smrybacki

I'd like to go on the record to say that after putting in a few hours of time really playing with all of the availble paramters on the amp, cabinet and fx models I am pretty fairly impressed with my Line 6 setup. I have been editing mostly without the computer connection by using only the on board editing facilities and this has forced me to really look at all that is available that I was missing with the HD Edit facility. Things like sag, bias and bias excursion DO make a difference and adjusting the cabinet parameters such as resonance and thump are in my opinion instrumental to obtaining great results. That includes trying all the mic emulations because I am finding the default ones are not often the best choice for me anyway. I have developed a strategy that is facilitated by this approach because of the way you are forced into looking at these things. It always starts with imagining the end product in terms of BASIC AMP SOUND. This is the foundation as it is in analog amps. So for instance, I just created a classic combination of a Les Paul into a Marshall DSL 100, with the Les Paul set to the bridge position. I always make sure I set the input first to Variax and the second to mic unless I am actually going to try a dual channel setup (which is not very often). Then I set the Variax input and decide whether or not to "lock" the guitars controls -- that is based on the overarching goal of the song (if any) I am gunning for. Then comes the amp setup which again *sort of* depends on what songs you will play with regards to Normal vs Bright channels. In any event, this is when I spend some time with the deep edit parameters I mentions earlier, getting the sound "just so" as they say. When it's there, I immediately save that before I even think about effects. The bottom line is that if I am not willing to play a patch in this state, it isn't done yet because in my view, effects are merely the gravy on top of the meat and potatoes that is the guitar/amp combination. In any event, earlier in this thread I had expressed my own frustrations and as hard as it might be to believe, disconnecting from the computer made a huge difference for me for the reasons I mentioned. Being forced into looking at the actual machine I am trying to master was certainly beneficial in terms of finding the right sound, but it also carried another benefit, namely distractions from my computer are also eliminated. No email. No forums. No temptation to "look into this or that", replaced instead a full self imposed focus on task. For those struggling to find their sound with a HD500(x) and JTV combination, I urge you to try what I am saying here. yeah, you gotta bend over to twiddle the knobs but it is worth it. And you will get faster as you progress and start knowing where things are in there. Certain things jump out after a while, such as for me knowing that a 57 on axis mic is the best place to start for me, so I head there almost immediately. That kind of thing. Anyway, hopefully this helps someone out there as it has me.

Thanks. I have edited using both edit and direct and had issues... But not forced to flash again .

Well that escalated quickly....

I too have three MIA Strats that I play regularly plus a JTV59. They all sound different to me and I'm pretty glad they do.

Quick question: Does anyone know if there are any editable parameters in a POD HD series (HD500 if it matters) that can only be accessed via the POD HD Edit software? In other words, if I turn on my POD and I don't feel like flipping on a computer, will I be missing any capability in editing my tones, other than convenience of seeing it graphically? I ask because my old Vox Tonelab did have that situtaion, but often I don't feel like futzing with a computer and would rather just twiddle knobs and switches.

Wow, this thread has legs! I have to say that my "relationship" with my JTV59->HD500->Power Engines is constantly evolving. I recently tried working up a Surf style patch, and ended up with a helluva Rockabilly thing happening. Granted, these are very close in many ways. I still have to really "work the system" to get decent results, but if I do that I usually end up with something pretty good. Next stop? Gilmour Hiwatt Binson goodness...or whatever it ends up being :rolleyes:

Thanks friend...I'll have to experiment with that later tonight :)

Can you "morph" between amps in a dual amp setup I wonder?

We come HERE to avoid responsibility!

I have an older set and that direction is not in there, unless I missed it. Great, thanks.

Does anyone know if running two separate balanced inputs to my pair of KRK Rokit 5 monitors is OK to do? I have one balanced set running into the balanced input of the Rokit 5s from an M-Audio Fast Track Pro using a TRS->TRS balanced cable this is my recording interface. I would like to ALSO connect a POD HD500 via an XLR->XLR cable in the other available balanced input. They could both be potentially running at once I suppose so I am wondering if this is not a good idea? Anyone know before I just suck it up and try it tonight? If it matters, the reason I want to know is that I am hoping that using a true FRFR system at home will help me enjoy my POD more as I don't feel the pair of Power Engine 60s I've been using are actually FRFR. I don't gig at present so really the L2T would be overkill for me.

Stock pipes here...I don't even hear them. Loud pipes don't save lives...paying better attention surely does.

Line6 makes a series of hybrid amps called the DT Series. DT25, DT50 etc...

I'm thinking that folks who gig regularly, once they have things dialed in are set except if the set list changes. bedroom players are probably different...they play with this, twiddle with that and generally play around with all the bells and whistles and can get super picky at times. At least I can and others I know personally as well are that way. I played with the POD/JTV59 combination last night trying to get a surf sound and came up short. Not really the setup per say to blame either. A quick tour of SurfGuitar101.com will quickly reveal that if you want genuine surf tone with DRIPPY WET reverb, you need the outboard tank like a Fender 63 Spring RI or (God willing) the original. The reason is that the reverb then comes BEFORE the amp whereas built in reverb is after the amp even on a tube Twin or Deluxe. Some guys will reluctantly use pedals like the Catalinbread Topanga, but the general consensus is outboard tube reverb into a large, clean Fender amp such as a SHowman or Bandmaster if you want the deepest of surf tones. One other thing I've noticed on my HD500 is that sometimes, not all of the controls are available. Take the 63 Spring for example -- there is no dwell control which is critical unless I am missing it somewhere. SImilar sort of thing with the Echorec model. It's those little things that kind of spoil the whole at times for me because I feel like given the overall concept, I would rather they had cut back on the goofy effects and made the classics such as these two I mentioned more thoroughly detailed.

Mine was $13.5k out the door with modest mods (new seat, sissy bar, luggage rack, road bars and pegs), but mine is at the low end of the big twin line. I have thought about selling it and getting another Yamaha because I just like Yamis...years ago I had a 650 Special and I loved that bike. At my age going fast and sport bikes in general are past my prime anyway, so I want a cruiser or better yet, a convertible. I like HDs Switchback, but I think I can do better with a Japanese maker on the whole, and it more "fits" my life anyway if you follow my meaing there. One thing my Harley has going for it is simply this; It's paid for which is nice. But then, I had to have the bearings on both wheels replaced at 8K miles too, which is utter lollipop. The dealer covered that after I bitched about it, but that they went bad and needed replaced bothers me. I am not a big fat guy or anything, going 6' and 200 pounds so there was no good reason for that except faulty parts. Hey, I may have just talked myself into selling this thing lol...where's the 12 step program for that disease lol?

Oddly enough I own a Harley Super Glide these days myself. But I'm not really a Harley guy per say. Years ago I happily ran on Yamahas and caught crap from some of the of Harley guys, some of it not so good natured. I bought this bike after reluctantly giving HD a chance and I really liked it. I have no tattoos, I belong to no groups and generally (and preferably) ride alone. I always have a chuckle when I see the "regulars" with their tats, German style helmets, vests and jackets loaded down with patches and pins. Yeah, brand loyalty is an interesting phenomena. I still like my bike, but I could easily trade it in for a rice burner too.

That's fair enough and you make some good points too. Life used to be simpler really and I've seen it written elsewhere that a plethora of choices is simultaneously a blessing and a curse and I think that's mostly true. For over 20 years I had a single Yamaha acoustic guitar and life was just fine. Now I have more gear than I can shake a stick at and none of it has made me a better player. What has made me a better player is practicing every single day with limited exceptions. Sorry if I took your observations personally Dean, and all the best.

I don't think anyone complained about the gear. I know I simply said it wasn't something I was going to put any more real time into. I have played the same basic gear for decades, with the notable exception of digital modelling gear. As for sax players, don't kid yourself -- they can only dream of the plethora of choices we guitarists have before us. And keyboard players are every bit as bad about which synth is the best as I have found out hanging out in the synthesizer forums which I dabble in as well. Of course it's not the tool's problem. The tool works fine for a great many people as I said. Lastly, I didn't say it was TOO complex, I said it was more complex than I'd like for it to be for me at this stage of my playing life because I spend more time obsessing over things that just don't exist in my analog gear. As a matter of fact, I gave some pretty compelling reasons why I thought that was and I was careful to say that the gear isn't the problem. Point in fact -- there is no problem. Simply an observation about where I have gotten on my own musical journey and how that has changed over the last ten years for me. So lighten up a bit Dean, and read the all posts all the way through before you put everyone in a hater suit. If you're happy, that's great and I'm pretty sure nobody is hanging outside your door waiting to snatch your POD away. Oh, and I don't really appreciate being called anal either...taking a position and explaining it in a forum is rather expected behavior, isn't it? I wasn't being disrespectful nor do I change gear habitually. Perhaps the reason people who play guitar end up talking so passionately about gear and tone is that it is such an elusive quest that even the likes of seasoned pros are always searching for the next great thing? It's not a crime after all.

It never really ends, but I'm hoping to make it merely a mental exercise one day soon -- as opposed to spending a metric ton of money looking for a magic bullet as it has been until the last couple of years.

And yet, we all hang out here (and elsewhere) to talk about it all ad nauseum. Damn you Internet! :lol:

That guide is apparently required by some or it wouldn't exist, let alone be recommended regularly. However, what you say is true overall in many ways and hurgnico's music and grasp of the POD in recording applications is exceptional no doubt. But as much as anyone might overcomplicate the process of using a POD for THEIR applications, you just oversimplified it equally and made it the equivelent of an off the rack jump suit which it clearly is not either.

Bingo. It was a rhetorical question. (Optional) Discussion material relative to the topic.

That is part of it for me, yes. My mind is easily distracted and more options are not always better. Chasing tone and chasing sound to me have become different things I guess.

And see, that is exactly what I was talking about. It's nothing wrong with the POD or any modeller out there, but it's more of a "have I outgrown what it brings to the table now" kind of thing. It's not even that I am all that and a bag of chips either, because I'm not as a player. But I DO enjoy what I do and in being honest with myself, certain aspects of it seem to appeal more to me now than certain other aspects of it. 10-15 years ago, that would have been really different as I was far more interested in copping other people's tones and learning their songs because I didn't think I was "good enough" for my own tone or to stretch out my own creativity. Enough years and practice later, and I am trying not to limit myself in that way anymore. I feel like the "art" side of music is coming more into focus as I can let the technical side of it recede into the background, so chasing "tone" is no longer a player and is being replaced with chasing a muse. It is actually a very cool time for me in that way and I can't imagine there aren't others who go through the same process..