Hey All,

As some may remember I am new to guitar and Gretsch coming from a basically mando background. I been workijng away at learning on my new ProJet. I have been basically "tied" to my amp and so have been looking at a way to practice with headphones without the amp. I been looking at these - Korg Pandora mini or a Line 6 Pocket Pod.

The Pandora Mini: http://www.korg.com/pandoramini

Pocket Pod: http://line6.com/pocketpod/

Mini is about $100 and about 35$ less than the Pod.

I think both of these could be adapted to recording but I am months (or longer) away from even trying to go there - so that is not my main purpose.

Are these good for practice? Any other products out there worth considering that do essentially the same kind of thing?

Like I say I'm thinking I could simply sit on the couch and practice moving chords and such and messing around without disturbing the wife who is watchin TV or playing on her tablet - instead of being always in the cold back room.

Any comments are appreciated!

-Ed-

Hey All,

As some may remember I am new to guitar and Gretsch coming from a basically mando background. I been workijng away at learning on my new ProJet. I have been basically "tied" to my amp and so have been looking at a way to practice with headphones without the amp. I been looking at these - Korg Pandora mini or a Line 6 Pocket Pod.

The Pandora Mini: http://www.korg.com/pandoramini

Pocket Pod: http://line6.com/pocketpod/

Mini is about $100 and about 35$ less than the Pod.

I think both of these could be adapted to recording but I am months (or longer) away from even trying to go there - so that is not my main purpose.

Are these good for practice? Any other products out there worth considering that do essentially the same kind of thing?

Like I say I'm thinking I could simply sit on the couch and practice moving chords and such and messing around without disturbing the wife who is watchin TV or playing on her tablet - instead of being always in the cold back room.

Any comments are appreciated!

-Ed-
Do you have a smartphone? There are a lot of amp modelling apps for the iPhone for instance. You would just need a connector (there are quite a few to choose from). I have tried the iRig, Peavey Ampkit LiNk and the more expensive Apogee jam. The Apogee Jam wins by a country mile...
regards
Shakey

Hey All,

I have a Samsung Galaxy SII android.

I don't see how this would work. A guitar output into a phone through the cable connector and then into headphones? I've never seen one of those connectors. Would the phone amplify the guitar signal enough? Certainly an interesting idea.

-Ed-

Also have a look at the Vox Amplug series, around 40 bux, and they come in different "varieties" - clean, metal, etc.
Very tiny, lots of gain, and have an input for aux even.
bob

I just bought a Fender Mustang I for pretty much the same reasons. It's hard to beat for the price (around $100 new), and has the advantage of being usable without headphones. I'm usually leery of amps with headphone output, as you lose the effect of the speaker and end up with something thin and lifeless through the headphones. The Mustang attempts to emulate the speaker through the headphone output, and succeeds. It really is the best setup I've tried for late night, headphone-only practice.

Hello Ed, I use my multy-effects pedal. Currently a Boss GT10 and previously a Boss ME-20. Besides being able to have a dizzing amount of editable sounds/presets, most MEP's have a headphone output. Also with the GT10 it has a looping feature so I can make a 37second backing track and play lead to it while on the couch. Also will work as an a/d converter for recording. so for silent practice, and live gigs this tool works for me.
Have a great day!
Peter

I bought an old Dean Markley K-75 for the headphone jack. Not a bad little practice amp. Paid $125 for it.

The Pod will work for headphone playing.

I have an Amplug AC30 thingee which is cheaper and plugs right into your guitar, or into the last pedal on your chain. Add a really long cord and some decent headphones and you can play all day, all night without people complaining. The sound isn't too bad and you can pipe the output into an amp and use it as a pedal, too.

I've tried 'em all. I travel and have a guitar with me. Since I'm in hotel rooms, I only play through headphones. I have a Korg Pandora PX4D currently. It sounds the best out of all the tiny headphone amps I've tried.

I'll never give Line6 another dollar of my money, and yes, I've tried the pocket pod(s).

Another option is to use an interface and use your laptop or computer. This works pretty well for some people, but you have to watch out for latency depending on hardware.

I had a pocket pod very briefly, the latency was horrible.

If you can get one of those Boss multi-effects you will do well, you would be lucky, but may find one used in the $150-200 range.

Just throwing this out there. Tascam GB-10. Amp/cab modeling, with FX, headphone amp AND ability to record tracks, play along with MP3s/WAVs, Overdub your playing on MP3s/WAVs, speed up, or down the MP3/WAV playback, Loop playback, or your recorded tracks, tuner and uses SD/SDHC memory cards (comes with 2GB card). Can be got for $100-120 u.s.

TASCAM GB10 Guitar/Bass player/recorder (http://tascam.com/product/gb-10/)

Hey All,

I have a Samsung Galaxy SII android.

I don't see how this would work. A guitar output into a phone through the cable connector and then into headphones? I've never seen one of those connectors. Would the phone amplify the guitar signal enough? Certainly an interesting idea.

-Ed-

Think it depends on your phone. The iPhone is well served with hardware to connect. The iRig and Peavey LiNK have a quarter inch jack to accept a guitar lead one end and an eighth input ( for headphones) and an eighth output to go into the iPhone headphone jack. The Peavey has a battery, cancels feedback better and I found gave much better results. The Apogee Jam is a different kettle of fish, it has a gain thumb wheel plugs into the iPod/iPhone 30 pin connector ( but can also plug into a mac) and crucially it converts guitar signal to digital. The sound quality on the Jam is brilliant quality. Not much help as you don't have an iPhoneb but there may be similar items for the Galaxy perhaps?

Hey All,

I want to thank everybody for the options. There is a lot more "stuff" out there than I thought. Some are more money than I have in mind so right now I think it is pretty much Pandora mini or the Tascam GB10 bout $100 either way. I can't find anything for an android phone although my son the metal head has an iphone and so I'll turn him onto the guitar to iphone stuff that is out there.

If anybody thinks of anything else do chime in. Thank You All!

-Ed-

Well whatever headphone amp you get, make sure your phones are nice.

I just bought a Fender Mustang I for pretty much the same reasons. It's hard to beat for the price (around $100 new), and has the advantage of being usable without headphones. I'm usually leery of amps with headphone output, as you lose the effect of the speaker and end up with something thin and lifeless through the headphones. The Mustang attempts to emulate the speaker through the headphone output, and succeeds. It really is the best setup I've tried for late night, headphone-only practice.

My Mustang 1's my only amp at present and I'm thinking of getting something like a Deluxe Reverb for playing live, and keeping the Mustang purely as a headphone amp.

Until I saw your post I just assumed my (inexpensive) headphones were unusually good. :)

This is an intersting thread..
ideally an android app would be fab for me.
It's gotta be a money spinner for some bright spark to create the app.

My Mustang 1's my only amp at present and I'm thinking of getting something like a Deluxe Reverb for playing live, and keeping the Mustang purely as a headphone amp.

Until I saw your post I just assumed my (inexpensive) headphones were unusually good. :)

I'm using a Mustang 1 as a headphone amp too.

There's a Boss ME-25 on Kijiji in Victoria for $160, if you ever get there.

VOX Amplug, anyone?

http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/public/oBKNtw1nFLIVNf_6fuXZZa4CXh9-M0nwQizAROZrcBrwc5RKLMnxeK1rEgHKl0d1kotLWcv4ijWnY6 WA4hIaSlRRYX26VzmuuTkbzjUOzIJv_0s49XNTXY2QZIvVPQ8S jLQjuGNWu0lmmZ-sFvQy5IeJ2tL-pXRYwpNMwSLea7OS0UbeUT_J_Q

Hey All,

Hammer Thank You! It turns out I am actually in Victoria at meetings tomorrow and Friday. Have emailed the guy. We'll see.

Not quite as portable as I was thinking but we will see. If I don't like it maybe my metalhead son would.

-Ed-

I have ordered the chinese version of the amplug hope it arrive soon and the price was a bargain

Amplug is great.. Mustang 1.. cant go wrong..plenty of great options mentioned prior...like apogee too.. different options.. all will get you where you want to go