Cranked Marshall Tones From a POD

[Gutsy SG]

To those who have tried the POD 2.0. Do you think the Marshall models on the POD 2.0 do justice to the vintage overdriven Marshall tone?

I have a Crate GT 212 amp which is solid state. Some guys I've played with ask me if it is a tube amp and say it sounds like one, however in my opinion it still doesn't sound as good as a vintage tube amp like a good Fender or Marshall though it sounds really good for a solid state. I guess I will have to breakdown and get the real deal eventually. Since I haven't been able to resale the Crate I guess I will have to keep it as a backup and add some processor or OD pedal in front of it to try and get a better tube type tone. I was wondering if maybe I get a POD 2.0 or some vintage sounding overdrive pedal to play through the Crate I could get a better tone. What overdrive pedal will do the best vintage tube amp sounds ? - possibly a Danelectro Daddy-O or an Ibanez TS-9 or something similar, though I'm sure nothing will really make this amp sound near as good as a real Marshall. I tried the Marshall transtube series and really didn't think it sounded close to an all tube Marshall.

To sum it up and get to the point, how can I get the most from my Crate GT212 in terms of making it sound similar or at least more like a vintage Marshall? I realize it may not be possible.
Any suggestions??

[clint_41]

Re: Cranked Marshall Tones From a POD

personally, i really like the marshall tones on my POD 2.0. they sound pretty sick, but ive never spent a lot of time with the real thing. a POD through ur crate should sound pretty good, not the best u could do but it should rock out. hope that helps.

[Panzer]

Re: Cranked Marshall Tones From a POD

The Pod does a really decent Marshall SS overdrive. Im not a card carrying member of the Tone-Snob club so a decent Marshall SS sound it all I need to be happy. I dont know about your crate, but My brothers old guitarist used a pod XT or something through a Line6 Flextone(I think) with an Ibanez 4x12 and it got into a similar ballpark as the other guitarists JCM800 and 1960A configuration. His tone was something like a DSL would be on high gain if it were SS. So I know getting a decent Marshall tone is possible, all it takes is some tweaking and maybe a little sound matching with some Marshall clips.

[Young Angus]

Re: Cranked Marshall Tones From a POD

If you're looking for good distortion to put in front of your amp then i think you should look at the line6 yellow distortion modeller stomp box. Its actually designed to go in front of an amp, while the pod is not. Ive got a pod 2.0 and its great for recording direct and putting it through an auxilliary input of an amp to get great low level tones, but if you want anything louder than that it starts sounding pretty average...i know ive tried it.

I used to put my pod through a fender performer 1000 which is a 100watt solid state single 12" combo, and direct into the aux it sounded alright because there was a decent amount of power from the amp and its speaker was powerful too, and i used it for jamming with a band and i could hear it okay and it was pretty loud...but it started sounding really harsh and when turned up loud you could really hear that it was only solid state...ie. not all that warm and rich sounding. Once again, the pod is not meant for this type of use although it can be done and many do so successfully, but often with tube poweramps and such.

The line6 modeller stompboxes however are made to be used as front end tone devices just like single boss pedals and the like, only that there are lots to choose from and they are all pretty good quality. Also being line6, it would be great for recording directly with too just like a pod.

So if you want to make your crate sound sh!t hot, i recommend trying one of either the yellow line6 distortion modelling DM4 stompbox, or even the red line6 amp modelling AM4 stompbox. I only just remembered they had the red amp one too which is why i didnt mention it before, but both would do a similar thing only one would be modelling actual amps, and the other distortion pedals.

Both units are fantastic, and i think would do exactly what you are asking better and easier than anything else around.

http://www.line6.com/products.html?category=4

[Gutsy SG]

Re: Cranked Marshall Tones From a POD

Thanks guys . I might check into the Line 6 AM 4 red box you mentoned Young Angus. It sounds like it might be better than a POD. I am more interested at getting better tone than I am recording.