POD 2.0 :question

[Jim Dempsey]

I'd like to bypass the amp modeling and use just the effects.I see there is a bypass mode for effects,but not the amp models? Any help would be appreciated.-Thanks,Jim

[Ole Dantoft]

Jim,
The "six o'clock" Tube Preamp is said to be the equiv. of a neutral setting - it does sound rather flat to me too.

Hope that helps

Ole

[Jim Dempsey]

Thanks Ole.----I'll try that.-Jim

[Dave Mudgett]

The tube preamp setting is definitely the most neutral of the amp settings, but I don't think it's a pure bypass. It is intended to be a emulate a tube preamp, which has a nonlinear gain curve - as you raise the gain, it definitely goes into an emulated tube-saturation. But if you keep the Drive control low, it's pretty transparent. But to answer the question, I don't think there's a way to to do a "true bypass" of the amp models.

[Jim Dempsey]

I agree Dave,I'm not getting a bad sound now from the "black face" setting.I run this POD through Music Man and Fender heads.I guess a little tweaking on the Pod and amp itself will do.If any tube guys with a POD can tell me what they do,that would be great.-Thanks,Jim

[Dave Mudgett]

Jim, I've been using the Pod 2 for 3 years with the steel for small club dates and practicing at home. I have mostly used Fender tube amps for guitar all my life. I use Blackface #1 (Deluxe Reverb emulation) for Teles and Strats, Blackface #2 (Twin Reverb emulation) for steel, and the Tube Preamp setting with the gain down for my electric banjo. You can play around with settings easily using the SoundDiver program if you can figure out how to hook the Pod up to your computer via MIDI. There are a bunch of 'hidden' settings if you "deep edit" this way.

I generally prefer to run the Pod output into a small but clean-sounding solid-state bass amp - I feel it cuts some of what I hear as 'digital artifacts' in the emulated sound. But I've also had good luck just running the line out into the PA front-of-house via balanced-to-XLR connector. I know guys who run the Pod through Fender tube amps, and it can work fine, but I don't like it as much for steel. The tube amp also colors the sound, sometimes too much to me. If I use the tube amp, I generally turn the AIR speaker modeling off. I also have a MusicMan HD-130 (solid-state pre, 6CA7 output) which also works well with the Pod, in fact probably better than the Fenders. </p>

Does the Pod 2 sound as good as a Dual Showman Reverb into a real nice, say JBL D-130 cabinet, or a real good-sounding Session/LTD 400, allowed to get loud enough to get into the working range of the amp? Perhaps not. But for lower-volume gigs, I think it works great, and stays pretty clean if not pushed too hard. The Tweed and British-style models can give a distorted slide-guitar approach, again without pushing tons of stage volume. One nice thing, in small club settings, I no longer having sound men yelling at me to turn down. If anything, they tell me to turn up now. If you knew me, you'd know that's a nice change. It also handles the steel/guitar/banjo switches great without lugging a lot of equipment. That versatility is worth the price of admission, to me.</p>

That Blackface #2 setting is quite clean. I expect it's possible for some hot pickups/active-volume-pedals to overdrive the input section, but I haven't had that problem. I use a passive Goodrich volume pedal, just a hair of compression, and the on-board spring reverb emulation. Sometimes I also use a smidgen of delay.</p>

If you would find it helpful, I'll be happy to email you my settings. You might find them useful as a starting point. But these things do require some tweaking. I have different settings for my MSA, which likes thinner tone settings, and the BMI and Sierras, which like slightly thicker tone settings.</p>

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MSA Classic D-10 8+4, Sierra U-14 8+5, Sierra S-10 3+4, BMI S-10 3+4 plus assorted six-stringers;
Peavey LTD 400, Line6 Pod 2.0 + Ampeg BA 112, '64 Fender Deluxe Reverb, '69 Dual Showman Reverb + EVM Cabinet

[Jim Dempsey]

Thanks Dave,yes I'd like to see your settings,I'm fairly new to this POD and maybe didn't take enough time to read the manual.I see you mention BF #1 and BF #2.I have to figure out how do find,adjust and edit these effects properly.I appreciate your replies and will look for your settings via e-mail.--Jim

[Dave Mudgett]

Jim, I'll email them later tonight or tomorrow. I don't have them with me now (at work).

You get BF #1 by simply selecting "Blackface" with the Amp Model Switch. You get BF #2 by depressing and holding down the "Tap" button, then switching to "Blackface". As I said, BF1 is Deluxe Reverb, BF2 is Twin Reverb. The Deluxe model is dirtier and more midrangey. The Twin model is cleaner, and I like it much better for steel.</p>

[Jack Stoner]

I'm using the POD XT as an effects processor only. It is effects only. e.g. I have one that is reverb and delay only, another that is chorous, etc.

I don't know if the XT programs will work on a POD but they can be downloaded from my site and loaded via the Line 6 edit program.
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/jstoner1

click on my Gulf Coast Steel Guitar Site and then the button for the POD XT programs.

[Jim Dempsey]

Thanks Jack,-I will check that out,and yes Dave,I would prefer the BF#2 mode.--Jim