The Zoom G5 ashbass Bank Select Mod
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Click to see examples of this mod sent in by other players.

Click to see the ashbass Patch Select Mod.

Click to see the ashbass Tap Rhythm Mod.

Click to see Zoom G5 Instructions for above 2 mods.




These mods worked for ashbass and are not guaranteed to work for anyone else. Some modders have ruined their pedals.
Most agree that too much heat, or heat left on too long, burnt something up. Some symptoms are the lights at the top of
the pedal not working. And of course, the pedal not working.
So if you are going to do the mod, you are doing so at your own risk.

I'm still digging the Zoom G5. It just needs a few mods to make it more gig-friendly. The mod described here takes on the need to simultaneously press two foot switches in order to go up/down the bank list when in Patch mode. Zoom G5
There are two ways the stock G5 lets you change banks. When in Patch mode, you can turn Knob 1 of Effect 4 to move up/down in the bank list.

Also in Patch mode, you can press footswitches 1 and 2 simultaneously to move Bank Down and press footswitches 2 and 3 to move Bank Up.
Zoom G5 Rhythm Button


Neither of the stock choices is convenient. We need a switch box that will put the functionality of the Bank Up/Down switches into one switch per direction. Much like the one to the right.


The following steps show how to do this mod yourself.
Zoom G5 Ashbass Patch Select mod
Here are the parts you'll need.

This mod needs to accommodate 4 wires coming fron the G5 and into the switch box. So you'll need two 4-conductor jacks, two 4-conductor plugs, some length of 4-conductor cable, and two momentary DPST push button switches.

Fron http://www.markertek.com
Calrad 3.5mm 4-conductor Snap-in Jack
4-conductor 3.5mm Plug
4-conductor Cable by the Foot
I used StewMac cable (below) because I had some aleady. The Markertek cable will work but won't be colored the same as in these instructions.
StewMac 4-conductor Cable in 16" lengths

The switches you can get from Bitcheslovemyswitches. You need momentary switches with 4 lugs on the bottom (DPST). Six lugs will work as well but we only need four.

You can use Radio Shack parts but they only have 3-conductor plugs, jacks, and cable. Using two Radio Shack parts in place of one of the parts listed above will work. Radio Shack does not have momentary switches with 4 lugs on the bottom that I know of.
1/8" Stereo Jack (2-Pack) - You need 4.
Radio Shack "1/8 cable stereo" - You need 2.
Radio Shack "momentary switch" - ?
Radio Shack "project enclosure"- You need 1.
Zoom G5
Zoom G5
Zoom G5


Remove the 18 screws from the bottom of the G5 and put them safely aside. Note that the 4 screws grouped together on the left side are not the same as the other 14. Keep those in a separate pile. Remove the back panel.
Zoom G5
Zoom G5
Flip the G5 around so that the rear of the pedal is facing you. On the left, we can now see the solder spots for the footswitches. Zoom G5
The dotted yellow circles show us where the solder spots are for each of the first three foot switches. Click the image for a larger version. Zoom G5
Solder the ends of four wires to the soldered spots as shown in the image. I used 4-conductor pickup wire in the photo. I could have used individual wires as well.

Here, the white/left wire and the green/middle wire are responsible for Bank Down. The red/right wire and the green/middle wire are responsible for Bank Up. The black/middle wire is shared by all the footswitches. Left to right you should have White, Black, Green, Red.
Zoom G5
Solder your wires to your jack. Solder the white/left wire to the 'tip' lug, the green/middle wire to the first 'ring' lug, the red/right wire to the second 'ring' lug, and the black/middle wire to the 'sleeve' lug.

Drill a hole in the rear panel of the G5 to seat your jack.

Now let's make the switch box.
Zoom G5
In the photos belows I use swtiches with only four lugs.

You can use a DPDT or 3PDT switch for this mod as well. They have 6 and 9 lugs respectively. You will only be concerned with four of the lugs.
Zoom G5
I had a small aluminum enclosure already so I used that. I laid out my controls where I wanted them and then put them into the box. Note that the switches have 4 lugs each.

The white and red wires (tip and secod ring) are connected to their switches. Click the image for a larger version.
Zoom G5
The green/middle wire (first ring) is connected to the switch on the right and then jumpered over to the switch on the left. This will connect foot switch 1 to footswitch 2 and footswitch 3 to footswitch 2.




Zoom G5
A short jumper wire is installed between the green wire lug and the lug next to it for each switch.





Zoom G5
The black (sleeve) wire is connected to the switch on the right opposite the white wire and then jumpered over to the other switch opposite its red wire. Click the image for a larger version.





Zoom G5

The finished switch box. I made the graphics in PowerPoint from images taken from the G5 manual. I printed them out on water-slide decal paper and a laser printer and put the decals on the boxes. I then spray-painted some polyurethane on them for protection from scratches and rips in the decal.

[Box setup: 1- drilled the necessary holes. 2- put the decal on. 3- did the polyurethane. 4- put the jack and switches in. 5- wired it up. 6- attached the bottom to the box.]
Zoom G5
Screw the back panel on.

All finished.

Take a picture of your modded setup and send it to ashbass to add it to the User Examples page.
Zoom G5



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