Should I go with Line 6?

[Biu]

I've been messing around with my Peavey 5150 and Carvin X-60A tube amps for a while now and it's come down to this. The 5150 is my "holy grail" heavy metal amp, and the Carvin w/ my Boss OD-20 Drive Zone handles all my other needs. The thing is, the Boss only has 4 presets and my tonal needs keep changing. I'll make like 2-3 new presets everyday, but in doing so, I lose the old ones, which I still like to use.
After using my Digitech GNX3 for all my recordings, I've also noticed that I like to use MANY different kinds of cleans and FX, the same goes for distortions (I use a ton of different lead and rhythm settings, vintage-modern, mixed, etc.). Would I be better off with a Line 6 amp and foot-controller pedal board?
I was thinking of something along the lines of used Flextone III's or Duoverbs (in that case I would just hook my chorus pedal up to it. Cool FX aren't THAT vital to my tone).

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

If you're going to shell out money for a Line 6, I recommend an original Vetta (not the new one). The older one won't be too expensive (I'd say under a grand) and with their pedal board you can nail tons of great clean and distortion sounds. You'll appreciate the flexibility and options that it offers more than with the Duoverb or Flextone stuff (I find them rather linear).

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

Hate to say it, but out of every amp at GC, Mesa's and Marshall's included, I liked hte Flextone III best...

 

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

Hate to say it, but out of every amp at GC, Mesa's and Marshall's included, I liked hte Flextone III best...

yeah thats a nice amp, it's the one thats supposed to look vinatge like.

 

[Blueline]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

before you go using one of those live, I've always had a problem with my pod 2.0 in switching between amps (slight - or not so slight latency)
not good for live settings
i found myself having to make clean, dirty, and solo versions of the same amp to reduce the latency
from what i understand, the fextones only have 4 channels - so if latency still occurs i'd only get 2 clean and dirty channel amps out of it
or 1 clean, crunch, dirty, solo amp
which sounds weird

anyone else have this problem

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

You can also store your presets on your computer. In other words, the footboard stores 32, but with certain programs you can store presets on your computer, and download them back into your amp whenever you want them back. I really like my Flextone IIXL. It has real good distorted sounds. It lacks some in the cleans department, but it's very versatile.

-Matt

 

[nuntius]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

ok so they dont have the greatest tones in the world but i'd say if you really really need a squillion different sounds then go for it

i'd say go for the Vetta one also, but look into that hd147 - it looks cool, havent tried one myself yet but it looks like a beast lol.

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

If you're looking for vintage style tones, look into the Vox stuff. It's really really good at vintage, not so good at metal. If you want metal then Line 6 is the way to go.

 

[Rich_T]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

How about a midi programmable preamp like the marshall JMP-1. it can store tonnes of presets, and can be picked up dirt cheap on fleabay. match it with a decent power amp and a midi floorboard, all valve tone, digital flexibility.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

On that same note I'd just about kill for a Soldano X-99... midi flexibility and tone to die for.

I can't recommend the early Vetta amps. They sound great if you're only using 1 amp model, but if you layer amps you can run into processing lag. What happens is that one of the amps will play normally and the other one stutters, which sounds like you're using a very wierd stereo delay even if you're not using effects.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

VOX Valvetronix - If you really want modelling.

Marshall JMP-1 or Mesa TriAxis - If you want all kinds of patches, midi flexibility, and LOTS OF TONE out the hoop.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

Yeah, don't ditch the tube amp. In a band situation, you'll see how much better the tube amp will sound than a modeling head. What I think you should do is invest in that new Vox Valvetronix floorboard. They aren't cheap, but you'll be able to use it to feed ANY sound you want to your two tube amps. Simply use it as a big sophisticated OD pedal, with tons of FX and a wah. They really do sound great, plus you can use it exclusively in a studio situation, or as a bedroom practice rig. Those floorboard Tonelabs are probably the most useful modeling product you can buy.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

On that same note I'd just about kill for a Soldano X-99... midi flexibility and tone to die for.

I can't recommend the early Vetta amps. They sound great if you're only using 1 amp model, but if you layer amps you can run into processing lag. What happens is that one of the amps will play normally and the other one stutters, which sounds like you're using a very wierd stereo delay even if you're not using effects.

Good point about the processing lag. I never liked the whole two amps at once feature (after all, most people have one amp for one tone going on only at once). I guess it depends on whether you need that option or not. I will say the cleans and distortion blew away the Mesas and Marshalls I was playing in Guitar Center.

 

[InstituteOfNoise]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

For about $800 you can get a Vetta version 1. Upgrade it yourself to version 2.03. The Flextone III now has an upgrade you can do via a download from Line 6. The upgrade on it is a step up. Personally the Felx III to get is the Flextone III Plus. You can add a satellite cab and run it at 100w, otherwise it runs at around 60w. I currently run a Vetta II HD into a Genz Benz G-Flex 212. It does it all great!

As far as 2 amps at once, you can just use 1 amp and assign different effects to each side on the Vetta.

Personally, you'll have no problem being heard in a live band mix. All those types of issues are playability ones, due to members not listening and giving the space each instrument needs. No different than making a record.

Don't get me wrong I love tubes amp still, but you get so much bang for your buck with the Line 6 stuff. I've been using it for 5 years now and have had just about all of their products and not once have I ever had a realiability issue.

 

[Biu]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

This is a tough decision for me. I do love tube amps and everything, but that new Line 6 HD147 just looks completely KILLER. It seems to have everything I would ever want and need in a high-gain amp. It even has a 5150 model! :13: I may just save up my money for one. I'll probably get a job this summer and if I save up enough, I'll sell my Carvin (It's a great amp, but I think I can live without it) and get the HD147 with an Avatar 4x12 or 2x12.

If the price ($1299!) is too much for me to handle, I'll invest in a used Vetta or Flextone like you guys said. Thanks for all the replies!

 

[Biu]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

One more thing, I remember EdgeCrusher sold his 5150 (he was a HUGE 5150 fan too) for a HD147 before the new forum design went up. He seemed to like it a lot more than the 5150 and posted some really sweet clips.

 

[Mkf411]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

If the price ($1299!) is too much for me to handle, I'll invest in a used Vetta or Flextone like you guys said. Thanks for all the replies!

After buying alot of sub-par gear over the years, my advice is to save a little longer and then get what you really want, the Line 6 HD147. Don't just get what you can afford today.:dance:

 

[InstituteOfNoise]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

I just sold my HD 147 for the Vetta II HD. I just wanted more! Plus the 147 is more geared to high gain playing, even though the cleans are pristene. I just needed the versatility for different styles as called for.

 

[Hellion]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

i like my spyder......

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: Should I go with Line 6?

I just bought a Line 6 HD147 and FBV flooboard to use with my Mesa Recto 4x12. I'm now going to sell my Mesa Rectoverb 50 head, Orange AD30H head (customized with a true bypass effects loop and blend pot), and brand new Boss ME-50.

While the tones of the Line 6 aren't exactly like a tube amp, they are cool and the huge variety of sounds, effects, ability to use headphones, download patches, and everything else it does makes it more in line with what I do. I might switch back to tubes later on - who knows. But for now I'm going with Line 6.