Dan Bentley

[This message was edited by Danny Bentley on 16 August 2006 at 06:42 AM.]

Pod 2 is a basic pod with not all of the presets and cabs and effects of the other 3 but you can buy packages from line 6 and add them if you decide you want them later it also has limited live editing no viewing window but you can still edit the main parameters so no problem and at home you can hook it up to your computer via usb and do what they call deep editing.

Pod XT has a few more cabinets and effects and a viewing window so that you can edit it on the fly while playing much easier but it can still be edited on your computer via usb.

The Pod XT live is a floor unit and is pretty much a Pod XT on the floor with a few extra presets and effects and cabs and hook up options. It has a volume pedal built in mostly guitar players use it but I've seen steel players put it up on a stand and use it too.

The Pod XT Pro is a rack mount it's the big daddy and pretty expensive with every bell and whistle they have to offer.

So there are 4 choices ranging from 199.00 to 600.00. If you're into recording the Pod Pro is nice with lots of in and out options for the studio but like I say it's pricey.

I think you'll find most steel players either go with the Pod 2 or the Pod xt. If it were me I'd spend the extra 100.00 bucks its 299.00 for the pod xt just for the better editing live because I fiddle with my effects all the time during a gig especially moving from one club to another. Have fun and enjoy it if you get it.

I got a PODxt about a year ago myself.
I use it to record with and I really
like it. Good luck.

1. With some fiddling around with the presets, I like the Fender Deluxe and Twin Reverb models for steel.

2. I actually prefer it for 6-string guitar. I double on guitar and pedal steel most all the time, again mostly Fender blackface models.

3. It's quite a bit less expensive - I see them for <=$100 used.

4. Especially for live gigs, I like simpler designs. I also prefer the actual physical knobs - especially at outdoor gigs, those LCD readouts are real annoying, to me.

To me, they all sound pretty good, and they are extremely versatile for my use. I did find, however, that I needed to deep edit some of the "features" - like extra gain, much loved for guitar - out to make it work for clean steel.

BTW, on the Pod 2, the deep editing of internal parameters is done via MIDI, not USB. USB editing is definitely one of the big advantages of the XT series, IMO. On the other hand, it's not very expensive to get a USB midi connection for a computer - musicians friend has a bunch, and there are lots more besides for around $30-40.