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We caught up with Taka Hirose at the Feeder rehearsal space at the legendary John Henrys before embarking on the final leg of their tour in support of their latest chart topping offering, 'Pushing The Senses' So how’re you getting on with the Bass PODxt Pro and Bass POD Pro?
I use it straight to the desk actually as a preamp. I have the Bass PODxt Pro and Bass POD Pro in my touring rig. Its very useful. I use it more at home as I can set this sound and then save it. To be honest maybe I should try some more different sounds from this one (bass PODxt Live) or if I try getting a similar sound out of the original.
How do you feel about the quality of the tone in the original bass pod pro?
I have to say its really good. Yeah, I even try and use it as pre-amp and go into Ampeg power amp. Instead of using Ampeg pre-amp and I find it quite amazing, the tone.
When did you first pick up a bass and was it your first instrument?
When I was 13-14, I’m not sure. It wasn’t my first instrument, it was guitar and then the bass. Yeah, typical. Everybody played guitar and then my brother got bought a guitar so I always wanted something myself so no one has a bass guitar, so I bought a bass guitar. So I can use both at home.
So did you ever play in a band with your brother?
No never with my brother. But with my mates at junior high school.
What about the gear you’re using at the moment, you’ve got a Variax Bass are you using that outside the studio?
Yeah, I’m just trying it out at the moment at home. To be honest I’d rather use my more comfortable but I want to try this in the studio. I will use it when we go into the studio to write the next album. I’m just trying at home really.
What about the bass POD Pro for amp sounds live. Are you using any effects on the POD?
At the moment I just use pure amp sounds and the distortion pedal but to be honest with you I never bought a foot controller for the bass pod pro. I was really impressed with it for live, the sound. You know mic’ing up the sound was so bad, I use Line 6 as it sounds great through a PA. Before when I was hearing myself on the TV the sound was so bad, they rely on the DI sound so after that I use Line 6. Its better for TV or live or PA.
How has line 6 gear changed the way you play live?
I don’t need to worry about gear. I just take out the rack in a flight case so its very handy.
Has that made the song-writing process any easier?
Yeah, well even in the studio its very useful. I use valve DI – Ampeg – and Sansamp so I can have a lot of choice. The mid-rang on the line 6 gear, I really live a valve amp for the really low frequencies. It really mix well. And the sound is pretty amazing. AmpFarm is a really good so its only for Pro-tools and I use logic so I can’t use it. I love the sound.
This version is better than the guitar version. Its shaped right. I like it anyway.
How do you find the thumb rest?
Its comfortable, its really kinda jazz pick up position. Why do you have to do the scallop here? Music Man position is somewhere in the middle
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