Ground Control, GCX, and Tourmaster 4212 together???

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martinlb

martinlb

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I've looked and searched and haven't found an answer but if I'm duplicating a question already active & here I apologize...

I've got a Tourmaster 4212 and T.C. Electronic G-Force and I've ordered a Voodoo Lab GCX and Ground Control. Before I open them, I'm hoping I can get some input about whether they'll work the way I want. What I'm hoping to do is set aside my 4212 foot switch and use the Ground Control and GCX to control the Amp and processor.

The first thing I'm worried about is whether the Ground Control can replace my Tourmaster footswitch. The footswitch has what looks like a MIDI plug, but it's got 8 pins - 7 that circle a center pin. Does anyone know if the Ground Control or the GCX will connect to the 4212's footswitch jack?

Can I use the Ground Control and GCX to combine Amp channel choices with effects patches?

It's late and I'm tired but I hope my questions are making sense. Help / feedback about this will be greatly appreciated - thanks!
 
martinlb":axk52wu8 said:
I've looked and searched and haven't found an answer but if I'm duplicating a question already active & here I apologize...

I've got a Tourmaster 4212 and T.C. Electronic G-Force and I've ordered a Voodoo Lab GCX and Ground Control. Before I open them, I'm hoping I can get some input about whether they'll work the way I want. What I'm hoping to do is set aside my 4212 foot switch and use the Ground Control and GCX to control the Amp and processor.

The first thing I'm worried about is whether the Ground Control can replace my Tourmaster footswitch. The footswitch has what looks like a MIDI plug, but it's got 8 pins - 7 that circle a center pin. Does anyone know if the Ground Control or the GCX will connect to the 4212's footswitch jack?

Can I use the Ground Control and GCX to combine Amp channel choices with effects patches?

It's late and I'm tired but I hope my questions are making sense. Help / feedback about this will be greatly appreciated - thanks!
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From page 10 of the TourMaster Manual:

FOOTSWITCH: Plug in the Tourmaster TM footpedal controller using the special supplied 8-pin DIN cable. Note: A standard MIDI cable will not properly function with the pedal.

This would imply that this is not a midi port (TBH it does not explicitly say that, that I can see). If it's not a midi port the GCX / GCP will not be able to control the channel functions on the head!

Manual is here http://www.egnateramps.com/manuals/TM4100_TM4212IM.pdf

To so what you want I'm guessing you would need another device to take the midi signal and tell the amp what to do (RJM amp Gizmo maybe?).

I'd email Bruce directly and tell him what you are trying to achieve and he can guide you from there - he's a cool dude and I'm sure he will have a work or two of advice!
 
Thanks webrthomson - Sounds like I should contact Egnator. I got some help from the folks at Voodoo Lab a long time ago as well. I thought from some of the posts I've read (mostly from peoples' gear lists) there might be a way to make this work.
 
No bother dude - if it is a midi port the GC Pro will switch it or if there were TRS or 1/4 inch jacks the GCX would switch those. However the 8 pin thing looks a bit suspect - talk to Bruce and he will keep you right!
 
I think I've got it covered. Voodoo Lab is making a cable that will convert a MIDI output from their Control Switcher to the 8 pin DIN plug that controls the Tourmaster. They also gave me the MIDI pin to DIN pin info so I can rig my own cable while I'm waiting for their cable to come. I've ordered the Control Switcher and once it gets here I'll start working on setting things up.

Thanks again for your help!
 
That is great news dude - the Voodoo guys are great - everything is fixable from their point of view!!!

I've not used the control switcher yet as most of my stuff is midi - but make sure you let us know how you get on - always interested in first hand reports on gear like this!

Also we want pictures once it's all done :)
 
webrthomson":1qcsafnl said:
That is great news dude - the Voodoo guys are great - everything is fixable from their point of view!!!

I've not used the control switcher yet as most of my stuff is midi - but make sure you let us know how you get on - always interested in first hand reports on gear like this!

Also we want pictures once it's all done :)
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I'll post pics and status report once I've got everything. Maybe even before - I'm trying to decide about waiting for the cable or making my own and I have a strong feeling I won't be able to wait... :D
 
You cannot connect the tour master footswitch jack to midi. It will not work. Contact Nate at egnater to get the pin out of the cable. I just looked for it, but I lost it. THe channels, loop, and reverb are switched by connecting the appropriate pin to ground. I have an FCB1010 switching my channels with it's internal relays in a special made cable I made. You have three options. Use two of your effects loops on the GCX to switched the wires with as custom cable, get a K-Switch, or an amp gizmo.
 
I do remember that there are two wires for the amp switching. it is kinda slick. No connection, and you have green channel. Ground wire one, and you have the amber channel .Ground the other wire, and you have the yellow channel. Ground both, and you have the red channel.
 
Thanks guys - I did get the wiring from (can't remember his name) a Voodoo Lab tech. I think I'll be doing the soldering tonight, and will post about what happens - hopefully no smoke escapes. Electronics actually run on smoke, and once it gets out, things don't work any more. :lol: :LOL:
 
The only wire you have to worry about is the 12 volt line. Don't short that one to ground. I would find that wire with a multimeter and tape that one off. Then, it won't matter what you touch together.
 
rjohns1":3sl3zysg said:
The only wire you have to worry about is the 12 volt line. Don't short that one to ground. I would find that wire with a multimeter and tape that one off. Then, it won't matter what you touch together.
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Thanks - I'm not using the 12v pin for the cable I've made. The pinouts on the Control Switcher consist of 4 switch pins and a common. Unless I'm waaay more ignorant of electronics than I know I am, there's no power going through my cable from the Switcher to the Amp.

Now for figuring out how to rout the components. I've got them plugged in and got it right to the extent that the Ground Control is switching channels on the G-Force.

Here's how things go:

Ground Control MIDI out to GCX pedal in. The Ground Control runs off phantom power, which is important to me.
GCX MIDI out to G-Force MIDI in.
G-Force MIDI out to Control Switcher MIDI in.
Control Switcher MULTI to 4212 Foot Switch

My first-in-line concern right now is that the Control Switcher isn't doing anything with the 4212's channel switching. Pressing the switch function buttons has no effect. Unless I misunderstood how the Voodoo Lab tech told me to do the cable wiring, it's not the cable. I've checked it for continuity between the pins on the switcher and amp sides.

I'll go through the manual again, but for now I don't know why the Switcher isn't changing channels on the 4212...
 
yeti":1wai71z9 said:
just get an amp gizmo.
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I looked it up and it looks similar to the Voodoo Lab Channel Switcher, but... I'm sure there are differences. Thing is, I've already got the Voodoo Lab device and I'd like to get it to work. If I do too much flailing around though I'll look into the Gizmo so thanks for the suggestion. Have you used one?
 
numerous friends have and people i read about on here that generally dont bullshit when something works or doesnt work.

i have no need for my amp to be switched by midi currently. i just hate to see you fumbling around with some unknown, or unknown variables and giving yourself headaches!
 
yeti":m4nre9q8 said:
numerous friends have and people i read about on here that generally dont bullshit when something works or doesnt work.

i have no need for my amp to be switched by midi currently. i just hate to see you fumbling around with some unknown, or unknown variables and giving yourself headaches!
Click to expand...

I appreciate that. Believe me, if I was starting fresh I'd just get the Amp Gizmo - I've read a lot of posts from people who've used it and are happy. For now I'm gonna try getting what I already have to work. I do thank you for your advice, even though I'm not following it, at least not yet. And that just has to do with not wanting what I've got right now to go to waste without trying to make it work...

One thing I haven't found is the pinout designation (right term???) for the Tourmaster 4212 footswitch. If anyone's got it, could you please post it here or point me to it? I'd like to compare the original with what I put together. And without power, the cable pins from the 4212 footswitch all appear to be dead so I haven't been able to see what happens when a given button is pressed.
 
Got the cable working with the Control Switcher so I can use the Switcher to change Amp channels and so on. Now I've gotta figure out how to program everything so they all work together. I know others have done it or something similar...
 
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