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Matt_Brown

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Everything posted by Matt_Brown

  1. Its like a lot of computer gear, it seems pretty hard at the beginning but 'something twigs' and then you find it easy. I am an avid reader of instructions but I didn't find the POD/JTV ones that friendly (personal opinion before everyone attacks me!) but they did enable me to get to grips with my gear (as well as help from this forum). I think its down to how happy you are learning new computer programmes (as that what this is basically about!). Yes, you are broadly correct in that you control the JTV from patches/files on the LT. I wouldn't worry too much about the variax control mode. That is more about having the volume/tone on the JTV change preameters of amps or effects (which from previous threads it dosen't sound like you will need to do this). For instance, a lot of my patches have the drive knob of the amp mapped to the tone control on my guitar. When I want more drive, or to back it off, no returning to the amp - I just twiddle the guitar! I don't want to stick another spanner in the works particularly but I would think that you would be very happy with a POD 500 or 500x. Its a fraction of the cost of the Helix and will do all you need. I think you would spend as much time knob twiddling the Helix to get the sound you 'like' as on a 500. Sounds are totally subjective. Yes, a Helix will probably sound better - I have played with one in a store a lot and nearly bought one twice! - but, at the end of the day, I've never had any complaints (at a gig etc.) about the sound I get from my 500x. I can switch from acoustic guitar to Les Paul mid song and generally have a lot of fun!
  2. The main thing the floorboard will give is the about to change sound mid song. If you don't need to do that you will be fine without. However, if you need to add crunch, go louder, change completely you will either have to return to the amp, take your hand off the guitar and touch the amp or use a floorboard. I have the little 30w AMPLIFi for practice and even then I find it a pain that I can't change sound without 'stopping' playing. Horses for courses though as I guess a jazz player might use the same tone throughout. As for wireless, I've never really used the JTV on its battery alone. Battery life is ok I gather and you could buy a spare but Mose people I know with a variax power it through a cable - a plus point of the POD is it provides power to the guitar. As I said though, it all depends what you want to do with it and how crucial it is that you done run out of battery and have to use the mags alone.
  3. If you go with a Helix LT remember that this is just an effects board like he 500x. Ok, the stock sounds should be better but you will probably end up tweaking them. Also, you will need some sort of an amp to go through with the LT (or a 500). That opens a whole new can of worms as the amp will change the sounds you get from the board. A lot of people go straight to pa with LT/500 but if you don't have a pa you will have to amplify differently. Plus you would need to hear yourself practicing - headphones? I've not looked at the spider range for some time so am not best placed to comment on that but that does sound that it might be best for you in your situation.
  4. Yes Scott, I think you have it right. No need to hold the buttons. No lights = mag pups. White light = variax models in 1-3-5, Blue light = models in 2-3-4 on pup selector. AT selector works when you twist it on either blue or white. I've not used the virtual capo but I've not tried holding the knobs! After reflashing you should get stock models & turnings back. I'd recommend getting you mind round these before trying to change them. You should have plenty to play with.. Yes, I'm in Old Blighty. I'm technically 'half American' though as my dad has been your side of the pond for 30 years. Currently he is in Santa Fe! Enjoy the guitar and post back if you have any more questions.
  5. You have a JTV59 which has a three way 'les paul' pup selector for a guitar that has/supports a five way (strat) pup selection when it is modelling. When the light is white the pup selector gets 1-3-5 of the pups. When it's blue it gets 2-3-4. Press the alt tune know to switch. It's easy when you get used to it. When I went to the main Line 6 store in London they didn't know it did this!
  6. You will have fun I'm sure but it can be confusing to start with! It is much easier with a POD as you don't really have to worry about touching anything on the JTV except the volume! You will need some basic computer knowledge to hook them together though and it's usually easiest to set patches up when connected together. I would council that's it's good to know how to change things 'on the POD' though as you do find you need to make changes when you are gigging! The basics are to think of each patch as a 'file' and in that 'file' you hold all the info as to what amp & effects you want as well as what guitar, pickup & tuning you want. Selecting patch 'A' gives you the settings you put in that file etc. The slightly harder bit is to get those things sounding like you want! Having a lot of experience can be a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that you will know that selecting a Strat with a Fender Amp and a tube screamer will give you 'sound x'. The curse is that it may not sound 'the best sound' to your ears so experiment. Post back with any questions. The people here are pretty friendly!
  7. Matt_Brown

    Newbie

    The whole forum is an FAQ section, you just need to search for what you want. Generally, if you replaced the factory patches before you backed the unit up (always have a backup) then you have to reset the pod. However, I do recall seeing that a kind user posted a link to a set of the factory patches quite recently..
  8. You can pick 500's up very cheaply now. That will do what you need. If you intend to gig rather than use at home then I'd try and get a 500x as it has more robust buttons. It also has slightly more DSP than the 500 but then the Helix has a lot more than the 500x so really depends what you want to do with it...
  9. I'm not that near but might be able to offer something once the summer break starts - if you can wait that long! Message me if you think I can help....
  10. There are a couple of ways. I made a patch you can get in cusomtone called Acoustic DT which has Rads great sound he made sent to the DT over L6 then take the 1/4" out of the FX send to the FRFR speaker for the 'main' acoustic sound. You can do the same thing with a split path, sending one sound left (e.g. to DT - which could even be muted by lowering the left volume) and the other right (to FRFR)...
  11. I thought there was a setting for this? You can have the 'tails' from a delay etc. or not?
  12. I have two patches set up basically the same, one with the od on and the other with it off. I have leveled the volumes so that there isn't a noticeable volume change so I can get a bit of drive without cranking the volume. If I hit the od on the clean patch then I do get an increase. I also have songs where I need patches where I do change guitar and amp (I have a Variax) for a part of a song. Indeed, using the fx loop I have songs where I'm playing acoustic and sending that to pa via fx out then to clean strat then to od LP via my DT 25. All with the press of a button. I always think of the patches as sounds, I don't get hung up with the 'it didn't sound like a 1959 LP'. I just get a sound I like that I think a song needs. Of course, I do have to allow for the milliseconds gap in the patch change but personally I've never had a problem finding a gap to change in.
  13. Another consideration as it seems you are an 'amp person ' - like me! - would be to check out a DT25/50. That's also made for a POD and is, in my opinion (I have a DT25), better as a 'guitar amp'. FRFR comes into its own when you are sending a mix of electric, acoustic and other sounds, or using a wide variety of amps. Even if you use a wide variety, the way the DT works with the pod it will 'mimic' the pre amp configuration pretty authentically. And you can still send a totally different feed to the PA. I have my POD set up with pretty much the same patches in three banks. That way I never get lost with all the choices. These are tweaked to link with DT alone (practice & really small venues), DT and PA (bigger venues) and PA alone when I use in ears. I must admit that once you get used to tweaking the pod you soon get used to not humping an amp around. I now have guitar (JTV) in one hand, pod in the other and bag of leads in a rucksack. One trip from the car. Stripped down and on my way home 15 mins after the gig. Bliss...
  14. 1) you will get better results with FRFR but as you mention sending a feed to a PA I guess you are talking about monitoring from your amp rather than getting a sound out to the audience? You will get away with your current rig (at least to start with) provided you are happy to not hear a perfect sound on stage - but you say you usually leave the FOH sound up to the soundpeeps so shouldn't be different to what you are used to. 2) it's much easier to set patches up in the editing software but as above, you will have to learn how to use the buttons on the POD at some point. I've been caught out, luckily at rehearsal, where I've had to change something and had absolutely no idea how without connecting to a pc! I would download the pod manuals - the basic and advanced - and read them 1st then read the Edit manual. If you are splitting your feed to FOH and stage you will probably need to get your mind round the 'dual path' section so you can have two separate sounds. Above all, have fun!
  15. Yes, you can save everything, guitar from the JTV, amp(s) and effects into one patch on the 500. I can't think of a way you would integrate the shortboard in a way that would add anything so I would says it's 'un-needed'.
  16. I think most would agree that build quality is varied. Make sure you play the guitar so you know it's up to your standard. I have a 59 that I bought as B stock. It has a slight mark in the binding on the neck otherwise I think it is built well. I've had no problems with it. I also have several other guitars including a 78 Strat so I do know a bit about build quality. I would say that it's not as hard to get your mind round the JTV as the Pod. You have done the hard work! The ability to get different sounds and use different tunings is amazing. You should definitely try one!
  17. If you 'default' to strats play a 69 1st, if it's LP then a 59. Sounds like you aren't into metal so 89 & suriken may not be to your taste. You have kind of answered your own question though in that you have try then and see how they feel for you. The modlled sounds (according to a lot of threads here - I've only really experienced a 59 myself) have a similar sound that does not realte to body shape. If you intend to use the mag pups (I tend to only do that if I'm not connected to my pod!) then that may be affected by the shape of the guitar. Necks tend to be on the 'chunky' side but I found my 59 fine for my style. I'm more a 'strat' man by default but I really love the look and feel -and sound! - of my 59. Dive in!
  18. My drummer always goes out of time when I use the looper!
  19. Mine started acting weirdly - only one half of the buttons worked - and as it was out of warranty I opened it up and found that the ribbon cable was slightly loose. Pressing it together hard solved the problem.
  20. Only certain effects use/allow the tap tempo and you have to toggle it on - as you might not want it to change accidentally! If you use the Edit software open the patch you are using, go to the FX page and select your effect. There is a 'tap tempo' drop down there. Have fun!
  21. Totally agree Mr C. I guess that there are sooo many guitars available so that something appeals to somebody! You used to be either 'strat' or 'Les Paul' but now guitars are often aimed at genres. I know I said I would probably never buy a Suriken but I'd prolly never buy an 89 either (they are both 'too pointy')....
  22. Just looked at prices this side of the pond and, ok, I might get a discount on the LT (that I don't know) against the price of a 'Full' (that I do know as I've negotiated to buy one several times) and the diff seems to be around £250. I'd def spend that to get the extra features! If they are going to do a 'lite' version it needs to be a lot cheaper!
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