TO LINE6 POD users!!

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Slackmaster2K

Slackmaster2K

Gone
Brad,

Thanks for responding! So if I follow, you're saying that the POD should be used as both a DI box and an "effects" pedal? What would be the downside of just using it with my amp? I don't like to play all quiet and I prefer to use microphones. Is there something that would be better if I didn't want to DI?

The guy at the music store is very knowledgable, and he said that many people use the POD even when playing live because it doesn't sound so much like digital effects (even though that's technically what it is).

About the BASS...isn't the EQ going to be geared for guitar? How is that going to effect my range of bass sound?

Thanks again!
 
Slackmaster2K,
If you are looking for something strictly for your bass. I use a Peavey Sessionbass head. It is sounds much better than going straight from the Bass to the Board. This head has an XLR output so you can go direct from it. I am very pleased with the sound. I just thought you might like to hear another option. Good luck.
 
Well, with the POD, I think you are paying for the cabinet emulator. That, I feel, is it's strong point. Yeah, you can use it as an effects unit going into your amp, but you can probaly find a decent sounding unit that will do that for less money.
As for bass, one of the cabinet simulators in the POD is an old Fender Bassman. A lot of guitarists used to use that amp because of the fat, rich tone. So you can play bass through that one. But I have also found that you can tweak the settings on a lot of different amp models and get killer sounds. From thumpy stuff to twangy, Rotosound-strings-on-a-Ricky-4001 sound. It is awesome.
I am just saying that using it only as effects unit is kind of selling the unit short IMHO. Try plugging a bass into it tonight when you try it out. I was happily surprised with what it did for bass (I am a guitar player primarily also, my bass player moved away, so I now pull double duty)and I can honestly say it sounds 10 times better than when I used a direct box.
I know what you mean when you say you like to play loud; I do too. I just crank up my monitors and record that way. It sounds like I have a Marshall stack in the room, but the mixer is just getting what is coming in from the POD; a killer sound that is not hot enough to do damage.
Good Luck!


[This message has been edited by Brad (edited 10-05-1999).]
 
So a few days ago I bought a SansAmp Bass DI box because I had been running my bass through a guitar amp which sounded like (*#&#

Anyway, I've found that the SansAmp pretty much sucks as a DI box, but does make that guitar amp sound like a bass amp! So I'm slightly happy with it ($125..ouch).

So I was back at the music store yesterday and a guy was trying to talk me into a POD. He said that he'd give me my money back on the SansAmp even though it was sold on consignment. (BTW, I am primarily a GUITAR player...the Bass is secondary)

He told me that it's very possible that running the bass through the POD will produce a pretty good sound; perhaps as good as the SansAmp. Plus, of course, it'll might allow me to squeeze some extra life out of my crappy Peavy solid state.

Anyway, since the SansAmp was purchased on consignment, I have to decide REALLY soon because they have to pay the seller.

Opinions will be greatly appreciated. I won't be using the POD as a DI box because I prefer to mic my amp. I have to go down there and try the POD tonight so time is of the essence. Thanks! (oh yeah, and the POD sells for about $330 bucks there)

Thanks,

Slackmaster 2000
 
Slackmaster,
The POD is great, but I don't know if it is what you need. I basically just replaced a 10 space rack full of gear with just that one kidney bean lookin' thing. Sounds great with guitar AND BASS! And as far as not using it as a direct recording device, well, that is kind of missing the whole point of the thing: You record direct and it sounds like a miked cabinet. If you don't use it as a direct recording device, you are wasting half of the beauty of the thing. If you are just looking for a DI box, DON'T BUY THE POD. The POD is so much more than a DI, you'd be wasting your money. But I urge you to try it; once you start fiddling with the controls, you can get the sweet blues tones of a Fender miked up like a pro, and then go to a Marshall stack, etc. It is a beautiful little thing.



[This message has been edited by Brad (edited 10-05-1999).]
 
Brad,

Won't using the POD through an amp still give me the same benefits as using the POD directly into the mixer? That is, if I set the POD to, say, "marshall stack" and run it into my amp, won't I hear a "marshall stack" sound through my amp? My amp has a 12" scorpion speaker that I do like and the clean channel is pure for the most part....I just don't like the peavy electronics (distortion, reverb, etc)

OR, should I save my money and invest in a good amp? Maybe even one of the Johnson or Line 6 amps that have emulators built in?

Fishmed,

Thanks for the alternative. However, I'll never really be into "playing" bass if you know what I mean. Therefore I'd like to get into something that I can use for both bass and guitar. I'd like to avoid buying a bass amp for the most part, as the bass is not my passion.

Thanks!

Slackmaster 2000
 
This is funny. The only time I used the POD that way was through a Peavey, and I did not like the sound. Well, I liked the sound, but it was better with just the POD. So maybe my amp is the problem. When you run it through an amp, you are supposed to turn off the "A.I.R." function, the patented amp modeling technology thing. That basically makes it an effects unit in my opinion. So, bottom line, it simulates the amp you choose, but if you run it through a different amp, it is going to take on the sound of your amp to a certain extent, It has to because it is not trying to model an amp anymore. It can't jump into any amp and change the speaker or anything. In your case, with your amp, you may be able to get the sound you want.
I say try it at the music store as many ways as possible!
 
Does your amp have an effects loop? One thing I've read about the POD is that you'll likely have better luck plugging it into the return jack of an effects loop. That way you'll bypass the EQ section of your amp and the tone will be less "colored" by the characteristics of the amp itself. I haven't had a chance to try this out with my POD yet though...may not be true. Also, it's important to know that the POD was designed to emulate the sound of the miked amp/cabinet and not necessarily sound like the amp would if you were in the room listening to it live. So, if you play it through an amp you're probably not going to get the same sound you get with it direct, especially since you'll need to turn off the A.I.R. switch.
 
I currently use the POD in the studio and I
have basically stopped using my Marshall (JMP Tube) and GK2000. The POD sounds great and I mainly use it for "trac A" and then I may use the amps for "trac B". I know people who use the POD live but you must have the pedal board or it just does not work with switching of sounds manually. It seems to me you would want to run direct for Bass using like the Fender Bassman setup in the POD. The software that allows you to change cabnets and add/deleate amp models is cool too. you can build a custome setup that you like - Fender head - mesa cabnet etc.
This unit is ment to be direct and sounds great direct! Why use the amp and add noise and still not get the sound you can get with the POD by itself. I love mine and everyone I turned onto the unit has bought one within 2 weeks. I have people in my studio never unpack their rig because this unit sounds so good. This product gives you alot of options
and is more than a direct box, alot more than a DI. This unit has been worth every penny of the 300.00 to my recordings!
KGMET
 
I agree that the pod is great for direct recording. If you make use of the MIDI patch editor the sounds that can be achieved are unreal and virtually limitless. However, The real thing (a mic'd boogie, marshall, etc..) will always sound better. Where the Pod excels is in the convenience of providing a variety of desired amp tones at low volumes (ask you wife/neighbors about this benefit) with access to real time MIDI editing of all parameters and effects. Also, $$$$ savings. If you relly need a Bassman sound or Hendrix fuzz you can dial it in within minutes instead of purchasing or renting extra gear. But, I have found that running this as a preamp to my Boogie produces a very muffled, undesireable tone. My Boogie is an old SOB with no FX loop so I can't vouch for any improvements in sound using this as opposed to running it on the front end of an amp.
 
I'm a bass player that dabbles in guitar for home recording. I was in the market for a small, versatile amp and bought the POD based on this website's review. I brought it to our band's practice one day to let our guitarist try it out...he has not set-up his amp & cabinet since! (Of course, he makes me bring the POD to each practice). We have used it live, in practice, in home PC-based recording, you name it. It's certainly the best product out there for the money. It may not totally replace an amp/cabinet, but the convenience, versatility and sound definitely outweighs the negatives. Oh yeah, I have used it with my bass and it does give me the flexibility in tones that I want. If in doubt, TRY IT OUT! But, I've heard from my local Guitar Satan store that the price will be going up shortly ($299 now), so beware.

Michael S
 
Okay, back to the original question. And it has been answered, more or less. Slackmaster, I don't know what you decided, but I kind of hope you got the POD. I just picked one up the other night and it is awesome. I got it used to boot. I can't believe the guy let it go. It saved me a $100. Well, if you bought it or if you are just a reader wanting to know what to do, here goes. Plug your bass into the POD then plug the POD into the power amp input of the Peavey amp. You should have one, probably in the back. This bipasses the entire preamp and turns the Pavey into a self contained powered speaker. The POD is you preamp. Switch to the A.I.R. DIRECT and take advantage of the mic'd speaker emulation and enjoy. The A.I.R. AMP position is if you plug into your amp at the guitar input, which you don't want to do to play bass through a guitar amp--its frequency responce is too limited. Realize, though, that the frequency cutoff of the speaker (either through a transistor at the speaker or the speaker's capability itself)will also limit some of your bass responce, though less severly than the preamp does. I have often bipassed my peavey preamp with an ART 2000 express and had wonderful results. Now play and have fun with that POD.

Peace, Jim
 
Naw I skipped on the POD. Just too much money for me at the time so I went with the SansAmp Bass Driver from Tech21. Yeah I know I should've "saved up" but hell, sometimes you just need it now...as a fellow musician I'm sure you know what I mean :)

The SansAmp makes my bass sound more like a bass, even through the guitar amp. I can't seem to find a way to bypass the preamp on the amplifier though. On the back there is a balanced line out and a footpedal switch. That's it.

So I'm not unhappy...I think I've got all the right tools. And when I really think hard about it...I'm glad. You know, I've never bought an effects pedal that made me go "WOW, that's IT!" EVER. And I've tried many of the most popular effects around. Basically I end up thinking that they're pretty cool....and maybe use them for a tune or two....but then tire of the sounds and end up playing raw through that ugly old Peavy. You know I just don't think I have the ear for it. The more stuff that's in the channel, the harder it is for me to swim.

I went to the music store a few days ago and tried several of those "tube" effects pedals, including the every popular Tube Screamer. Yep, they sound kind of tubish, but *I* still sound the same. I can't tell much difference between a distorted tube and a distorted solid state (on similar settings). Yeah I can feel the power immediately when I plug into my buddies old fender tube...but when it really comes down to it, I usually get near that same sound by dialing my crappy peavy just right. Actually I don't even dial. I lied. I set my EQ the same all the time and just use the pickup selector on my LP. Then I adjust the way I play to make it sound right. Either I'm good or I suck but to me it all comes down to how you stroke that thing (you know what I mean :) I guess that sort of thing is kind of cliche to say that anymore...

I'm moving soon so I might end up having to go the DI route...at which time I'll buy the POD. I haven't heard too many negative remarks about it (unless you jump onto alt.guitar ...whoa)

blah blah somebody shut me up... :)

Slackmaster 2000
 
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