Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

My apologies if this has been posted here somewhere before, but this is the first I've seen of it.

Bass Player magazine has a review of the Line 6 Variax Bass 700 in their new (March-2005) issue. It's basically a 4-string bass with built in computer magic that 'models' classic bass sounds.

It models 24 classic/different basses, in groups of 2, with a code name for the 2. It's VINJ setting models a '61 Fender Jazz and a '60 Fender Jazz with flatwounds, for example.

I got a kick out of their name for the Rickenbacker group - CLANG. Supposedly it models a '71 RIC 4001 and a '63 RIC 4001 with flatwounds.

It's an interesting read, but I don't have any interest in this product. I thought some of you fellow RIC afficionados might be interested in hearing of it, though.

Again, apologies if someone has already posted this somewhere.

I have not tried their bass ... I think I prefer to play a real ric bass ... but I love the bass pod ...

Jeff, what do you think of the Pod's version of the Marshall Super Bass with a Rick? If I were to pull the trigger on one (and I'm thinking Pro XT), I'd obviously want it for *all* the things it's capable of, but since I'm a Squire fan and this is a Rick site, I figured I'd ask those that know *exactly* the sound I'm after. What about live applications?

edit - 101 posts = senior member

I have a Bass Pod XT and my favorite mod is Studio Tone which is apparently an SWR 550. It is a wide open tone with lots of bite and bottom. If I play my '63 with a pick through this mod it sounds a whole lot like the tone CS used on Roundabout. I use a few other mods as well but that is my main tone. You will find that tweeking the tone controls is a good idea. The stock tones are not always best. The Pod lets you save your settings so you don't have to remember them.

Thanks for the info, Ted.

I use the 1st generation bass pod ... my favorite model is amp360 which is based on the Acoustic 360 ... I add distortion and compression ... the marshall amp models are good too ... I don't use the eden, swr, gk, and the other clean modern amp models ...

One thing to remember is that the pod is a modeler ... it simulates an amp ... it is not the same as playing through that amp ... but it is a good front end tone shaper and it has good distortion and good compression ...

The Acoustic 360 mod is quite accurate. I played through one for several years. I don't know how accurate any of the others are though.

Thanks also Jeff for the additional info. Yeah, I've read that it's no replacement for the real amps, but I'm not gonna be acquiring that stuff any time soon. If it does a good job of it, that'd be enough for me - it would be nice to have the options. As for Squire's "perfect" sound - if I had to answer quick, and had to use that sound in a live setting, I'd probably go with his Yessongs assault.

the amp models have certain accurate traits but it is NOT the same asplaying through that amp ... but for me I am just looking for a cool sound so the pod works as a tone shaper ... I can get "my" sound no matter what amp I plug into ...

I currently use a homemade "Band-In-A-Box" that has (among other things) a Bass PODxt Pro. If you currently have the first Bass POD the xt version will blow you away. No comparison. We tour with the BIAB and it is incredible. 4 piece band in 3 racks and PA speakers. The main rack holds an A&H Mixwizard3, power conditioner, XLR Patchbay (for drum mics), dbx Driverack PA, 2 Shure In-Ear monitor transmitters, 2 Line 6 POD Pros, a Line 6 Bass PODxt Pro, 3 Sennheiser wireless mic receivers, A Carvin 1000 watt amp and storage for 2 side tables that attach to the rack. We can be set and ready to rock in less than 20 minutes (including lights). Here is an old pic with my Bass Pod Pro (that is up on eBay as we speak).

I use the bass pod as a front end tone shaper into an ampeg b2r and then I mike a 10" speaker with an sm57 ... I refuse to use a direct out anything ... I tell soundmen that the xlr out on the back of my amp doesn't work ...

Once I started using in-ear monitors I realized how harsh direct out sounds ... so in my band everybody has an amp and the amp is miked into a big pa ... and for guitars there is no substitute for tubes ... the guitar pod has no tubes ...

Our PA:

Allen Heath PA12-CP



with #4 of these:

Electrovoice EV SX100+



I don't DI anything, either. Everybody else does.

Here is our PA which we mike everything into ...

http://www.m2midnight.com/Main_sound_system_frame.htm

I hear ya....We used to travel with a full Peavey HDH system (4 dual 18s, 4 mid/hi cabs, 8 wedge monitors plus our amps....we just go way to old for that.....Actually that A.I.R. system in the PODs are great and much much cleaner than our old set up. Our stage volume is down, we have more room and we are much tighter than we were in the old days. The PODs sound much better (louder, cleaner) than most mic'ed bands I've ever heard. I only record guitars with Amp Farm now. The Bass PODxt has some pretty cool string synth effects too. Compared to the old days with my SVT, I love the Bass POD. It's "Rock Classic" (SVT emulation) is great. I don't consider a POD a typical DI device, since it includes emulation and the sound is not harsh at all. The guitarists in my band love the quality of the sound they get, so do our fans.