HELP :)

[chrose1201]

Hey all, I'll try and make a long story short. Had Line 6 Spyder wanted tube amp (problems with SS) tried a Vypyr, had major problems with SS crapping out or going haywire during gigs. Finally got a tube amp but I still can't get a sound I am happy with.

 

My son was looking at an Axe-FX. After watching a demo I said, hey this is like an expensive Spyder with all the tones. Which got me thinking, rather than use a bunch of different pedals, does Line 6 have an affordable pedal that would have the 12 or so tones I would like that I can run through my tube amp and get the best of both worlds? By the way I am very iffy about the problems I have had in the past with solid state...

 

I don't really want to create my own patches so much. I would love to get an Allman bros tone, a Santana tone a Clapton tone, and SRV tones, etc plus I play in a showband so a nice fender clean tone, some phase, chorus, delay etc all would be really nice to be able to do.

 

Any and all input would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

AG

[pianoguyy]

L6 has many options to choose from. 

 

In another month, the most expensive L6 product is going to be released. It is called the Helix. 

It will be half the price of the Axe. 

Current products are much cheaper, like $500 and below, and offer just as many good quality options.

 

 

I can only speak on experience, which is the HD500, You won't be disappointed.

 

But I believe there is something called an M9 which may be more suited.  

[gunpointmetal]

You're going to have to sculpt tones on ANY device to your gear and your ear, but the HD500X can absolutely do what you asking aside from having awesome patches out of the box.

[edstar1960]

The HD500 or HD500X will do what you want but you will have to learn how to use the unit and how to tweak it t get best tones out of your set up.

 

The M-series pedal boards may be a better option for you as you already have a tube amp and it sounds like you just want to add fx and have certain set tones - you will still need to tweak to taste but I believe they are more like using standard pedal boards so may be easier to set up with your gear - you can check them out under the PRODUCTS link at the top of the page.

 

Try to get along to a store and try them out first hand to see which you prefer and which will suit your needs better.

[cruisinon2]

I don't really want to create my own patches so much. I would love to get an Allman bros tone, a Santana tone a Clapton tone, and SRV tones, etc plus I play in a showband so a nice fender clean tone, some phase, chorus, delay etc all would be really nice to be able to do.

 

Any and all input would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

AG

I love my 500X...I'm the happiest I've been with a rig in years. It'll give you just about any tone you want...just don't expect to get there on day one (or week one, or month one for that matter).

 

Right out of the box I was less than thrilled. If your looking for a plug-and-play unit, this ain't it. There tends to be a fairly steep learning curve, even for veteran players. The factory patches are mostly useless, and laughably awful in some cases...though to be fair, some have said the latest firmware update came with some new pre-sets that are somewhat better, though I haven't tried them.

 

Either way, you WILL be tweaking patches, whether you start from scratch, or use a stock one as a starting point...I promise you there is no way around that. As long as you give it some time, learn how the unit works, and you'll eventually find that you'll be able to dial in a tone pretty quickly. As far as I'm concerned, it's the best bang for the buck out there.

[pianoguyy]

I love my 500X...I'm the happiest I've been with a rig in years. It'll give you just about any tone you want...just don't expect to get there on day one (or week one, or month one for that matter).

 

Right out of the box I was less than thrilled. If your looking for a plug-and-play unit, this ain't it. There tends to be a fairly steep learning curve, even for veteran players. The factory patches are mostly useless, and laughably awful in some cases...though to be fair, some have said the latest firmware update came with some new pre-sets that are somewhat better, though I haven't tried them.

 

Either way, you WILL be tweaking patches, whether you start from scratch, or use a stock one as a starting point...I promise you there is no way around that. As long as you give it some time, learn how the unit works, and you'll eventually find that you'll be able to dial in a tone pretty quickly. As far as I'm concerned, it's the best bang for the buck out there.

 

 

See, I was the opposite. Admittedly, factory presets were not something that I was going to use outside of the learning period. But they did show a good representation of what the unit could do - with all of the useless sounds. Who needs that sound, but it is nice to know that I can do something like that if I want to. 

I was not upset at first like you, in fact it made me look forward to being able to make the unit my own because I knew it could be done. For me, it was new technology, it was replacing a 20+ year old rig that was made of the best individual components of their time plus physical amps, all in one box on the floor --- I knew it was going to take me time. 

 

It is going to take awhile to get the hang of. Definitely not something that you buy today and gig tonight with, the way you can an amp and a distortion pedal. 

 

And I will surely double your sentiment ---- 

The HD500 (or X) will more than satisfy anyone, just give it the time it deserves. 

 

 

*the latest firmware has a nice set of patches for the Variax. If you are a guitar player, they are still the standard sounds. 

[joel_brown]

I personally think what this person needs is the Amplifi device.  Simple, easy, and sounds good. 

[radatats]

I have a HD500 that is a great unit and like everyone says above can definitely do what you want it to.  As noted, you will still have to do a lot of the grunt work getting set up in the first place but then it really is worth it.  The POD gives you 16 banks of 4 presets each per setlist so you can easily set up a different bank for each tone style you want with a clean, crunch, lead, rhythm in each one.  There are also a ton of ready made presets on the Line 6 Customtone site.  Fair warning though, they are user created and not necessarily what you are looking for.  Another great option is to visit Glenn Delaune.  He has a ton of ready made patches for the HD500 to match a lot of different artists and styles; they are reasonably priced but not free.

 

Another thing to consider is how to use whatever multieffect unit you choose with your tube amp.  POD, AxeFX, BOSS, etc. units are generally designed to go straight to PA in a stereo configuration.  They include full amp models with cab and mic emulation for that purpose.  Using a tube amp you have no need for the full amp or cab modeling so the HD500 also includes preamp models for this purpose to match up with your tube power section and cab. 

 

If you have a FX Loop in your amp you are probably best suited to take the 1/4 out from the POD straight into the FX Return of the amp using the preamp models.  This lets the POD do all the tone shaping and effects and lets your tubes add that little extra in the power section to your cab.  If you don't have a FX Loop, you need to set your amp to it's cleanest channel and run the POD into the guitar in.  Again, the idea is to let the POD do all the work without being colored by the amp.

 

Good luck!

[chrose1201]

Joel with all due respect, the Amplifi is not what I need. I had a Line 6 Spyder which had obviously a ton of modes in it, but I got rid of that because I do not want a SS amp. I have a Carvin V3M that I am very happy with, I am just looking to get some sounds that I want to recreate without the ton of pedals and volume that I would need to use to create some of them. I am looking to cheat :)