What preamp box(es) to use w/ LIne 6 Pod

[jlrush]

I know preamp boxes have been discussed before, but it has been in the context of use with an amp, and I've read some of the previous threads. In one in particular Maury recommended Sansamp BDDI, MXR M80, and Hartke Bass Attack.

Sorry if this seems elementary to some, but I am totally naive in this area.

I play each week at church and we are all run through the board, no amps at all. I use the original Bass Pod and don't really care for the sounds it has (or at least haven't found any yet).

Can I run one of these pedals with the Pod? It has a tuner and compression that could be useful.

Which of these pedals provides the most tonal variety?

Would an equalizer pedal help too?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Edit:

I will be using a Fender Jazz 5 and a Precision 4.

Jim

[getz out]

What sound are you looking to get?

[Big Daddy from Motown]

I find lots of useful studio tones in the pod xl.

Try starting with a model of an amp you like. Also be sure the output source is set up for direct recording, not live.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

i'd say try running one these boxes instead of the POD. if you're not fond of the sounds in the POD, it's a lot of effort to use just for compression -- an effect i find highly overrated on bass for live performance.

 

you may have some success using an EQ pedal if there are specific parts of the frequency specturm you feel you have too much of. but i think it'd be better to get something you like the sound of on its own.

 

which leads to the next question: do you like the sounds of your basses? no matter what you plug them into, if you don't like how they sound, you won't like the sounds you're getting.

 

what do you use for an amp when you're not playing through the POD? what amps did you use in the store to decide to buy these basses?

 

robb.

[SteveC]

I also use a Pod (no stage amp) at church. TI think it works well. I use the tube preamp setting, no effects, no cab modeling, nothing. I set all the tone controls flat. I use the drive at about 9 o'clock and compression at about 10 o'clock.

[jlrush]

Sorry I'm late getting back guys. I posted this at church early this morning then came home for lunch and a nap, a typical Sunday.

 

I guess I should clarify my comment that I don't like the Pod's sound. I've found some settings that are "ok", but not quite the same as playing through an amp. Most of the settings and effects I don't care much for.

 

Maury: Basically I'm trying to see if I can get more sounds than the typical Jazz and Precision, something less midrange and deeper, kinda like a MM Stingray or Warwick. (Remember my Stingray incident? I'm the sucker who fell for the "free" ads.)

 

robb: I like the way my basses sound well enough, but more choices would be nice without buying more gear that I can't afford. The rig I've used out belongs to the church. It's a Hartke 1x15 with an aluminum cone and 7 band EQ.

My rig at home I use for practice only. It's a Mossvale 500 amp, Blue Tube preamp and 2-15" EVM's in custom Theil cabs. Nice sounding, clean rig but too heavy and I don't want to haul it any more. I'm looking to trade another bass for a Genz Benz 200 W 2x10 combo.

 

Steve C: I've used those same settings and also the manual mode setting. I like them alright, but am just looking for more possibilities. What bass are you using with your setup at church?

 

This week I tried the SubDub setting and bypassed the cab modeling. It was close to a 'Ray sound and I was using the Jazz 5. Maybe this will be better, but I need more time to assess this.

I think maybe the fact that we don't use amps and are using headphones has alot to do with the tone that I hear. It's just dry or something, and not at all like being in the studio with amps and headphones.

Am I asking too much from this type of setup?

 

Thanks guys!

[SteveC]

I use my Yamaha 5 with the Barts. Best sound I have is through our PA at church. I wish I had that everywhere I played. It's not the Pod so much a sa really nice PA that i sset up great for my bass.

[jlrush]

Steve:

A Yamaha TRB5 or BB5 has been on my wish list for so long I tend to forget that I still want one.

[jlrush]

So it sounds like using Sansamp BDDI, MXR M80, or Hartke Bass Attack with the Line 6 Pod isn't a good idea. Okay.

However, if I use one of these with an EQ box might I get a deeper sound than Fender normally gives? Or do I need the EQ box? Seems I could fatten up the sound a little more playing with one of these preamps(?) through the PA.

Is one of these more recommended than another, or does one have more tone options than the others?

[Big Daddy from Motown]

Yeah the POD kills all of those. If you don't like that go for the Sannsamp, it's got a sound lots of people like.

[Fred TBP]

Two tube preamps (say that five times fast ) stand out when I did some recordings through a Line6 Bass Pod PRO which we ran through both headphones and a PA in addition to a PowerMac notebook running ProTools:

 

Aguilar DB 900 ($ 629 USD retail price) which I know is out of your price range but it works. Used the same model in a different studio the year before which fed my old Bass Pod (the grey kidney) into some 48-channel board through a bunch of studio stuff I can't recall anymore except for the Ampex 16-track analog deck and another ProTools setup on a PC. All stock POD settings as I still haven't found the time to reprogram one of mine for stage use.

 

Art Tube MP Michrophone Preamp (model 127, giving you a link right here to a site selling it for $40 plus shipping). Another guy uses them in his home studio on a regular basis (another ProTools devotee) and admits he had to exchange a few before he found the ones he's kept working for the past few years. Ran my bass and POD-kidney through that into the board, also ran a 2nd signal bypassing the POD, and blended them in the mixdown. Guess what I'm saying here is that I'm fond of running instruments through tube preamps because they keep a "presence" in the instrument. Don't know whether the first or the fourth one is going to work for you, so I'd make a store break out 4-5 of them and run through all of them to pick the best sounding one.

 

Also (honorable mention): Avalon U5 ($500-600 USD street price). Again, out of your price range, but to be fair running even a passive bass through the U5 without FXs will give you a sweet sound. It even made my cheesy little Zoom BFX-708 sound sweet.

 

Also (yeah, I know, I can't count) I have to recommend the Presonus Blue Tube Preamp (street prices range from $80 used to $200 new) because I bought one after playing through a friend's one a few years back. The guys with the Aguilars wouldn't let me use mine because the Aguilar was "better" but the Presonus comes closer and I like it better than the ART. Personal prejudices admitted: I also like a Philly cheese steak with grilled onions and melted cheese, but it'd give a vegan a heart attack if he came within smelling distance of one.

 

I admit I'm not in a position to afford an Aguilar or an Avalon just yet, but it won't stop me from visiting a store and plugging in to check it out. But it helps to hear what the really good stuff sounds like so you can get what you can afford today and come up with a budget plan for what you can afford by next year. Tube preamps aren't as glamorous as exotic boutique basses, but they play just as critical a role in your total sound.

 

Hope this helped a little...

[saxofunk]

Originally posted by jlrush:

However, if I use one of these with an EQ box might I get a deeper sound than Fender normally gives? Or do I need the EQ box? Seems I could fatten up the sound a little more playing with one of these preamps(?) through the PA.

Let the sound person add any EQ. If you spend money to add a bunch of thump at 80Hz, you my find out it's being cut at the house. Start with a good DI and spend some time with it during sound check, then have a meaningful conversation with the sound person about adding anything else in the chain. FWIW, we also use a BDDI straight to the board for the house, feeding a QSC and 410 on stage.

[jlrush]

Thanks for your time guys. It looks like I've got a little work to do.

Fred, thanks for the links. They look really interesting. The Art Tube may get first try because of the price, but I'll try to figure something out for the future too.

Thanks to all for your help.