Line 6 Spider II 15 or 30 Watt Amps

[GWDavis28]

I know a lot of you like the Line 6 Flextone amps from what I've read, but I was wondering if any of you have tried or have the Line 6 Spider II 15 or 30 watt amps??

I've wanted a Tech 21 Trademark 10 for such a long time and then I spied the Line 6 Spider II's and thought that they were pretty sweet. I haven't gotten a chance to try one out, that's going to happen this week sometime. I like the Trademark 10, it's solid amp with a great rep, but I can get the Line 6 Spider II 30 watt for $200 where the Trademark 10's going to run me $250.

As far as amps and equipment go, this will be my main one and I won't be doing any playing out since I s8ck at playing, but I'd like an amp that's going to grow with my playing and won't need/want to be replaced anytime soon.

Currently, I am using a Smokey Amps, I know most of you are laughing, but it's a great little amp that fits in my case like nothing and has a great sound. For those of you with traveling guitars I'd highly recommend it.

P.S. Mines in a box of Marlboro, because that's where I live.
P.S.S. Unfortunately, that's not me playing on the .ram file.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanx, Glenn |B)

 

[koogie2k]

I have a Line 6 spider. One of the originals when it came out. It is a great little practice amp. Has all the effects needed to at least sound decent when you go over to your buddies house to jam.....I use it quite frequently. I never tried a Tech 21, so I could not compare them.

 

[GWDavis28]

Koogie, thanx yah most people that own Line 6's seem to like them. The Spider II's look pretty cool and I like that fact that they have their own forum as well.

http://line6.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi

Thanx, Later. Glenn |B)

 

[kbaim]

In response to $50 price difference, if it turns out you like the tech better, try cutting out junk food and cups of coffee purchases for a month or two. Instant cash!

Damn you starbucks, etc

KEITH

 

[GWDavis28]

Keith, yah thanx I'm going to cutting back on a real lot soon. To show you how far things go for me I return cans and bottles for the $.05 deposit, so I can eat out every once and awhile here at work.

I can afford the $50 difference, it comes down to I think that the Line 6 has more options for less money. I guess I really won't know until I try it out, but I seem to be leaning that way.

I know that the Tech 21 is a solid amp with great reviews and I haven't heard of too many people that don't love them.

I just hooked up with the Line 6 forum (see above posting) hoping to get some feedback from those guys, but nothing yet.

Thanx, Glenn |B)

 

[kbaim]

Also, I've tried spiders and found I had to roll off almost all treble and and up the bass to 8 or 9.

Otherwise it was somewhat tinny and piercing clean. But I was playing an olp, so maybe that had something to do with it as well.

BTW I'm a LINE 6 FLEXTONE II user which I love,love,love.

 

[Jimi D]

I know people who use Spyders and have great results with them, but I owned a POD that I never, ever could get to sound like I wanted. I own and use almost daily a Trademark 10 that I hauled out and jammed with last weekend 'cause I didn't want to carry an amp - jacked into the board it sounded great!

BUT, there's no channel switching of any kind on a Trademark 10 - you dial in a sound and that's your sound until you dial in another. And there are no effects on a TM10 either, so the Line 6 stuff is a better deal if you like the tones, for sure...

 

[GWDavis28]

Keith, cool thanx for your review. I'm a pretty crappy player, so what sounds tinny to you may not to me. I'm hoping to try one out sometime this week. I'll let you know what I think.

Thanx again, Glenn |B)

 

[kbaim]

Doesn't matter what level of player a player is, finding and then having really good tone makes a world of difference both listening wise, and inspirational wise.

Once you find a tone that makes you smile, you'll probably pick up the guitar more and hear immediate results playing wise.

KEITH

 

[GWDavis28]

Jimi D thanx, I know you love the Trademark 10 and I really have never heard anybody say anything bad about them.

As far as the extra effects, yah I have a feeling that I may be heading in that direction. The $250 was a little bit more than I want to spend, but I can spent it if need be.

I have to find a place close by that has the Tech21 stuff in stock, Mars was 15 minutes away, but they went belly up, bummer. Places around here sell them, but they don't stock them, so that makes it harder.

Keith you have a good point, what sounds great to me may not to someone else. I guess we'll find out soon I hope.

Later, Glenn |B)

 

[mbgreene]

Glenn - I've been shopping in the same amp category/$ range since ordering my AL, looking at the older threads and requesting new suggestions. For my 2 cents, I tended to like the sound and features of the Vox AD30VT ($240+/-) and the Roland Cube 30 ($225+/-) over the Spider and Marshall versions in the same range. The both also come in smaller versions the Vox AD15VT ($179+/-) and The Roland Micro Cube, which I played at the suggestion of Kbaim.

I also tried the Tech 21 based on the reviews in the earlier threads and really liked it, but I'm on the fence as to whether or not I'll use the built in effects at this stage of returning to playing. It is a sweet little package and my wife will probably see the size and say - hey that can't be too loud...hehehehe

I'll probably retry all three when the guitar comes back in, but at that point it becomes personal preference to features etc. They're all made by reputable companies and will have individual advocates and detractors.

Good Luck

 

[koogie2k]

That Roland Micro-cube is awesome....kbaim brought it over and man, it blew me away. Runs on batteries too for those camping trips.....may want to keep that in mind. I would get one for sure if I did not have all the amps I have now.....

 

[GWDavis28]

Mbgreene, Great to hear that someone else out there in the same boat that I am. I'll check out the Vox amps as well since I'll probably be going to (dare I say it) GC (Guitar Center) later on in the week on my lunch. The one near me from work has an EVH and an Axis, since I have 2 Axes I'll just use theirs and test drive the amps. GC is suppose to be a Tech 21 dealer, but I've never seen one there!!! There was another place that was suppose to be a Tech 21 dealer, but they aren't anymore. So, it sounds like I'll have to plan a trip to Boston or worse Worcester to try one out.

I was at the Line 6 forum today and went to the videos that they have and it just seems like that's what I'm looking for.

Koogie, that's why I have the Smpkey amp, a very nice, very small traveler. I saw rhw Microcube at GC and thought that it looked cool, but I'm really just looking for 1 really good amp for home and me to play more with.

Thanx for your inputs, I'll let you know what I decide.

Later, Glenn |B)

 

[kbaim]

GW,

Just wanted to add that, like koogie mentioned, I find the Roland microcube a GREAT practice amp (and probably recording as it has an out but I haven't tried it for that).

BUT...

If you want to jam with a drummer, or friends inclined to play a bit loud -- it will be overmatched and you're probably advised to go Line6, tech21 or the roland 30 (the 15 has fewer effects as I recall).

Sitting down and playing normal volume with a buddy, or taking it on a trip...you can't beat it though!

Also, if you already have an amp with 1 12 but it doesn't sound like you want, you can always buy a pod 2.0 and stick it before the amp as a pre amp. Then you get everything the flextone II comes with for about $200. Might be another alternative. I use one and really like it, but I dialed in my own sound and saved it, rather than use the progammed ones. You're gonna need longer than a lunchbreak to mess with one
KEITH

 

[scottie]

Hello,

I'm in the market for a new amp as well. I was all sold on th Spider II, that is, until all you Tech21 owners out there started bragging about how sweet it sounds. Now,
I'm not sure. I have a guitar port now, which is another reason I was leaning towards the Spider. I kinda figured they'd sound similar. I think that I would pay the extra dough for the Spider II with the 1 12" speaker. The new smaller ones look nice but the are missing 2 of the amp models. While I know that you can't have everything but I kinda liked they 2 models they left out sooooo much more than that "insane" model.

Just my $0.02 worth, take care,
--scottie

 

[kbaim]

Better to pay a little more than you want and get everything you were hoping for in sound, than to pay less than you were planning and then regretting not getting sound/tone you realize you shoulda got.

 

[GWDavis28]

Also, if you already have an amp with 1 12 but it doesn't sound like you want, you can always buy a pod 2.0 and stick it before the amp as a pre amp. Then you get everything the flextone II comes with for about $200. Might be another alternative. I use one and really like it, but I dialed in my own sound and saved it, rather than use the progammed ones.

Keith, currently the only amp I have is the Smokey Amp, a nice toy that I picked up for $20. So, buying a POD doesn't sound like it's the thing to do. As far as my own sound, since the Smokey amp is really very basic, minor built in distrosion and nothing else but an input and output jack I really don't have a sound. That's the reason for getting a real amp. Plus I have about $300 to spend on Amazon and since they've added a real music section I'm pumped. The reason for looking at the Spider was because of the effects. I know that the Tech 21 has some effects, but I can get way more for less $.

You're gonna need longer than a lunchbreak to mess with one

I sure that a lunch time won't be the only time that I'll have to check it out. The Spider 2 30 watt isn't available on Amazon until the 9/25 so I have a little bit of time and the money for Amazon doesn't have to be spent until December. But, I'd like to have a real amp before Halloween if possible.

I'm in the market for a new amp as well. I was all sold on th Spider II, that is, until all you Tech21 owners out there started bragging about how sweet it sounds. Now,
I'm not sure. I have a guitar port now, which is another reason I was leaning towards the Spider. I kinda figured they'd sound similar. I think that I would pay the extra dough for the Spider II with the 1 12" speaker. The new smaller ones look nice but the are missing 2 of the amp models. While I know that you can't have everything but I kinda liked they 2 models they left out sooooo much more than that "insane" model.

Scottie, yah I've wanted a Tech 21 for ever, and then I see the Spider 2's and I hear people here talking about the Line 6 amps, so I decided to check them out. Now I have to try to find a place that sells Tech 21's that's near by, but I have feeling that's not going to happen. I know that I'll find a place though, so I'm not too worried.

Better to pay a little more than you want and get everything you were hoping for in sound, than to pay less than you were planning and then regretting not getting sound/tone you realize you shoulda got.

Scottie I couldn't agree more with what Keith's saying here. Keith you are a wise man, thanx.

Later, Glenn |B)

 

[mbgreene]

Glenn - Just as an update, I took the plunge on a used Tech 21 Trademark 10. After all the favorable comments and the few I got to play in the stores, the price was just right. I figure I can start getting better with a quality sounding practice amp and worry about adding effects and a bigger sound later.

Hope your search is still going well - sometimes it's more fun trying than actually buying .

 

[GWDavis28]

MB, I tried out the Spider 2 30 watt yesterday and loved it. I love the Tech 21, but it's the extra cash I'm not sure of. I'm thinking since I have limited space and the Spider 2 has all the bells and whistles it looks like it's going to be that.

Yah I'm with you on the playing around with stuff at the store as to buying it.

Later, Glenn |B)