hub and the G3 Extension Kit3.
The core idea is simple. Your pedals live in the G3's loops, and the G3's own switching decides which ones are in the signal path at any moment. Because the loops are passive true bypass, pedals that are switched out are fully removed from the chain rather than buffered past. The GigRig says the G3 "will not load or colour your guitar tone, letting you hear your effects and amps as they were designed to sound"1.
Loops, stereo and outputs
The 12 loops are the G3's working heart. Each is a passive true bypass loop, and loops can be paired for stereo effects, meaning you can have up to 6 stereo loops, 12 mono loops, or a combination of the two1. At launch, Guitar World reported that you can output your signal in full stereo2, and MusicRadar noted the switchers offer full stereo and built-in wet/dry signal splitting, so players can send different effects combinations to different amps3.
The two outputs behave differently, and the difference matters if you run two amps1:
| Output | Behavior with input and output amps off | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Out 1 | True bypass | Earthed, must be connected to ground at all times1 |
| Out 2 | Buffered and isolated | Uses the Hi-Def Isolation circuit for true full frequency isolation1 |
One of the two outputs is isolated and phase reversible, which The GigRig says means "you'll have no earth hum or phase issues between your amps"1.
Presets, footswitches and MIDI
The G3 stores 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, one touch recalls a fully programmed effects combination with multiple changes at once; in stompbox mode, footswitches turn single pedals on and off, working the way a conventional pedalboard does3.
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. At launch Guitar World cited up to 15 MIDI PC and CC messages programmable per preset2; the maker's current page gives the higher figure of 201, so the two sources disagree on the number. MIDI control lets a preset also change patches on MIDI-equipped pedals in the same press.
The footswitches themselves are The GigRig's own-design OptoKick units, milled from stainless steel, which "use light instead of mechanics to do the footswitching, so there's nothing to break"1.
Later G3-family software updates added a MIDI Sequencer, extra stompbox modes, expression pedal inputs, and MIDI commands when turning presets on and off4. The G3S variant adds 12 dedicated footswitch screens alongside the main screen, giving preset labels for all 14 switches4.
Signal handling and tone
For players who care about what a switcher does to their sound, the G3's published specifications are1:
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Signal bandwidth (true bypass and Pre/Post amps) | 4Hz to 100KHz1 |
| Input impedance | 3.3M Ohm1 |
| Maximum input signal | 16.5V peak to peak1 |
The high input impedance and wide bandwidth are the maker's case for the G3 leaving pickups and effects unaltered1.
Power and connections
The G3 runs on 9V DC through a 2.1mm center negative connector and draws 850mA1. The GigRig recommends its Generator power supply, which is supplied with the G3 Switching System1.
At 850mA, the G3 draws more current than many pedals and more than its own predecessor: the G2 uses 9V DC at 650mA51. Plan a power supply with headroom rather than a small daisy-chain tap.
From the G2 to the G3 range
The G3 is the successor to the award-winning G2, The GigRig's switching system released in 2013, which Gearnews described as having gone on to become a world-leading solution used by some big names in the guitar world6. The G2 offered 10 passive true bypass loops including 2 stereo loops5; the G3 raised this to 12 loops with flexible stereo pairing1.
The G3 range launched in 2020 with four units3:
- G3: the full-size floor switcher with 12 loops1
- G3 Atom: a compact version with 6 loops, each configurable for stereo using TRS cables7
- G3 Hub: a rack-mountable 2U unit allowing up to six floor controllers to be used in sync, designed so a guitar tech off-stage has control alongside the artist on-stage2
- G3 Extension Kit: an extension for the system3
At launch the G3 Switching System was priced at £1,095 GBP, available to preorder with availability expected December 20203.
The G3 and the G3 Atom
The G3 Atom is The GigRig's compact alternative to the G3. The maker says "we wanted to offer a compact alternative to G3 without compromising on any of its features"7. The practical differences:
| G3 | G3 Atom | |
|---|---|---|
| Loops | 12, pairable for stereo (up to 6 stereo)1 | 6, each configurable for stereo with TRS cables7 |
| Presets | Up to 99 banks, up to 28 presets per bank1 | 99 banks, up to 16 presets per bank7 |
| MIDI | Up to 20 PC and CC messages per preset, 2 expression inputs1 | Up to 20 PC and CC messages per preset, 2 expression inputs7 |
| Outputs | 2, one isolated and phase reversible1 | 2, one isolated and phase reversible7 |
| Power | 9V DC, 2.1mm center negative, 850mA1 | 9V DC, 2.1mm center negative, 850mA1 |
Guitar World described the Atom as the option for smaller pedalboards, packing six loops that can each be mono or stereo via TRS jacks2. The Atom also carries an ultra-bright TFT LCD screen showing Bank, Preset Number/Name and Pre/Post Gain levels plus the menu system, with adjustable brightness7.
The range has since grown to include the G3S, a G3 built with screens next to each footswitch4, and the G3S Atom.
Videos
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Questions
What is the difference between Out 1 and Out 2 on the GigRig G3?
The G3 has 2 separate outputs. With the input and output amps off, Out 1 is true bypass, earthed, and must be connected to ground at all times. Out 2 is buffered and isolated, using the Hi-Def Isolation circuit for full frequency isolation. One output is isolated and phase reversible, so you avoid earth hum or phase issues between two amps.
Does the GigRig G3 color my guitar tone?
The GigRig says the G3 will not load or colour your guitar tone, letting you hear your effects and amps as they were designed to sound. Its signal bandwidth including true bypass and Pre/Post amps is 4Hz to 100KHz, and input impedance is 3.3M Ohm.
What power supply does the GigRig G3 use?
The G3 runs on 9V DC through a 2.1mm centre negative connector and draws 850mA. The GigRig recommends its Generator power supply, which is supplied with the G3 Switching System.
Can the GigRig G3 run stereo effects?
Yes. The 12 loops can be paired for stereo effects, so you can have up to 6 stereo loops, 12 mono loops, or a combination. Guitar World reported at launch that you can output your signal in full stereo, and MusicRadar noted built-in wet/dry signal splitting for sending different effects combinations to different amps.
How many presets does the GigRig G3 hold?
Up to 99 banks with up to 28 presets per bank, configurable for Preset or Stomp Box mode. 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 control.
What is the difference between the G3 and the G3 Atom?
The G3 Atom is a compact alternative with 6 loops instead of 12, though each of its loops can be configured for stereo using TRS cables. It holds up to 16 presets per bank rather than 28. The GigRig describes the Atom as a compact alternative without compromising on any of the G3's features.
Sources (7)
- The GigRig, The GigRig
- TheGigRig debuts the G3, its next generation of pedalboard switching systems, Guitar World, 2020-10-16
- The GigRig raises the bar on effects pedal switching systems with the G3, MusicRadar, 2020-10-16
- The GigRig, The GigRig
- The GigRig, TheGigRig
- GigRig G3 pedal switching system: The ultimate stompbox control?, www.gearnews.com, 2020-10-16
- The GigRig, The GigRig
