Increased Bass Amp Models?

[skybone]

I'm waiting on the delivery of an HD500x, and have been using an XT Live as well as my trusty old XT bean (with the old Line6 logo).

 

I bought the Bass Expansion pack for the XT Live (and put it on the XT bean too), and will be getting the HD Bass Pack.

 

I know they say "quality not quantity", but surely Line6 can develop more than the 2 additional bass amp models and 2 bass cab models in the pack. There's a myriad of guitar amps available in both the standard pack (30) and the expansion packs (10 Metal & 9 Vintage). OK, so 2 of the standard pack are bass amps (Bassman & B15NF), but that's still 47 guitar amps over 4 bass amps. Less than 10%.

 

The XT has 28 bass amp models & associated cabs, and there's many more guitar amp models.

 

So how come there's not been an expansion of the bass amp models?

 

I'll be having some fun with the guitar amp models when the 500x arrives, and I'd also like to do some similar experimenting with my bass sound, though with only 4 bass amp model's & associated cabs, this will be limited.

 

Come on Line6, how about a few more bass amp & cab models for the HD (and Helix)?

 

Please?

[duncann]

For some reason, bass players seem to be a shunned species in the ever increasing digital realm. Puzzling.

 

The bass amp/cab models in the add-on pack are quite good though. I found making an acceptable bass tone a lot easier than the prior pre-bass-pack exercise in frustration. There's also plenty of variety with the added bass amps. Also, try the 8x10 Beast cab with a non-bass guitar. It provides for some interesting tones.

[DunedinDragon]

I suspect this may be due to the relative slowness of bass players to adopt modeling.  This is what drives the market.  It's something of a chicken and egg thing.  Guitar players have all sorts of options for FRFR speakers to go with their modeling rig.  Not so for bass players.  Also the fact that a great number of bass amps don't come with an effect loop return so the cabinet and basic amp could be used cleanly from a POD and you haven't got a lot of incentive for bass players to make the move.

[skybone]

Bizarrely enough, I have found the opposite, that bass players are far more willing to adopt new ideas & new technologies than guitarists. It still surprises me of the lack of "high end" or even "mid-market" modeling solutions available to the bass player, and even then, the few that are available are variants of the guitar based processors. 

 

There's still a vast number of guitarists out there who wouldn't touch anything other than analogue amps & effects, although, thanks to Line6 and the other companies who've pushed modeling technology on over the last 15 years or so, more guitarists are following the digital route.

 

Going amp-less for both bass and guitar gets around many issues for small to mid-size venues, especially those which have noise limits imposed on them. Plug in to the house PA with your POD, and you still have "your sound". It would seem to make sense to develop more bass specific amp & cab models (and effects).

 

I see a trip to Ideascale coming on soon! :D

[bartnettle1]

Using an external pre/DI or channel strip really makes the HD500 suitable for bass coming from the DI to the FX return on the HD.

The reason is the onboard pre while clean is cheap and the bass notes are very lumpy.

A pre / DI with tubes and in out transformers smooths the response of the bass.

I use a  mid priced tube channel strip that has a compressor and. an EQ enhancer

To me this improves the signal the modeled amps get.

I find the HD's FX interesting and surprisingly good on bass

It would be cool to get some modern Bass amps for it