Subject
Love this Thing!
By: Brian from Minnesota
Submitted: 5/2/2013
Subject
The tone master
By: James Davis from Phoenix, Arizona
Submitted: 3/24/2013
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
It appears that Line 6 has really made an outstanding product! It is very solid and seems like it will take the rigors of live situations easily.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
I haven't had it long enough to judge but this pedal is very well put together. No plastic pieces on this equipment.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
The tones I have been able to coax out of this jewel is all but magical. Forget the presets and get inside to tweek to your delight. The spot on sounds are simply amazing and I am not the most savoy of programing digital products. This unit reacts like what it is modeling. Great amps and the effects are also wonderful, very full sounding. Just a delight to play with.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
It sounds like the real deal. I mean for real. Close your eyes and you will be hard pressed to pick out the modeled sound. I have had a lot of equipment in my years and this machine is simply magical.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Every thing you expect it to be and better. Can not say enough. It needs to be heard to believe! Go pass the presets and bring out your sound because it is in here.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Really looks tame considering what it can do. Very user friendly after you acclimate yourself with the controls.
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Some of the presets are ok but I just started tweeking with knobs and switches. Took a couple of hours and I was making killer sounds I had only previously heard in my head. It is that cool.
Subject
Excellent Product, Great Sound
By: Carlos Núñez from San Juan, PR, USA
Submitted: 2/28/2013
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Great constructino, very strong feel
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
I've only had it for a couple of weeks so I could not have a proper impression. We'll see but for now I'm pretty happy with it.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
It is an awesome product. It can take some time to understand editing but the computer software makes this almost intuitive.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
It has a very real feeling on the tones and the simulators.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Great tone, lots of choices.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Looks great and tough
Subject
Everything you need and more!
By: D. Martens from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Submitted: 1/29/2013
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Looks like it will stand up to some serious gigging.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
I've only owned it for a few weeks.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
This unit is extremely flexible with a lot of amp and effects to choose from. The computer based edit software makes auditioning and creating sounds a breeze.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Quality sound!
Subject
Tone is unbeatable
By: Kyle Wisdom from Burien, WA, USA
Submitted: 11/10/2012
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Yes, this is immaculate. I got a b-stock item, I expected it to have some sort of scratch or dent or something, but it was a factory sealed box and the LCD screen still had the protective covering on it, so it must have been refurbished, so for $100 off, it was TOTALLY worth it. This is great and sturdy.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
I've only had it for a few days but I have no worries about any problems, it is built like a tank.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
I love it. I was hesitant of Line 6 multi-effects pedals in the past because, to be honest, they just look a lot more confusing than the Boss pedals (I used to own a GT-10, then an ME-70, now the HD500) and after learning the layout of the system with the GREAT software, I was creating amazing sounding tones in minutes. I almost want to use just the amps because the various tones are so amazing, but I have used some choruses, delays, and my favorite effect so far is the Script Phase.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
I like it, I bump the 'tap' button every now and then when I'm using the expression pedal (I primarily use this for volume control) but that's just when I'm sitting at my desk at a funny angle.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Excellent. These amp models live up to Line 6's word on the Pod HD series. I love the Twin Reverb, the Twin Reverb Vib (might be my favorite) and the AC30 but the Treadplate (great metal) sound is also amazing but isn't useful in my situation (worship pastor).
I haven't gone too deep into the distortions/overdrives. I'm still learning the delays but I'm very impressed.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Beautiful.
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Its a pedal. The expression pedal comes with an alan wrench to adjust how loose or tight it is. And you can calibrate it so its completely accurate
Subject
Pure inspiration
By: Paul from WV
Submitted: 11/9/2012
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Made well. metal casing, good switches. Should last.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
So far so good. havent had it long enough to say.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
Really nice. the amp sims are so good, really.. and you can tweak to your liking in so many ways.. easy to spend an hour or five "tweaking" just because you can. Then the effects - and the way you can set everything in the path the way you like it, and all the available parameters for each... just endless. It's like having an infinite amount of effects and an infinite amount of cables. well, up to the allowed number (8 at a time)... but really infinite possibilites. You can even assign two or more effects to a single pedal, assign many things ot the expression pedal.. and the looper? Great fun!
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Responsive. Feels and breathes like a tube amp - roll back the volume and it responds accordingly. push the top end and add compression and it swells like a tube amp. Nothing fizzy about the sound either - all very organic sounding. But.. the presets are "okay" - I'd take your favorite preset, and tweak it to YOUR liking... that is my one recommendation.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
all of the above, when and how you want it to be so.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
looks good.
Subject
Great sounding unit
By: Mike from Snowflake, Az, USA
Submitted: 8/31/2012
Action
How was the action out of the box?
N/A
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Just got it yesterday but it appears very sturdy. Time will tell how the footswitches hold up. The rest of the unit is built like a tank though.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Time will tell. I don't see any issues with the construction.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
This thing has some pretty amazing tones and once you plug it in to your computer it is incredibly easy to creat custom tones for what ever you play.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Controls on most of these things are clunky and a pain to learn and program. You truly unleash this unit's potential when you download the editor/librarian program and plug it into your USB port on your computer.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Sounds are so amazingly close to the real amps. I was very impressed with both the Marshall Plexi and JCM800 models.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Black
Subject
Problem with power connection!
By: Pat of SouPatchMonkey from Bensenville, IL
Submitted: 8/15/2012
Action
How was the action out of the box?
all the preset sounds are very interesting.
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
played thru it and love the versatility but the power jack keeps coming in and out poor connection. only used it about 10-15 times. I am an electrician and when you don't have power to your rig you have nothing!
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
not good Power jack connectivity is loose. I have had it a year and it has been used maybe 15 times
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
i want it back from the repair shop to see if I can really bring it out live.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
n/a
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
tones are there everything you need once you dial it in.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
cool.
Subject
POD HD 500
By: Jason S from Imler,PA,USA
Submitted: 5/8/2012
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
I have had no issues in the past and I can forsee on issues with this unit. It is built like a tank.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Once again no issues before, can't see any in the future. I have played 2 shows with it so far.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
I have been a long time user of Line6 equipment. This is the best unit I have had so far.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
NA
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
I love the tone of all the amp models.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
NA
Action
How was the action out of the box?
NA
Subject
great sounds live and studio
By: big daddy from cape cod
Submitted: 2/25/2012
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
great quality for the price
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
very versitile and gives you room to characterize and customize your own sound
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
ggreat tones right out of the box
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
great look and built to last
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Subject
The tradition continues.....................
By: Joey from Mishicot, Wi USA, i_samsyn@hotmail.com
Submitted: 1/26/2012
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Hevy duty casing will keep this unit rocking for years
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Only had it a month, but i predict a long life and fun
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
From the first of companies to set the stage for amp modeling, The tradition continues with the flagship of line 6. I still own the Axsys 212 and being able to utilize my favorite tones to the introduced tones of the pod, i was blown away.No doubt, this item will carry the line to the next level.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Very nice paint job and easy lettering
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Easy set up- pretty much plug and play, depending on experience and how it is used.
Subject
Very Happy
By: Neil M from Chester, VA, USA
Submitted: 12/11/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Being made of metal, I do not doubt its ability to be dependable. 4 stars because there is no off switch. But I just run it to a surge protector and use that as my switch.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Only owned about a month. So far, so good!
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
Really well built. Although somewhat intuitive, it will take some time to learn to set up your patches.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Feels sturdy.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Finish looks fine.
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Subject
Awesome tone
By: Mitchell Willis from Gainesville, Ga.
Submitted: 10/24/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Owned this unit about 6 months now, no issues yet.
I still own a AX212 that is 12 years old, and it still works, it looks rough from road use, but of all the amps in my arsenal its the one I still go to for a gig.....
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Well time will tell, so far so good.....
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
I have owned the HD500 for about 6 months now, it is a part of my live sound rig, the sounds I am able to create with it are awesome..
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
N/A
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Very good....
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Very nice.....
Action
How was the action out of the box?
N/A
Subject
awsome pedal
By: dnorris from iowa, anonmyous56553
Submitted: 8/5/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Very good quality metal and very solid. I owned a spider iv 150 combo prior to this and I really missed the line6 effects and looper so I bought this to incorporate with my Bugera 1960. It was a very good choice and I'm happy.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
I take care of my stuff so it should last awhile.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
Overall it has a steap learning curve. But worth the extra effort. Total switching system in one package. You can assign any effect to any switch.the amp sounds take awhile to dial in. You may need to mix some of the onboard amps and onboard pedals to get the right blend of gain to get your sound. The great thing is you can use multiple delays or multiple delays at the same time. It is so much more versitile than any other pedal on the market. Save and get the 500 for the extra flexability it has to offer.the only thing its missing is a on off switch.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Can't tell much different between the feel compared to my spider iv. But sounds great regardless. I love tube amps and solid-state amps and pedals. A good tone is a good tone.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Any tone you want.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Looks great.very impressive will defenatly make others jealous when they see it and hear it.
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Great presets out of the box.
Subject
Great modeling and effects
By: Joe from Albemarle, NC
Submitted: 7/26/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Appears to be well built. Have had no issues.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
So far so good. Had only 1 month, but no issues.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
Works very well. Finding the right tone is possible. Very convenient.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Very good. Buttons and switches operate as expected.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Easy to make your own tone.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
N/A
Action
How was the action out of the box?
N/A
Subject
better than advertised
By: Glenn from Los Osos, California
Submitted: 5/18/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
To all appearances it is made well and will hold up - only had it a short time - took it to a couple auditions and it stood up great with no problems
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Only had it a month- but it appears very solid.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
It will create any tone accurately you are trying to achieve - but you must be patient and tweak fairly relentlessly
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
foot switch operation laid out well - easy access
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
n/a
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
pro
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Takes some reading, learning, and patience - right out of the box, it's not altogether intuitive, but with a little study the learning curve decreases. Be prepared to spend some time to working with it to be the great tool it is
Subject
The HD500 IS AMAZING!
By: Bob Foster from Austin, Texas
Submitted: 5/11/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Excellent.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Only owned a few months, but it is built like bunker.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
I own the litany of Pods - and this one "Feels" like you
are playing the actual original amp and effect box. Was a little concerned about editing - but after I did one amp - it's a breeze.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Controls are intuitive after a few minutes of reading and turning knobs.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
EXCELLENT! Finally.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Metal metal metal.
Action
How was the action out of the box?
"No" action action - but it was ready to play, easy to set up.
Subject
Frickin' Awesome!
By: Shawn from Virginia, USA
Submitted: 4/3/2011
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
The unit is made of metal. I can see it standing quite a bit of abuse. No worries.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
It is very easy to customize your tone and the amp modeling is very accurate.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
It feels like metal (it is). It is a little heavy though still portable. Switching between the patches is very quick with no noticeable delay. All controls are very easy to get to quicky.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
It sounds great. You can really get any tone that you want out of this baby.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Black metal. No scratches. New condition.
Action
How was the action out of the box?
The switches are a little noisy physically, no clicking can be heard through the sound outs though. The expression pedal action is smooth.
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Built like a tank. I would gig it without a back up.
Subject
A Holy Crap Moment!
By: johnatuna from Atlanta, GA, anonmyous56563
Submitted: 3/12/2011
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
This thing is built like a tank! All metal...no crappy plastic! This will last the years!
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Very Reliable. I love it! I use it every time I play my guitar.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
This thing freaking ROCKS!!!!!
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
There is every tone and sound you will ever need in this thing!
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Action
How was the action out of the box?
This was perfect from the start! I will never need another sound effect pedal again!
Subject
Nice Upgrade
By: Jim from Marion, Illinois, USA
Submitted: 2/27/2011
How was the action out of the box?
n/a
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
It seems to be built like a tank, which is an advantage over the plastic cheap feel of the X3.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
N/A - only had it two weeks.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
I upgraded from the Pod X3L, and it has some advantages, and some disadvantages. To my ears, it doesn't sound that much better than the X3, wiht much less in the way of amps and cabs. Another thing I have noticed off the bat is how easily it runs out of DSP power. I am using this with a Chapman Stick, and need two separate paths. It doesn't take much to get the "DSP Limit Reached" warning. With that said, I like the unit, but don't know if it was a worthy upgrade from the X3 Live.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
n/a
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Very flexible to get the tone you want.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
n/a
Subject
Nice piece
By: GO56 from Shelburne, VT, USA
Submitted: 2/23/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Seems quite sturdy. No problems so far.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Only had it a little over a month...so far so good.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
Well thought out processor which gets even better when connected to your computer
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
n/a
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
n/a
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Quite nice looking
Action
How was the action out of the box?
n/a
Subject
Much Better!
By: Brian from Placerville, Ca, USA
Submitted: 2/23/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Unknown at this time
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
I was hesitant to order another Line 6 product. I sold my bogner spider value because it was too harsh sounding. Then my X3L died on me (thank you AMS for the extended warranty!) So far I am very happy with the HD500. Let's hope it's reliable
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
The tones of the various amp models are great. I use a mesa boogie mark v head, but I can use my effects loop and get vox, marshall and fender tones as well! awesome stuff
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
The metal is a nice addition. A stomp box should not be made of plastic!
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Subject
A true guitar Synthesizer
By: Cliff from Michigan, extremophileX@yahoo.com
Submitted: 2/3/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
The weight and finish, how the switches work in harmony, give it a feel of quality
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Not a sign of wear or tear.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
It's basically a guitar version of the keyboard synthesizer for your guitar
Takes a few minutes to get the hang of it.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Feels like It has quality weight and substance to it, switches feel like they work and it functions.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Luv the the hard surface metal black and silver shine look with all the switches.
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Perfect
Subject
nice
By: josh martinelli from springfield MA USA
Submitted: 1/31/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
great
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
great
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
best ever
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
great
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
great
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
great
Action
How was the action out of the box?
great
Subject
What happend to the Heavy Sounds?
By: Justin from Lubbock, TX, USA, handley8250@yahoo.com
Submitted: 1/20/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
It seems to be road worthy. I'm not quite sure yet, but I've used it live on several occasions and haven't had it crash on me yet. As I said, it seems to have a very rugged casing, and hopefully the innerds can stand up to the road.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
I've not had any problems with it. The only thing I hate is that it doesn't have an on off switch. you have to just unplug it or plug it in. I guess they couldn't fit it. The housing is metal again rather than plastic like the X3 Live though, which is nice. It seems they took the best parts of the XT Life and the X3 Live as far as hardware.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
I really enjoy line 6. I've had the POD XT Live, X3 Live and now this. They went from 100 amp models to 16. Which is great. The clean tones are amazing. But I'm disappointed with the heavier amplifiers. They are all Muddy sounding in their default settings even in Direct Out Mode..That's why I lowered the sound and tone qualities.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
The Amp Models really seem to respond well. I'm not a tube fanatic, but I really like the response of this system. The amplifiers on the clean tones are really great. No complaints there. I'm plugging into a Power Engine 60 going through Studio Direct mode. The Heavy Metal Amps come through muddy and almost static-y. It's weird. All of the others sound great though. The Class As, and the Boutiques are really nice too.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Tone is a variable that everyone seems to have an opinion about. This thing gets me what I need for the most part. there's more I wish it would do, but it's far from being a waist of money. I think that there's room for improvement, but its a great product from what I've seen at this point.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
No blemishes on the casing, and I like the new style for the pedal. The only thing that I don't like as well is that it seems they made the button for the Wah pedal activation a little small, if you're leaning to the side, you don't always hit it properly.
Action
How was the action out of the box?
It's true...this processor is not for the "get a quick tone and get out of programming" type. There is a lot of detail in this....but, that means that there's also a lot of possibility with this. I wanted more control over my individual tones, and I got it. This is literally like having every pedal Line 6 has made, and having the ability to route them anywhere or any how you want. Period. Just takes time to get it there.
Subject
sweet sounds, sucks to program
By: from 222
Submitted: 1/19/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
ive always had a love/hate relationship with modeling and after the inital run of flextone and vetas, i have always though line 6 was cheezy and cheap. the hd500 is the exception to this. the unit is very well built, sounds really good for a modeler, is great in the studio, and has a lot of versatility.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Subject
Would of been 5-stars BUT...
By: Studiorat from Holland
Submitted: 1/13/2011
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
made of Flowbee or pehaps tinkerbell dust!!!
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
made of Flowbee or pehaps tinkerbell dust!!!
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
My Hd500 arrived with the first multi-function knob slightly bent to the left...I figured,
no big deal, nothings perfect, and the unit sounds amazing! Once the screens started crashing and freezing and the knob started to turn
tighter and get a lil crunchy I returned the unit back to the store I work at....9 Days waiting now... I know its all about the $$ for just
about every Co.
There are some Co.s that are about the customer i.e Tech21... I had a problem with a new purchase and they sent a new unit
THE NEXT DAY b4 even recieving the defective one back!!!
Im curious about the Axe-FX unit instead of the POD HD500. Cost about 3 times as much as the HD500...
but hey, You usually get what you pay for...Or do you?
My b**ch is WHERE IS THE HD500 I paid for?
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
made of Flowbee or pehaps tinkerbell dust!!!
Action
How was the action out of the box?
made of Flowbee or pehaps tinkerbell dust!!!
Subject
Great Tones and Versatility.
By: Larry W from Poplar Bluff, Mo, USA, larry@guitarforum.net
Submitted: 12/30/2010
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
It seems like a well built product.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
too soon to tell
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
Not only were the tones great, the functionality of this unit was great as well. Global tap tempo means you no longer lose your tempo when switching patches. You can have several stomp boxes on each amp. So many cool features. The presets are over the top on effects, but if you strip away the "cool demo" effect and replace them with more usable effects you will love the tones.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
n/a
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Great
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
n/a
Action
How was the action out of the box?
n/a
Subject
Takes some dialing in!
By: John from Philly Area in PA
Submitted: 12/21/2010
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
NA
Action
How was the action out of the box?
NA
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Yes. Seems to be well made.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Only had a short time but seems very well made
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
Well made. Sound great through headphones.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
NA
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
The presets sound great especially through headphones but they also have a lot of effects. You need to set your tones up through the device you will use to amplify the pedal live, be it an amp or PA system. Setting it up through headphones doesn't always work.
Subject
Not Convinced Yet
By: from AR
Submitted: 12/16/2010
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
I bought the dt50 with this and the dt50 is so awesome I really don't know how good the tones from the processor are, that is the truth. However I had lots of issues with the pedal, signal from spdif, major issues assigning wah blocks which is just retarded. So I sent it back for exchange. AMS gave me NO grief and I should have a replacement tomorrow. I am hoping that this thing will be closer to the raving reviews I have read with the new unit.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Subject
A Working Review
By: Andrew from Saint Albans, Vermont. USA
Submitted: 12/13/2010
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Excellent. Wish there was an ON/OFF switch though. I Don't really care for having to unplug the transformer every time I wanna power it down.
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
anic sounding. Used it for a few gigs now, and I have not had one problem with it.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
this is a great floorboard unit. I've been playing in a rock cover band for 6 years, and in that band I've been using the POD XT Live. Old faithful. Never needed a backup. But after having a few hundred beers spilled on it, and many dancers stepping on it, she finally started to show signs of problems. So it was time to get another unit, and the HD500 was just about to launch in the States. I researched and demo'd the Boss Gt-10(definitely not impressed) and researched the Axe-FX(way too expensive for the type of abuse a live band puts these things through) So I decided to pull the trigger on the HD500. I'm very satisfied with this purchase. I'm glad that Line 6 went back to the all-metal housing and the new contact switches are very responsive, although I recommend wearing shoes when changing patches.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Like I said earlier, this thing is very responsive, very accurate. And with the latest firmware, you can even have your delay tails when switching patches.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Some sounds are so good, it's unbelievable that this thing was only $500.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Presets were very good. Good enough for me to get general banks of amp setups to tweak for live use. It does take a bit of work to really understand how to use this thing. And I wish Line 6 would have explained the limitations a little bit better. I've had the DSP Over Limit error on just about every dual-amp setup I create. Forces me to have to create many different patches for songs that have special FX needs. That's been the most frustrating thing.
Subject
Awesome unit
By: jrpepper from atlanta, Ga
Submitted: 12/12/2010
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Don't know yet.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
More than I expected. Works great with my Spider Valve MKII
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Tones are awesome.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Easy set up.
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Seems to be very well built.
Subject
It's better than you expect
By: Chris from Indianapolis, IN, chris22@indy.rr.com
Submitted: 12/10/2010
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
It's a tank
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Don't know yet
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
The tones are the best of any amp modeler that I've owned.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
You won't believe how this thing really reacts like an amp.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Whatever tone you desire
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Good
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Pretty much tweaked some factory presets for my use and I was done.
Subject
We Sold Our Pedals and Tuners
By: Michael Rovak from Katy, TX, USA., mrovak@airmail.net
Submitted: 11/25/2010
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Very, very well made and well designed, nice job
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Too soon to tell
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
Incredible Machine
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Very nice having dedicated Amp controls right there on top
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Models were nicely done
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Looks Great
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Almost Intuitive to use (YMMV) even without the software. Nice job on the Windows drivers and the software. No problems with connectivity. Will take us some time to develop our own Presets due to flexibility of this machine and sheer number of ways to combine models.
Subject
Huge improvement over the X3
By: Jim from Florida, jtyoungman@att.net
Submitted: 11/1/2010
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Don't know - just got it. Built like a tank though.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
Finally Line 6 went back to a metal housing! This thing is great - much better sounding and way more flexible than any of the other Pods.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Subject
Off the Charts!
By: Lost Hollywood from Springfield, MA
Submitted: 10/19/2010
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
AAA+
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
Seems to be well built and sould last.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
This is absolutely incredible. Features and tones are great! USB hookup provides an incredible amount of control and features - this sealed the deal for me.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Action
How was the action out of the box?
The presets are pretty good right out of the box. Take the time to set up the connectivity with your computer and dial in your tone.
Subject
Oh My God!!
By: Keith White from Fort Walton Beach, FL, anonmyous56568
Submitted: 10/15/2010
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
Reliability
How has it stood up over time?
New unit but looks and feels very durable.
Overall
Your general opinion of this product.
This is by far the most amazing modeling amp out there. It is user programming unfriendly out of the box so you more than likely will have to read the manual but it is worth it.
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
Great looking unit.
Action
How was the action out of the box?
Factory presets blew me away.