Pedalera FSM-432 MK IV

Hello, I'm new to the forum, I've been looking at it and I can't find the information I need.
I just bought a Tubemeister 40 deluxe.
With the FS-2 pedal, I am clear that you only change the channels with your foot, and nothing else.
But I don't know if the FSM-432 also does the same as the FS-2, given that it has 7 presets, and of course 1,000,000 other things.
That is, the 7 presets of the FSM-432 change between the 3 channels, or are they memorized sounds?
I am also interested in learning more about the FSM-432 for the TM-40, because I see that it is more oriented towards the Grandmeister, and I have not found much information on using it with the TB-40. Thank you.

Jaro, from Spain

Hi Jaro.  Welcome to the forum.  There is a good reason why you won't find too much information on using the FSM432 with a TM amplifier, let's look into it.

To figure out using a FSM432 you first have to understand the difference between the TMs and the GMs.  Your TM40D has MIDI control of 3 functions.  It can select the Channel, turn the Fx Loop on and off, and change the Power Soak setting.  That is all!  The Grandmeister uses digital rotary controls and can have any of its front panel controls altered to any value.  It can also have all of the built in onboard effects turned on and off and also reset to any levels at any time.  It can also set up the entire amp to any one of 128 preprogrammed voices.  That's a shed load more than the TM40D and requires something more high tech to control it.

The TM40D is not a true full MIDI amp, it only allows control of those 3 simple areas.  The GM series also ties in a Power Soak setting to each individual Channel so that will change automatically whenever the channel is changed, even manually with the selector switch.  I am not sure if that is the case for your TM40D, it doesn't seem to be mentioned in the manual.  If that is the case then on the fly selection of the Power Soak is even less important.

I would think about whether it is worth paying the money for the FSM432 to control so few functions.  Don't get me wrong, the FSM432 is a good controller and is fully matched to the H&K amps and processes, I use one with my own GM36 and like the combination, but it isn't cheap and it isn't particularly flexible.  At the moment you are using a FS2 footswitch.  That allows you to select your channel.  It may be a H&K footswitch though any cheaper 2 button model is easy to pair with the TM40D, there are instructions on here if you search.  Look at the Thomann ones for example and see how inexpensive they can be.  They are literally only an enclosure, a pair of switches, two LEDs and two resistors.  A cheap FS1 type footswitch will then allow you to control the FX Loop on/off.  So it is only control of the Power Soak setting which will be added by a FSM432.  Is it worth the extra money?

Now I would say that if you were thinking of upgrading in the future to a GM40D then the FSM432 is a good choice.  There are other MIDI controllers around, a half million of them it appears!  They have more and more exotic and complex functions built into them and of course, higher and higher prices.  In the way of guitarists today the highest level of functionality is a "must have can't live without" need despite the fact that most people only set up a few of the simplest functions then brag to their friends about the other thousand they will never use.  Don't be tempted to overspend on things you will never need.

The FSM432 has 7 switches.  These are not dedicated to any one task.  The footswitch can be put into a couple of modes where the switches act differently.  It can control the Channel Selection, the FX Loop and Power Soak setting all separately just as you do.  It can also be put into a "Patch Mode" where a bank of 4 voices is selected from 32 available programmable banks, and the 4 basic buttons then select between the voices in that bank.  Each of those voices programme the entire GM series amps to a completely different setup where everything on the amp is programmable.  That is really what MIDI is about.  The TM series are good amps but their MIDI requirements are very simple.

What is the rest of your setup?  Do you have other MIDI pedals which you need to control too for example?  Are you planning to upgrade to a GM40D in the near future?

Hola, muy buena explicación, me ha quedado muy claro.
Tengo una BOSS GA-FC CONTROL DE SUELO PARA AMPLIFICADORES ROLAND Y BOSS, podría ser compatible con mi TM 40?
Esta pedalera tiene algunas salidas para pedales de expresión y efectos que me podrían interesar
Gracias



{BB: Hello, very good explanation, it has been very clear to me. I have a BOSS GA-FC FLOOR CONTROL FOR ROLAND AND BOSS AMPLIFIER, could it be compatible with my TM 40? This pedal board has some outputs for expression and effects pedals that I might be interested in. Thank you.}

Y otra cosa…
La fsm-432 mk III de segunda mano está a mitad de precio, está pedalera es compatible con mi TM 40?
Que funciones podría utilizar?
Prodria programarla igual que la MK IV?



{BB: And another thing… The second-hand fsm-432 mk III is half price, is this pedal board compatible with my TM 40? What functions could I use? Could you program it the same as the MK IV?}

Aha! A FSM432 MkIII for half price might be a good buy. It is certainly capable of controlling your TM40D.

You will not be able to control all of the functions as you can in the GM series. The Masters, Gains and Tone settings are standard pots not digital ones. These can only be adjusted manually, but as you have a Master and Gain for each channel, and two sets of tone controls to match your channel selections they may make up for that a little.

You can certainly control the channel selection, Fx Loop on/off and power soak settings with the FSM432.



{¡Ajá! Un FSM432 MkIII a mitad de precio podría ser una buena compra. Ciertamente es capaz de controlar su TM40D.

No podrá controlar todas las funciones como puede hacerlo en la serie GM. Las configuraciones Masters, Gains y Tone son potenciómetros estándar, no digitales. Estos sólo se pueden ajustar manualmente, pero como tienes un Master y una ganancia para cada canal, y dos conjuntos de controles de tono para que coincidan con tus selecciones de canales, pueden compensar eso un poco.

Ciertamente puedes controlar la selección de canales, la activación/desactivación del bucle Fx y la configuración de alimentación con el FSM432.}

Could there be more pedalboards compatible with my TM D40? for example, a boss GA-FC pedal board? At least to change the channel. Thank you

Yes, you can use other MIDI controllers with your amp. There are many people who use them who say that they are more suitable as the FSM432III is not really programmable. Others can be set up in various different ways which will give you different types of control. I'm not an expert on these models as I have always had a FSM432 and I don't use MIDI with any other gear I have. At first glance the Boss GA-FC doesn't look too useful as it is tailored to the Roland/Boss amps specifically. You want something which is not tied in with a particular range. The relevant MIDI messages can then be set up for the GM40D.

Maybe someone else can explain how they use one and offer a couple of recommendations?

Thanks