Powered by batteries or the included power adaptor, the G1u's body is tough plastic, as are the footswitches – they feel solid enough, but you wouldn't want to jump on them on stage. The unit is probably more at home on a tabletop – those switches are easily operable by hand to navigate the 100 factory preset, and 100 user patches for storing your own edited sounds.
Each patch is built from a chain of eight modules made up of 67 effects, amp models and cabinets. There are modules for compression/special effects, drive (amp type or stompbox), EQ, ZNR noise reduction, amp cabinet type, modulation, delay and reverb. You can choose the effect type for each module and edit up to two parameters using a rotary switch and knob – the information being shown as a combination of letters and numbers in the double-digit display. You'll have to refer to the manual until you know what each stands for.
There's provision to connect a footswitch for bank changing or drum tap tempo, or an expression pedal to control wah or volume. Plus, as a USB interface, the G1u provides two channels in and out of the computer. Once connected via USB you also get access to the ZFX Tools software.