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HD Bass Pack - The Bass Player's Thread


skybone
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Any other Bass players out there using their POD HD's for the low end?

 

I've done loads of research trying to find a bass-specific multi-effects unit / amp/cab modeler over the last couple of years, and I kept getting drawn back to the POD Family. I've tried a few other units but was never that happy with them, so I recently bought myself a POD HD500x and the HD Bass Pack.

 

So...

 

What are your favourite amps/cabs/effects?

Are you using your HD as an effects processor in front of an amp, or DI-ing?

Any tips/tricks for other bass players when using your HD? etc...

 

So far, I haven't experimented much outside the SVT "Normal" & the classic 8x10 with various effects for that gritty "rock" sound, but I've not had it that long yet. I see lots of experimentation and tweaking to come. I might even plug my guitar into it at some point! :D

 

 

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Used for recording. Primarily a guitar player, but I do enjoy playing bass as well. Have Helix now, but I use that in pretty much the same way as I used to use the HD.

 

Favorite amp is the SVT Bright.

Favorite cab is the 4x10 Rhino.

 

I keep things pretty simple. An amp, two 4x10 cabs with different mics (I lean towards a 47 cond and then a 112 dyn), some compression, and reverb. Sometimes I'll put a phaser or flanger in there.

 

I find that the 8x10 cab is too hollow sounding. Lots of low end, but very thin elsewhere. The 4x10 is nice and thick, but lacks the low end the 8x10 has, but can easily be compensated for with the bass's EQ.

 

I'll say that if someone has an HD and plans to use it in anyway for bass, the bass pack is essential. Without it is an aggressive exercise in frustration.

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My favorite amp is the Gallien-Kruger 800RB (G Cougar 800). Easily the best bass amp model in the HD series. To me, this amp alone worth the price not only of the bass pack, but the entire HD500. So yes, I think the Pod HD offers a fantastic value for bass players if you find your sound there (as I did).

 

I´m using the HD500 only to record. I also have a Roland Bass Cube 120XL, with enough quality FXs onboard to not even need anything else, so I´m happy in all situations (that means: playing the bass on my homestudio and my living room. :lol:)

 

In fact, I'm a sax player, after all, but I truly appreciate the sound of good gear, and the Pod HD certainly makes me more than satisfied to play and record some guitars and bass, very specially since I bought the HD expansion packs (the JC-120 is my favorite for guitar)

 

Regarding bass effects:  Tube comp, a bit of reverb (chamber or room at 15%), chorus or flanger (there are many variations to choose), and ocasionally some delay. I like the "Tron Up" effect for bass.

 

The key with bass effects is usually to keep the "Mix" parameter pretty low on every fx, and not try to use too many effects at the same time.

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I think the key to any effects on the HD is "subtle", they're that good.

 

Managed to have some time on it with my guitar last night, plenty of patches to play with, but found a few nice ones and can see a lot of tone tweaking ahead.

 

Duncann, when you say an "amp & 2 cabs", how do you set that up? Use Amp B  with a second amp with the same settings as Amp A?

 

Still experimenting, but I think I'm only just scratching the surface with it just now. Got a couple of nice sounding SVT patches so far, and just starting to experiment with effects.

 

The intent is to use it as a DI in the band situation, but it's early days with both the HD and the band, so we shall stick to experimenting & tweaking for now!

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Duncann, when you say an "amp & 2 cabs", how do you set that up? Use Amp B  with a second amp with the same settings as Amp A?

 

Identical amp settings is exactly right. Although they don't have to be identical. It just becomes more difficult to find something you like when they aren't identical, because then not only can you have two different cabs and mics, but two different amps with all the settings that has! Too much even for me. Prior to getting the bass pack, that is actually what I had to do to get a decent bass tone, and it was an extended version of a nightmare.

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Surely you can also pan Amp A right & Amp B left (or vice versa)?

 

That's an old studio trick, split the signal between two amps, & pan them left & right.

 

Like I said, I'm only just scratching the surface with the HD, but it's full of tweak-a-bility and great sounds.

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Yes, you can pan each path however you want. I'm not sure how useful that would be for a bass tone though.

 

When using two amps with different settings and mixing the two together in the end, it is more likely to be that each amp would compliment the other one. Each amp would have specific spots in the frequency range, so one amp would take care of the higher end, while the other amp would focus on the lower end. Doing this can sometimes produce better results than just one amp producing all frequencies, which I found to be the case, even necessary, for the HD unit that doesn't have the bass pack unlocked.

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Yeah I think we should of got those extra Helix only Bass Amps by now.

Should ask Dunncan what they are like!

 

Let's see. Therre's the Tuck n' Go (Ampeg® B-15NF Portaflex®), Cali Bass (Mesa/Boogie M9 Carbine), Cali 400 Ch1 and Ch2 (Mesa/Boogie 400+ Ch1 and 2).

 

When I first sat down with my bass and Helix, I tried them all, but something kept pushing me towards the SVT Bright channel. I have no memory of the Tuck n' Go, so I must not have thought much at all of that one. The Mesa/Boogie ones, particularly channel 1, I remember I found quite interesting and almost wound up using it. The SVT Bright provided the best low- and high-end of them all, while still remaining without any sort of distortion. It has the best balance and just seems easier to tweak that balance.

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When using two amps with different settings and mixing the two together in the end, it is more likely to be that each amp would compliment the other one. Each amp would have specific spots in the frequency range, so one amp would take care of the higher end, while the other amp would focus on the lower end. Doing this can sometimes produce better results than just one amp producing all frequencies, which I found to be the case, even necessary, for the HD unit that doesn't have the bass pack unlocked.

When doing this, do you hi/low-pass the amps so that each one just covers either the lows/highs or do you just set them differently? I've been experimenting a whole lot with a mid focus as a hi/low-pass after the amps and have been getting some interesting results with a clean GK bass amp (clean low end) + Fireball (distortion high end). And yes, it's a complete nightmare having to set up two different amps together...

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When doing this, do you hi/low-pass the amps so that each one just covers either the lows/highs or do you just set them differently? I've been experimenting a whole lot with a mid focus as a hi/low-pass after the amps and have been getting some interesting results with a clean GK bass amp (clean low end) + Fireball (distortion high end). And yes, it's a complete nightmare having to set up two different amps together...

 

When I did use two amps, pre-bass pack, the signal going into the amps was EQed, by both the bass's active EQ, a couple of EQ blocks, and a couple of tube compressors to add some warmth and help even out the signal to give some decent volume. Nothing after the amps/cabs except some reverb and maybe delay. So I guess that means I didn't hi/low pass the amps and used them as a final way to shape the tone. Or maybe I shaped the tone using the amps first and then added the EQs before it later on, I can't remember. I wonder if finding a good balance using all those settings is like tweaking the TARDIS.

 

After the bass pack and then Helix, I've happily abandoned the idea of more than one amp. It's just unnecessarily complicated. But when using two amps to combine cleaner and distorted components, I can see where it would be useful. Never tried that. Something new to try.

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After the bass pack and then Helix, I've happily abandoned the idea of more than one amp. It's just unnecessarily complicated. But when using two amps to combine cleaner and distorted components, I can see where it would be useful. Never tried that. Something new to try.

I would happily abandon the whole two amp deal as well, but like to play with distortion and don't wan't to loose the whole low end!

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