cruisinon2

You're not alone...I'm not using a DT series amp, but it has been my experience that using any of the amp models without cab sims produces tones that are downright horrid. Not sure why this is, as Ivve used other preamp/fx units, which had no modeling capabilities at all thru the same power amp/cab set-up, and didn't have a problem getting a decent tone, so who knows?I aboslutely cannot get a tone I like without the cab models. But with either the pre only, or full amp models running studio/direct out, I'm quite happy.

When all else fails, reboot. Try updating to (or reloading if you've already done so) the latest firmware.

Graphtechs are looking better and better as the days go by...

ok...I understand now. Had no idea how the connections were made. So it seems that perhaps just that one wire is the problem then. If the noise follows wherever you connect that wire, then that at least solves the mystery. Its the same logic that rules out the piezo itself. You might be able to fix the whole thing for 2 bucks at Radio Shack. Why couldnt it be as simple as that? Worth a try anyway for a few inches of wire.

I got it now...I didn't understand what he was saying at first. And I'm the farthest thing from an engineer there is, but if he's saying the noise moves when the cables are swapped, doesn't the problem have to be the cable itself then? I misunderstood initially..I thought he was moving the piezo elements from one saddle to the other, but from the last post it seems that they stayed put. Apparently itvs possible to leave the elements where they are and just swap out connectors between the circuit board fixed to the front of the sustain blockand the main board inside the cavity. He just moved the leads around.

Still not getting it. Exactly how much surgery did you do? Where did you have the leads connected? Did you leave the piezos in place, and swap the wires, or did you solder the 6th string piezo to the 5th string input on the board, and vice versa? Seems like that would create a whole host of problems aside from the dreaded "plink". Maybe it's me, but I'm having trouble picturing exactly what you did.

I'm confused...what exactly did you do? If you swapped the piezo elements between the 5th and 6th string saddles, and the noise followed the piezo, then it seems to me that the piezo element is the problem.

Thats the piezo curse. They are ultra sensitive as compared to mag pickups. Any accidental noises/vibrations will be picked up. Try using something to dampen vibrations behind the nut (I use a thin piece of grey foam cut from an air filter element) Also, the typical way you are used to palm muting with high gain can be an issue sometimes. Might require a lighter attack (perhaps a thinner pick), or positioning your picking hand slightly differently that you're used to. Try turning down the global string volume in workbench also, as it has worked for quite a few people.

Experience. It's not entirely universal, of course. Some companies, and some people still have a work ethic, but many more do not. If I had a nickle for every customer service rep I've dealt with who simple didn't give a $#!@, I'd never have to work again. Such is not the case here, as the company stepped up and made good on their mistake, and I've said exactly that more than once in this thread. This is a good thing, and they should be commended for it. I would not hesitate to order products from them based on this guy's experience. All in all, a good omen, and I wasn't criticizing Graphtech's response. What I was addressing, is the "who knows what the future will bring" comment, when asked a specific question about the prospect of a particular product being offered. It's not an answer. We all know there is no crystal ball to consult. Is it a problem for someone to say..."Gee, I'm sorry, but I just don't know"? Because in all likelihood, that's the truth. It's honest, and it won't keep people guessing, or worse, standing around waiting for a train that ain't coming. Plus, I just don't see one customer's issue, despite being resolved to everyone's satisfaction, translating into a change in a 3rd party company's product line for what is someone else's niche product...but perhaps I'm wrong. The 89 has a Graphtech bridge, doesn't it? Maybe they will start selling saddles for the 69s...who knows.

It's good that they took care of you...as it was their mistake. And I've been acused of being a "glass is half empty" guy before, but this sounds like Retail Speak for "That's not my department, you'll have to talk to Bob over in Product Development". But it sounds better, gives you hope, and gets you out of his email in box. Hope I'm wrong, but I've been on this roller coaster before with other companies...usually ends the same way: dizzy, nauseous, and a few dollars poorer. :wacko:

OK...lets settle this once and for all. Everybody drop your pants and get a tape measure...and remember, we're on the honor system here, gents.

Nice...but something tells me you're only getting them because it was their fault that the picture and description were screwed up on the site. Anybody else is gonna be out of luck...congrats, tho!

I want L6 to pay me to use their amps...and a pony. I will accept no endorsement deals that don't include a pony.

Lol...

Wow...that looks like a fun room! I got a Mesa 2x12 cab I'm getting rid of...seems to be the only thing you ain't got, you want it, lol?

I've tried that thru a million different amps over the years. It'll work...in the sense that sound will come out, but don't expect it to sound too good. Acoustics through any electric guitar amp will never give you a true "acoustic" sound. They just aren't designed to reproduce that wide a range of frequencies. You need either a dedicated acoustic guitar amp, or run it through the a PA.

Don't think I've ever had an amp with anything less than a 4 ohm minimum load. 8 ohms seems to be more common, but i've seen 4. I'm guessing you've got a single cab wired in stereo with two ins?

Before you pull that trigger, make sure you dont mind that the USA model has the truss rod adjustment at the heel. From pics I'e seen, is looks like theres a recess to accomodate adjustments without removing the neck, but I'm not sure. That would be a deal breaker for me. I have an older Warmoth neck on a Strat, before they moved the adjustment screws to the headstock...makes me insane. What should be a 4 second process can take a half hour, especially if more than one turn of the screw is needed...and taking the tension on/off the strigns like that deadens them. Never understood that design.

Been playing 11s so long anything lighter feels like cobwebs to me. Put D'addario 11-50 balanced tension set on the 69 before I played a note... they work just fine.

I might pick up another at some point...either another 69, or the 89. Mostly I'm curious if some of the 69's oddities are universal, or just peculiar to mine. My only real issue is with palm muting the open A string with higher gain amps while using any of the drop D tunings (drop D, drop Db, DADGAD). If I rest my hand anywhere near the low E string, I get some odd overtones coming thru...it disappears if I reposition my hand slightly, so it's no deal breaker, but still annoying, as I have to think about it and adjust. Definitely curious if they would all do that...could just be something in my technique that doesn't jive with a sensitive piezo...would love to find that out, but I'm not doing a $1000 experiment right now, lol. Never seen one of these in a music store anywhere near me, otherwise I'd try it out that way...

That's good to hear...at least they took care of you.

Well that leaves two possibilities: 1) There's something wrong with the amp, and not the Pod or 2) The combo of the Pod and your particular amp just isn't working, or might require a little extra work to nail down a set up that sounds good. I tend to think that this is the case. As much as I like the 500X, it's not the easiest thing to work with...almost too many options sometimes. I have also found it harder to get a goodsound through my amp, as compared to headphones. In fact, I have two totally separate banks of patches...one for the cans, and another for my rig.

That's not necessarily true. The "correct" output settings may or may not sound good, depending on what's in the rest of the rig, the guitar he's using, and his fingers. The combo/front, stack/front, stack/power amp output settings are just applying different EQ to the signal anyway...there's no way that these settings can be expected to work with every amp out there. More than a few of us on here use the studio/direct output, some with cab sims, some without...running into all sorts of amp set-ups (various combos, power amp/cab rigs, etc), with good results. It's been discussed in several other threads. As what sounds "good" is entirely subjective, there really is no "right" or "wrong" way to set things up. The 500X just isn't a "plug it in and play" amp. Needs work to get it to sound the way you want it.

Quality control sucks everywhere these days. Uniform mediocrity almost seems like it's a goal now...hope they make it right.

There's something to be said for simplicity...but I've really started to enjoy messing with all the deep edit parameters on the 500x...sag, bias, etc. Amps are like tattoos...you're never gonna have just one, lol.