New amp time !!

Pyr0

The big 18 is creeping up and the 'rents agreed to let me get *the* amp that will last for a few years to come, at the moment i'm playing/learning blues (Stevie Ray, BB King etc) and different styles of metal (Death, Megadeth, Pantera, Morbid Angel, Emperor etc) that sort of thing. Would anyone be able to recommend a decent amp that'd suit those styles respectably enough ? Budget would be between 600-700.

I was looking at this Line6 Spider: http://www.thomann.de/ie/line6_spider_iii_150212.htm

Or this one: http://www.thomann.de/ie/line6_spider_iii_120210.htm


Anyone have any exp with this amp ? Or any other recommendations ? It'd be used in my room, but i'd like to be able to gig with it also, I've got a Podxt so i thought it'd be a nice addition to the Line6 merch

Jack Vegas

I dunno, but I really wouldn't call a Line 6 Spider one of "THE" amps, that will last for years to come..if you can stretch to 700 then I reckon you could do alot better, especially second hand.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/line6_flextoneiii_xl_gitarrencombo.htm

As far as line 6 gear goes, these are quite a bit nicer than Spiders, I've had one for about a year and it does the job grand, but takes a bit of time to learn to tweak.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/engl_screamer_50_roehrencombo_e330.htm

These amps are amazing and can crop up not too far out of your price range second-hand. Handles everything from crystal clean to nice solid crunch up to scorching metal. Nicest amp I've ever played.

Rustar

I bought the Spider III 75 for home practice and I love it to death, with one caveat.

It has a nice clean sound, and dozens of different types of overdrives/distortions. I can go from clean to searing blues to crunchy metal. Many of the presets are fairly spot on, and have inspired me to actually learn the associated song, such as "Bridge O Sighs".
It also will go extremely loud for its 75 watts, no problem in that department. With the optional footswitch, you can tap between 4 pre-programmed patches, which is really handy.

The only falling-down point is in a couple of the effects, specifically the Chorus/Flanger and Phaser effects. Unlike most dedicated effects, these have a Rate dial-in, but no Depth control - meaning that as soon as you start dialing in the effect, it's full on, much like a Microcube or Vox DA5. This is probably what makes many people say the Spiders have a very solid-state sound.

My advice? Great amp, but if you're a lover of those three effects, use a stompbox or a pod to supply them.

Very fun amps overall, and plenty of different sounds for different band situations. Just be gentle with the effects so you don't sound like you're playing a giant Microcube.

Karl Hungus

If you're going for the whole Line6 thing, why not get a Pod, and a small combo? It would be within your price range, and you'd get a far greater wealth of tones and functionality than you would with the Spider.

Voodu Child

You say you've a PodXT, so i wouldnt bother with a Spider...they're a step backwards in terms of modelling quality.

Since you've got the XT, which is a very good modelling unit, why not just get any kind of an amp that'll amplify it...? Something with an effects-in, or a keyboard amp or whatever...

Beecher

You might want to consider the Atomic Reactor;



Its a tube amp which uses your pod as the preamp. They are fantastic!

Also for that budget you miight want to check out the new Bugera amps:



They are insanely cheap, they look the business and from the few soundclips ive heard they sound the business. However Bugera is an offshoot of Behringer so the quality might be utter sh*te (and at €400 for a tube head it prob is) but it shouldnt be too long till some reviews come out letting us know if they are the bargain of the century of if they should be avoided at all costs.

Karl Hungus

Beecher wrote: »

Also for that budget you miight want to check out the new Bugera amps:



They are insanely cheap, they look the business and from the few soundclips ive heard they sound the business. However Bugera is an offshoot of Behringer so the quality might be utter sh*te (and at €400 for a tube head it prob is) but it shouldnt be too long till some reviews come out letting us know if they are the bargain of the century of if they should be avoided at all costs.

They're not out yet. They used to be listed on musicstore.de as "On order" but it seems they've taken them down now, I don't know when we'll see them at all. I've heard some good things, essentially they're cheap ass Peavey clones, so if you wanted a budget 5150, it's not a bad choice, whenever they're out that is.

Voodu Child

Probably wouldnt be ideal bedroom amps anyhow, some serious power in those Bugera's.
They've been pegged for release in Q1 2008 for some time now....I wouldnt at all be surprised if they slipped that date again. Im sure they'll surface at some stage, will be interesting to see if they hold their price and turn out to be any good.

Pyr0

voodoo_child wrote: »

You say you've a PodXT, so i wouldnt bother with a Spider...they're a step backwards in terms of modelling quality.

Since you've got the XT, which is a very good modelling unit, why not just get any kind of an amp that'll amplify it...? Something with an effects-in, or a keyboard amp or whatever...

Thats what I was thinking too, it was mentioned by a friend of mine too so I might look into it, i'm not too sure what you mean by any kind of amp, are you talking about marshal, peavy, engl type guitar amps ? Or just a general sound amplifier ? Like a good quality set of speakers ?

The Engl posted above there was always something I've heard good things about too, its just finding one second hand is the problem, wouldn't know where to look.

NoQuarter

Ive an XTL myself and the lads make a great point, dont run the XT through an amp that has its own sound, otherwise the amp will put its own shape on the sound coming from the XT and thats not what you want, ive a small PA system with a little mixer in my room and i run it through that so i can hear the XTL's tones untouched!

have a look: > http://www.thomann.de/ie/passive_pa_sets.html

any its handy if you ever come to jam with anyone as you can hook up a mic or whatever else straight into the mixer! thats one of the beauties of the XTL, no amp needed!

this is the exact one i have> http://www.thomann.de/ie/the_tmix_pm400_paset_1.htm

Voodu Child

Pyr0 wrote: »

Thats what I was thinking too, it was mentioned by a friend of mine too so I might look into it, i'm not too sure what you mean by any kind of amp, are you talking about marshal, peavy, engl type guitar amps ? Or just a general sound amplifier ? Like a good quality set of speakers ?

Something that'll take the POD and make it louder without messing with the sound too much...simple as that. That could be anything from a simple set of active monitors, to a massive 'proper' guitar amp (going in through the effects loop so as not to colour the sound too much)...the point is, you could spend as little or as much as you like.

You wouldnt gig with a small set of active monitors obviously but it sounds like that's not at the top of your priorities right now, and the POD still leaves you loads of options in that respect when the time comes.

Of course, if you really want *the* amp, go for it, by all means get a big ENGL or whatever, im just pointing out that there's lots of options available, especially considering you already have a brilliant modeller. In any case, the PODXT will have better modelling technology than just about any modelling amp on the market at the moment, so there's no real point in splashing out on a Spider or Flextone or whatever - you'd be spending money on something you already have.

Pyr0

I think you've swayed me now voodoo ! i'll leave the spider, flexitone, engl business on the shelf for the moment and look into something for the pod, have you anu suggestions on where to look ? what exactly to look for ? The whole idea of not going through the typical guitar amp is a little new, but i'd be something I'd look into now.

Cheers for the links King.

Karl Hungus

Essentially, you can run the Pod through the effects loop of a tube amp, and get a full tube power section without colouration, I've done this plenty of times before.

Pyr0

Choices ! So many choices !

Damn you options !!!

DeadSkin

As the folks say here, you already have your effects so here's a suggestion, you could put your POD thru' this head and thru' this cab and save a few bob for a good knees up .

Karl Hungus

Yeah, there's a lot of choice out there, you have to nail down what works for you, and that can take time.

Pyr0

I'll take my chances with a little pa set like the one linked above and see how that works out for me, it isn't too pricey so it won't kill me money wise if it doesn't work out. Cheers for the help lads, I'll let ye know how it works out !

Legion

Pyr0 wrote: »

I'll take my chances with a little pa set like the one linked above and see how that works out for me, it isn't too pricey so it won't kill me money wise if it doesn't work out. Cheers for the help lads, I'll let ye know how it works out !

Yeah,wont kill the rents money wise either

NoQuarter

Pyr0 wrote: »

I'll take my chances with a little pa set like the one linked above and see how that works out for me, it isn't too pricey so it won't kill me money wise if it doesn't work out. Cheers for the help lads, I'll let ye know how it works out !

it will work out mate, my pod XTL sounds lovely through it, exactly the way it should sound! and i only have it hooked up through the mixer to 1 of the speakers! + the option of being able to hook up a mic to is is a bonus! hook up a keyboard to it too if ya want, PA isthe way to go i reckon!

sei046

I think your mad, With 800 i would defo look at getting myself a quality second hand tube amp that you will have for a Good while. You can pick up any marshall second hand for that price and some ENGLs. As a lad with 40067 solidstate amps and a few good tube amps and an XTL I would sooner go for something pretty decent as oppose to saving yourself a few pound. Like you said it has to do you a while and while these things are great, like the XTL which i do love and use now and then, You will grow to crave that real amp sound.