Guitar Effects / Amp Modeling Pedal Recommendations

[chrismoncus]

Hey Guys.

Before we make a purchase, we want your opinions and experience with guitar effects and amp modeling pedals. The application is for youth group. We don't have any elitists or diva's (yet), so "the best" isn't necessary. We just want a usable, good sounding guitar pedal.

We understand our best to be a POD XT Live, at least from our poll of people here that have used them, including myself. We have looked though and seen cheaper solutions from Line 6 that seem to be viable options with scaled back features. The Line 6 Floor POD Plus Multi-Effects Pedal is $100 cheaper and the Line 6 Floor POD Modeling Floor Processor is $200 cheaper. Have any of you used these?

We also welcome recommendations of other brands. Thanks!

[worshiptrench]

Get the Live ....we use the Vox AC30 modeler for our 2nd electric guitars. We have a post on a unique usage of it here...
http://www.worshiptrench.com/?p=28

[chrismoncus]

Great reply my man.

I didn't even know that that guitar was even out there. From the looks of things, I think I know my next guitar.

You said to get the Live, but offer no reasons why to choose that over another POD floor board. Care to speak on that since you are a Live user?

Thanks!

[The Tone Guru]

Anything Line 6. I repeat, anything Line 6.

I used a Pod 1.0 for 6 or 7 years until I started using an amp with a mic. It NEVER let me down once I set up my presets for the room. Last year, I switched to the Vox AC30 for the real-deal mojotone, since I typically left my Pod on that amp. (Plus, I saw Greg Hill from Mute Math using the AC30CC. The truth always comes out!)

For the money, the Pod, whether its the 1.0, 2.0, Pro, Floor Pod, Pod xt Live, Pod xt Pro, or whatever they come out with tomorrow, is THE most versatile piece of Asian assembled plastic and silicon out there. Whichever model you get, make sure you have the full pedal board. It's hard to live without.

By the way, please don't have anything at all in your signal chain by this well known company whose name starts with a "Beh" and ends with a "ringer." They make a product that is supposed to serve the same purpose as the Pod. Let me ask you, though: would you rather have a burger from McDonald's or Outback? My local amp tech spends more time working on this company's amps than any other. He'd love your business, but would suggest you buy something that will last.

[fmckinnon]

Jay -
So glad you got to jump in here - look forward to your expertise, for sure! Be sure to add icons, links, etc. in your signature to your site, OK!?

[El Ben]

Jay, I've got one thing to say to you: Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, All my Base are, Belong to You.

Long live ZERO WING!!!!

[The Tone Guru]

Thanks, Ben. I'm a Zero Wing fan and have the t-shirt to prove it.

[fmckinnon]

huh? did I miss something? Obviously ...

[The Tone Guru]

huh? did I miss something? Obviously ...

Old skool pop culture reference (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qItugh-fFgg).

[dan_tone]

Don't know if these helps or not, but I've used a VOX Valvetronix AD30VT (http://www.voxamps.co.uk/valvetronix/ad15-30-50-100vt.asp) amp on stage mic'd with a Shure SM57 and have had great tone with my Les Paul Studio.

I know you're looking for a modeling pedal, so I mention my experience with the amp because you could try out the VOX Tonelab (http://www.voxamps.co.uk/tonelab/) series.

Having said that, I should mention that I recently ordered a Peavey Classic 30 (http://www.peavey.com/products/browse.cfm/action/detail/item/116335/number/00583150/cat/67/begin/1/Classic%AE+30%2F112-Tweed.cfm) as replacement because I wanted to have a tube amp again, and I like the value and the tone of the Classic 30, and I like that it was made in the USA. Not to mention, I wanted an effects loop for my delay pedal (Boss DD20 (http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=531&ParentId=96)).

[erock]

If cost is an issue, you can pick up a Crate VC508 for $100. Then spend your money on effects to get whatever you're looking for. The VC508 gives you tone very similar to the VOX AC30 without the size or the cost. And who doesn't like the AC30?

Oh yeah, and it's about as loud as you'd ever want an amp to be.

Check this out...

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar%20Amp/product/Crate/VC508/10/1

[Steve Lowe]

I use a Line6 Pod XT live for church. I run it through an ART Tube MP preamp as a direct box. We're all direct, no amps on stage, using an Aviom monitoring system.

I much prefer a few pedals into a good tube amp. Given the marginal acoustics of our room, the varible skills at the sound console, and the fact that we're spread across the stage, it makes sense for our church and I'm OK sacrificing some tone to work better with the team.

[Wildwind]

I agree with Steve almost 100 percent. I use a nearly identical setup - PODxt, Shortboard - into a Harmonic Converger, then a passive DI. We also monitor with an Aviom system. And we run everything direct these days for similar reasons, plus our acoustic environment is lacking.

Where we differ - and it's purely subjective - is POD vs. tube amp. As an old guy (40-year vet, 30 plus in Christian and p&w) who maybe is just too tired to haul so much gear these days, I find I can pull extremely satisfying tones from my POD setup and don't miss my tube amps. I still own one (sold the rest) and some very nice pedals - but actually prefer the POD setup 95 percent of the time.

As has already been stated, there are many good reasons to stay in the Line 6 camp - great forum and support, their practice of repairing things out of warranty for free sometimes, the fact that they've stuck with the PODxt and upgraded it several times for free and offer model packs, and the great interface (USB) that permits tweaking and saving stuff. But I'd stick with the PODxt family, not the older stuff (like the Floor POD and POD 2.0) - better tones and way more features, plus the connectability. I don't think anyone else is making modelers that connect like this at any price, and that's a very important feature. And finally I find the tones very musical compared to most others on the market, though I'm sure all have their avid followers. I've compared most side-by-side - I'm still playing the PODxt.

Greg

[cnreng]

The POD XT Live is tough unit to beat. For allot more money is the Roland VG series. For a more basic 2nd guitar unit, the Yamaha Magic Stomp is incredible (for around $100. if you can find one). I think all three are great
Here are some of the highlights.

Most of the factory patches where a little wild for me. So I went to the line6 site and downloaded several custom tone patches and then tweaked from there. Great resource.

I started running my bass rig through it and it is amazing what it will do.

If you have a Line 6 guitar or bass, the unit will change the guitar settings for you also.

I started a collection of customs tones for various songs that just scream for something different and save them to the laptop for future use.

If your FOH is set up to run stero you can have allot of fun. Though be careful in mono. I had been playing with a leslie horn patch (rotating speaker) and forgot to turn it off before heading to the church. It took the sound guy and I about 20 minutes to figure out why I kept fading in and out.

I also use a single ear bud plugged into the board for my monitor. and just have the rest of the musicians audio through the floor monitor.

For worship I run a mono channel out to a passive splitter for the stage mix and the FOH mix.

I am starting to ramble, so if you have any questions , please ask.
I could talk for ever on this thing it seems.:D
I love my POD TX Live.

Randy

[bsbrum]

I love my POD TX Live.


A big ditto here.

Most of the Pod's modeling is lost with my church's sound system, but when I record - holy smokes - it gives me goose bumps. You can hear and feel the 60hz crackle of a Marshall head overdriven with a variac - and it's simply amazing, you can almost smell the dust burning off the tubes.

Two thumbs up on the Pod XT Live. I got mine off eBay virtually brand new for under $250 FWIW.

Further thoughts:

A lot of the really nice Amp, Cabinet and FX models will cost you extra. It's almost worth it to buy one fully loaded.

I used to have a vintage Fender Super Reverb, and in a moment of teenage stupidity ....... well, I don't have it any more. The Pod XT does a pretty darned good job of curing my separation anxiety.

The Line6 GearBox and patch editor software works great, and the USB/Midi interface works great too. I run mine into my Mac Pro via USB for recording and use GearBox to tweak the patches, swap them around, archive, restore, etc. Having the power of the computer to store and manage your patches and layouts is the key - otherwise the limited memory feels somewhat claustrophobic.

If you use a digital recording package (like GarageBand), another nice Line6-ism is that for about $60 you can buy PodFarm which is a computer based Pod emulator. Why would you want that? Think "business trip, laptop, travel guitar" - you could effectively take your whole guitar rig with you on a trip and fit it in an airplane overhead compartment! ;-)

[Smitty]

Trench's video is awesome...and as soon as I can find a used schecter AE1....I will be using that exact set-up.

Here is the killer....Schecter doesn't make the C-1 AE anymore. Peavey's offering, the Generation EXP...yup, you guessed it...no longer made. You can get the parts from Stew-Mac to give any guitar a piezo bridge pick-up...about $400.00 before the labor.

My old digitech RP has a crappy acoustic modeler, and my Boss AC-3 (acoustic simulator) is equally crappy...and NOISY.

I would love to hear about anyone currently using the "one guitar, two sounds" system, and find out exactly what they are using.

Back to the OP...

Anything Line 6 is going to be just fine. If you want to save a few bucks, get the cheapest Pod that can run the FBV "short board" foot controller.

Smitty

[musicianinthestates]

Trench's video is awesome...and as soon as I can find a used schecter AE1....I will be using that exact set-up.

Here is the killer....Schecter doesn't make the C-1 AE anymore. Peavey's offering, the Generation EXP...yup, you guessed it...no longer made. You can get the parts from Stew-Mac to give any guitar a piezo bridge pick-up...about $400.00 before the labor.

My old digitech RP has a crappy acoustic modeler, and my Boss AC-3 (acoustic simulator) is equally crappy...and NOISY.

I would love to hear about anyone currently using the "one guitar, two sounds" system, and find out exactly what they are using.

Smitty

Smitty,

check out the Carvin AE185, acoustic electric semi-hollow customizable. starting price $1000. Maybe watch ebay for a used one?

https://www.carvinguitars.com/catalog/guitars/index.php?model=ae185

[Mike Darley]

Yeah, I use a Carvin AE 185 into a Pod X3 Live. It's similar to the set up worshiptrench put up. The Carvin has two 1/4" outs which go the the POD, and has 2 XLR outs into the system. I get a great tone for both electric and acoustic. The amp modeling on the POD it ridiculously good, plus you get all the other affects you'd ever need for a worship setting. Can't go wrong with the POD.

[gregrjones]

I have a Line 6 Pod, but I have been more impressed with the Vox digital modelling offerings. I demoed the LE and loved it. With that said, tube amps still sound better, but you said you don't necessarily need the best. If you're looking for digital modelling because its cheaper, or more flexable, portable, than the Line 6 or Vox units are great.

The one thing about the Vox is it has a real tube in it that is supposed to at least mimic the feel of a tube amp.

Also, I feel that the digital modelling stuff works best for high gain or super clean tones. I never got great medium gaintones, and to me this is where most contemporary praise & worship sits. However, I have been able to remedy this situation by throwing a good, analog overdrive pedal in front of my Pod. This is how Lincoln Brewster gets such great tones out of his Pod.

[Smitty]

Greg:

This might sound like a silly question, but I'm going to ask it anyway.

When you say "in front", do you mean guitar>analog overdrive>pod>amp, or do you mean guitar>pod>analog overdrive>amp?

I've been using pedals for a long time, left them for multi-effects, and have now returned to pedal chains. I have been experimenting with pedal positions in the chain, as well as studying the theory behind pedal positioning.

Any help or advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Smitty

[phil77]

True, Lincoln uses an OD in front of his X3's, but that is just to add a little dirt and boost to his signal. His tones can stand on their own without an additional OD because he tweaks them so precisely.

[gregrjones]

Smitty asked:


This might sound like a silly question, but I'm going to ask it anyway.

When you say "in front", do you mean guitar>analog overdrive>pod>amp, or do you mean guitar>pod>analog overdrive>amp?

Glad you asked. You don't learn unless you ask. "In front" means that the overdrive is in front of the Pod.

You always want line based effects (overdrives, distortions and compressors) in front of the amp. The Pod would be acting like the amp. Furthermore, the pod is sequenced so that the time-based effects (modulations, reverbs, delays) are between the preamp and the power amp.

If you mess with that order, you'll get distorted reverbs, delays and modulation effects, which most people don't like.

[Sambekzx]

Boss GT-10 is what I use. (about $475)

It has so much flexibility that it can be overwhelming. Paired with your favorite amp (mine is a Vox AC30) using the "4 cable method," and with the ability to place your effects, the amp simulations, and the real amp (send/return unit) anywhere in the effects chain makes it truly powerful. Furthermore, you can have more than one effect in a given class of effects (such as having 2 or 3 delays going simultaneously) due to two programmable effects slots in addition to the preassigned effects slots (Overdrive, Compressor, Chorus, Reverb, Delay, etc.). All of this can be synchronized to one master BPM.

The fully programmable pedals (including expression pedal, with option to add external pedals), each with LED indicators, makes it easy for live use.

The menus are easy to understand and are spread "widely" rather than "deeply". That is, you don't have to dig through menu after menu to get to something because there is usually some button that goes directly to the menu you need.

There is a rudimentary looper that can record 30+ seconds.

I hear the unit has better build quality than Line 6's offerings, although I have no first hand experience with the Line 6 stuff.

The only downside is that if you rely on the simulated preamps and cabinets, you will have to start from scratch and spend time tweaking the patches to get the sound you want because the defaults are just horrible. People say the Line 6 preamp and cabinet modeling is better out of the box than Boss's. Due to the crappy default settings, I can believe it.

I've only scratched the surface of what this thing can do, but it's been great so far.