Line 6 Bass Pod

I had to figure out how to hook it up for live performance, but once I got it dialed in it works well.

Great sound, clean and crystal clear. I use this with a QSC amp, 600 watts bridged and a Bag End 15"bottom. Lots of headroom and no distortion at higher volume. It will shake the walls.

So far, no problems

Haven't had to deal with them

I have always had problems with the bass being too loud. The amp where I play is a Hartke with a 15. In order to get any tone out of that you have to push it. At low volumes it just doesn't do it. With the pod I can get all the tone I want and not have to be to loud.

Real easy to use. Intuitive. It's one of the easiest pieces of equipment to use that I own. Like everyhting else, the more time you spend with it and its manual, the easier it gets and the more obvious the controls become. Still, you can be up and running out-of-the-box with good sounds in no time using the quick quick startup pages.

I've used this live and in studio. But as with the Pod Pro for guitar (which I also have), I use this primarily as a recording tool. You can get good results live, and it has a built-in direct box and mic level out for input into a mixer/sound board/stage mic snake, etc., but if you want the true thunder and punch of a large Ampeg SVT on stage, then get an Ampeg SVT. This is an adequate substitute for the modeled amps, and it is very versatile, so if you're playing a lot of different types/styles of music and venues, and especially if you are recording, then this is a must have product. For live play, if you have one particular style and use few settings outside of your effects, I'd recommend buying your favorite amp and cabinet instead, because as with the guitar Pod Pro, the sounds of the amps modeled are not a perfect clone of the original and always seem to lack the real power and punch of the originals. In short, it's a very good simulator, but the simulations can never be the real thing. It's not going to sound "just like" a Mesa stack live -- but it will on a recording. Recording is a different story altogether. If you are a studio musician or home recordist, this is a must have for laying down bass tracks (and drum tracks--I've used it with great success in improving the sound of a Roland Dr770's (drum machine) bass drums; and, by-the way, the Pod Pro for guitar can help the snare some. What I like is the fact that what you hear on the monitors during recording is exactly what comes out as the recorded sound. Sounds simple enough, but as everyone knows, getting that to happen with live mics is no easy chore. With this unit, the mics are eliminated. To sum it up, the the Bass Pod Pro, like the guitar Pod Pro, sounds incredible recorded. Hearing it over your monitor speakers and home stereo system speakers is amazing. But also like the guitar Pod Pro, the Bass Pod Pro can be disappointing heard live in a bass rig setup. The modeled amps simply don't have the true power and punch of the originals.

It hasn't broken down yet. I'd use any amp without a "backup" because the backup of last resort is always a direct in from my effects to PA board.

Haven't needed it yet.

I play a variety of styles, but I guess for want of a better category, you could call it hard edged pop/rock. I've been playing a very long time. I own too much gear. Ask my wife... I use this almost exclusively for studio. For live I use a Boss floor effects through an Ampeg B-25 with Peavey bass enclosure (w/1-18" and 2-10" speakers). I'd definitely get another one if lost or stolen. I also use it (in a limted way) to process bass drums.

Some of the factory patches are pretty good. I found it extremely easy to tweak sounds and get exactly what I was going after. The dials are all clearly labeled and everything behaved as I expected. I've hardly looked at the manual but what from what I did see, I'd say the manual is well written.

These are the sounds I've been looking for. I've been able to dial in any sound I've tried for so far. So far I've only used it plugged into a board and with headphones so I can't say what it sounds like for live use. The amp and cabinet simulations are very cool -- they come pretty darn close and at a mere fraction of the cost.

I haven't had it long enough to say. It seems to be built very sturdy. Seems like it would stand up pretty well.

Never had to talk with support so I can't say.

I play a lot of different styles of music and am pleased that the Bass Pod is at home in any of them. This is definitely a versatile and fun piece of gear. I keep finding new sounds -- very good value.

I use an Ibanez Rb600- Two custom built bases with Emg's (one frettless)and a fender P bass. I have found every sound I have looked for so far. The distorion options are great - but I am learning to tame them to my liking. The thing is quiet.

After just 5 days i sold my SVTIII cause I copped that sound tight enough plus! Lotsa soup here- loaded with chunk funk and spunk. Make sure you use the cabinet options. I use it live through an old crown DC300a (bridged mono) into an Acme Low B-2. I use the 18: cab setting and a brit amp to get a full range sound with a really hot low end.

I feel secure about it -it is very well built.

Allways good - I have a guitar pod as well and a floor board - which I highly recommend.

Been playing bass since I was 14 and I am now 46.

I was about to get rid of it, to be honest but then I read some reviews...
The trick is to run the Bass POD at the highest volume (Output Level) as possible.
It did at first sound "dull, dark, and muddy" to me just like some people complain it does to them as if I had wax in my ears... but that was then...
I run it to a MosValve amp before going to a Mackie mixer and the sounds coming out are amazing - clean and punchy!

Looks strong

I tried to get acceptable sounds out of this thing. I went through every switchable option on the thing, called Line 6, went back to the store to listen to other units, and even bought a real bass amp and used the POD as a front end and insert without any satisfaction. My issue was the sounds were dull, dark, and distorted. The system I ran it through was not lacking in response so I am positive it is the unit
itself that is to blame.

In summary, don't waste your money. This unit has the same form factor as the popular Guitar Pod, which I also own and am very happy with. The Bass POD has one input and two outs (direct, modeled). There are a lot of controls and switchable redirect of these controls. You can manually select an amp model from many and an effect from many or, just go with some factory presets which you can reprogram to your liking.

I never had a problem with the unit working. In fact the other Line 6 products I own have never gone down. If they do scramble, you can easily reset them with a two button reset.

Customer support was standing behind the product or else why would you release it. They were limited in what could be done.

I had the unit for 9 months. I bought it based on my satisfaction with the Guitar Pod. Well I learned and expensive lesson and hope that this will benefit anyone else who reads this review.

Take yourself 15 Minutes to read the excellent manual, 15 Minutes with the POD in a quiet room and thats it. Everyone can use this (quick and dirty) interface. If you want more control, hook it up to a PC.

Very good quality. I tried it in studio situations first, directly into the mixer. Very good. You get a good sound very quickly. No more miking problems...good. After some days I took it to a live situation and it worked fine. Played it into the effect return of my trace elliot stack with 2x10+HF and 1x15 trace cabinets, speaker simulation of. Very fine...I only need one sound per song, so I have no need for any switching device. As for the sound...COOL...don't think, it can make your 300$ rig sound like a 5000$ Ampeg Stack...heh...nono, this baby gives you so many different sounds. I don't care if it should sound like an ampeg and it does not, as long as it sounds good to me.
Be sure to crank up the "Output Level" as high as possible, to get all the punch from that beast...it's got lots of it.

Ah one thing...use good cables, like klotz. It's worth the extra cash.

Very hard case and stable knobs, no problems should occur with that. As far as I have used it....no problems.

No need for support so far. Good website.
Visit www.podforum.com for help.

I am playing for 13 years now and have always sticked to my good ol' trace gear. This is a very good addition, givin' the versitality that the clean trace sound lacks. I am playing modern/alternative rock in one and punk rock in another band, and this little beast served me well in any of the two. Also tried it a at funky style session and it worked too.

This Baby rock for my, PERIOD!

I own both the POD Pro and Bass POD Pro.
The Bass POD Pro is easier to use than the POD Pro because
the you do not need to press *and hold* a button while
simultaneously twisting other knobs to change many of the
the alternative functions on the front panel.
As a possible improvement to the design, I would prefer the
'Studio/Live' switch (which determines the functionality of the
rear panel IO) to be placed on the front panel, not the rear.
I switch between direct line SPDIF recording and live mode
often without placing or replacing cables, but I need to
reach around my rack space and fell with my fingers for the switch.

The Bass POD Pro is a must have for digital direct line
recording. The deep bass punch and consistent compression
are very good. I am disappointed in the noise gate.
When using the POD Pro, you can DEFINITLY hear how well the
noise gate is ...this is not true with the Bass POD Pro.
When using the Pig Foot or Rodent (overdrive effects),
there is an excessive amount of background noise that the
noise gate *should* get rid of.

I just let it sit in a rack...

There hasn't been a need for contact

I'm a guitarist who uses the Bass POD Pro for home recording
as the primary function. I don't go hauling it around with
me for playing gigs, so I can't rate it in that regard, but
for my purposes, it is unbeatable. I'd recommend it
for any band with a digital home recording system.

this is an update to a previous review. I bought the Bass POD last year, after lusting for it for a good while. My conclusion is that it makes a very efficient and effective recording tool. But for live use, it is very limited. I tried using this with a high volume prog-rock trio, and was sorely disappointed (it was a like a bad dream! I had just burnt all this money on it and the pedalboard, and then it fell so short of my expectations). It worked pretty well for simpler settings, when I wasnt really all that concerned with tone or much else. But mostly I found it to be lacking in dynamics and punch. (I ran it into a 300 watt solid state Fender bass amp.) I much prefer my analog rig (Rickenbacker 4003 -> Sansamp Bass Driver -> Fulltone BassDrive II -> MXR Phase 90 -> Marshall Vibratrem -> Fender BXR 300C amp) to the Bass POD for most live use. The Bass POD makes you feel like you are hearing a tape of yourself, theres not this dynamic analog interaction. Very disappointing. But for recording, its EXCELLENT! It works great for getting just about any sort of bass tone you need or want. Its very versatile, and it is so much better sounding than going straight to the board, and so much easier than mic'ing an amp (and often it sounds better than that too). So take my advice if theres anybody out there like me who has been bitten by the Bass POD bug. If you only want it for recording, and practice at home, go for it. Its an excellent tool and a fun toy. But for live use, pass it by. Seriously. I've tried and I can not get it to match my analog rig. BTW the bass Sansamp is unparalleled in my experience, I would heartily recommend it, for BOTH live and studio uses. Not as many bells and whistles, but it warms up a signal so well.

This is my kind of easy.. it has 10 great big knobs on the front that do exactly what you think they`d do. Perfect. The Soundiver software that comes with the unit is great too, it allows easy alteration of all the sounds from your PC via midi.

I bought the Bass Pod because I've never managed to get a decent bass sound on my home demos, problem solved. I use a '79 Precision and coupled with the Bass Pod I now get "that" sound, you know the "classic" fender growly thump that I`ve been lusting after for years, I love it. I don`t do gigs any more, but even if I did I don`t think I`d use the Pod live, after all, it`s an amp & cab simulator, live I'd have an amp & cab, the Pod is here to let me record and it does this brilliantly.

Built like a tank, I can`t see it breaking anytime soon..

Line 6 have one of the best instrument manufacturer websites, any questions I had were answered there.

Until now I`ve been unimpressed by any "modelling" software, they all claimed to have solved amp simulation & effects generation but they all sounded like bees trapped in a tin can, the Bass Pod however really does get it right, sure it has its share of useless sounds (The bass synth sound.. ugh..) but overall it's quite remarkable, if you do a lot of recording DI'd straight into the desk I recommend you go get one of these right now... It's a life saver. :)