Line6 Modeling Amps & Pedals

[kewlpack]

This is the place to talk about and link to clips of the Line6 Spider/Flextone/Vetta/POD/XT Live, etc. in action.

~A~

[reverbbb]

I have had 2 Flextone amps. A Flextone Plus and a Flextone II Plus. I used both of them with the extended cabinet and a Floorboard.

The FT can do a bunch of things. But I started migrating back to the tube amp sound. When I bought my Dr Z Maz 18 Jr., I decided that the simplicity was what I needed. I like to just plug and play with just a few tweaks of the tone knobs to compensate for my guitars. This has helped me to define a sound that I can go after each time. With the FT amps, I never knew when to stop and I would never come back to that sound again, even when I saved the presets.

I still have a Pod Pro. I am about to put it into commision tonight at the urging of several key people at our church. I am supposed to ellimnate all amplifiers on stage and rely on the soundman and the monitors to hear myself, the acoustic and the bass. This is testing my P&W heart and I need strength to get through this period. I am already bummed about it and I have not even started yet. We will see how this turns out.

[kewlpack]

I had that Flextone 3+ for a short while. I remember it sounding pretty good, but being very heavy. Alas...back to the Guitar Center it went.

I find that a lot of these modelers just don't have that presence and overall quality of tone that authentic tube amps (and even dedicated SS ones) have. There's something missing.

~A~

[reverbbb]

Last night at rehearsal:

Well, the Pod Pro was not as bad as I had thought it was going to be. It actually gets a very nice tone, even through the mains and monitors.

I mostly kept it on the "Black Panel" setting (supposed to be a '65 Deluxe Reverb modeling). My Telecaster Deluxe sounded fairly good with that match-up. I really like Line 6 echo processor. The reverb was extremely lush - just like a real DR.

However (I use this word a LOT!), there were a few things that need to be figured out.

1) I never found any satisfaction on the high gain settings. Something about that Telecaster and those modeling tricks, just do not give me any comfort. It is in there, but there will be a lot of tweaking before I get the sound that feels good. This is a primary reason that I have not used this Pod Pro more - too much tweaking.

2) We have got to get a better scenario for a monitor facing my way. At this point, there are only three monitors, and none of them are facing me. They were originally setup to fit the singers needs. One little Hot Spot monitor is dedicated for the drums (a REALLY bad application for that monitor).

3) When I sold my Flextone II Plus, I let the guy talk me out of the Floorboard as a package deal. The Pod Pro is 3 times more productive with the use of a Floorboard. I need to find another used one, but here is an expense that I was not contemplating until now. I actually had been considering selling off the Pod Pro - but now I have a use for it.

4) Since this is a device that needs a lot of tweaking, I need to spend more time at the church (in the specific venue), to setup some usable sounds. This is not the most conveinent way to deal with guitar amplification. On a tube amp, a person can make changes on the fly fairly easiliy and rapidly and almost always have a good to great sound. Not so with an amp modeling simulator. There are many knob settings that sound absolutely horid without tweaking. Also, many of the presets are stored with the volume set at different intensities. If I am going to use this device in P&W, then I must go and tweak all the preset volumes and store them again.

I dare not bring a humbucker guitar until I get a Floorboard and reacquainted with the Pod Pro.

The bottom line is, I am going to have to get off my lazy rear and get committed for this cause to glorify our Lord. I have had it fairly easy for several years - aside from endless discussions of how the sound system sounds so bad.

[kewlpack]

Welcome to my world Rev... :mrgreen:

I am getting paid from that Boomerang job shortly (if all goes well), so I'm gonna try to pick up a Boss GT-8 tomorrow and run it through my amp via the "4-cable" approach.

I think I'll hold off of joining you in the P&W stuff until you figure out what works best. I did do the JaM P&W with just the GNX4 a few times and it took a lot of tweaking to get it all right. I made good use of the volume pedal! ;)

You know, for the money...you may be better off with the POD XT Live (?) as it is all about the pedalboard. I dunno.

Can't wait to hear your rig on Sunday... assuming I will be able to hear it at all! :shock:

~A~

[MrMike]

Last night at rehearsal:

Well, the Pod Pro was not as bad as I had thought it was going to be. It actually gets a very nice tone, even through the mains and monitors.

I mostly kept it on the "Black Panel" setting (supposed to be a '65 Deluxe Reverb modeling). My Telecaster Deluxe sounded fairly good with that match-up. I really like Line 6 echo processor. The reverb was extremely lush - just like a real DR.

However (I use this word a LOT!), there were a few things that need to be figured out.

1) I never found any satisfaction on the high gain settings. Something about that Telecaster and those modeling tricks, just do not give me any comfort. It is in there, but there will be a lot of tweaking before I get the sound that feels good. This is a primary reason that I have not used this Pod Pro more - too much tweaking.

2) We have got to get a better scenario for a monitor facing my way. At this point, there are only three monitors, and none of them are facing me. They were originally setup to fit the singers needs. One little Hot Spot monitor is dedicated for the drums (a REALLY bad application for that monitor).

3) When I sold my Flextone II Plus, I let the guy talk me out of the Floorboard as a package deal. The Pod Pro is 3 times more productive with the use of a Floorboard. I need to find another used one, but here is an expense that I was not contemplating until now. I actually had been considering selling off the Pod Pro - but now I have a use for it.

4) Since this is a device that needs a lot of tweaking, I need to spend more time at the church (in the specific venue), to setup some usable sounds. This is not the most conveinent way to deal with guitar amplification. On a tube amp, a person can make changes on the fly fairly easiliy and rapidly and almost always have a good to great sound. Not so with an amp modeling simulator. There are many knob settings that sound absolutely horid without tweaking. Also, many of the presets are stored with the volume set at different intensities. If I am going to use this device in P&W, then I must go and tweak all the preset volumes and store them again.

I dare not bring a humbucker guitar until I get a Floorboard and reacquainted with the Pod Pro.

The bottom line is, I am going to have to get off my lazy rear and get committed for this cause to glorify our Lord. I have had it fairly easy for several years - aside from endless discussions of how the sound system sounds so bad.

I have a Floorboard that I'm not using. Our other guitar player bought my POD from me to use so that he wouldn't have to lug his Flextone back and forth. Shoot me an e-mail.

[reverbbb]

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU goes out to MrMike!!!

Mike really step up and helped this brother out big time. As you can see from the previous post, Mike offered me his Floorboard. Not only was he extremely responsive, but kept track out the shipment himself. He knew that there had been a delivery attempt before I even got home that day.

This is what I told Mike:

". . . . Yes indeed. The condition of the pedal was very good. I really appreciate your help in this. Today was my second Sunday without any amplifies for the bass or guitars. This may work out far better than I had been regretting. I was able to adjunct a floor monitor off of the Galaxy Hot Spot monitor. This was a good sound and not too intrusive for the front rows since it was facing me.

I am humbled about this whole affair. My tube-snob pride kept me from doing what was important - that is, P&W for God.

Thanks again for being a part of this revelation."

I gave this dilemma over to God and He worked it out. It is funny how our pride continues to get in the way of serving God.

[MrMike]

I'm glad it's working out for you! For me, the bottom line is what's coming out of the speakers. How it gets there is of no consequence at all, as long as it sounds good. What I love about P&W with a direct setup is that, once you are at a point with the sound people that you've reached an understanding and can count on them, you can let go and play your heart out to God. That's what we were given this wonderful gift for.

[kewlpack]

Long story made short - Since I got the Variax 500 guitar (which I really like a lot), I took back the GT8 (see my notes on it in the Boss thread) and picked up a POD XT Live to see how the combination works and sounds.

Initially:

--Very very easy to dial in a great foundational tone (the amp models are good).
--Love the Parametric EQ in the unit.
--Ability to control the Variax guitar along with amps/effects/cabs is a blast. Tap of the foot: Gibson J200 acoustic with nice open reverb; tap: '59 strat position 4 quacking through big Fender funk; tap: '58 Les Paul crunching into Soldano SLO 100; tap: ES335 dancing on JC120... it's just too much FUN!!! :popcorn
--Used it in P&W yesterday and it worked very well. Huge variety of guitars and tones on tap. Cake.
--The software offerings from Line6 are great and make working with all of this technology MUCH easier than all the other modelers I've owned/used. GuitarPort is very visual and looks like something from Apple programmers or something. The updates and model packs, and user patches are also a whole lot of fun... and sound as good as the GT8 IMHO (the basic amp tones are pretty rich sounding on the XT Live and again, easy to dial in).
--I love to tweak but hate getting lost in the plethora of parameters. The XT Live strikes a nice balance (so far) in this area. As tweakable as necessary - but as simple as possible. I cannot say enough about the GuitarPort though - that's a kick!

I like it a lot. It works well with the Variax guitar and is a lot of fun to play around with as well as play through.

More to follow later...

[reverbbb]

Sorry that I keep missing out on your Variax experiences. Perhpas this Friday (assuming that you still have it by then :innocent ).

BTW, I just noticed that Line6 has now released a Variax 300. It is a stripped down version of the Variax 600. I think the only places that they could strip down is in the wood construction quality. The MSRP is $699. Meaning the street price could be around $499.

I'm glad that you are trying out the PODxt Live again. I think that having the compatibility aspect is certainly a big attribute of both devices.

[kewlpack]

Sorry that I keep missing out on your Variax experiences. Perhpas this Friday (assuming that you still have it by then :innocent ).

BTW, I just noticed that Line6 has now released a Variax 300. It is a stripped down version of the Variax 600. I think the only places that they could strip down is in the wood construction quality. The MSRP is $699. Meaning the street price could be around $499.

I'm glad that you are trying out the PODxt Live again. I think that having the compatibility aspect is certainly a big attribute of both devices.That was the thing that I wanted to find out - do the two really sound good together? They sound good to me.

I sort of expected it to sound good since the units were designed to compliment each other. The ability to assign a Variax guitar model to a channel is really cool.

Many of the tools I've gone through have sounded good to me and been fine. In some ways I think I just wanted to spend some time with all of the different modelers and see for myself if one stood over all the others. The truth is, almost all of them have strong points and quirks. Now that I've gone through them, I'm not in any hurry to do anything else. No need to - till the next generation! :roll:

I will make sure to bring it all on Friday.

I'm messing around with the output settings to see what sounds best to the front of the amp (or the power amp input of the FX loop). So far the studio/direct just sounds best.

I am having fun though. Make no mistake. :mrgreen:

Oh ya the V300 is essentially the same exact guts as the V500 and V700 electrics. The big differences are the neck (12" radius versus the 10" of the V500/700), headstock (6 on 1 side), mini power supply (versus the dedicated pedal for the V500/700), the body is Agathis versus Basswood (V500) or Ash (V700), flat paint colors, and maybe a couple other minor things.

Specs for all of them:
http://www.line6.com/variax/specifications.html

It will be the lower end model... but really - I think the tones will be pretty much identical. The feel of the guitar will be different and play a little different than the bigger brothers.

Pretty cool though.

[reverbbb]

I'll keep checking your signature to see what equipment you have by Friday :cool: .

[kewlpack]

I'll keep checking your signature to see what equipment you have by Friday :cool: .

Time to check the sig! :innocent

See my note at:
http://guitaristsprais.forumsplace.com/post-2753.html#2753

After tweaking the XTLive for a week I was able to hit a few walls. Back to the GT-8.

Note: overall the XTLive and GT8 both sound very good.

Until next week! ;)

[beatlenut]

I used the POD 2.0 in worship for both my electrics and my acoustics for 3 years. Served me well. I have a Flextone II XL at home.

I now use a Vox Tonelab SE in worship for the electric (AG Stomp for the acoustic).

[gimme]

Hey guys. I used to use a Flextone II for a few years, then decided to go tube for church. I got a Dr Z Route 66 head and played it through a 2x12 cabinet I made. I love it, still have it, but decided to go back to the digital world after reading some reviews of the POD XT Live. Much better improvement over the old flextone II. We play with in-ear monitors at my church, and stage volume has been a big issue, so I had to accept the change. I've tweaked and downloaded a few patches that I like and they sound really good. Plus setup and breakdown is quite ez now. :)

[LesStrat]

reverbbb is right: do your tweaking in the venue in which you play. The sound is just not the same at home.

I LOVE my POD XTL. See my review in the XTL thread.

This resolves so many live sound problems it's ridiculous. But the sound tech loves me for it.

I'll be glad when we finally go to in-ear monitors. We're using wedges now, and I use a Hartke B30 bass amp as a personal monitor right now.

[OlsonAcoustic]

I have used a Line-6 Flextone 2 for about 3 years now. I purchased it and an electric guitar (Ibanez GAX-70) as a starter rig after playing acoustic most of my life. Heavy gauge strings and low strung tunings wasted my left wrist, and I ended up with bad CT that knocked me out of acoustic playing for a little over a year. I am back to acoustic now after quite the vacation for my left wrist.

I purchased an Ibanez AX-220 shortly after the GAX-70 became lacking in tonal quality. Then I popped in a pair of 59's to replace the stock pups and fell in love. Since then, I have played various stupidly expensive electrics that don’t quite suit my fancy like the cheapo AX-220 does. That’s totally off the subject.

Anyway, The Line-6 Flextone 2 has been a wonderful amp for the time that I have had it. I purchased it because of a friend who plays in Newcomers Home and his experience with Line-6 road worthiness. It has never failed me, and sounds great at any volume. I went through all the models on it and landed on the JTM-45 mod which I have used ever since. I run it with a TU-2, a Barber Direct Drive Super Sport, a Keeley modified SD-1, a GE-7 for solo mid and high boost, and a BBE Sonic Maximizer to add loads of punch.

The Line-6 Flextone 2 eventually led to my real amp decisions. I would really like a Fender Bassman, a real JTM-45, or my dream amp, the Mesa Lone Star. I recently got a Music Man head which I understand was designed by Leo Fender originally. I replaced the tubes in it, and have not yet messed with it much, primarily due to the fact that I have no adequate cabinet to plug it into. More off the subject stuff. I’ll shut up.
:biggrin:

[MDK2323]

I've been on the Line 6 Discussion board for a long time and have been a part of and read some great posts from other Christian guitar players, but usually we can't keep the conversation to just gear, it always turns to our true love, our Lord. And the moderator would always shut down the posts because we were talking about "religion". Well, after finding this board, I may well be done with the Line 6 board!

It's great to be here amonst friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord!

God Bless!!!

Matt

:angel

[MDK2323]

I also was a Flex II user, but got tired of tweaking my amp at home and then finding it didn't sound the same or I was lost in the mix at church. So I traded it for a POD 2.0, and loved it for a while, but the XTL came out, and I had to have one. :mrgreen:

So, I'm using the XTL direct to the board, with my own personal monitor feed going into a tiny 4 channel Behringer mixer, which includes myself on one channel and everybody else on another channel from the board feed, and headphones out of the little mixer. Works OK!

[kewlpack]

What a freak am I!

Got the POD XTLive again for awhile - a bad car-related expense came up and it had to go back simply because we had to fix the car. After a bit of wailing and many tears... I got over it.

About two weeks ago, I finally had enough to go for it again - but this time I decided on the Flextone 3XL. Very nice sounding piece of gear. I've combined it with my GT8 in 4CM (four cable mode) and it handles pedals well - particularly the Hiwatt 100 preamp model.

I put together a song (if it can be called that) with this configuration and think it turned out decent enough... You can check it out here:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/3/kewlpack_music.htm (BIG DADDY is the one).

I put casters on the F3XL so I guess you would say "I've commited to it"... LOL. Can't take it back now! WHAT AM I GONNA DO??? hehehehehe.

[MDK2323]

I like your tone on that track!

[TOO LOUD]

What a freak am I!

Got the POD XTLive again for awhile - a bad car-related expense came up and it had to go back simply because we had to fix the car. After a bit of wailing and many tears... I got over it.

About two weeks ago, I finally had enough to go for it again - but this time I decided on the Flextone 3XL. Very nice sounding piece of gear. I've combined it with my GT8 in 4CM (four cable mode) and it handles pedals well - particularly the Hiwatt 100 preamp model.

I put together a song (if it can be called that) with this configuration and think it turned out decent enough... You can check it out here:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/3/kewlpack_music.htm (BIG DADDY is the one). Are you using the keyboard amp still? or did you find something else that sounds better?. I recently got a gt8 but don't know if I will be able to get good enough sound for worship at church, It may be very good for rehersals though. Thanks, Jim.


I put casters on the F3XL so I guess you would say "I've commited to it"... LOL. Can't take it back now! WHAT AM I GONNA DO??? hehehehehe.

[kewlpack]

I still have and love the simple keyboard amp. It works great!

Modelers are designed to go straight to a mixer or direct recording device. They need an essentially flat, full range output rig to perform at their best. Keyboard amps and Active PA monitors (like the Mackie SRMs) are great for this.

Running a modeler (which is emulating XXXX preamp) through a guitar amp isn't a great approach because you are essentially stacking a preamp onto another preamp. Even if you skip the preamp and go into a poweramp, you are gonna miss some of the magic of the modeler because the speaker cabinet isn't full range. You can still get a workable tone, but it won't have all the special mojo.

It's wierd at first because you have this stigmatism that "it isn't a real guitar amp"... but after awhile, if you just play, you don't notice it as much - if at all. Especially when you find a superb tone. My personal feeling is that I actually feel more connected to the tones when playing the GT8 through the KX1200 than I do through a typical guitar amp.

You owe it to yourself to try this out. It will suprise you. Be sure to set the Output Setting to LINE/PHONES for best results through a flat response system.

[kewlpack]

As fate would have it - we sold that old car (the reason I had to return my XTL - see above in earlier posts) - so I have an XTLive again - getting some nice and different tones than the GT8.

Yes, the Keyboard amp is working well for the XTL too.

Man, the overly-compressed feel of everything I try in the XTL just leaves me flat... blah! Took it back - I'll wait for the next generation...

[Ascension]

I have a brand new Line 6 Echo Park delay pedal for sale over in the Effects for sale section if there are any takers ;) .

[MDK2323]

I have a brand new Line 6 Echo Park delay pedal for sale over in the Effects for sale section if there are any takers ;) .

Just curious, did you not like the sound of the pedal Richard?

I have a DD-20 Boss Giga-delay pedal that I love.

The old Line 6 delay modeler with the 4-button footswitch was supposed to be really great. Not sure if the Echo Park was a step in the wrong direction.

[LiveOak]

Hey Kewlpack!

I also hang out on your forum.

So, any word from anyone on the new POD X3 Live?

It's been three wonderful, praise filled years in my Church's P&W band with my Digitech RPx400, time for a new modeler :)

[MDK2323]

The X3 and X3 Live sure look like they are packed with features. Enough to rival the Boss GT-8. Quite expensive for my taste however.

I still really enjoyed the original POD, and the 2.0 upgrade. What an innovative piece of technology.

[tkcrabby]

Hey guys I just bought a POD XT LIVE this week and even though I've read through the manual I'm still not understanding how to change the "AMP" in the preset to another "Amp" ,,,,,,,, lets say I want to use preset 22d,,,,,,,,, and it may have a "Plexi 45" and I want a "Tweed", how do I get a Tweed in 22d?

Sorry if this seems to be a stupid question, I don't normally have this much trouble figuring this sort of thing out but for whatever reason I have yet to get it done.

[LesStrat]

I've been using the X3L for quite some time, but let's see if I can recall the process.

Also, check for how to or help videos on youtube.com. I've gotten some great settings from other players that way.

Press the knob to the left of the display screen to edit your preset. Press the button beneath the screen under "Amp." Use the knob to the right of the display to change the amp. Press "save" (knob to left?) TWICE. (someone will come along and correct me, I'm sure.)

I also have a Verbzilla. GREAT pedal.

[refin]

There is a POD XT Live for sale here locally for $150..........should I bite?