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.

[twc_admin]

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.

[twc_admin]

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