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Pod Go with Fender Blues Junior


hallissyc
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This is probably completely hashed out at this point, but I am going to ask anyways for 100% clarification. I recently started back playing again after a 10 year hiatus. I started back with an EBMM Cutlass and a Fender Blues Junior. I started buying analog pedals and quickly realized how out of hand it can get, so I started to think a multi-fx unit is probably the way to go, at least until I figure out what kind of effects I like to use. The Pod Go caught my eye due to the price, although I do like the HX Stomp as well. 

 

The Fender Blues Junior does not have an effects loop, so the 4-cable method would not work. I would be going directly into the front of the amp. I am a bedroom guy - is the Pod Go a good option for me? Should I be looking at HX Effects vice the Pod Go? What about the Stomp? I just need a little bit of steerage - thank you!

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POD Go and HX Stomp both have amp models in them. HX Effects has no amp models. HX Stomp has all the effects that HX Effects has. POD Go has almost all the effects that HX Effects has. POD Go and HX Stomp have all the same amps. HX Effects can do up to nine of any of its effects. HX Stomp can do up to six. POD Go can do up to four, but you always also have a wah, volume pedal, EQ, amp and cab in addition to those four (and all can be turned off). Any of those three can be a great option for a bedroom player. It's hard to say which is best for you without knowing more. Happy to answer more questions.

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6 hours ago, malhavok said:

POD Go and HX Stomp both have amp models in them. HX Effects has no amp models. HX Stomp has all the effects that HX Effects has. POD Go has almost all the effects that HX Effects has. POD Go and HX Stomp have all the same amps. HX Effects can do up to nine of any of its effects. HX Stomp can do up to six. POD Go can do up to four, but you always also have a wah, volume pedal, EQ, amp and cab in addition to those four (and all can be turned off). Any of those three can be a great option for a bedroom player. It's hard to say which is best for you without knowing more. Happy to answer more questions.

 

The capabilities of all of these units are great - exactly what I am looking for. My concern is if they will work correctly into my Blues Junior (1-channel amp) with no effects loop. I am getting mixed reactions to say the least (I am asking the same question on Reddit). I understand that the amp sims/cabs are not going to work as well as they would on an FRFR speaker, but will these units work with my specific amp. A lot of people say get the HX Effects if you are already happy with your amp, and that's great, but will it work on an amp with only 1 input.

 

The chain would be guitar -> HX (Stomp/Effects/Pod Go) -> Fender Blues Junior. No 4-cable method. Strait into the amp. 

 

Will this work?

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I would suggest using the AMP OUT of the GO into the front of your amp...Just set your amp as clean as flat as you can...I think the tone stack in the junior is passive...If that is the case, flat means bass, mid and treble all the way up...Make sure the GO AMP out is instrument level and that you put the cab model at the end of the chain so you get all of your effects on the amp...There is another setting for the amp out in the system pages...make sure it's not set to main or it will just mirror the main outs...you want the other one that splits the AMP OUT right before the cab model position.

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13 minutes ago, hallissyc said:

 

.... A lot of people say get the HX Effects if you are already happy with your amp, and that's great, but will it work on an amp with only 1 input.

 

The chain would be guitar -> HX (Stomp/Effects/Pod Go) -> Fender Blues Junior. No 4-cable method. Strait into the amp. 

 

Will this work?


Yes this will work. I agree with those who say Helix FX is best if you want to use your existing amp. Why pay for amp modeling (POD Go or HX Stomp) if you don’t plan to use it.

 

The drawback with your amp and signal chain means that all your FX must come before the amp and you won’t get any stereo effect. Many players coming from a traditional analog pedalboard setup are used to this. Personally, I prefer placing many FX after the amp and sometimes using stereo.

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On 6/10/2020 at 5:20 AM, spaceatl said:

I would suggest using the AMP OUT of the GO into the front of your amp

 

@spaceatl I'm curious to learn about the AMP OUT vs. using the main out if main out is set to instrument level. Can you help me understand the difference between the two?

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9 hours ago, malhavok said:

 

@spaceatl I'm curious to learn about the AMP OUT vs. using the main out if main out is set to instrument level. Can you help me understand the difference between the two?

Sure, basically the AMP OUT is setup by default to take its signal from right before the CAB Model block. Basically, if you put the cab model block at the end of the chain the AMP OUT will have everything minus the CAB Model and be summed MONO. The MAIN out will have the CAB and mic models and can be used for direct input for an FRFR system. This allows you to use your amp and take a direct line properly.

 

In the System Settings you can change the AMP OUT to be a summed output of the MAIN. In this case, that could be useful if you used an FRFR monitor instead of a guitar amp allowing you to have your own monitor feed and send to house PA separate...

 

Page 32 in the manual

Choose "Main Out" if you want the POD Go AMP OUT jack to echo the MAIN OUTS (except in mono); choose "Pre Cab/IR" if you want the AMP OUT jack to be tapped off directly before the Cab/IR block (and therefore, would not include the Cab/IR block or any blocks after it). This way, you can send a cab-emulated signal to your powered speakers (or mixer) while simultaneously sending a non-cab-emulated signal straight into your guitar amp.

 

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@spaceatl, I'm not following. I understand how the AMP out differs in default configurations. I'm trying to learn about the benefit you're saying for using AMP out in the non-default setting. I had been under the impression that AMP out set to "Main Out" would be an identical signal to using the main out directly but you said above the AMP out set to "Main Out" is preferable to using the actual main out. This is the improvement I'm trying to learn what makes it better. So far, I only ever used the main out itself.

 

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On 6/14/2020 at 9:07 PM, malhavok said:

@spaceatl, I'm not following. I understand how the AMP out differs in default configurations. I'm trying to learn about the benefit you're saying for using AMP out in the non-default setting. I had been under the impression that AMP out set to "Main Out" would be an identical signal to using the main out directly but you said above the AMP out set to "Main Out" is preferable to using the actual main out. This is the improvement I'm trying to learn what makes it better. So far, I only ever used the main out itself.

 

Sorry, I did not intend to confuse you...Just trying to describe the options here....For OP, I would suggest using the AMP out to the Blues Junior with it set as Pre Cab/IR...just make sure the Cab Block is at the end of the chain or you will lose any FX that are after the Cab block as they would only be present on the Main Outs...The reason to use the amp out with things set this way is that it removes the cab model from the signal going to your guitar amp....You don't really need a cab model because you already have a guitar amp it is a cab....using the main out with a cab model enabled is doubling up the cab attenuation....It's NOT wrong...If you like what you are getting, then it's perfectly fine...I was just trying to give something to consider.

 

When the Main out is identical, generally this is most useful when your monitor is NOT a guitar amp and is a FRFR Monitor of some sort...but there are not rules...

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On 6/10/2020 at 8:22 AM, silverhead said:

Why pay for amp modeling (POD Go or HX Stomp) if you don’t plan to use it.

 

From what I can see, at sweetwater the Line 6 HX Effects is 499 and the Go is 449, so you're actually saving $ for getting the amp modeling even if you're not going to use it...! hehe  

 

Also I can't see why you would go with an HX instead of a Go...  Besides smaller form factor, maybe MIDI, but anyway if you're looking at a single standalone multi effects processor, go fo go, IMHO, you're getting a screen, an expression pedal, I think the HX is more for a sort of pro gig pedal rig thing, whereas the Pod Go seems like a much more 'amateur' friendly, more practical, all in one solution.  And honestly, it has soooo many effects, it'll take you months and months just to get a decent grasp and understanding of what they all sound like and do...  You'll likely have 10x more than you need!   LOL   So yeah, just for playing at home, looking for a all in one solution, I didn't even consider the HX, and I don't think you should go with HX over Go either given your original post!

 

The Stomp is a bit like the HX, more for Pros who have a pedal board and want something small with 'pro' features.  The Go has some limitations, ex; no parallel amps, read the thread here, but while 2 parallel amps might be great, honestly, so much you can do with the Pod Go, if you're not 100% sure RIGHT NOW that you absolutely need it, you're not going to need it.

also there's lots of youtube videos comparing the stomp vs the Go in depth.  But for me, the Go has a screen, expression pedal, more buttons, it's even cheaper, Go was easy choice vs Stomp!  For the 4 slots, it's plenty... Check out the channel "worship tutorials" on youtube, they have a good review, with very impressive Go sounds.  I'll likely pick up some of their patches soon, they sound REALLY good!

 

For the Go with Fenders amp, you're a little bit where I was/am with my Amp...  Honestly, plugging the Go to the amp's guitar In was a compromise...  One of the key features for the Go, for me, was sound quality, getting all the sound of those amps & effects, but when you're using an Amp+Cab from the Go and plug in in your amp, you'll hear your amp!  I mean already for me it was an upgrade, got some nice sounds, but it's not phenomenal, I was really not blown away.  Nothing comparable to the epic tones from worship tutorials review vid!

 

Also in my case, my amp has a "CD/mp3" in and I was able to bypass the Amp's amp, which helped a bit, but it's nowhere near I think what you could get with speakers.  I'll likely try mine with a stereo amplifier plus audio speakers in the next couple of days, and I'm very confident it'll sound a lot better than my amp.  The point is hearing the 'original' amps/cabs...  Something my old Spider 3 amp can't really do! 

 

But honestly, the Go deserves a good set of stereo speakers, as in my case, a budget guitar amp is really not doing the Go justice.  There's some cheap Studio Monitors which should also work great, of course the better the speakers the better, but I think even a pair of 200 or 300 buck studio monitors would make the Go sound a lot better!  (Stereo + will sound more like the emulated amp than a guitar amp which will impart a LOT of flavor to the sound!) but that's just a guess for now!  Others more experienced will likely chime in.  :)    But yeah, I'm in the same boat, no effects loop on amp really blows...

 

Hope this helps!  :)

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On 6/10/2020 at 7:22 AM, silverhead said:


Why pay for amp modeling (POD Go or HX Stomp) if you don’t plan to use it.

 

Another way to look at it is: Why pay MORE for less capability? Sure, today the OP might only have the one Blues Junior but with the Go it would be possible to go another way in the future (like an FRFR cabinet or an amp with FX loop) without then having the HX FX be the limiter for lacking amp/cab modelling.

 

I know 'cause I started down this modelling path in February when I bought an HX FX to run into the front of my amp. I couldn't get an overall tone I liked (though I'm not blaming the HX FX for that) and then got a L6 LT. That gizmo was the DA BOMB but it was way too complicated (and expensive) and so I returned it when I got my Go. The Go is the PERFECT multifx for a very broad range of players and this very much includes so called "bedroom" musicians for its exceptional sound quality, big color screen, and ease of use. L6 really blew away all the competition (we're talking nuclear here, not just a 500-pounder).

 

To run into the Blues Junior, you can just deactivate the amp and cab blocks and it becomes an FX-only box. You get four free blocks plus a volume, wah, and EQ. Unless you're a bedroom player with an obsession for big, ambient, modulated, pitch-shifted, reverse-echoed, tone on all the time, the Go will provide you with years-worth of tone-tinkering joy all for under $500.

 

I've had mine for a month now and I play everything I like to cover (U2, SRV, Clapton, Aerosmith, Queen, etc.) without yet having run into any DSP limitation. I would recommend that you also get a Headrush FRFR-108 and that will do away with any issues related to the Junior coloring your sound and open up all the amp/cab tones. I was running into the FX return Fender Mustang III (after having tried the instrument in) and I had trouble. Got the -108 and it's been sonic joy ever since.

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