So I Finally Jumped Ship, Dumped My Hd500 And The Last Of My Line 6 Gear.

[stumblinman]

I own pod farm, but no hardware interface. I own a pod hd500, but never use it on my computer because I don't record. Can I give my pod farm license to someone else?

 

if you paid for any model packs, or paid for a 2.0+ pod farm upgrade, then support will certainly help you regain use of those... i have no doubt.

 

 

they have not ran any promo's like that since release, but every once in a while i see a free pod farm 2 license for taking a survey or something similar.

[TheRealZap]

depends on how you got it... go here: http://line6.com/account/purchasehistory/

select details on the pod farm purchase, and you should see a "gift" link.

 

the depends part... is that you can't gift it if you bought it on sale or it was a promotional or comp offer....

meaning you can only gift if you bought it full price from the store.

 

 

I own pod farm, but no hardware interface. I own a pod hd500, but never use it on my computer because I don't record. Can I give my pod farm license to someone else?
 

[medbad5150]

Utter bull, my band use backing drums and keys, been in bands for years drummer would be moody, not turn up, keyboard player mucked us about because he wanted a career. We learn and edit the tracks by removing parts we play so with my bro on bass and best mate vocals. Three amigos who would take a bullet for each other.

 

We play from Duran Duran to Chic to Van Halen and Oasis, sick of this snobbery, and you get a player with one Les Paul and Marshall playing same sound pentatonic claiming we are not musicians...ha ha amazing. If drummers wouldnt want a ransom to play we would have one!

[joel_brown]

Hey medbad5150,

 

I think you posted in the wrong thread.  Either that or someone needs to explain to me what and who you're responding to in this one.

[TheRealZap]

I think he's likely responding directly to the original poster...

i was a little lost at first too.

 

Hey medbad5150,

 

I think you posted in the wrong thread.  Either that or someone needs to explain to me what and who you're responding to in this one.

[joel_brown]

I think someone needs a Snickers bar... 

[PRSGuy]

Exactly! My commentary was about bands not playing at all...smoke and mirrors. One band I tried out for was playing dock of the bay and the part where there is whistling the guy would stand there and fake whistle...it was embarrassing.

 

I have played in bands with tracks too. There are some very good bands with tracks.

 

My only issue with tracks is if the crowd is into it you have to end when the track ends...if you want to do another round of improv / verse / whatever you can't and finally when a tune does not go over you cannot bail out or transition mid song to something else...you have to ride it out.

 

"Les Paul and Marshall playing same sound pentatonic claiming we are not musicians..."  <--- lots of great bands did that... :P

 

Difference between a jazz guy and rocker?

A jazz guy plays 1000 chords in front of 3 people, a rocker plays 3 chords in front of 1000s.

[PRSGuy]

Yeah that was really a joke...I love all types of music...some of my favorite is jazz / rock fusion stuff...tom quayle, martin miller etc.

[medbad5150]

yeah sorry guys just that one clever lollipop in crowd made reference to " so wheres your drummer", funny though pointed at my brother on bass who is actually a session drummer too!

 

Yeah sorry if too aggressive comment. btw what I meant by Marshall and Les Paul is that it narks me that "musicians" still moan about us using HD instead of "real" amps, if things would have gone the way they want we wouldn't have a JCM or overdrive as it was considered the amp was broken. Tell Matt Bellamy or Alex Lifeson not to use technology. In fact thats how first distortion was created...smashed the front of the speaker on purpose, forgot who it was though in the 50's

[Palico]

In fact thats how first distortion was created...smashed the front of the speaker on purpose, forgot who it was though in the 50's

 

It was D i c k  Dale.

 

Evendently this this forum will not let you write is name correclty.

[Palico]

Oh and I don't like even sequnce parts to fill in the sound. But that I don't mean to imply your not a musican because of it.  It's not a question for me of the musican's ability. It's the audencies preception that I don't like. The average audience member thinks that the entire sound keys and all is coming from musician's live. Watch any of the country music "stars" and you see one guy with acoustic guitar. But you hear drums, maybe serveral acoustic parts, bass, keys etc... What do I do when the song calls of keyboard and I don't have a keyboardist. Improvise the parts on guitar or rearrage the song to fit what I have to work with. It then doesn't sound the original, which I element I like about live performaces. I can listen to the Tape/CD/MP3 anytime I want.

 

Anyway I digress, I don't particually like it but I'm not nocking your ability because of it either, unless as was pointed out it's actually ALL prerecorded and the band pretending to play.

[gunpointmetal]

If I could play guitar and keys at the same time, I wouldn't need the backing track. I only perform original music on a 3 pc metal band, so I'm creating all the backing tracks from scratch, or recording my own guitar.

[jandrio]

...a rocker plays 3 chords in front of 1000s...

...Pete played My Generation with just 2 chords in front of 5K...

[smrybacki]

I think I may well be done with mine as well at this point.  Since the band situation I was involved with fell apart, I have done some serious musical soul searching and arrived at a few conclusions.  When I was younger I would have loved to have played in a band, but I was in the Air Force with a young family and that isn't compatible really, so I didn't.  I don't regret that because what I was doing was a worthwhile endeavor and I figured I could get to it later.  trouble was, being moved all over the world you don't have lifelong guitar and band pals like many folks where I live now are.  In any event, I found out that what I loved about being in a band has passed now and I get more enjoyment playing solo and doing an occasional open mic with a looper.  The other thing is the music I enjoy playing isn't the same now as it used to be.  I have all my life been a Classic Rock fan dating back to the 1960s when it wasn't classic yet.  It is the soundtrack to my life in many ways.  But the music I love to PLAY is completely different than that.  I like to play ambient textures, looped phrases and backing tracks to play decidedly experimental style melody lines.  I can't tell you why, but I know that it is so.  My heroes of guitardom include people like Ritchie Blackmore, David Gilmore, Carlos Santana and Jimmy Page and you can hear that in my playing but it is only elements of their styles I try to use in my own meanderings.

In any event, the thing about the POD, or Tonelab or any similar type thing is that I end up spending so much valuable time trying to reach a certain sound that more often than not, when I finally get the sound right my available time to play is gone.  By contrast, the amps and pedals I have I got for their specific sounds and all I need to do is flip it on, pick up my guitar loop a phrase to warm up and just play.  A friend came over last night and we jammed for a couple of hours as the sun set in the "jam room" I have and it sort of locked into place right then.

This is a great group here in these forums and there are some dedicated fans of this technology.  Believe it or not, I too am a fan of this technology and it's applications.  But just the same way as not everyone digs chocolate ice cream, not everyone gets the same benefit from the tech as others do.  I may well be one of them I guess, so that the OP of this rambling thread found the same thing out for himself doesn't surprise me.  If you think about that guide written by Meambobo to help folks get the most out of the POD HD unit, it tells a certain story besides it's usefulness.  The fact that such a guide is even required in order to help people dial in the sounds in their heads speaks to the complexities involved in doing that.  SInce I grew up with tube technology, it always feels like home just the way vinyl albums do.  Although I program computers for a living and understand HOW to dial in things and get to a sound, the sound I am trying to dial in most of the time already exists in my other gear if that makes any sense.  So is it really benefitting me? 

Sorry for the ramble, but at least it's on topic ;)

[Brazzy]

I think I may well be done with mine as well at this point.  Since the band situation I was involved with fell apart, I have done some serious musical soul searching and arrived at a few conclusions.  When I was younger I would have loved to have played in a band, but I was in the Air Force with a young family and that isn't compatible really, so I didn't.  I don't regret that because what I was doing was a worthwhile endeavor and I figured I could get to it later.  trouble was, being moved all over the world you don't have lifelong guitar and band pals like many folks where I live now are.  In any event, I found out that what I loved about being in a band has passed now and I get more enjoyment playing solo and doing an occasional open mic with a looper.  The other thing is the music I enjoy playing isn't the same now as it used to be.  I have all my life been a Classic Rock fan dating back to the 1960s when it wasn't classic yet.  It is the soundtrack to my life in many ways.  But the music I love to PLAY is completely different than that.  I like to play ambient textures, looped phrases and backing tracks to play decidedly experimental style melody lines.  I can't tell you why, but I know that it is so.  My heroes of guitardom include people like Ritchie Blackmore, David Gilmore, Carlos Santana and Jimmy Page and you can hear that in my playing but it is only elements of their styles I try to use in my own meanderings.

 

 

I can relate to your post there. You have experience and already lived long enough to get a certain groove. Nothing wrong with that. Technology has an alure that can suck us in until we either accept it or realize that we don't need it. Only way to find out is to try it. Nice explanation. I've never played guitar up until recently so it's relativly new to me and will be for quite some time so I will likely stick with it for the rest of my life or 'till it breaks, but I can be very happy with a simple tube amp if need be.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Brazzy

[smrybacki]

I honestly do not understand why it is necessary to ask yourself for so long whether it is right to use this device or not ..

according to what you say, you had and still have everything you need to be happy ..

So what is it that you're still looking for?

Why tonal Nirvana, of course.  Isn't that what everyone is searching for at least at some point on the guitarist's path?  The ability to instantly hear out loud what we envision in our heads which is the notion what sells these types of things anyway.  Sure, I get the ability to play guitar on something that feels familiar and has my own sound on it on gear I've had for years.  But like anyone else there are times when you say to yourself "Gee, I'd like to have a Marshall amp or a Hiwatt or maybe a Les Paul guitar", but of course that is impratical for most of us.  So we get the modelling devices that can mostly do that for us when we want it to.  It's not the main sound that you might want as a regular diet, but it is that flight of fancy you have once in a while wrapped up in a little black box.

 

Take most successful bands in existence and they have a sound of their own that is uniquely identifiable.  That's what I have on the analog side of things.  It's my sound.  But that doesn't mean that sometimes I don't get a hankering to cop someone else's sound, right?  What I was saying here is that I may be reaching a point where trying to cop someone else's sound isn't gratifying as a guitarist anymore, hence the appeal of a device like the POD and Variax is diminished.  What's hard about that?

[Palico]

I think I may well be done with mine as well at this point....

 

I can certinaly understand that. The biggest problem I see with the technlogy is the option overload. I read Meeboos guide and I think largerly it involves mainly things that you have to do even on pedals (order of pedals, gain stages, etc...) But I do think it is bit easiler to dial in on pedals. Mainly becuase you only have so many options on the pedal. Turn the couple of knobs and it does what it does. You can't tune you cabs with real cab either, unless you physcially change the speakers or cab itself. That can be very freeing.  I there is defently the Digital Fizz issue but that has been getting to be less of a problem over time and updates.

[smrybacki]

I can relate to your post there. You have experience and already lived long enough to get a certain groove. Nothing wrong with that. Technology has an alure that can suck us in until we either accept it or realize that we don't need it. Only way to find out is to try it. Nice explanation. I've never played guitar up until recently so it's relativly new to me and will be for quite some time so I will likely stick with it 'till it breaks, but I can be very happy with a simple tube amp if need be.

And see, that is exactly what I was talking about.  It's nothing wrong with the POD or any modeller out there, but it's more of a "have I outgrown what it brings to the table now" kind of thing.  It's not even that I am all that and a bag of chips either, because I'm not as a player.  But I DO enjoy what I do and in being honest with myself, certain aspects of it seem to appeal more to me now than certain other aspects of it.  10-15 years ago, that would have been really different as I was far more interested in copping other people's tones and learning their songs because I didn't think I was "good enough" for my own tone or to stretch out my own creativity.  Enough years and practice later, and I am trying not to limit myself in that way anymore.  I feel like the "art" side of music is coming more into focus as I can let the technical side of it recede into the background, so chasing "tone" is no longer a player and is being replaced with chasing a muse.  It is actually a very cool time for me in that way and I can't imagine there aren't others who go through the same process..

[smrybacki]

I can certinaly understand that. The biggest problem I see with the technlogy is the option overload. I read Meeboos guide and I think largerly it involves mainly things that you have to do even on pedals (order of pedals, gain stages, etc...) But I do think it is bit easiler to dial in on pedals. Mainly becuase you only have so many options on the pedal. Turn the couple of knobs and it does what it does. You can't tune you cabs with real cab either, unless you physcially change the speakers or cab itself. That can be very freeing.  I there is defently the Digital Fizz issue but that has been getting to be less of a problem over time and updates.

That is part of it for me, yes.  My mind is easily distracted and more options are not always better.  Chasing tone and chasing sound to me have become different things I guess.

[smrybacki]

nothing hard really..

 

 

 

...but if you already know that what was benefitting you before, is not anymore now, why asking??..

 

just to speak about something?..

Bingo.  It was a rhetorical question.  (Optional) Discussion material relative to the topic.

[Akeron]

If you think about that guide written by Meambobo to help folks get the most out of the POD HD unit, it tells a certain story besides it's usefulness.  The fact that such a guide is even required in order to help people dial in the sounds in their heads speaks to the complexities involved in doing that.

 

Who said that is "required"? Maybe "some" people need that, but not everybody  :) Take hurghanico's posts: with few words and very little changes to default settings he can get wonderful sounds, He doesn't have to write a Lord of the rings book to tell you what you have to do. There are people that when you ask "what time is it?" they tell you only that and others, that give you detailed instructions to build an atomic clock...

[smrybacki]

Who said that is "required"? Maybe "some" people need that, but not everybody  :) Take hurghanico's posts: with few words and very little changes to default settings he can get wonderful sounds, He doesn't have to write a Lord of the rings book to tell you what you have to do. There are people that when you ask "what time is it?" they tell you only that and others, that give you detailed instructions to build an atomic clock...

That guide is apparently required by some or it wouldn't exist, let alone be recommended regularly.  However, what you say is true overall in many ways and hurgnico's music and grasp of the POD in recording applications is exceptional no doubt.  But as much as anyone might overcomplicate the process of using a POD for THEIR applications, you just oversimplified it equally and made it the equivelent of an off the rack jump suit which it clearly is not either.

[radatats]

I've been through a ton of gear over the years and just about everyone I know is in the same boat.  Friends with magnificent rigs are still gassing for some other elusive amp or pedal to add or change.   I have finally got a rig that lets me get every tone I want at least close enough for government work and I have never been happier.  I still find myself looking at new pedals and thinking how could I use that only to realize that there is nothing being done there that I can't get really close to with my dream rig.  The only thing I plan on adding is a FRFR stereo solution at some point.  And even that is overkill.

 

As for Meambobbo's guide, it is not gospel.  He shows a lot of what is going on behind the scenes so we can have a clearer idea of how this all works together.  If the manual was clearer it wouldn't be so big a deal.  I do not follow his advice on EQ for instance.  But his descriptions of how it works has been very helpful.  Even with analog gear, if you don't know how it works together you are still behind the curve.  Just having a $3000 pedal board doesn't guarantee you to be a tone god.

 

I quit trying to duplicate anyone's exact tone decades ago.  I play for me and that always seems to work best.  This last firmware update put my rig together finally and it really sounds awesome.  Am I a fanboy now?  DILLIGAF?  This works for me and that is all that matters...  Getting rid of it at this point would just put me back to square one searching for some other elusive magic product that would somehow bring peace and harmony to the world...  All I really need to do is play...

[smrybacki]

 All I really need to do is play...

And yet, we all hang out here (and elsewhere) to talk about it all ad nauseum.  Damn you Internet!

 

:lol:

[radatats]

actually I am at work... even here I am thinking about playing and gear... lol...

 

And yet, we all hang out here (and elsewhere) to talk about it all ad nauseum.  Damn you Internet! :lol:

[smrybacki]

actually I am at work... even here I am thinking about playing and gear... lol...

It never really ends, but I'm hoping to make it merely a mental exercise one day soon -- as opposed to spending a metric ton of money looking for a magic bullet as it has been until the last couple of years.

[Brazzy]

but let me make a joke:

probably he likes to write guides, perhaps even more than playing music..

 

LOL, He must like a good challenge.

[brue58ski]

I actually like trying to get a patch to sound "spot on" (whatever that really is) to a song and it seems in many ways, because of the improved models, easier than before.  With the X3 and the previous Line 6 modelers, I couldn't just read about somebodies rig and then use those models and get close. I often had to use a different model than what the artist originally used.  Now I can use what the artist used and generally get very close.  Not always but at the very least the HD500 gets me closer than the previous Line 6 modelers. Although I STILL can't get that elusive AC/DC sound.  It's so frustrating!!.  I mean for something that sounds so raw and pure amp, you'd think it'd be easy but I've never gotten close and have tried many times.  I don't care what Angus says, I think his amps are modded in some way ;).

[DeanDinosaur]

I hope I don't offend anyone by saying this: but it's somewhat perplexing why most guitar players are the only performers that love to complain about gear, they quickly get tired of amps or gear and love to be in constant state of looking for something else? Compare a guitar play with a Sax player. The sax player will play his entire life with one or maybe two saxophones, other musicians rent gear and they make it work, but guitar players have to be so anal and constantly looking for excuses trying to find inspiration by changing gear.

 

 If the tool doesn't work for you, it's not the tool's problem. What is so complex about the POD HD? Remove everything in the signal chain and start with an Amp and it will sound pretty damn close to the amp it models, just fiddle with the knobs, how complex is that? There are too many players out there making the POD sound like a million bucks and I'm truly not a big fan of the POD, I prefer the sound of Eleven Rack for my playing, but there are so many good and amazing sound in the POD that I also use and that's why I will never get rid of My HD 500.

[smrybacki]

I hope I don't offend anyone by saying this: but it's somewhat perplexing why most guitar players are the only performers that love to complain about gear, they quickly get tired of amps or gear and love to be in constant state of looking for something else? Compare a guitar play with a Sax player. The sax player will play his entire life with one or maybe two saxophones, other musicians rent gear and they make it work, but guitar players have to be so anal and constantly looking for excuses trying to find inspiration by changing gear.

 

If the tool doesn't work for you, it's not the tool's problem. What is so complex about the POD HD? Remove everything in the signal chain and start with an Amp and it will sound pretty damn close to the amp it models, just fiddle with the knobs, how complex is that? There are too many players out there making the POD sound like a million bucks and I'm truly not a big fan of the POD, I prefer the sound of Eleven Rack for my playing, but there are so many good and amazing sound in the POD that I also use and that's why I will never get rid of My HD 500.

I don't think anyone complained about the gear. I know I simply said it wasn't something I was going to put any more real time into. I have played the same basic gear for decades, with the notable exception of digital modelling gear. As for sax players, don't kid yourself -- they can only dream of the plethora of choices we guitarists have before us. And keyboard players are every bit as bad about which synth is the best as I have found out hanging out in the synthesizer forums which I dabble in as well. Of course it's not the tool's problem. The tool works fine for a great many people as I said. Lastly, I didn't say it was TOO complex, I said it was more complex than I'd like for it to be for me at this stage of my playing life because I spend more time obsessing over things that just don't exist in my analog gear. As a matter of fact, I gave some pretty compelling reasons why I thought that was and I was careful to say that the gear isn't the problem. Point in fact -- there is no problem. Simply an observation about where I have gotten on my own musical journey and how that has changed over the last ten years for me. So lighten up a bit Dean, and read the all posts all the way through before you put everyone in a hater suit. If you're happy, that's great and I'm pretty sure nobody is hanging outside your door waiting to snatch your POD away. Oh, and I don't really appreciate being called anal either...taking a position and explaining it in a forum is rather expected behavior, isn't it?  I wasn't being disrespectful nor do I change gear habitually.  Perhaps the reason people who play guitar end up talking so passionately about gear and tone is that it is such an elusive quest that even the likes of seasoned pros are always searching for the next great thing?  It's not a crime after all.

[DeanDinosaur]

.... So lighten up a bit Dean, and read the all posts all the way through before you put everyone in a hater suit. If you're happy, that's great and I'm pretty sure nobody is hanging outside your door waiting to snatch your POD away. Oh, and I don't really appreciate being called anal either...taking a position and explaining it in a forum is rather expected behavior, isn't it?  I wasn't being disrespectful nor do I change gear habitually.  Perhaps the reason people who play guitar end up talking so passionately about gear and tone is that it is such an elusive quest that even the likes of seasoned pros are always searching for the next great thing?  It's not a crime after all.

It was just an observation and I should have included myself. I didn't mean to call you anal or to hate on anyone, I was just responding to the opening post to someone who jumped ship (that wasn't you);  but to be more specific, I think this dissatisfaction that I was talking about is really unique to Electric guitar players, Anal can be a good thing if you're a perfectionist but a lot of time I notice that I, as many other players, waste too much energy into finding the next thing. I'm as guilty of all that I stated about guitarists in general in my earlier post.

 

if you play classical or acoustic, you quickly settle on a guitar and that's it. Once you play a modeler like the POD HD, and you're not playing cover, you will probably notice that regardless of the amp model you use, once you're done editing they all sound so close, that two or three amps with a few pedals will get your sound. I was much happier when I had one or two guitars, now that I have many more , like many players, too much time is lost trying out different guitars. It's very easy to get dragged into this virtual amp collections in modelers, but to jump ship from one company to another is also a bit perplexing. He indicated that he supported line 6!!  Who's supporting who? If you buy a product from a company, it's not because you support the company, it's because you support your hobby or profession, no one keeps gear that doesn't work because they support the company that makes it ; another enigma associated with guitar players who use modeling software and hardware and expect companies to support them back...Why do I say this, because every time I hear what others are doing with their POD HDs, it's truly amazing how good it sounds. In a blind test, you won't be able to tell the POD from the Kemper or AXE FX so if you learn to live with the feel and learn how it reacts, you just saved yourself a couple of grands, yet some players will Jump ship. It's a personal thing I guess with some...

[smrybacki]

It was just an observation and I should have included myself. I didn't mean to call you anal or to hate on anyone, I was just responding to the opening post to someone who jumped ship (that wasn't you); but to be more specific, I think this dissatisfaction that I was talking about is really unique to Electric guitar players, Anal can be a good thing if you're a perfectionist but a lot of time I notice that I, as many other players, waste too much energy into finding the next thing. I'm as guilty of all that I stated about guitarists in general in my earlier post.

 

if you play classical or acoustic, you quickly settle on a guitar and that's it. Once you play a modeler like the POD HD, and you're not playing cover, you will probably notice that regardless of the amp model you use, once you're done editing they all sound so close, that two or three amps with a few pedals will get your sound. I was much happier when I had one or two guitars, now that I have many more , like many players, too much time is lost trying out different guitars. It's very easy to get dragged into this virtual amp collections in modelers, but to jump ship from one company to another is also a bit perplexing. He indicated that he supported line 6!! Who's supporting who? If you buy a product from a company, it's not because you support the company, it's because you support your hobby or profession, no one keeps gear that doesn't work because they support the company that makes it ; another enigma associated with guitar players who use modeling software and hardware and expect companies to support them back...Why do I say this, because every time I hear what others are doing with their POD HDs, it's truly amazing how good it sounds. In a blind test, you won't be able to tell the POD from the Kemper or AXE FX so if you learn to live with the feel and learn how it reacts, you just saved yourself a couple of grands, yet some players will Jump ship. It's a personal thing I guess with some...

That's fair enough and you make some good points too. Life used to be simpler really and I've seen it written elsewhere that a plethora of choices is simultaneously a blessing and a curse and I think that's mostly true. For over 20 years I had a single Yamaha acoustic guitar and life was just fine. Now I have more gear than I can shake a stick at and none of it has made me a better player. What has made me a better player is practicing every single day with limited exceptions. Sorry if I took your observations personally Dean, and all the best.

[smrybacki]

Forgive me that this is off topic, but obviously you've never hung around Harley guys ;) ...Hell, half of them have the company logo tattooed on themselves somewhere, and they're actually proud of it. Ponder that for a moment...permanently etching the logo of a company that you don't own into your flesh...if that's not brand loyalty, I don't know what is.

 

Most of them would sell their souls before they deigned to ride a metric cruiser, despite the monumental differences in reliability, out-of-the-crate performance, and price.

Oddly enough I own a Harley Super Glide these days myself. But I'm not really a Harley guy per say. Years ago I happily ran on Yamahas and caught crap from some of the of Harley guys, some of it not so good natured. I bought this bike after reluctantly giving HD a chance and I really liked it. I have no tattoos, I belong to no groups and generally (and preferably) ride alone. I always have a chuckle when I see the "regulars" with their tats, German style helmets, vests and jackets loaded down with patches and pins. Yeah, brand loyalty is an interesting phenomena. I still like my bike, but I could easily trade it in for a rice burner too.

[stumblinman]

Almost missed this one. Shot!

 

I hope I don't offend anyone by saying this: but it's somewhat perplexing why most guitar players are the only performers that love to complain about gear, they quickly get tired of amps or gear and love to be in constant state of looking for something else? Compare a guitar play with a Sax player. The sax player will play his entire life with one or maybe two saxophones, other musicians rent gear and they make it work, but guitar players have to be so anal and constantly looking for excuses trying to find inspiration by changing gear.

 

If the tool doesn't work for you, it's not the tool's problem. What is so complex about the POD HD? Remove everything in the signal chain and start with an Amp and it will sound pretty damn close to the amp it models, just fiddle with the knobs, how complex is that? There are too many players out there making the POD sound like a million bucks and I'm truly not a big fan of the POD, I prefer the sound of Eleven Rack for my playing, but there are so many good and amazing sound in the POD that I also use and that's why I will never get rid of My HD 500.

[stumblinman]

The one thing I really like about the HD500 is that I don't have to tap dance to turn multiple things on and off simultaneously. You want your lead boost, extra dirt and delay all at once? You got it. I'm spoiled now and don't know if I could go back to having to tap tap tap-solo-tap tap tap. Tones are great live, and the efficiency is super handy too. For $500 or less, it's a no brainier for me. Good luck on your continued search for tone.

 

And everyone is anal about tone. Nobody buys a guitar or amp after trying it and thinking "meh, it'll do".

[joel_brown]

My drummer has 4 drum sets.  Everytime we go to play a gig, he's deciding on which kit to bring.  I always bring the same guitar and amp.

 

Actually now that I've dialed in the tones I want with the PODHD, I don't touch it anymore.  Other guitar players I've worked with are the same, regardless of the equipment they use.  I think maybe we just see more of this on this forum because this is where people go to figure out things like tone.  Kind'a like going to a hospital and saying there's a lot of sick people.

 

I keep my eyes open for new equipment but I don't plan on buying or tweaking until something noticeably better comes out.

[smrybacki]

Lol...no offense intended, I know its not universal, but I see it enough that it makes me scratch me head. And yes, if you show up in the wrong place on a Japanese bike, you may leave with fewer teeth than you had when you arrived...utterly absurd.

 

I got a Heritage Custom when I got too old for sportbikes and made the jump to cruisers. Great looking bike, but seriously anemic in the power dept. for its size. Couple years later the Suzuki M109's (big 1800 cc V-twin) came out and a buddy got one. We trekked to Laconia that year and he put it on the dyno...108hp at the wheel, bone stock on an $11K bike. Went home, sold the HD, got a 109 and still had about $4K left over for mods. I know the HDs hold their value better, but its almost like you're paying 10 grand for the bike and another 10 for the HD badge...I just can't justify it anymore. And the sales guys are comical...spend more time talking about "tradition" and "lifestyle" than the damn bikes. I just wanna ride something...I'm not shopping for an identity. I was issued one of those at birth....

 

What do I know? Aren't we talking about guitars, lol?

Mine was $13.5k out the door with modest mods (new seat, sissy bar, luggage rack, road bars and pegs), but mine is at the low end of the big twin line.  I have thought about selling it and getting another Yamaha because I just like Yamis...years ago I had a 650 Special and I loved that bike.  At my age going fast and sport bikes in general are past my prime anyway, so I want a cruiser or better yet, a convertible.  I like HDs Switchback, but I think I can do better with a Japanese maker on the whole, and it more "fits" my life anyway if you follow my meaing there.  One thing my Harley has going for it is simply this; It's paid for which is nice.  But then, I had to have the bearings on both wheels replaced at 8K miles too, which is utter lollipop.  The dealer covered that after I bitched about it, but that they went bad and needed replaced bothers me.  I am not a big fat guy or anything, going 6' and 200 pounds so there was no good reason for that except faulty parts.  Hey, I may have just talked myself into selling this thing lol...where's the 12 step program for that disease lol?

[smrybacki]

My drummer has 4 drum sets.  Everytime we go to play a gig, he's deciding on which kit to bring.  I always bring the same guitar and amp.

 

Actually now that I've dialed in the tones I want with the PODHD, I don't touch it anymore.  Other guitar players I've worked with are the same, regardless of the equipment they use.  I think maybe we just see more of this on this forum because this is where people go to figure out things like tone.  Kind'a like going to a hospital and saying there's a lot of sick people.

 

I keep my eyes open for new equipment but I don't plan on buying or tweaking until something noticeably better comes out.

I'm thinking that folks who gig regularly, once they have things dialed in are set except if the set list changes.  bedroom players are probably different...they play with this, twiddle with that and generally play around with all the bells and whistles and can get super picky at times.  At least I can and others I know personally as well are that way. 

 

I played with the POD/JTV59 combination last night trying to get a surf sound and came up short.  Not really the setup per say to blame either.  A quick tour of SurfGuitar101.com will quickly reveal that if you want genuine surf tone with DRIPPY WET reverb, you need the outboard tank like a Fender 63 Spring RI or (God willing) the original.  The reason is that the reverb then comes BEFORE the amp whereas built in reverb is after the amp even on a tube Twin or Deluxe.  Some guys will reluctantly use pedals like the Catalinbread Topanga, but the general consensus is outboard tube reverb into a large, clean Fender amp such as a SHowman or Bandmaster if you want the deepest of surf tones.  One other thing I've noticed on my HD500 is that sometimes, not all of the controls are available.  Take the 63 Spring for example -- there is no dwell control which is critical unless I am missing it somewhere.  SImilar sort of thing with the Echorec model.  It's those little things that kind of spoil the whole at times for me because I feel like given the overall concept, I would rather they had cut back on the goofy effects and made the classics such as these two I mentioned more thoroughly detailed.

[DeanDinosaur]

Forgive me that this is off topic, but obviously you've never hung around Harley guys ;) ...Hell, half of them have the company logo tattooed on themselves somewhere, and they're actually proud of it. Ponder that for a moment...permanently etching the logo of a company that you don't own into your flesh...if that's not brand loyalty, I don't know what is.

 

Most of them would sell their souls before they deigned to ride a metric cruiser, despite the monumental differences in reliability, out-of-the-crate performance, and price.

A Harley has two distinguishing traits that sets it part, it's pretty loud and it vibrates :D  enough to keep everyone on board happy, It's pretty hard to compete with that.

[smrybacki]

Yeah...they say "loud pipes save lives", right? Loud pipes eventually means a deaf rider, lol...

 

If I pulled the baffels from a set of straight pipes and put them on a lawnmower it'll be loud...but its still a lawnmower.

Stock pipes here...I don't even hear them.  Loud pipes don't save lives...paying better attention surely does.