The Zoom G2 FOUR is a compact multi-effects and amp emulator pedal that gives guitarists a wide range of tones in a stompbox-sized unit. Zoom describes it as an "Effects & Amp Emulator": it combines models of classic amps with cabinet models that use Zoom's Multi-Layer IR (impulse response) technology, which Zoom says offers the "exact tonal characteristics and feel of playing through classic amps and cabinets at different volumes"12. You can build patches from over 100 effects, mixing and matching up to 7 effects per patch, and the unit is designed to output to guitar amps, studio monitors, PAs and headphones1.
It launched in late 2022 at a list price of $199 (€229), with the sibling G2X FOUR, which adds a built-in expression pedal, at $229 (€259)3. Zoom's compact design and variety of effects make it a candidate for adding to an existing pedalboard, and the G2 Four measures 17cm x 14cm x 7cm34.
What the G2 Four does
The G2 FOUR covers the full range a player expects from a multi-effects unit: amp and cabinet modeling, drives, modulation, delays and reverbs, drawn from what Zoom calls a wide range of traditional and boutique tones, from classic spring reverb onward1. The amp models are paired with cabinet models using Zoom's Multi-layer IR technology, the same approach Zoom featured on the B615.
Beyond tone shaping, the unit includes an 80-second built-in looper for songwriting or layering performances, and a rhythm machine with 68 beats to play along with1. Zoom lists Ricardo Ramos among players shown using the G2 Four4.
Guitar.com reviewed the G2 Four in April 2023 and was critical of the experience. The reviewer found the hardware underpowered and the interface slow:
"Its hubris saw it impaled on the lowest review score we've given in years."
Guitar.com, on the G2 Four6
The same review flagged the song patches as often missing their targets: the Paranoid patch uses a scooped Big Muff fuzz the reviewer called "entirely divorced from anything Tony Iommi ever played," the Purple Haze patch does not use an octave fuzz even though one exists in the unit, and the Dean Town patch uses twice as much overdrive as Cory Wong ever has3.
Controls: four encoders and cross key navigation
Zoom gives the G2 FOUR two main control surfaces. Four rotary encoders allow quick adjustments to effects parameters as well as output settings, so you can edit a patch without diving through menus one value at a time1. Zoom's cross key navigation switches let you control the pedal using just your feet and make adjustments on the fly, which matters for a unit meant to sit on a pedalboard rather than on a desk1.
The G2 Four also has an expression pedal jack, so you can connect an external pedal for wah and volume work; the G2X FOUR has one built in3. Zoom offers the FP02M Expression Pedal as an optional accessory, along with the SCU-40 Universal Soft Shell Case7.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| 4 rotary encoders | Quick adjustment of effects parameters and output settings1 |
| Cross key navigation switches | Foot control and on-the-fly adjustments1 |
| Expression pedal jack | Connects an external expression pedal (FP02M optional)37 |
Song-based presets
The G2 FOUR comes preloaded with 250 presets, patches Zoom designed to recreate the sound of iconic songs from the 1950s to today, tracing the evolution of guitar tone1. The idea is that a player can call up a patch named for a well-known track and land close to that recorded tone without building a chain from scratch.
Guitar.com's reviewer tested several of these song patches and found the accuracy uneven, with the Paranoid, Purple Haze and Dean Town patches all described as departing from the tones they are named for3. A player who wants a specific song tone may still need to edit the patch, using the encoders, rather than accepting the preset as delivered.
Power, connections and setup
When you power on the pedal, you select LINE or AMP so the G2 FOUR is optimized for your setup: LINE for studio monitors, PAs and headphones, AMP for a guitar amp1. The box includes the AD-16 AC adapter and a Quick Tour guide1.
Digital connectivity is limited to a USB-C port. Guitar.com's reviewer noted there are no MIDI ports of either size and no Bluetooth, and the unit does not support MIDI over USB3. Players who need MIDI should look elsewhere; TheGigRig G2, for example, offers full MIDI in and out so it can control, or be controlled by, external MIDI devices8.
The G2 Four's stereo outputs are only fully stereo if stereo effects are placed after the amp models, because the impulse responses are mono, as Guitar.com's review points out3.
Zoom's support page for the G2 FOUR covers software, documents, compatibility and optimization, accessories, and tutorial videos, including a "Meet the Zoom G2 Four & G2X Four MultiEffects Processors" tutorial9.
Videos
ZoomSoundLab
ZoomSoundLab
Leo Gibson
Questions
Does the Zoom G2 Four have MIDI?
No. The G2 Four's digital connectivity is limited to a USB-C port, with no MIDI ports of either size and no Bluetooth, and it does not support MIDI over USB. Players who need MIDI control should look at other units, such as TheGigRig G2, which has full MIDI in and out.
Is the Zoom G2 Four stereo?
It has a mono quarter-inch input and two quarter-inch stereo outputs, plus an eighth-inch aux input and an eighth-inch stereo headphone output. Guitar.com's reviewer noted that stereo effects are only actually stereo if placed after the amp models, because the impulse responses are mono.
Does the Zoom G2 Four come with a power supply?
Yes. The box includes the AD-16 AC adapter along with a Quick Tour guide. The optional accessories list also covers power accessories, cases and bags, and controls, including the SCU-40 Universal Soft Shell Case and the FP02M Expression Pedal.
Should I use LINE or AMP mode on the G2 Four?
Choose the mode that matches where the pedal is connected. When you power on the pedal, you select LINE or AMP so the G2 Four is optimized for your setup. LINE suits studio monitors, PAs and headphones, while AMP suits a guitar amp input.
Can I add an expression pedal to the Zoom G2 Four?
Yes. The G2 Four has an expression pedal jack, and Zoom offers the FP02M Expression Pedal as an optional accessory. The sibling G2X FOUR builds an expression pedal into the unit itself for volume swells, wah and more.
How long is the looper on the Zoom G2 Four?
The built-in looper records up to 80 seconds. Zoom positions it for songwriting and for adding layers to a performance, and it sits alongside a rhythm machine with 68 beats to play along with.
Sources (9)
- G2Four/G2XFour Multi-Effects Pedals, ZOOM (zoomcorp.com)
- Zoom unveils its two new G2 Four and G2X Four multi-effects pedals with an innovative IR feature, MusicRadar, 2022-12-16
- Zoom G2 Four and G2X Four review: an unwelcome journey to the past, Guitar.com, 2023-04-17
- G2Four/G2XFour Multi-Effects Pedals, ZOOM (zoomcorp.com)
- Zoom unveils new B2 Four bass multi-effects pedal, with Multi-Layer IR, 300 patches and a 60-second looper, Guitar World, 2023-02-27
- Line 6 POD Express review: could this modeller be all you need?, guitar.com, 2024-07-26
- G2 FOUR & G2X FOUR Effects & Amp Emulator, Zoom Corporation
- The GigRig, TheGigRig
- G2 FOUR / G2X FOUR Support, ZOOM
