Didn't fancy the Pod HD500 because of its complexity. Feedback elsewhere suggested there's so much in it I'd spend my life tweaking rather than playing.
So, I picked up a pre-owned Vox Tonelab LE. Playing it through the FX loop return of my Laney Cub 12R and it is just stonking. It may not meet the very demanding standards of some of you guys, and it may technically not have modeling akin to the HD500/Axe FX gear, but it does everything I want and sounds really, really good. Very tube-like, warm, vibrant, and very touch responsive - I'm delighted with it :)- & for £100 plus a tenner petrol for the guy to deliver it to me, its not a lot of notes.
Rich ;)
I settled on a Digitech Digital Reverb stomp, and several tube distortion devices. I don't need no stinkin modelers. I still have my Tonelab tabletop for recording which I rarely ever do anymore, but that is my last modeler, unless I renew my interest in recording which seems unlikely.
Hi DBM - glad you found what works for you. I really like the TLLE because its very tube-like, easy to tweak and sounds great - brilliant with my Laney Cub, for just going through the PA or as a portable back-up rig....
If it sounds good, it is good !!
Hmmm - seems I've read that somewhere.... ;D
Yeah I would get a Pod HD or something similar if I was still into recording. My project list for recording is very short or non existent these days. My Tonelab Table Top is pretty lousy sounding for anything but cleans, I have to put a distortion stomp in front of it for overdrives, plus it is as noisy as all get out. I also still have my Digitech GNX2 out in my shed but it has not been used in years, it is better sounding than the Tonelab by far for my taste in tones, and far more comprehensive and tweak-able.
I considered a Pod HD and I am not afraid to tweak the thing, I am familiar with how it is used because I did have a Pod XT. All I need is a few sounds really, a nice clean or two and several nice overdrives, all dry of effects. I think I may have had maybe 10 patches on the XT for recording at most and I mostly used only a few of those. I have about 16 patches on the GNX2 all effected and then redone as dry of effects for recording, but again I only used a few patches.
A simple SM57 aimed at one of my EVM12L's with the Epiphone Valve Jr Head and my tube stomp in front of it works great. I mike it up through about 3 compressors, and a limiter, and a hardware de-esser, and I get fantastic tones from that for recording. For live use I use the same amp/speaker with a Digitech Digital Reverb stomp and two tube distortion devices and a Boss Blues Driver which I use ever so slightly. I do also use the Blues Driver for a boost pedal with my strat clone. But I dial it back for the other guitars.
But you are right "If it sounds good it is good". I got that from my Beverly Hills producer friend a long time ago when we were both starting out as musicians in the late 1960's. I been using that phrase ever since.....