Skip navigation
Up to Discussions in POD HD
198 Views 4 Replies Latest reply: Jan 20, 2013 1:00 PM by JimKidd RSS
watsonbl Just Startin'
watsonbl
3 posts since
Dec 23, 2010
Currently Being Moderated

Dec 15, 2012 2:33 PM

POD HD 400 - Can't Get a Good Tone

I've had this thing for a while and have tweaked and tweaked,switching amp models and adjusting fx settings and still can't seem to get any full, solid distortion tones. I'm running it through a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 50 head and Marshall 1960 A Lead 412 cab.What ever I do the patches all sound either too bassy or too treblish, or just muffled and indistinct. I almost gave up and started looking at other pedal boards until I talked to a guy who had the same problem with an older POD. He met a tech at a convention who showed him how to create a patch from scratch, and it turned out he was just not configuring it correctly. As long as I've had it I feel like I'm still in dummy mode, and I've been told you have to configur how to connect to your amp/cab setup before you start building patches.SOOO if anyone knows any good tutorials or step by step guides to creating patches I may actually be able to use this thing the way it was intended. I'm kinda going for a Billy Corgan Mellon Collie-esque distortion using a Gibson SG. PLEEEEASE HELP!

  • silverhead Expert Line 6 User
    silverhead
    9,592 posts since
    Apr 1, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 15, 2012 2:45 PM (in response to watsonbl)
    Re: POD HD 400 - Can't Get a Good Tone

    When playing through an external amp, the most important thing is to make sure your Output mode switch on the rear panel of the HD400 is set to Live (not Studio) and that in the HD400 Setup pages (Live options) you select the Live mode that corresponds to the type of amp you are using. See manual pages 1.2 and 2.5.

     

    Also, depending on your amp, you might want to experiment with using the HD400 amps in Pre rather than Full mode.

     

    The Amp and Cab edit pages can also provide you with some extra control over some of the 'deep' parameters. If you haven't checked these parameters out yet, try experimenting with amp parameters such as Master Volume and Bias. These work in conjunction with the amp Drive setting to create some levels of distortion - you can add distortion FX from the basic amp sounds. For Cab parameters play with the LoCut, and ResLvl with Thump, etc.

  • spaceatl Expert Line 6 User
    spaceatl
    4,456 posts since
    Jan 24, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 15, 2012 3:41 PM (in response to watsonbl)
    Re: POD HD 400 - Can't Get a Good Tone

    Muffled?,,,,hmmm...is the output switch on the back in LIVE mode?

    • watsonbl Just Startin'
      watsonbl
      3 posts since
      Dec 23, 2010
      Currently Being Moderated
      Jan 20, 2013 12:53 PM (in response to spaceatl)
      Re: POD HD 400 - Can't Get a Good Tone

      Ok. I have switched to Live mode, used the preamp when appropriate. It has helped out alot on some tones, but I still can't get a good heavy, piercing distortion. The best way I can describe it is I'll be on my clean, which sounds filled out and present. So despite turning up my disortion's gain, volume, preamp adjustments, it stil sounds like I'm playing through a small radio speaker or the amp/speakers aren't being used to their ful extent.(if that makes sense). The filled out sound vanished when I go from clean to distortion. It doesn't even seem to be a matter of tone anymore, but of the pedal itself , like it refuses to give full clarity to anythng with high gain. Im perplexed :/

  • JimKidd Just Startin'
    JimKidd
    56 posts since
    Apr 20, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 20, 2013 1:00 PM (in response to watsonbl)
    Re: POD HD 400 - Can't Get a Good Tone

    Check this out. It should be required reading.

     

    http://foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/

More Like This

  • Retrieving data ...

Bookmarked By (0)