Useing Pod Hd500x With My Own Amp Tones

[ZombieDoctorZ]

Ok so I am considering purchasing the POD HD500X because I am looking for a multi-effects processor with many different options and the ability to have many different presets. But what I want to do is run the effects from the POD but still have my particular amplifiers tone.

 

Now I have a Bugera 333xl head with a B-52 4x12 cab, and I want to keep that tone and only use the POD for the effects.

 

I have seen and read about the 4 cable method and I have the ability to do that with my effects loop, but when I go onstage I usually have to setup quickly, so I was wondering if it's still possible to just plug the guitar into the POD and have the other cable go straight to the front of my Bugera head and use no amp tones (from the POD) and only the effects but I can't seem to find a straight answer out there. 

 

I am looking forward to your responses and thanks in advance for the help.  

[innovine]

Yeak you can wire up the pod as you mentioned and just use the fx.In my opinion however, the pod is best at amp modelling, and the effects take second stage. I would be looking at something like the boss ME multieffects too, if I were you.

 

If you DO like the sound of the pod fx, the line6 m13 is basically just the effects part, or the hd300 contans the same fx as the 500x but is cheaper.

[glorioso]

go 4 wire and buy a pdealsnake

[cruisinon2]

Ok so I am considering purchasing the POD HD500X because I am looking for a multi-effects processor with many different options and the ability to have many different presets. But what I want to do is run the effects from the POD but still have my particular amplifiers tone.

 

Now I have a Bugera 333xl head with a B-52 4x12 cab, and I want to keep that tone and only use the POD for the effects.

 

I have seen and read about the 4 cable method and I have the ability to do that with my effects loop, but when I go onstage I usually have to setup quickly, so I was wondering if it's still possible to just plug the guitar into the POD and have the other cable go straight to the front of my Bugera head and use no amp tones (from the POD) and only the effects but I can't seem to find a straight answer out there. 

 

I am looking forward to your responses and thanks in advance for the help.  

 

You can do that, but then you are stuck with having all your fx before the pre-amp in your head. Many fx, especially delay and reverb are best placed after the pre-amp. Exceptions being thins like a wah, or volume pedal. If the amp has an effects loop, you're gonna be better putting the POD in there, and plugging straight into your amp...get your basic tone first, then mess with effects. Just my $0.02.

[radatats]

- but when I go onstage I usually have to setup quickly...

 

Take your 3 cables that will run to the amp and zip tie them together every 6 " so they act like one cable.  Mark the cables somehow, color tape, masking tape, labels, etc... so that you can quickly plug into the right jacks.  It only takes a second to plug in 3 cables vice 1 and your options rise dramatically along with your tone.  This will enable you to create various effect combinations based on the same standard patch configuration and also allow you to bypass your amp's pre section and use the POD's models if at some point you choose to do so.

 

Here is a link to a patch I created that lets you do the 4CM without using the POD's FX loop.  This introduces less noise into your signal and frees up another block for you to use.  I made this for Variax so if you are using a regular guitar, set input 2 to Guitar instead of Variax.  Set your POD Master to 1/2 at first and keep your amp master low until you get your levels set.  Do this at practice/rehearsal so you know exactly where to set them when you setup for your gig.

 

http://line6.com/customtone/tone/274440/

 

Guitar/Variax-->POD in-->Right Out-->Amp Guitar In-->Amp FX Out-->POD Aux In-->Left Out-->Amp FX In

[NinoScholz]

Yes you can totally set it up that way, guitar --> Pod --> Bugera. You can turn off the modeling and just use the effects, many of which will sound good in that set up.

 

Some effects like delay wont sound very good being in front of the amp's preamp. Then again, if you put the pod in the amp's loop, then the OD effects will sound like poop - they like to be out front.

 

That's what the 4 cable method does, allows you to put the effects before OR after the amp's preamp,

[SiCantwell]

I do it. I plug my Strat or Les Paul Studio into the 500X and then directly into the Fender Twin or Blues Junior for practice and for gigs. I wanted to replace a heavy and balky pedal board of 20-plus stomp boxes.

I break all the "rules." I used Direct Out because it sounds better to my ears, and I use a few of the amp models because they provide better distortion tones than some of the effects. Love the Bogner with drive around 35 or 40 percent!

It sounds great with my band and is easy to set up and break down. I have 15 or 20 patches that I use regularly, mostly switching between 4 or 5 of them during a gig. The biggest challenge will be setting the volume levels so they'll sound consistent between patches while playing loud with other instruments.

Go for it.

[Hickdood]

What i have found is that if you build a preset in the POD with ALL you effects (volume pedal,Wah, etc etc etc etc.) and simply plug the guitar into the POD and then take the left output of the POD and plug into the effects Return of your amp YOU"RE GOOD TO GO!!!. By plugging into the Effects Return of your amp you are bypassing the pre-amp stage of your amp and using the POD's Preamp Models. (Which are better than 'pretty good')

So essentially you can have the following:

 

Preset 1 - Plexi (Incubus, ACDC, Classic Rock),  Preset 2 - JCM800 (80's Rock),   Preset 3 - Treadplate (Megadeath),

Preset 4 - Blackface, Tweed, Vox, Hiwatt (Tom Petty etc)

 

I have found that this way i get to use my POD 's tones more accurately while covering tunes ranging from Tom Petty to Megadeth.

Just make sure when building your tones you build them at GIG VOLUME. This is important. you can always turn down and adjust general tone with an EQ. (I use a Mesa Boogie Mark IV, so i have an EQ on my amp, but you can use an EQ pedal also and get the same result)

 

I also use my POD with the 4CM also but when i remember how i set it up i will post those settings. But i think someone covered that above already. I think the 'Effects Return' Method is more versatile.

 

My 2cents

[Hickdood]

Hey Power User,

I can't seem to find the link you provided in your earlier post. Can you resend?

 

Thanks

[cruisinon2]

Hey Power User,

I can't seem to find the link you provided in your earlier post. Can you resend?

 

Thanks

"Power user" is not an individual, it's a category of users with more than "x" number of posts...and the link you're looking for is dead because this thread is nearly 3 years old. You're not likely to get a response.

[cruisinon2]

maybe I'm wrong but I guess the category label depends on the (more than "x") number of positive reputation points reached rather than on the "x" number of posts posted

Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but it wouldn't matter if the "power user" designation were contingent upon on having a shoe size bigger than 9 1/2, and a fondness for sardines. Either way, he's addressing a category, not a person...and in the middle of a long dormant thread. It's hard to get what you're looking for that way.

[Hickdood]

No probs. Thanks for your response anyways Guru

[cruisinon2]

No probs. Thanks for your response anyways Guru

Lol...clearly there's still some confusion.

 

You: "Hickdood"

Me: "cruisinon2"

 

"Power user" and "guru" are not screen names...there's a thousand of each. Nobody's ever gonna know whom you are trying to address.

[Hickdood]

Oh!.. I see now Crusinon2... I'm such a dweeb. SMFH