Just wondering if I'm the only one that doesn't really like anything they have to offer & seems weird to me that Guitar Center pushes them so hard.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Your opinions on Line 6 gear...
- Thread starter zachoff
- Start date
Personally I find their gear cheap sounding. Owned a Bass Pod XT Live and after futzing with it a whole bunch, I sold it as it just wasn't cutting it for me. Life is too short for cheap gear.
I like their wirelesses. But low end digital always sounds like a low bitrate MP3 version of the sounds they're copping to me, though some of the more high end digital stuff out there like plugins for a real computer or Axe-FX are pretty cool. Still sounds like digital recordings of the sounds they're copping but at a much higher bitrate 
Their digital wireless is great. The Relay G30 and up stuff.
But, their customer service is non-functional.
My X3 pedal board seems good quality, well-made, etc.. But, I haven't really messed with it enough to comment on how good the sound quality is.
But, their customer service is non-functional.
My X3 pedal board seems good quality, well-made, etc.. But, I haven't really messed with it enough to comment on how good the sound quality is.
- Feb 9, 2012
- 349
- 11
- Disclosures
- Authorized Builder: fEARful bass, greenboy designs, Bill Fitzmaurice
I've had a TonePort UX1 for a long time and while it's adequate, I almost always record direct w/o the built-in effects/models. I don't like them one bit. That's pretty much the only extended experience I have with their stuff. I played with a guitar player for a while that had one of their spider amps and it didn't sound good at all.
Mixed feelings about their gear. Tends to excel in recording environments. I've used my pod xt both regular and bass with great results recording. I've had mixed feelings about the amps. Most haven not mix well with other cabs I've used. The combos deliver well for what they are... A good entry-mid level amp. Some models are better than others.
Personally, I am a big fan of the LD110. I use mine for many appearances where a new good tone, portability decent volume. The DI alone has made this an invaluable tool to me
Personally, I am a big fan of the LD110. I use mine for many appearances where a new good tone, portability decent volume. The DI alone has made this an invaluable tool to me
I have their M9 and love it. I use it for guitar but rarely for bass. No issues with it other than pilot error.
I use the Toneport UX-2 to fiddle around with my guitar at home, since I don't have any real guitar gear other than the guitar itself (my music budget is spent entirely on bass gear). It let's me play around with ideas using basic effects and recording methods. I know it's not the best sounding out there, but for what I need, it works well enough.
I owned a UX2 for a while and ended up selling it (though I used it plenty, worked great for mics). It couldnt handle the slightly hot DI from my head. Even with minimal settings on the head and the UX input on 0 it would still clip a lot. In general, I avoid digital and solid state stuff so I havent used much else but a lot of kid guitarists love the PODs which seem to continue improving.
Anything Guitar Center pushes hard... avoid! Their Used Gear stuff online is great though... prices are competitive and their shipping is a bargain ($30 to ship me a 100lb Mesa 4x10, $12 to ship me a 50lb package with a small head and 1x12 cab).
Anything Guitar Center pushes hard... avoid! Their Used Gear stuff online is great though... prices are competitive and their shipping is a bargain ($30 to ship me a 100lb Mesa 4x10, $12 to ship me a 50lb package with a small head and 1x12 cab).
I've used the bass pod XT pro in the studio many times and to great effect, I bought one a few months ago to use as the front end for a Crown XTi1000 and a barefaced Big Twin.
They are difficult to use because they are so versatile, the factory patches are crap generally and you really need to start from scratch for every tone. Add that to the fact that the controls change their functions every time you select a new model and you have a complex chunk of kit.
I love the ability to create a custom tone for every song, just like I'd do in studio production, and recall it from a foot switch. I'm getting very good results, but that is partly due to the ability of the Big Twin to project any sound I put through it with immense accuracy.
Wireless kit is great and the Variax guitars are proper ground breakers.
They are difficult to use because they are so versatile, the factory patches are crap generally and you really need to start from scratch for every tone. Add that to the fact that the controls change their functions every time you select a new model and you have a complex chunk of kit.
I love the ability to create a custom tone for every song, just like I'd do in studio production, and recall it from a foot switch. I'm getting very good results, but that is partly due to the ability of the Big Twin to project any sound I put through it with immense accuracy.
Wireless kit is great and the Variax guitars are proper ground breakers.
I don't like their stuff. Never used their wirelesses, but played through more than one of their tone-producing products (amps, Pods, etc.) that sounded REEEEALy bad. IME
--Silvie
--Silvie
This. Bass Pod XT is a wicked studio tool, especially for metal bass tones. I wouldn't have believed it had I not worked with my producer on the tones in the studio.
I'm honestly considering getting one to put in front of my GK1001 as a compressor/driver.
I've only experienced the Low Down Studio 110 combo amp, and thought it lacked any real character. Sounded like something trying to be something it wasn't. Some folks like that, I don't.
I started to dislike it solely for the direct association with the whole array of youtube (and some non-youtube) guitarists who can't dial in a decent tone to save their life.
In general, their HD series sound really, really good from what I heard. Just as with any other multifx unit, it requires time to find something that works.
Podfarm is one of my favorite software solutions for that aggressive bass tone though, and I'd love to have one of their wireless units.
In general, their HD series sound really, really good from what I heard. Just as with any other multifx unit, it requires time to find something that works.
Podfarm is one of my favorite software solutions for that aggressive bass tone though, and I'd love to have one of their wireless units.
Overall, I'm not really impressed. Except for the DL4, which is amazing and more than makes up for their other products. Its is a staple on pro guitarists pedal boards.
Perhaps GC has a better profit off of the L6 stuff?
About their gear:
G50 wireless? Replaced my outlawed Sennheiser G172. Line 6 is better-sounding.
BassPODXTLive? IF you've used the amps that are simulated, set the sims like you set the real thing. Works for me(almost 400 shows so far). Useful in a live setting. A lot of the factory settings are not so hot. It took about 6 months of tweaking a home and shows to get 3 banks of 4 presets full of GOOD sounds. About a week or 2 of tweaking constantly to get GOOD sounds in one bank of 4(to do one show and learn the in's and out's).
Spider guitar amps: nice if you're not a guitarist. I can sound like a metal-monster and get "Gee Uncle Johnny, when did you learn guitar too?" from visiting younger relatives.
Low Down amps: never got one as I had the BPXTLive, a SansApm RBI, a QSC 2402, and many cabinets to choose from. Overpriced IMO.
Variax Bass: Very useful tool for having multiple bass sounds including a recordable upright sim. Sold a 5'er to help with son's college $$$, replaced it this year with a 4 string. Cons: you have to make your own rechargeable battery pack and it does not accept a 1/4" angle jack(working on that issue now).
The Behringer(yep) bean-shaped POD has better sounds than the Line 6 IMO. Both suffer from fragile(pots and jacks directly mounted to circuit board and EASY to crack internal solder joints....been there, done that).
HD500: guitarist got one when they came out. He's a GIT grad and been "almost hired" by Line 6 due to his extensive use of their gear and their software. It went to the "shop" 3 times in the first 2 months(switches, software hanging, etc.). He finally told them to replace it and they did. The newer one he got back has not had issues yet BUT his experience with it made me NOT get an HD yet.
My 2 cents.
About their gear:
G50 wireless? Replaced my outlawed Sennheiser G172. Line 6 is better-sounding.
BassPODXTLive? IF you've used the amps that are simulated, set the sims like you set the real thing. Works for me(almost 400 shows so far). Useful in a live setting. A lot of the factory settings are not so hot. It took about 6 months of tweaking a home and shows to get 3 banks of 4 presets full of GOOD sounds. About a week or 2 of tweaking constantly to get GOOD sounds in one bank of 4(to do one show and learn the in's and out's).
Spider guitar amps: nice if you're not a guitarist. I can sound like a metal-monster and get "Gee Uncle Johnny, when did you learn guitar too?" from visiting younger relatives.
Low Down amps: never got one as I had the BPXTLive, a SansApm RBI, a QSC 2402, and many cabinets to choose from. Overpriced IMO.
Variax Bass: Very useful tool for having multiple bass sounds including a recordable upright sim. Sold a 5'er to help with son's college $$$, replaced it this year with a 4 string. Cons: you have to make your own rechargeable battery pack and it does not accept a 1/4" angle jack(working on that issue now).
The Behringer(yep) bean-shaped POD has better sounds than the Line 6 IMO. Both suffer from fragile(pots and jacks directly mounted to circuit board and EASY to crack internal solder joints....been there, done that).
HD500: guitarist got one when they came out. He's a GIT grad and been "almost hired" by Line 6 due to his extensive use of their gear and their software. It went to the "shop" 3 times in the first 2 months(switches, software hanging, etc.). He finally told them to replace it and they did. The newer one he got back has not had issues yet BUT his experience with it made me NOT get an HD yet.
My 2 cents.
