I use three or four studios fairly regularly, but have used others over the years and they all provide a selection of amps. Some provide them free, others charge a couple of pounds for them.

I've not heard of anywhere that offers PODs, though I don't doubt they exist. I do think there is an expectation that amps would be available though if you want them. I take my own amp (a Mark Bass combo which weighs about the same as a bag of chips) but the guitarists I play with vary - some take their own, others use the equipment there. I don't think they'd be happy to use a POD type thing though. Partly because one of the bands is a classic rock cover band and it's very much a stripped out, no effects type affair, but also because we are of an age where amps are what people grew up with.

Of course, I would imagine that the ideal is to have both, PODs in the room with spare amps in a locker for those who want them. Whilst there is probably no intrinsic reason why you couldn't just use PODs, psychologically I think people would prefer amps.

Sam Spoons wrote:When I used to do live PA gigs we often used to supply backline for festivals where changeover times were very tight. Most guitar players were happy to use our guitar amps even though we usually said it was ok for them to bring their own if they really wanted to. Bass players and drummers were always happy to use the supplied kit.

True in my experience too, but doing a one shot live set is a lot different than rehearsing/ writing songs.

I sing lead and play guitar (not lead). Much as I love amps and pedals, I needed something simple so that I could focus on my singing. Plus, I didn’t wasn’t to lug an amp around and got fed up with the widely differing standards of gear on offer at rehearsal rooms. So I use a multi-fx (Zoom G1 four) set up to be run into a clean solid-state amp. It’s easy to knock cheap multi-fx units and SS amps but the other guitarist in the band, he lugs a 100w Marshall to rehearsals. It sounds great but my tone (Marshall) stands up well against it.

S2 wrote:I use three or four studios fairly regularly, but have used others over the years and they all provide a selection of amps.

Same here. Actually I always thought that having a couple amps in the room was part of the definition of rehearsal rooms, not to mention studios, of course.