That's a good intro Mesh! I used to run a pretty complicated midi switching system (3 GCX units run by Axess Electronics switching gear) and it was really cool, but really complex. I started to get pretty good at the programming. :)
I may be making this too complicated for myself. Turns out my JD800, which is already hooked up via MIDI, has a port for an expression pedal. I'll plug one in and see if Sonar/Amplitube/Timeless sees it. If that doesn't work, I suspect the Behringer is the cheapest option. Then again, a used GT3 looks like it would work. I think I recall my PC have a Bluetooth driver. Theoretically, the IK Blueboard could be used via Bluetooth with the PC or iPad, and it supports an expression pedal...
hmmmmm .......