[James]

Why delayed? Well the actual NGD was last week, but since I don't have the net at my new place then, it had to be delayed.

Anyhoo, decided it was time to bag another Pod XT as it seemed to be the most cost effective way of getting some decent tones for now. Before any boutique tube snobs chime in please remember that I'd been using a no-brand 10w practice amp, plus I actually quite liked the tones I was getting out of my old Pod XT Pro.

I had thought about another Pro, but having seen the most recent completed listings on Ebay ending around the £180 mark, when I actually started bidding and got out bid to £215 on one and a frankly insane £315 on another I thought fuck it, do I really need the unprocessed out for my tuner that much? Short answer is no, so I bagged a regular XT for £115 :yesway: I also bagged an FBV Express for £42, which in hindsight was a mistake. Nothing wrong with the way it works at all, but the lack of "bank up" is a PITA as is not having your patch name or number on the pedal, so I've no idea where I am without looking at the Pod. So, after next payday I'll sell the Express and bag an FBV Shortboard.

Not that any of you don't know what a Pod looks like, but here's a pic anyway:

I've also put a deposit down on an RGA7, but I have to wait for another shipment to come into the country. Well, unless I want to pay another £75 for it that is, so I think I'll save my money and wait.

 

[James]

The worst bit is my mate the shop I'm getting it from handed me one of those new 7 string Soloists and plugged me into the new 1x12 6505 combo when I went to place the order. If I had £1500 to spend on a rig & guitar rather than ~£500 I'd have had those instead. The new Soloist is fucking fantastic and sounded crushing through the 6505, and to be honest the fit and finish of the Soloist really wasn't far off my old Death Warrior, which was a Jackson custom shop guitar.

 

[James]

I say bollocks to what everyone says you "need" to have to get great tones. Use what works for you. :agreed:

Well in an ideal world I'd have a 3ch Dual Rec, but since I'm skint this is a damn good substitute. My next thing to look into is affordable poweramps, preferably 6L6 and either true mono or dual monoblock since I only have a mono cab.

 

[James]

I've been using Spinal Puppet for years now and am satisfied. I wish they would update that model though. I never got the metal packs and I actually sold off my XT but am now using GuitarPort with PodFarm.

I have the model packs and I'm using a 5150 patch for rhythm and an Uberschall patch for leads. Ironically I like a Recto more than a 5150 in real life (not that I dislike the 5150, far from it), but I like the 5150 model more than the Recto on the Pod.

 

[James]

I've been really interested in the 6505 112, almost bought one instead of the Blackstar, but I was looking at atleast a 2 month wait, without even being able to play one local. If I can try one out, might be my next amp, failing the Blackstar S1.

Well have you ever played a 5150 or 6505? I had some reservations that it might sound different being made in China, but it sounds just like them. It rocks :metal:

 

[James]

Well valve power amps really make the Pod come alive. Early last year I still had a Mesa 2:100 and the Pod sounded immense run through a channel of that, with the other channel running into the dummy load of my Weber Mass Lite. I've since sold both of those though. I had a Peavey Classic 60/60 at the same time too, and it just wasn't as "alive" as the Mesa.

As my cab's also 90w and I also like KT88's, a VHT 2:90:2 would be perfect. However they're stupidly expense if you can find one.

 

[James]

Yes it does, however they only handle 30w each. The clue is in the name

 

[James]

Ok. Well my cab definitely has V30's, but it's also rated at 90W :scratch: Then again, as you'll see from the pic they're 5.3ohm oddballs, so maybe they're only 30w too :lol:

 

[James]

5.3ohm?!? You and your fucking 3-speaker cab. :lol:

Yep. Thank fuck I found somewhere to recone the split one, or I would've had to swap all the speakers out.