Line 6 Pod?

Tony Harris · Post by **Tony Harris** » 21 Jun 2000 3:45 am

Anyone got one of these or tried it for recording direct? I was pretty impressed with the sounds when I tried it in a music store, listening on headphones. Of course I won't really know until I try it at home with my own gear. The overdriven amp sounds were good for guitar, just wondered what you think for clean steel sounds...?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 Jun 2000 4:17 am

There have been several threads recently on Pod's. Do a search in the Electronics Forum.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 21 Jun 2000 3:13 pm

I recently saw Billy Phelps using a POD and asked him how he liked it. He said he liked it but that pedal steel pickups are too hot for it and if you hit the strings to hard it overdrives the unit.

Martin Abend · Post by **Martin Abend** » 22 Jun 2000 2:20 am

Hi Tony,

I use my POD mostly for exercising. For 6-string guitar it is a revelation, IMHO. You get a great tone very quick and you can lots of possibilities of modifying it.

For steel I didn't got a fully satisfying tone yet. I solve the problem of too-hot-pickups with running it through a Behringer Pre amp to weaken the signal.

If you buy one watch out to get the new 2.0 version! I'ts got more amps and stuff. Haven't tried it yet, I'm still waiting for my upgrade-kit.

All the best,

-martin

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S-10 Sierra Crown gearless

Michael Brebes · Post by **Michael Brebes** » 22 Jun 2000 7:21 am

The upgrade kit is worth it. It gives you a couple more amp sounds but, most importantly, you can now access all amp models and speaker cabinets from the front panel without having to hook up to a computer.

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 22 Jun 2000 8:32 am

I've had the Pod for about a year now, and just got the 2.0 upgrade yesterday (not installed yet).

The POD is a very good amp modelling device, but it is noisy, especially in low-gain settings (ambient hiss). The hiss cannot be removed by application of the noise gate, nor is it related to guitar pickups etc (ie it is just there on certain models, especially in "clean" settings). Usually this won't be a problem in a mix, or in a band situation (I use the Pod live too). But if you are playing solo or with headphones the hiss and digital artifacts can be annoying.

-Bill

PS I don't play PSG, but do use POD with lap steels.

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 22 Jun 2000 9:40 am

I second what Bill says about the hiss.
I have had good luck using it for lap steel for crunchy and overdriven tones. Getting a clean PSG tone had been problematic, but since I got the Lawrence 712-8 it's been easier- I usually start with the BF Twin model and modify (duh!)... but experimenting with the different models is fun too- something unusual and pleasing to your ear may result, even if it is not a typical Nashvillian sound...
It's great for recording or practicing in the room next to a sleeping toddler

I'm looking to get the 2.0 upgrade sometime soon.
If I had the $$ I might consider the rackmount version- it's supposed to be quieter (hiss wise)

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Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 22 Jun 2000 6:21 pm

Paul Franklin used a generic POD as his preamp for most of the night last Tuesday night with the Players. Need I say more?

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Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 22 Jun 2000 6:23 pm

That said, I've got to say that I have used my POD live, and while it is very good, the overdrive sounds from my THD tube recording head are better in a live situation. Where the POD shines is in direct recording.

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Martin Abend · Post by **Martin Abend** » 23 Jun 2000 1:09 am

Hey Dan,

a THD tube head is really hard to beat...

especially for small red boxes...

BTW, I understand you played on the latest Walkabouts CD. I haven't heard it yet but I'm looking forward to. I used to work for Glitterhouse Records in Germany and have met them a few times. Really nice people...

-martin

Kevin Post · Post by **Kevin Post** » 23 Jun 2000 12:40 pm

I've used the Pod for direct recording steel and I use the Marshall Plexi sound mostly with the drive all the way down.

I think the trick is to play like you would with any tube amp i.e. with the volume pedal half way down, except for when you do swells.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 23 Jun 2000 4:27 pm

Yes Martin I played on the Walkabouts CD (they only are popular in Europe for those North Americans on the forum). I'm interested in hearing how it turned out, too. I just used my THD head into a Celestion cabinet. Dry, with no effects (stirred not shaken).

Hamilton Barnard · Post by **Hamilton Barnard** » 23 Jun 2000 9:27 pm

I was NOT a believer in the POD, or any other modeling device, so I borrowed a POD to compare their Marshall patches against two of my REAL Marshalls ('69 Super Lead and a
JCM-800 100 watt Master Volume).

Unsurprisingly...I'm still NOT a believer.

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Make mine old...and country.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 23 Jun 2000 11:16 pm

Hamilton, I can relate to what you are saying. The best comparison for the POD is to plug the sucker into a board, and compare that sound to the sound of a miked Marshall (or whatever your standard is). I have found the POD to be pretty darned close. Better in many studios I play in, a very close second in others. I don't typically use it live (despite how good Paul Franklin sounded last Tuesday).

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www.tyacktunes.com

Hamilton Barnard · Post by **Hamilton Barnard** » 24 Jun 2000 8:03 am

Dan, for the convience and the "closeness" of the POD's sound, it's the best thing going if someone doesn't have access to an array of amps. And while the POD sounded compressed and buzzy when compared to the real thing, there's no reason why it couldn't sound great in a mix.

While on the subject of distortion, I have found the Hot Plate to be a much better alternative to true overdriven tube tone than anything I have ever put "in front" of the preamp, at least to my ears.

I now play through one of Line 6's new delay modules and have found it to be a VERY good sounding unit. There's no doubt from what I have seen that Line 6 has become a very serious contender in the music industry.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 24 Jun 2000 9:42 pm

Hamilton, you are 100% right on the Hot Plate. Or to put it another way, power amp distortion is where it's at, rather than preamp distortion. This is especially true with the steel guitar. Steel pickups are so hot that they sound buzzy and generic through most 'rock' preamps. A much better way to get great blues/rock tone is to keep the preamp fairly clean, and work the power amp section. This way it still sounds like your guitar (like a pedal steel), except BAD.

I also agree with you on the LINE6 delay modeler. A killer unit. The only disappointing products that these guys turn out are their combos. I wasn't impressed at all.

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Mike Sweeney · Post by **Mike Sweeney** » 25 Jun 2000 9:13 pm

I would like to say I have used The Line 6 Pod first hand,But I cant. But a guitar player I work with alot in studios here in Nashville uses one for direct sessions, and he sounds like he is playing through 2 blackface deluxe Fenders or any other style amp he wants. His name is Mike Baker. As far as playing steel through one I dont know. To make it compatible might be too costly. Because as we all know there are more guitar players than steel players so, the largest market is where most companies are going to focus their energies. Maybe some talented guy or gal will come up with some good usefull settings or a mod so us steel players can use these things too. Mike

Chris Bauer · Post by **Chris Bauer** » 26 Jun 2000 9:18 am

Line 6 seems to be pretty open to consumer feedback. Maybe it's time to talk to them about putting some kind of either software or hardware 'pad' on the front end of the Pod so that it will be more compatible with high output instruments.

Obviously the steel guitar market is too small to make a fuss over for a company that size. BUT, I bet there are also a lot of guitar players out there with hotter rigs who could use a pad as well. Perhaps between all of us there would be suffucient numbers to make it viable for them to work on it.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 29 Jun 2000 10:22 am

Chris, I have heard you can tweak with the amp models using the computer interface (comes with the unit) to lower the input sensitivity.

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