POD 2.0 distortion sound

> > > POD 2.0 distortion sound

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Member Since: Sep 22, 2003

I have a POD 2.0 and a computer with cakewalk guitar tracks pro. I use a gibson les paul and play mostly metal and alternative music, but i cant seem to get a good distortion sound out of my POD. The sounds i seem to get are too rough or fuzzy. It is not a connection problem i don't think i think its my setting. I am looking for a smooth yet heavy guitar sound similar maybe to Mettallica or other metal bands. If anyone has settings they would share it would be apprieciated.

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Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 15, 2004 12:43 pm

i'd be glad to give you my bank, but you'd need to download the patchwizard demo, because the bank will be saved in .pwf files. (www.patchwizard.com)

my bank's not great...the pod 2.0, i think, has a built-in problem with high-end frequencies. i've struggled with the problem you mention for a while now. but i think i have a few distortion sounds that are working out ok, especially with panning and doubling. let me know if you want the file. it would be good for me to hear if other people can use the sounds in some better songs than what i've been writing.

Member
Since: Sep 22, 2003

Mar 15, 2004 01:41 pm

That would be great if you could send me those distortion sounds. I just downloaded patchwizard so it should work.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 15, 2004 02:06 pm

alright...contact me at the email address listed in my profile and i'll send them to you.

do you live in the states? i will have those files ready to send by tonight, though i'm not sure at precisely what time.


Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002

Mar 15, 2004 02:08 pm

I gotta check out this patch wizard thingy...

Member
Since: Sep 22, 2003

Mar 15, 2004 04:46 pm

Myemail hasnt been working lately so i cant email you, but i hope i can get my email to work soon.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 15, 2004 04:55 pm

Ya, the 2.0 version changed from version 1.0. The first POD has great high end. But the get around with the 2.0 is to use certain amp/cab combinations. I got a list somewhere of how to fis the prob, I just need to dig it out. That is the main reason I never switched to 2.0 because it lost a bit of its high end control.

And part of it is also related to the pickups you use. I noticed when I tried a 2.0 version with my newer DiMarzio's I got a much better high end response.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 15, 2004 08:27 pm

noize, you have a LIST that deals with the solution? ohmygod can i please have that? are you serious.

rightside, as soon as you get your email working, just let me know.

db, i bought patchwizard and am immensely gratified. it was cheap--i think it was 30 bucks, and unlike sounddiver, it's easy to understand and kinda pretty to look at.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 15, 2004 09:19 pm

Ya forty, as soon as I get a minute to go dig it out of the magazine archives I will scan it and email you. If I could remember for sure the tweaks I would just post it here but alas I cant.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 15, 2004 11:20 pm

that would change my world.


Emerson's Transparent Eyeball
Member
Since: Jan 19, 2004

Mar 16, 2004 05:03 pm

Yeah I've noticed that a different cab sim on the same amp can make a big difference on the 2.0. It sometimes means the diference between fizzy and sweet.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 16, 2004 06:02 pm

That is one thing forty, have you tried one of the off axis 4 x 12 cabinets? And make sure the AIR is turned up to get the most out of the cabinet simulater.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 16, 2004 07:00 pm

whats off axis mean?

i always have my AIR on 100 percent


Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 16, 2004 08:47 pm

Good, the AIR is what gives the cabinets that healthy beefy sound.

Off Axis is just a referance to the mic position. It means it is not pointed straight in at the cone, it is slightly angled and has a bit differant tone then going straight ahead. I like that one for heavy distortion as it is a bit smoother.

The POD give you a couple of choices of cabinets with off axis or on axis.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 16, 2004 10:03 pm

the XT gives you mic placement options, but not the 2.0.

unless the mic placement is built into certain cabs. i never noticed that before. but if that were true, it would be in the instruction manual.

but thats sort of a sad workaround. all those great cabs and i can only use like the handful that are mic'ed off-axis? sheesh.



Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 17, 2004 07:59 pm

Not at all, it is just some of the cabinets work better with higher gain then the others. I use a blackface with the 10" with the Soldano with moderately high gain and get a real nice crunch. But it takes some experimenting to find the combination that will work best with the amp and tone combinations.

When I use that combo I usually have the bass to about 8 or 9, the mid is about 6 to 7, maybe a bit less depending on the sound you want, and the treble is around 8. The gain or driven is set at about 8 or 9 but can go full throttle with this set up and gets a real nasty crunch with my DiMarzio's.

You also need to take into acount the pick-ups you are using. Mine are very high gain with an allready slightly scooped mid so I can afford a little higher mid on the POD.

But to be honest, some of the sounds I have gotten didnt come over night. I went through a dozen differant pick-ups before I hit on the right ones that worked and got me the sound I wanted, and I also spent countless days messing about with the POD to get the tones were I wanted them.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 18, 2004 01:59 pm

i've been wanting to change my pickups for some time now. dimarzio's, eh? the ones you have sound pretty good for metal. and that soldano amp is amazing, though i've not yet succeeded in getting a soldano sound that works without excessive high end. i'll try the blackface with it. as for that list of workarounds or whaever that was, can i ask: did you find it online? i did some searching yesterday but didn't see it out there. what mag was it from? (if you remember)


Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 19, 2004 10:49 pm

Well, the article I have not found yet. It was in a now defunct computer music magazine. I have boxes of magazines so I have been paging through them a few at a time.

And here is the scoop on my pickups.

I tried the DiMarzio Tone Zone neck and bridge at first as the spec looked good on paper for what I wanted. Alas, it was just a tad shy. DiMarzio has, and I believe they still do this wonderful exchange policy printed right on their cases. So I callled the number and told them what I had and what I was looking for tone wise, and low and behold they exchanged the pickups with out question. I believe the exchange plicy is within thirty days, and you muxt have the dated receipt.


But anyway, what I ended up with in my guitar is this all DiMarzio line up.

Bridge: Evolution, F-spaced #DP159FPK

Neck: Evolution, #DP158PK

Middle: Fast Track 2, #DP182

The middle pickup is a single coil space Humbucker. The pickups are all wired with the full coil tap function using mini DPDT (on/on/on) type switches. And are mained through the stock Ibanez 5 way switch and one volume knob with no tone knob at all as I believe a tone knob on a guitar is useless anyway. The functions with the coil taps are as follows. Full series humbucking, Paralell noise canceling, and single coil. With this set up in what used to be a rather expensive Ibanez RG-570 that the only stock part remaining from the original guitar is the body and the 5 way switch can now get almost any tone I wish with the flip of a couple of switches.

And that is now why the guitar is effectionately called Frankenstien, and with all the guitars Ive owned it is the only one that has gotten played in over 3 years now.

If you use their pickups the wiring diagram is included for several differant mods, the one I use is the dual sound with single coil.

Good luck and let me know if ya need anything else. And I will keep looking for the article.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 19, 2004 11:33 pm

wow...

that is all pretty much beyond me right now. i am not learned in the field of pickups. part of me resists believing that pickups affect the tone at all. though i know logically that that's a retarded idea to hold, my ear for tone is not very practiced, and i guess i just never developed the ability to hear fine distinctions in tone.

anyway, yeah if it's a big chore to find the article, no worries. now that i know the cab model has something to do with the pod's high-end problem, i'll keep my ear out for it and try out some other cabs.

thanks mang


Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 20, 2004 01:01 am

Well, in all honesty you can probly find a guitar tech at the local music shop who would do the mod for ya for cheap.

What guitar are you using?

And yes indeed, the pickups have everything to do with tone, that and the guitar body itself.

But for sure try all the cabs and fiddle with the settings as you go, because each one is a bit differant sounding.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 20, 2004 12:54 pm

it's an old squier strat. i hope to buy a jagstang this year, though.


Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 20, 2004 02:38 pm

Then the Fast Track 2 is the pickup that will fit in their. You can end up with the same configuration I have with 3 pickups in that thing. And you will still have the ability to switch back to all singles with the coil tap funtion done on them.

I had an original Jag and Mustang back in the day. I loved the raw icky tone they had. But that was then and this is now. They were both the most hideous color though.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 20, 2004 06:23 pm

i need to play a jagstang again. i should be thinking more about tone and less about shape. i think kurt really designed a nice looking guitar with that hybrid.

but my sound requirements are still vague. sometimes i need metal, other times i need ragged and damaged, such as early radiohead or pixies.




Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 20, 2004 07:15 pm

Not to pressure you or anything, but with my beloved Frankenstien I can do all of the above and then some. Nice smooth jazz sound, cutting punk, twangy country, high gain metal, screeching distortion, and lots more.

Oh ya, and even a very nice clean tone as well, or several clean tones.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003

Mar 20, 2004 08:05 pm

nice. well then maybe i'll modify the jagstang.

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