Palico

It took me a a long time but I think I found what was causing this. Due to variances in patch volume or swtich guitar models on the variax and to other guitars, I always have volume pedal setup since extra slots is usually not a problem I use the Vol/Pan pedal for this. Basically I want a master type volume control but at my foot, so I alwasy set it in post amp, that way it affects just of the overall volume hopefully not the tone. Well on these patches I have delay and reverb post amp as well. I had the volume pedal directly after the amp model then delay and reverb. I moved the volume pedal to the very end of the chain right in front of the looper and the sustain of the notes and tone problems disappear. Honestly I would have thought having it front of the reverb might have been better since it would not lower the reverb trails as I roll the volume off. But I also notice on the POD some effects just act strangely, as I learned playing with the pitch glide. They might be accurate to the original too, since I'm basically putting a volume pedal in the effects loop. Maybe I should use not use the Volume/Pan and just assign the the Channel volume. But I would really rather use it on the master volume of the entire POD/DT. I'm never satisfied with volume settings on my patches so I could never see performing with volume control at my feet.

I can't tell based on that amps manual if the effects loop is series or parallel. Most are Series and will work with the 4 cable method which is what you would want to use here. Set your amp and cab model in the POD to none. Basics of the method. Cable 1: Guitar -> Input on Gutiar In on POD. Cable 2: POD Effects send -> Input on Marshall. Cable 3: Marshall Preamp Out (effect send) -> POD Effect return (use Left) Cable 4: Pod Live out -> Marshall Power Amp In (effects return). If the loop on that Marshall is a parallel one this won't work and your only option is to use turn the set the Amp can Cab model to none and all your effects will be in front of the preamp.

I have the DT25 combo not issues. Tube combo amps of many types and been produced and used the world over, I wouldn't worry about them. It's more of a personal preference thing. The one thing sound wise difference you will want to check into is the Combo uses and open-back cab, and the extension is a closed back cab. Again either one is great and both styles have been used to great results but they do sound a bit different. Pick the one that best suites you. The other thought is the combo is about 50lb. The head and cab might be a bit easier on the back and loading in and out of venue if you play out.

+1 Me too! Nice.

My recommdation, forget the suggested settings. Set the knobs around 12 o'clock expcet the master volume. Now spin the knobs until you get something that sounds good to you. A tube amp does indeed sound good when pushed really hard but when it splits you ear drums it's no good for you or anyone listening to you. If you were recording the amp in studio where you can be in a separte sound isolated room then crank it up and let it roar. Otherwise you gotta just work with it to make something that works for you at an acceptable volume

DT25 Combo over L6 Link. Easy and sounds great.

Thanks!

So because you work around something you may not know is wrong, make it not a problem? Sorry don't see the logic there. A problem is a problem regardless of if you are aware of it or not. Again I don't think this applies to my setup but as advide reader on the support forums and someone that keeps my gear up to date. I would really like to know where I'm supposed to go to check issues so that I can see if they apply to me or not.

I assume the Tech bulliten is on the DT50, based on this tread alone. I have a DT25 combo so I'm guessing it doesn't apply to me. That's just the thing, where would one find the knowledge of what the issue is. One could very well have the problem but not have that knowledge as they are unaware of what the issue is to being with. Where is the public domain knowledge? Assume just becuase the problem is known to Line6 (and apparently is talking care of it) someone doesn't mean other know this. I get the tech bullien would cover the technical details of the fix hence only available to tehnitions but surely there shold be somewhere logged of know issues?

Really? So how is one to know if they need to have work done? So much for Transparecy.

Very good post wilson very detailed. However; I see a couple uses not touched on. 1. The simplist use for compressor is to add sustain to the signal. In fact on the Boss compressor (Blue Comp on the POD) there are two knobs. Sustain and Level. The "Sustain" knob is really adjusting the Threshhold, the ratio attach and decay in the original pedal were hard set. Of course the compressor squashes the signal too so it's a balancing act between how much sustain and how much compression you want. 2. To squash the crap out for the signal as pure effect. Very high settings on a compressor can give you some interesting pumping type sounds. So it can be used with high settings as it's own effect. Post or Pre amp, both will produce slighly different results. High setting also means the amplified signal picks up little things like fingers sliding over the strings more. Some of the time, like Funk Bass lines, that can be desired. 3. Signal boost with some compression for lead solo work as Wilson meantioned. Although as Wilson pointed out the old days this would have been pre-amp, if I have a compressor setup for this purpose, then I would go post. Why post? Simple I don't want it to affect my input gain. I just want a touch of compression to even out the notes and to make it louder for lead lines. Setting it post would be done very much like the way it would be done in a studio where the guitar line was recorded and maybe a bit of compression was added later. I have no disagreement with setting pre either. It's just a different sound and it causes the pedals after it to react differently. Some say better, I just say different, depends on what sound your after. 4. As a pure gain booster that also has some compression. Set it pre, turn up the level high and hit the front of the amp hard. Yep could do that and #3 with a EQ or clean boost instead and I would use either of those if I had them or just didn't want the compression as well. But double use out of one pedal (or DSP slot) is always a good thing, IMO.

+1 on that too. What works all by yourself with no context doesn't work when you have Bass, Drums, Vocals and even other guitarist in the mix too. And as I recently found out, even when you set your patches at your normal gig levels, but then you get into a larger room so you end up pushing it further, they call fall apart again. Based on advice, I"m really thinking of adding a pedal EQ to my setup just to be able to make on the fly adjustments as needed. In the old days with just a couple of pedals and an amp you just made the adjustments on the pedals and amps as needed. But with the POD if I make a change on the patch of the fly but I change to different patch then I gotta do it all over again. The Global EQ will help with that thought, I'm going external because it's quicker to adjust and I want the visual on the setting.

That some great advice! Don't really know why I've never thought of comparing mastered tracks with patches. I did it all the time when I was mixing down our demo. Great psost!

Plexi Lead or JTM45 with a Screamer or Overdrive in front. +1 on the Dividied by 13 as well

+1 totally agree with that sentiment. I have a couple dozen various patches setup but live I mostly just use 4 patches and those four are just different settings on the same patch. Only on some key songs do I actually go to patch made for specifically for a indiivdual artist or song. Now for recording it's a completey different matter.

The tube screamer has big mid range boost but that is pretty close to the tone of the original 808s. Part of the reason most people like the Tube screamer really was that EQ it adds. This is generally true with most of the pedals choose in the overdrive/distortion pedals. To my ears the Tube Drive is the least coloring pedal, althought it indeed alters the EQ some. The other alternative is not add a Distortion pedal and use the Amp model for the gain instead. Again each one creates there own type of tone, hence the usefullness of modelling technology. Other than adding a EQ after the fact and attempting to EQ it back to your liking getting a real pedal to add to your setup that is more to your liking might be the only other alternative.

Thanks for the suggestions. Odd thing to me was it wasn't a too much gain type of sound. It was almost a not enough gain or maybe just too much brightness or defintiion (normally not a bad thing but was this time). I always thought the Bass preception was supposed to increase as volume increased but this seemed almost the opposite. The notes just seem to cut off very quickly. Could be just a playing tehnique issue too I guess, my band usually is not very loud. Tube issues or problems on my Variax could be it as well. I have noticed some incosistant oddness at gigs sometimes. Maybe a tube change is in order. Putting at least a pedal form graphic EQ in the DT effects loop sounds like it might be my best plan of action. The upcoming global EQ would work but a real one would be a lot quicker to adjust from show to show. Maybe a MXR 10 Band? Any other suggestions?

Great job, What's the best way to find your patches on custom tone? The search features there suck, IMO. I would love to try out a couple.

At rehersal yesterday, I found something rather intresting on some of my tones. The Bassist had wild hair and was just wanting it loud. So I adjusted my DT to keep up. But I noticed something in particular, the patches I ususally go to just didn't work at the volume level. It was if they had too much brightness and note definition in them. After a bit or rehersal the bassist had to leave early. So I rolled the volume back off a bit and bam the tone were back. Any ideas on what on the fly type changes I could make to adjust the patches if I get into that situation again? On my patches I tend to use the 4x12 T75. But at higher volume levels the darker sounding cabs models like the 4x12 V30 and 4x12 Greenback 25 really seemed to work better.

Yep, started working with a couple of them already. Thanks for putting there out there. Looking forward to more vids.

Well as I suspected would be the case on my machine the gain is a lot lower. I don't think that is anything from your patches in paticular as I notice that with a lot of patches that I download. I primarly use my Variax 500 but I also tested against my old Epi LP as well which was even less, cheap pickups no suprise. The variax is supposed to model a 59 LP so even if it's on target that wouldn't be a 490 pickups like you are using either. https://soundcloud.com/dan-nobles-2/patchtest-jtm45-w-ts Three part clip without touching your setting other than to set the inputs to the Variax when I tested it. I'm also tuned down 1/2 step. I copied the riff (or close anyway) to what you did in the Video with that patch. Just out curiosity of the difference two I have firmware 3.10 (lastest according L6 Monkey). Your might be different. 1. Old Epi LP (Bridge). 2. Variax Lester (Bridge). 3. Variax custom Spank body with LP Custom pickup. About the hotest thing I got already setup in my Variax One thing I noticed on your patches, is you have input 1 & 2 set both to guitar. I've found the POD sounds more authentic if you set Input 2 to a input you not using, I usually set to Aux. I recorded your patches the way I downloaded them. I did play with changing that but and it made my guitar a bit cleared but didn't really change it much. This was a fun little experiment! And your patches do remind me that a simple setup can be really effective. I suscribed to your channel. I would love to hear more of your thougths on patch creation.

Good question. I will end up buying either way but curious if L6 staff will see this and answer as I use the a DT25.

Yes, my respose is an educated guess as I use a DT with the L6 link. and Yes your input could have lots of gain, but if you had the swtich set set to "line" it would likely be not as controlable. So when you wanted to get a clean tone it will still have bit of overdrive coming from the board on a switch on the back you could not easly turn o and off. Better to have that when you want it via overdrive or other effect. I don't see anything on the Return level in the manual.

Nicely done. Gonna do any of the JTV? I've downloaded others patches before and been not impressed on my rig. It think the difference is largely the guitar being uses itself vs. my old Variax 500 or the others I have. I'll have to try your later tonight and see how they do for me vs. the vids.

From the manual "Note: Use the LINE-STOMP switch on the back of POD HD500X to choose between levels for Rack FX versus Pedals. This Send parameter can then be used to further fine-tune the level fed to your connected devices" Based on the labels and the fact this note is direct behind the send, I would Guess if set to "Line" it would send a line level signal out of the FX Send. So a0db (or close) level out. "Stomp" on the other hand would seem to send what would typically be a "Stomp" box or a <0db level out of the FX Send. I don't use the 4 cable method but I would Guess you would want the "Stomp" option as your output in that method would be going to your Amp's preamp input so you would not want a line level signal as it would overdrive the preamp. While overdrivine the pre-amp is normal thing for some grit in your tone that would be better done with a overdrive effect where it could be better controlled.