Palico

To add one more thing to possibly help explain this better. Notice on the POD it has Exp-1 and Exp-2 light that changes when press the toe switch(without the second pedal connected). When you connect a second expression pedal, both of them are lite. So the second pedal just becomes Exp-2 (or Exp-1 I never rememeber which one it is!).

I have a 500 and HD500x. I know the HD500x doesn't work with the older variax for workbench connectivity. I heard the HD500 does but it only works with workbench from my understanding. I keep a old X3 around just for using to update it.

On the first one using the edit software you can set the value for what you want the pedal (I'm sure you could set it without the software but I don't know how). Say for instance you assign the pedal to the volume control. You can set it so the min value is say 50% and the max to 100%. So when you have the pedal in the heel position it is set to 50% instead of 0%. I have not tried it but I would think if you set the min to 100% and the max to 0% you would have the pedal set basicaly backwards of normal. If you have secondary pedal the toe switch for the on-board works as just another switch. Typically use to turn a wah on or off but you could assign it to anything. The secondary pedal takes up the second Expression so both can be used together. So the toe switch on-board really doesn't have an affect on it unless you specifcally assign it to affect it. I don't think you can reassign it to a different function on the fly thought. The typically setup is you assign the volume to the secondary pedal and that is just where you volume is. You assign the Wah to ON/OFF to toe switch and it's value to the pedal. So something that works like you each a volume and wah pedal. The way it's configured it gives you ton of options that I have not really messed with. As side note you can assign the ON/OFF to any swtich, doesn't have to be the Toe swtich either. And you could assign that toe swtich to turn on say a distrostion affect instead if you wanted. Really flexable setup.

You will likely need to at least recabriate the pedal. I had too even after a factory reset.

With the Spider you basiclally have a set of effects pedals build into the Amp. So you should be good to go for the baisc stuff. Mainly the reason guitarist use different pedals is for different sounds. Not all effects are the same, Boss OD1 overdrive doesn't sound like a Ibanez Tube screamer etc... So it really is a taste thing. And as BillBee pointed out some pedals sound very different with different amps. I'm not sure how the Spider individual voicings are modeled. I think out of the box they have some effects on them along with a amp model. If you happy with the sound for now you should be good. Over time you will likely find you want more options, hence a multi-effect or maybe some select pedals for different tones.

I assume you mean topology 1-4, not channel you only have 2 channels but 4 topologies(pre-amps). Since each of those change the class etc.. yea there are some differences in volume level. I don't know they major but I guess the depends on expectation.

My Variax 500 has been acting up a bit lately where it seems to want to retune it self it sits up for a bit. Along with some other strangeness from time to time. I'm gonna be looking to take it to repair shop to have it checked out soon. When I do unless they tell me something is really wrong, I'm probably gonna have them replace the piezos on it while it's there. I've read quite a few that went to the Graph Tech ghost ones Are they really better than repacment stock ones? Just wondering if they are worth the cost of replacing?

I used a Fender Twin pre-amp model since it has a lot of headroom and ajdusted it to EQ to fit the sound of my acousitc guitar. Works out pretty decently. I'll for sure be trying radatats setup thought.

I have my volume pedal set to post o I can control the volume without changing the tone. I also use the volume knob on the guitar to turn down a bit to clean up the sound. For for a lead, volume knob on the guitar up and adjust the volume pedal as needed. Depending on the song might turn a tube screamer or other overdrive on.

I had to kind of figure this one out myself as well. I had experice before going to modelling with some real Marshall Amps but they were JCM900 and DSL 2000s, which are very different Amps than the old Plexi, I had always hear some much about. But it's not the overall gain from the amp that people like from those Plexi's, its the overall voicing. For the higher gain stuff they are putting a gain pedal in front of the amp as well as turning the drive up a lot. Right now one of my fav patches is a Plexi Jump with a overdrive in front of it with the drive and output of the overdrive all the way up. It's gets quite heavy sounding but just has something more musical about it to me. A tube screamer in front of most amps has sort musical sound to it as well, which explains the enduring poplularity with the tube screamer and it's thousands of clone various. Another thing I discovered since moving to the modelling stuff is play with the cabs. A T75 breaks up much differently than a V30 or 25.

Hi TiagoRamos, Mine was just an understand of what the knobs did. The improvement around the firmware didn't really change it much but the firmware I thought gave a bit better sound with in. My understanding is on the low volume mode you are not using the tubes but are using emulated power amp with is designed to sound like a power amp more towards wide open so you will tend to get more gain. Using normal mode you are use only the emulated pre-amp and the real tube power amp. So you can still get the same gain/power amp distrotion with it but you will have to turn up the amp to what is likely more ear spliting levels to obtain it. Since I use my rig in live situation I don't ever do that. I just adjust gain before the power amp as I love the tube sound.

Yep, I have not opened up a DT but been there done that on an atomic. Lucky to still be here to tell the story.

I've never had a switch issues with mine. I got mine used so maybe it was fixed before I got it. If you end up rehousing one share some pics and the story, sounds like a cool project.

Are you using a DT25/50 with the HD or just the HD?

Nice crunch tone. I usually set my Tube screamer gain and output around those levels but never played with the bass/treble settings. I gotta try yours out!

Had my 500x for about 6 months with the latest firmware, without any issues. Of course sound quality is objective. Wonder if you have had some bad luck with geting 2 bad units, it does seem unlikely.

LOL. You are right in a lot of cases. But I do use a Indonesian made Variax(at least I think, it's a 500 that I was told was before they were produced in China), Korean Epiphone LP, and Strat made from vairous parts including some for Squire parts likely of Chineese origin. I put a set of $100 picks in it from Guitar fetish. I could probably afford a Gibson if I really wanted but I really like have multiple guitars and I can't afford multiple Gibson, Fenders, etc.... My dream setup, It would likely be the one or two of the actual amp emulated by these devices along with a couple of selected pedals. So for the price of AxeFx system, I could buy something pretty close to my dream setup. Line6 Products on the other hand have gotten me very close to that dream without costing me a morgage payment. To the OP, good review. Never messed with AxeFx and as good as the POD is I always wondered how it would compare in true objective side by side.

If I remember in the manual, Ex-1 will default to the Wah if you use a Wah on the patch and the Volume will default to Ex-2. You can change either of them to what ever you want them to be as well.

I wanted to see about figured out a channel type of switch for the modelled amps on my POD over the L6 link to my DT25. Based on some post it, I thought I could put setup a dual amp and just turn off amp A for amp B and assign to swtich. The problem I found was than when I turn off Amp A on the POD the DT switches to channel B but it's not the modelled amp, it's whatever I left on channel B on the DT itself. What I would like to do is swtich from Amp A to B on the POD but keep the DT running just to emulate a channel switch. Anyone run into this and is there any solution to it? Or is this just not possible with the current software?

If you have old PA power amp around you could run the POD to that and use it to power the cab. But as meantioned the POD does not have a power amp on it so it can not power a cab directly.

I just was watching a Rig Rundown on premeir gutiar with Steve and he was showing his HD50 and DT50. The he when over his Guitars, after the ones he is known for he starts talking about this Variax 500 he is using for some small acoustic parts and the sitar sound on one song. After a bit of talk about he JTV and his toughts on the use of modeling he meantioned that Line 6 made custom variax for him shaped somewhat like a 335. Quick google search turned up the image above figured that must be the one he was referring to.

Not using a DT. Unless someone can show me where I was off when you turn off Amp A on the Pod and hooked to DT it automaticly swtiches to channel B on the DT which doesn't use the POD.

Didn't know Steve Howe had custom Variax. Wonder why they Line 6 didn't do a JTV like version of this? Looks pretty cool.

Outta the box mine is a bit sticky too. But it does have a pretty simple bolt on it so it should adjust. I think I'm gonna do that myself.

On the modeled amp yes. I know I can mimc that now use two patches but then my pedals might not be switch on etc.... I like to use to the POD like the old school setup but modeled. So I get a tone I want the still dance on the pedals(switches). So it would be nice to have one that switch the amp channels just like if I had old school setup with a amp switch on the floor. I had some fenders with the reverb switch but never used it. But yea.