I fondly remember the first-gen POD from Line 6. It didn't look like anything else. And it was packed with way more features and effects than my novice's sense of tone could comprehend. It had amp models based on units I'd only read about and offered a fantastic portable and quiet solution to practicing. Heck, Pete Anderson even used a pair of them on stage as recently as 2014 when we caught up with him for a Rig Rundown. And if it's good enough for Mr. Anderson...
Fast forward to the newly released POD Go Wireless. It shares a lot of digital DNA with company's newer flagship Helix processors. The interface is intuitive with effective visual representations of every part of the virtual signal chain. With a wireless unit this might be one of the best accessibly priced digital processors around.
I've Got a Blank Space Where My Board Should Be
One of the primary benefits of any good digital modeler, profiler is the ability to better understand how each element of your chain interacts with your gear. The POD Go takes a bit of the guesswork out by automatically placing a few components on your virtual board but leaves a lots of potential for experimentation.
When you load up a blank preset it starts with wah, volume, effects loop, amp, cab, and EQ blocks. The four open spots (two before the amp and two at the end of the chain) are available for gain effects, modulation, reverb, delay, or any of the additional 206 effects that come loaded with the unit. (Line 6 regularly offers free amp, cab, and effects updates). Although a few elements always remain in place, the remaining slots can be rearranged with ease.
I love the phasers and effected delays so much that I designed a board with four of them just to see how much syrupy oscillation I could drum up.
Even Better Than the Real Thing?
The POD Go Wireless offers a total of 10 "blocks" (the amp, cab, and effects elements that make up a signal chain). That should cover the needs of most players the POD Go Wireless is designed for. The unit itself is not quite as road-rugged and portable as the HX Stomp, but the built-in treadle and easy setup are huge advantages. In terms of DSP power, the POD Go has a little less processing power that the HX Stomp and slightly less than half the power of a full Helix Floor model. It's missing a few of the more DSP-intensive effects in the Helix line, like the dynamic hall reverb and the recent polyphonic additions, but that doesn't mean there are loads of very good-to-excellent sounds at your disposal.
I A/B-ed a few of the effects with my HX Stomp and found nearly all of them to be excellent equivalents. And after experimenting with the stock cabs and a few free impulse responses I found online (there is a sizable online community of IR creators), I felt I could match nearly any tone I could get out of my Helix Stomp. The POD Go Wireless's range of available amps are impressive—with accurate Fender, Vox, Marshall, Dumble, Revv, and Orange models along with original Line 6 designs. When it comes to effects, the modulation and delay sections are where I feel the POD Go really shines. I love the phasers and effected delays so much that I designed a board with four of them just to see how much syrupy oscillation I could drum up.
Obviously, the main difference between the POD Go Wireless and the standard POD Go is the addition of a G10 wireless unit. After plugging the included dongle into the guitar input of the POD Go Wireless, the unit and the guitar paired almost instantly. I'd rank it as one of the most pain-free wireless setups I've experienced. And as expected, the G10 was rock solid. (All of the sound clips for this review were recorded with the G10).
The Verdict
Line 6 has established the Helix ecosystem as a pro-level sound-creation environment for players that favor the flexibility of a digital setup. Does the POD Go Wireless match the Helix's performance power? Not quite. But it comes impressively close—particularly for the price. It gives you access to some of Helix's very best tones, offers numerous I/O options, a well-designed, intuitive interface, and a handy treadle. It's not quite as sturdy as the Helix units, and if you're looking for a rig more suited to regular road abuse, the HX Stomp is likely more your jam. But overall, the POD Go is one of the best entry-level multi-effects units in existence, and the inclusion of the G10 wireless makes it an even greater value. And even though my nostalgic side would love to see a retro kidney-bean version, the POD Go Wireless represents real progress, and an evolution of basically great and practical tone-creation tool.
- Line 6 HX Effects Review - Premier Guitar ›
- Line 6 POD HD Pro X Review - Premier Guitar ›
- Line 6 POD HD500 Review - Premier Guitar ›
Gibson originally launched the EB-6 model with the intention of serving consumers looking for a “tic-tac” bass sound.
The Gibson EB-6 was announced in 1959 and came into the world in 1960, not with a dual-horn body but with that of an elegant ES-335. They looked stately, with a thin, semi-hollow body, f-holes, and a sunburst finish. Our pick for this Vintage Vault column is one such first-year model, in about as original condition as you’re able to find today. “Why?” you may be asking. Well, read on....
When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye. The real competition were the Danelectro 6-string basses that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere and were suddenly being used on lots of hit records by the likes of Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other household names. Danos like the UB-2 (introduced in ’56), the Longhorn 4623 (’58), and the Shorthorn 3612 (’58) were the earliest attempts any company made at a 6-string bass in this style: not quite a standard electric bass, not quite a guitar, nor, for that matter, quite like a baritone guitar.
The only change this vintage EB-6 features is a replacement set of Kluson tuners.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Gibson, Fender, and others during this era would in fact call these basses “baritone guitars,” to add to our confusion today. But these vintage “baritones” were all tuned one octave below a standard guitar, with scale lengths around 30", while most modern baritones are tuned B-to-B or A-to-A and have scale lengths between 26" and 30".)
At the time, those Danelectros were instrumental to what was called the “tic-tac” bass sound of Nashville records produced by Chet Atkins, or the “click-bass” tones made out west by producer Lee Hazlewood. Gibson wanted something for this market, and the EB-6 was born.
“When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye.”
The 30.5" scale 1960 EB-6 has a single humbucking pickup, a volume knob, a tone knob, and a small, push-button “Tone Selector Switch” that engages a treble circuit for an instant tic-tac sound. (Without engaging that switch, you get a bass-heavy tone so deep that cowboy chords will sound like a muddy mess.)
The EB-6, for better or for worse, did not unseat the Danelectros, and a November 1959 price list from Gibson hints at why: The EB-6 retailed for $340, compared to Dano price tags that ranged from $85 to $150. Only a few dozen EB-6 basses were shipped in 1960, and only 67 total are known to have been built before Gibson changed the shape to the SG style in 1962.
Most players who come across an EB-6 today think it was a response to the Fender Bass VI, but the former actually beat the latter to the market by a full year.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
It’s sad that so few were built. Sure, it was a high-end model made to achieve the novelty tic-tac sound of cheaper instruments, but in its full-voiced glory, the EB-6 has a huge potential of tones. It would sound great in our contemporary guitar era where more players are exploring baritone ranges, and where so many people got back into the Bass VI after seeing the Beatles play one in the 2021 documentary, Get Back.
It’s sadder, still, how many original-era EB-6s have been parted out in the decades since. Remember earlier when I wrote that our Vintage Vaultpick was about as original as you could find? That’s because the model’s single humbucker is a PAF, its Kluson tuners are double-line, and its knobs are identical to those on Les Paul ’Bursts. So as people repaired broken ’Bursts, converted other LPs to ’Bursts, or otherwise sought to give other Gibsons a “Golden Era” sound and look ... they often stripped these forgotten EB-6 basses for parts.
This original EB-6 is up for sale now from Reverb seller Emerald City Guitars for a $16,950 asking price at the time of writing. The only thing that isn’t original about it is a replacement set of Kluson tuners, not because its originals were stolen but just to help preserve them. (They will be included in the case.)
With so few surviving 335-style EB-6 basses, Reverb doesn’t have a ton of sales data to compare prices to. Ten years ago, a lucky buyer found a nearly original 1960 EB-6 for about $7,000. But Emerald City’s $16,950 asking price is closer to more recent examples and asking prices.
Sources: Prices on Gibson Instruments, November 1, 1959, Tony Bacon’s “Danelectro’s UB-2 and the Early Days of 6-String Basses” Reverb News article, Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, Tom Wheeler’s American Guitars: An Illustrated History, Reverb listings and Price Guide sales data.
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
Released in 1983, the Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay was a staple for pro players of the era and remains revered for its rich analog/digital hybrid sound and distinctive modulation. BOSS reimagined this retro classic in 2023 with the acclaimed SDE-3000D and SDE-3000EVH, two wide-format pedals with stereo sound, advanced features, and expanded connectivity. The SDE-3 brings the authentic SDE-3000 vibe to a streamlined BOSS compact, enhanced with innovative creative tools for every musical style. The SDE-3 delivers evocative delay sounds that drip with warmth and musicality. The efficient panel provides the primary controls of its vintage benchmark—including delay time, feedback, and independent rate and depth knobs for the modulation—plus additional knobs for expanded sonic potential.
A wide range of tones are available, from basic mono delays and ’80s-style mod/delay combos to moody textures for ambient, chill, and lo-fi music. Along with reproducing the SDE-3000's original mono sound, the SDE-3 includes a powerful Offset knob to create interesting tones with two simultaneous delays. With one simple control, the user can instantly add a second delay to the primary delay. This provides a wealth of mono and stereo colors not available with other delay pedals, including unique doubled sounds and timed dual delays with tap tempo control. The versatile SDE-3 provides output configurations to suit any stage or studio scenario.
Two stereo modes include discrete left/right delays and a panning option for ultra-wide sounds that move across the stereo field. Dry and effect-only signals can be sent to two amps for wet/dry setups, and the direct sound can be muted for studio mixing and parallel effect rigs. The SDE-3 offers numerous control options to enhance live and studio performances. Tap tempo mode is available with a press and hold of the pedal switch, while the TRS MIDI input can be used to sync the delay time with clock signals from DAWs, pedals, and drum machines. Optional external footswitches provide on-demand access to tap tempo and a hold function for on-the-fly looping. Alternately, an expression pedal can be used to control the Level, Feedback, and Time knobs for delay mix adjustment, wild pitch effects, and dramatic self-oscillation.
The new BOSS SDE-3 Dual Delay Pedal will be available for purchase at authorized U.S. BOSS retailers in October for $219.99. To learn more, visit www.boss.info.