Nova System vs. GT10 vs. GT100

Years ago, I had a Nova System. I really liked it, but sold it to get a G System. Which was sort of like dumping your good looking girlfriend for a super hot one that doesn't put out. I should have stuck with the Nova!

Now I have a G Major 2 with a GCP and Ground Control Pro.
It does everything under the sun! I can switch pedals in and out, I can control my amp (Rivera S-120 - momentary switching instead of latching), and I can control my G Major.

Problem is, it's way too bulky to take anywhere. Last night my band rehearsed at a studio across the island. It took 4 trips to get my stuff out of the truck. With the amp, guitar, rack and footswitch. So much for traveling light!


So, I woke up this morning thinking that there has to be a much more elegant solution.

I'm thinking: Nova System or GT10 or GT100
I would like overdrive and distortion options in front of the amp and stellar FX in the loop.
I would like something that is easy to program.
It has to be solidly built and can handle being stomped on, spilled on, etc.

Last time I had this discussion with myself, a lot of you guys recommended the GT10. Now with the GT100 out, I'm wondering if it is worth it to spend the few extra $$$ on the newest version.

Have any of you guys tried all of these?

May I ask why you're so set on multi-effect units? Which effects do you find yourself actually using?

I actually like individual pedals more, but they just don't serve my needs.
I play in a 4 piece (only guitar player) band that plays all original music ranging in many styles.
Sort of like Faith No More combined in a blender with Rush, Incubus, Heart, Pat Benatar, Steely Dan, and Frank Zappa with a sprinkling of early Maiden sparkles on top.

I need to cover a ton of sonic territory that I simply can't do efficiently with single pedals.
I used to use a Rocktron Patchmate Floor, but I found that it had a serious tendency to suck tone if you pushed the buttons just right. Maybe mine was faulty, I noticed that the tone suck got worse the longer the unit was on.
Plus, I was stuck with only 1 setting from each pedal and my pedal board was freakishly huge and busy.

I like multi FX with no preamp.
In any given song, my tones will switch from:
Clean w/chorus & slight delay
Heavy w/no FX
Heavy w/whammy
Clean w/flange, delay, verb
Gritty w/verb
Heavy w/every FX I can put in
Heavy w/delay & compression

I just simply can't seem to do it with pedals. Which is a huge bummer if I don't like one of the FX that is in the unit.
So far, my G Major 2 is really cool. I do have problems with different algorithms in the G Major on different presets causing delays and swells in sound.

I think I'm always trying to minimize my setup while retaining as much reliability and capability as possible.

Well, I don't know how much money you're able to spend or how complicated you want to get, but my ideal setup would be individual effects controlled with Voodoo Lab or RJM switching gear. MIDI-capable pedals like the TimeLine, TimeFactor, ModFactor, Mobius, etc. would give you access to presets for different effects, and you could throw in a couple overdrives to taste. That's an expensive project, though!

I honestly think the Nova System is a great unit. Perfect, no, but still really good. I sold mine because I was only really using it for delays, and I didn't like how the switches activated upon release. My first instrument is drums, and it's just programmed in me to tap on the beat. Yeah, I could have adjusted to tapping before the beat and pulling up on it, but I didn't want to.

You could also leave the Nova System by your amp, and just run a MIDI controller to your spot on stage. Shorter cables = better tone, in my opinion, unless you're into the long cable thing.

I had originally thought about some Eventide pedals. The G Major 2 was cheaper though. I think I got it on a Dent & Scratch sale for around $385 or so.

I ended up keeping the G Major for now. I have a GCX that controls my amp's functions and punches a couple of OD pedals in and out.
I did get a smaller rack though. I was using a Gator G-Tour 6 space, which was great until I had to move it! The **** thing was huge (especially for a "Shallow" rack) when the lids were on, and it weighed about 65 pounds!

So, here is the new rack:


Not nearly large enough for a few pedals (unless I dump the G Major), but it's a lot more manageable!