Line 6 HD series - any good for bass?

[MrRatty]

Has anybody any experience of the Line 6 HD series of multi-effects using bass? I find it useful to blend in some less effected signal so the dual signal paths available in the HD500 look to overcome the limitations (for me) of the M9 / M13. Line 6 don't really mention much about bass for the HD series and so, if it isn't suitable, I'm not sure what they offer the bass player these days.

[GarethFlatlands]

My bandmate Stu uses one and I think Chris was looking at getting one too. Their names on here are Pliskin and Finbar respectively so might be worth sending them a PM with your questions. I know Stu doesn't log on that often so might not see this thread.

[aLxbass]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=BZ5AQq4-ApI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=BZ5AQq4-ApI

H[/url]e seems to be enjoying the m9

[Finbar]

I definitely like mine, but I do run a Sansamp BDDI in the FX loop as a fat clean sound, and blend it with the HD500's onboard distortions and stuff for some grind. There are clean sounds in the Pod (easiest is just using your direct bass sound, and an EQ block to taste), but that just worked well for me. You can switch from clean to dirty, to ambient noises so easily. Running that into a poweramp has honestly given some of my favourite bass tones I've ever used. The X3 looks like it would do almost exactly the same thing though, with more focus on bass players.

When people want something to be bass specific, I don't know what they're asking for. Usually seems to be bass amp models, but if you stop obsessing over having to model a bass amp, there are a lot of ways to get great bass sounds from units like this if you use your ears rather than just going straight for the Ampeg preset!

It isn't very plug and play though, you need to spend some quality time setting it up compared to the M9 I had, although the effects in it are exactly the same.

[nomis]

i know the bass player from thrice uses the m13 on the new album and it sounds great! dont know about the pod tho! sorry

Edited October 11, 2011 by nomis

[Fenderbassist24]

I had the HD400 and aside from the amp models(which arent that awesome with bass) it's basically a weird version of the m13 with an expression pedal attached (IMHO). I love my m13. What sorts of problems/limitations are you having with it?

[MrRatty]

Thanks everybody for your feedback

Finbar: I'm mainly interested in whether the effects have been tailored to guitar or if they still sound good with bass. My concern has been that the former may be the case since Line 6 make no mention of the HD series use with bass.

Fenderbassist24: The sounds I like best tend to have some dry signal mixed back into them which I don't think you can do with the m13 alone.

[Finbar]

The effects are for the most part exactly the same as the effects in the M9 or M13. If you're not using the amp models (which aren't best suited for bass - there are ways around it), then the dual path is perfect for blending clean and effected signals, if that's what you were wanting to do. There's enough stuff there to be able to individually control levels, EQ, high/low pass etc for both the clean and effected signals if you use it that way. Depending on how you set up your patches, you can also set the 'dry' signal up to sound different for every effect you use. Though I think the X3 would also do flexible signal routing, I haven't used it.

I'm assuming you'd be using this just for effects, rather than as a preamp?

[MrRatty]

Yes, only for effects. The m9 or m13 would do me if they had the dual signal routes but it sounds like the HD500 is a definite possibility. I just need to try one out with my ears Thanks again everybody.