POD vs. VF-1 vs. SansAmp, etc.

[maryslittlesecret]

After my last post (GT-3 tips), it's becoming clear that I don't really have the best gear for recording my guitar direct. However, there are a lot of options out there, so I'd like to get some opinions from you before I drop the cash on something I might regret...

Which unit offers the best value (ie: best sound for the cash) when it come to recording guitar (and bass) direct? Obvious choices are POD, J-Station, SansAmp, BOSS VF-1 (which is what I'm currently leaning towards), Digitech RP2000, etc. I'm most interested in getting a heavy Sevendust type tone, but flexibility is important as well.

Those of you who own any of these or have toyed around with them, please let me know your opinion on which one you think is the best (write-in votes are welcome too). Thanks.

mls

[michael4]

hi-there is also the boss ME30. its about $225 used, i think. good heavy sounds and decent clean ones. very versatile. it also has alot of nice effects and wah\volume pedal. it also has the whammy effect so you can get all kinds of tripped out sounds. the sansamp is cool, but kind of limited compared to the ME30 and the pod. haven't tried the others so i can't make an informed opinion. good luck, though, on your endeavor.

[BassK]

How is the POD for bass I heard it was not so great especially for 350-400 bucks? It is great for no amp-studio work I hear but it has some useless sounds but I could be hearing wrong.... Any owners I am in the market but I am getting a BBE sonic Maximizer for our studio and I will try that with my Bass amp cause I know it makes a lot of stuff sound good and it is really for our mixdown to cd after anolog 4 track work. I would like the POD to see if my Carvin Cyclops(impressive amp for 8 bills) could sound more like the top Ampeg SVT and Marshal etc, without having to buy all those seperate amps. Help anyone?

[RussP]

BassK

For Great sounding Bass try the Sans Amp Bass Driver DI. I am a beliver and you will be too after a few seconds. There isn't a bad sound in the box and you'll be amazed at how it will bring out more headroom from your Carvin without the speaker FUDD. Soundmen and Studio engineers love them. $179 at Guitar Ctr.

See Ya

RussP

[Burton]

I'm not a Pod fan, but they're about to release the Bass Pod, specifically designed for bass DI applications.

[DaveO]

I recently asked about using the guitar-version POD for bass a few weeks ago and got a mix of opinions. Here's the link : http://homerecording.com/ubb/Forum23/HTML/000253.html.

I also have a Boss ME-30, but I'm not sure I'd call it a direct recording tool. I think it does a great job as the inexpensive guitar multi-effects pedal it is. However, I can't say you'd ever mistake it for a rack of pro-level processors. In my own case I have limited recording equipment and sometimes have to get creative in how I use it. That means I *do* use my ME-30 as a direct box for guitar. I also use it for EQ, compression and reverb for vocals, I use the pitch shifter to simulate a bass, etc. However, this will change if/when I get permission from "the boss" to spend more of our money on gear.

I openly admit I haven't used any of the units MLS asked about. However for someone with the need and the budget it's my guess that something designed to be a direct recording tool would work better than the ME-30. That doesn't mean I don't love mine for what it is though.

[DaveO]

Not sure what happened, but when I clicked on the link I put in my last post it doesn't take me to the page I expected. I think the problem is the period I used as the end og the sentence - it seems to work if you remove it.

If you're still having trouble finding it, it's in Guitars and Basses form and the last update was on 5/24/00.