Line 6 AX2

Very versatile amp with good sound quality if you know how to program it.

Sounds great when it works

The most unreliable piece of crap ever made. Has been repaired 3 times for the same problem! If you ever start hear it "crackling" or the signal breaking up you will know what I mean. Played a MAJOR gig and it went out on me! Web site won't allow me to give it a zero!

The worst!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NEVER buy a LINE 6 product!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just download the very well written 94-page manual from Line 6 and devour it! I'm a tech nerd these days and rarely see such thorough, easy-to-understand product documentation. These Line6 guys really cared about the product. Go to http://line6.com/support/manuals to get it.

The amp has an abundance of buttons & knobs - not a bad thing at all, since I hate the "nested menus" approach on most multi-effects pedals. You don't get lost when you tweak this amp.

I like having control over the guitar input level. You turn the master level to zero & strum the guitar hard to watch for clipping, then back the Guitar knob down until the clipping stops. This gives you the maximum input for the rest of the signal chain, so you're giving the preamp signal instead of noise. I guess most amps just leave enough headroom for a typical loud set of pickups, but with this amp I control the headroom.

I like that when you switch banks you don't commit to the new sound until you hit the channel A/B/C/D buttons. And I like the suggested organization of the banks - sticking with a common amp & cabinet set within a bank, then using channels A for "amp tone", B for "big tone" i.e. the basic amp tone plus an effect, C for "clean/cruch tone" for rhythm work, and D for "drive tone" for lead work.

The AUX input bypasses the effects and just routes through the amp/cab modelling so it's great to mix in a CD or iPod to jam with, or for an acoustic guitar with a piezo pickup.

The tuner is solid, much better than the jumpy tuner in my new Digitech RP-350 multi-effects pedal.

The floorboard control is great - easy to switch banks & channels. Buttons are well spaced and nearly impossible to hit two at the same time by accident. Nice to have wah & volume control separate. I like that it can switch its mode from bank up/down to simply control the individual on/off state of the various pieces of the signal chain - distortion, drive/boost, EQ, trem/chorus, delay, and reverb.

The amp may not have a kitchen-sink approach like recent mult-effects pedals - they didn't throw in every effects box ever made into this eight-year-old AX2 - but they included all the standard effects you'd want. Noise gate, hum reducer, compression, distortion, wah, EQ, trem/chorus/flange/phase, delay, reverb, it's all there. The effects can be tweaked from subtle to over-the-top.

The tube amp modeling is sweet & responsive and the cabinet modelling sounds great throught the two Eminence 12" full-range speakers.

It's great to have 110W of clean power, even at home. I don't need to go above 3 on the master dial to sound quite load, and with so much wattage behind the signal, it never feels weak or thin even at low volumes. Nice.

Have only had it a day, but it's at least seven years old and had been used for gigging.

I was careful to check that the tuner button engaged well since early models of AX2 and a predecessor amp had some problems with that. No crackling in any of the knobs on my unit, all the buttons work fine, and all the LEDs light. Seems built like a tank.

The cable from Floorboard to back of the amp is a vanilla CAT5 computer ethernet cable, so it'll be easy & cheap to replace if the clip ever breaks.

Have not had to talk to Line6, but I know their reputation is good. I've owned a GuitarPort for a few years and they're good about providing software updates for it. The AX2 manuals are still online and there is a forum on their site still somewhat active, so that's a good sign.

I'm an oldster (mid-40s) who played in a wedding band eons ago - not that I really *enjoyed* that cover music & the standards we'd crank out. My musical tastes range from Stravinsky to Green Day, but for guitar-oriented music I really enjoy The Strokes, Rage Against The Machine, OK Go, and oldies like Talking Heads, Joe Jackson, and The Clash.

The AX2 is an upgrade from a early-1980's solid state 50w amp I use for home practice nowadays. I use multi-effects pedals to sweeten the sound of my two main guitars - a decent one and a beater, but wanted to use the AX2 with its great Floorboard for better control than I get with an all-in-on effects pedal. The decent one is a Carvin solid-body neck-thru electric with dual humbuckers (with coil splitters), Sperzel tuners, and a traditional Floyd Rose tremolo. The beater is an SG knockoff I picked up for about $100, with craptastic humbuckers. The AX2 sounds great whether I'm using the Carvin or my junker guitar.

I've seen these amps on eBay or craigslist for US$300-400, so I was really happy to get this one for just US$225.

Has lots of features. It's definitely not a plug-n-play amp. You have to tinker with all of the amp models and features. There used to be a few good sites where ax2 owners could exchange patches/ideas/tips & tricks but since this amp hasn't been in production for ages the only place you can get any collaboration would be the line6 website.

Definitely has a lot of power. I've only played it above 6 a couple of times in pretty small clubs. Whenever i play it at home in a my office room i keep it under 3 most of the time.

I've used it in a HSS and HH setups with pickups such as Tone Zone, Vintage Blues, Evo, Evo2, Breed.

I play Satriani/Vai/Petrucci plus new metal bands.

Cleans are ok. On occasion I can get a nice warm, good, sort-of bluesy sound out of it. Anything heavier than that sounds like shit. Period. All those demo tones that were posted on the Line6 website back in 1998-2000, were probably recorded with real tube amps. This amp sounds nothing like or even remotely close to what they demoed.
Sounds like a bad solid state amp with some guitar fx processor.

When you finally get a good tone, there is a 100% guarantee that at high volume it will sound like shit. So you have to maintain 2 sets of patches pretty much: 1 for practicing and for live gigs.

Definitely bring a backup just in case. Sometimes my channels can switch out of the blue.

The dreaded master volume knob tends to produce loud crackling sound when you dial. In most cases some lubrication solves it.

Never dealt with them, and hopefully never will.

It has a few good features. I love the cab simulation which sometimes helps you get pretty close to the tone you like. Tape echo is pretty nice too.

It if it was stolen, I'd go and invest in a real tube amp.

I recently re-discovered this amp. I owned one for 7 years, an original Ax-Sys which I converted to AX2 when it became available. Gigged it weekly for years, had the pots fixed a few times (a problem aread for these amps), and overall loved it. I then went tube snob. Spent the last 3 years buying and selling tube amps...you name it, I probably owned it...Blackface Fenders, vintage Marshalls, Mesa, Bogner, Carvin, handbuilt. Been there done that. I spent more time looking for tone than ever actually enjoying playing. Oh, and add every friggin pedal on the market employed to capture the magic tone. The money, time and general waste of life spent on this, is mindblowing. I stumble across a guy selling an AX2 on Craigslist. Turns out he is right across town...and turns out he is the same guy I sold my original AX2 to years ago! He converted it to a head, which is actually cool because these combos are notoriously heavy. I now use it with 2 Tubeworks single 12 speaker cabs with removable backs for open/closed back options. I have had the amp back for 3 weeks now and I have played more guitar than I have in the last 3 years, simply just enjoying the sounds and ease of use of this amp. Is it the same TONE as a tube amp. No. Does it sound good? Yes, absolutely! I forgot how cool these amps are, and am thrilled to have it back. You do have to tweek it, just like any good amp. But you save it and forget it. Hughes and Kettners latest attempt (the Switchblade) is a weak attempt at trying to attain what the AX2 did almost a decade ago in 1996. I owned the Switchblade for a day. The AX2 destroys it. I believe this flagship amp by Line 6 will eventually be a sought after item. They really went after IT in the beginning, and the latest offerings by Line 6 don't have the same passion and emphasis on musicians needs that the AX2 offered initially so long ago. If you owned one, you know what I'm talking about. There is no shame in owning one of these amps my friends. Ugly, yes without a doubt. But man, what a machine. Get one now while they are cheap and readily available. Hang on to it. Doesn't have to be the end all be all, but for the price of a good boutique pedal, you can now buy this amp again and keep it in your arsenal. Not to mention how much FUN it is to mess with. Wow.

Bought it second hand in 1998 to replace a Flextone 2 x 12. Use it for recording and live gigs (always mike it, never use line-out). Very versatile as can be read from other reviews. It's really incredible what Line6 has done for guitarists, both for professionals and enthusiasts, and it all started with the AX2. The fact that it is so versatile is also a reason why some guitarist don't like it. Perhaps you don't want an AX2 or a Vetta because you don't like programming a lot. But you can work from one of the 128 patches of the AX2 that you like and easily produce good sounds at live gig levels. At least I could. See also "Sounds."

Play mostly with a Gibson ES335, style rock/grunge/blues; sometimes with Fender Strat. My favourite live sounds are based on Van Halen's patches B and D. These patches sound good at room level but tend to become boomy yet brittle when turning the volume above 3. (Play live between 4 and 5 and this is loud.) You have to remember that this is a modelling amp. This means it can also emulate a tube amp which is about to blow and this AT ROOM LEVEL. This is the most amazing feature of a modeling amp because it actually gives you (an emulation of) sounds that you can never have AT ROOM LEVEL with real tube amps.

On the other hand, I think this is also the reason why some guitarists who are used to tube amps feel it cannot stand up to the real tube magic. When they want that "magic" from their tube amps, they crank the volume up. When you crank up the volume on the AX2, however, you have to take into account the theory of Fletcher-Munson that says that our ears start to perceive the relative loudness of different frequencies differently. That is why a patch that sounds awesome at room volumes from the AX2 tends to sound boomy and yet brittle at gig levels. And therefore it fails the test with the real tube amp sounds. The solution, however, is inside the AX2: the equaliser. From the curves of Fletcher-Munson, you can derive an adjustement strategy for each of the different frequencies in the AX2' equaliser. In essence, you need to reduce the db of the bass frequencies and take a little of the high frequencies. This works very well for me. Sure, the tone is still just an emulation of the real tube tone. But it sounds awesome on its own and better and warmer than most non-tube amps I have heard. It is good enough for me, and in fact I am very happy with my AX2 because I can practise at home at low levels and have approximately the same sound as during live gig levels.

So far I have had no problems and never had to use my backup amp (H&K).
The floorboard need to be maintained; tightening the screws.

n/a

It's not the most solid and durable construction. It's basically a computer inside so treat it with respect.

has loads and loads of effects.you would never need to buy a stomp box ever...i do use some with . but that is for my own personal taste..this is a complete guitar rig ..i would recomend it just for the effects.and the tone settings are great..you can change your tone a hundred different ways and keep it all stored..great for players in multiple bands..

its hard to get a good sound out of it..if you take time and work the amp you can get it..but it takes time. i have spent days just programing it..and still do ..i have had it for 5 years and i love it...wished it was louder ...

its heavy ....i havent had many problems just minor stuff..but i dont abuse my equip.i use for my live rig all the time..its just heavy my only complant

never have delt with them....

buy it ...it works for what you need it to do..take care of it and it will take care of you ..trust me..

Bought this amp in the mid to late 1990s. It was great as a practice amp. Took a while to geta good feel for it since there was SSOOO many settings. I bought the full floorboard with it also, and wouldn't dream of using this amp without it. It has enough power to be played ina band situation, and evenplayed a few shows for it, but I quickly bought a Marshall Cab to use instead of the stock speakers.
What feature do I wish it had? Tubes.

I first used a Fender Jaguar stock.... The a year ago put a SD Full Shred in the bridge and took a few months to get the right sound out of it again. But once I started playing next to a JCM 2000, this amp was useless.... As with most solid state amps... I tried the best I could with the Extensive settings to get a sound that could keep up with the Marshall, but it wasn't happening. I had no tone, and even though I was louder, the marshall stood out way more. Last month I just picked up a RG321 and I had enough of the Line 6. I give it a 4 for sound now, where as before I played next to the Marshall I would have given it a 7 or 8.

From all I have read these things crap out fast. THANKFULY *Knock onwood* it has been strong, and I have had no problems with the amp... The floorboard onthe other hand is Shyte. I like the control it gives me, but it's not strong enough to stand moderate usage. The switches keep going out on it. I am keeping this amp as my backup, as if I sold it I'd be lucky to get $400 CDN with the pedal. I'd prolly save money if I only used it as a coffee table.... Considering I spent $1500 on it, I might as well just keep it.

Didn't bother.

I have been playing for over 10 years, and it was my first "Real" amp. I wouldn't use this in a band situation for long. I'd say it's great for home jamming, or as a cheap recording amp since it's got a butt-load of effects.... If your looking to get out and play for cheap, find some other Solid Sate amp. Crates GT 1200H is replacing this thing for me till I can afford a Real Amp.

I've got two models, probably a 1999 and 2000. I don't really know as one was bought off of eBay. Versatile? Yeah, as versatile as I've heard. The real beauty is in tweaking with the appropriate software like AX2 Editor or Patchwizard. If you don't have the patience to tweak and explore, and want to just plug in and play then don't use the AX2, go elsewhere. But if you can explore and be patient, then you will be suprememly rewarded. 100 watts and can cause ears to bleed. I've never turned this up past 4/10 in any venue.

I'm using Tele's and a Danelectro, Strat and Variax, mainly playing country, rock and blues. I don't think that's terribly relevant since you can tweak this think to whatever suits you. Again - WORK with it and it'll reward you in spades. It's not a plug and play amp. You can do that but understand you're not using it to the fullest.

I would never depend on a really important gig without a backup, first of all. One of my AX2's did have some crapout problems at first but a capactitor value change solved that and I've had NO problems since. As it is a digital amp, however, I would fully recommend you use a power conditioner to ensure proper voltage regulation. Common sense, but you may not be aware.

A lot of people complain that Line 6 really dropped the ball when they declared the AX2 to be their flagship and then quietly put it on the shelf. I'm a bit pissed about that too, but they have never been less than helpful with questions and support AS LONG AS YOU CALL THEM. I have found their online e-mail support to be relatively useless.

Been playing 35 years. Five years ago I really stepped up and I am an admitted tone freak. This led me to Line 6. I understand there are players who want tubes and to plug in and play, but I'm comfortable with tweaking and this amp is limitless if you want to invest the time. Not the prettiest amp at all but who the fuck cares? It's stupid, but if I had any criticism it would be for it to look less geeky. It doesn't scream style and balls-out looks. Looks more like a LED Christmas tree. BUT - invest your time and it will do whatever you like. Dont' invest the time and don't complain!

Bought new in 1999.
I've been gigging it for 6 years, so I know this amp VERY well.

Effects-wise, there's no user-definable pitch shifter; so no whammy or harmonizer.

No-one in their right mind can rate this amp below a 10 for features when compared to the average amp. Check with reviews below or Line 6 for details, but it's awesomely versatile.

Used with Parker Fly Deluxe, Les Paul Custom and Wolfgang.

I bought this amp originally as I'd out-grown my set-up but I'd only been playing 4 years and still wasn't sure where my head was going to go musically.

I've turned out to be into funk, metal, jazz, rock (classic and modern), blues, hip-hop and pop. And this amp covers ALL bases. I can take it to any gig and KNOW it'll perform, regardless what's needed of me.

However, then there's the question of authenticity. It does at best 80% versions of the sounds of the amps it's modelled on. For example, the Mesa Dual Rectifier sound is fantastic. But it doesn't do a good Marshall. You won't get that "kick in the chest" that a Soldano SLO-100 gives you through a 4x12, even if you plug this amp through a 4x12.

Also, to get the cabinet emulators working, the 2x12 is pretty flat response - fine if you're using it with the modelling amp and cabint emulators, but it sounds naff as a slave cab to another amp (should you try that...)

Bottom line: Excellent range of good usable sounds, but no truly "killer" tones.

(But then I shoved a Soldano GTO Supercharger pedal in front of it and WOW...)

Totally dependable, bomb-proof build, have gigged without a backup regularly.

Occasional scuffs to tolex.

MAin complaint is that the lead to connect the floorboard is rather poor - it's never actually cut out on me, but the cable keeps wanting to come away from the end connectors. Duct tape...

On;y spoken to them occasionally but always had prompt responses.

Been playing 10 years now, I've also played through Mesa Lonestar, Engl Powerball, H&K Triamp II (my other main amp) and a Fender Ultimate Chorus, plus loads of effects.

The AX'll always be in my amp collection. I love it's flexibility and usability. It's pretty intimidating at first glance, but well constructed and yes I'd buy it again...

BUT it never REALLY kicks. When you turn the volume up, it gets louder but not thicker. I do love it, and I'd recommend it to anyone who needs a range of totally different tones in a one-stop shop.

The Vetta II still doesn't do 100% versions of classic amps... but I'll be interested to see where modelling goes in its 5th and 6th generations. The snobbery may yet need to end.

Final thought - don't use it to sound like Hendrix. It doesn't work, it'll never sound right. That's the whole problem with guitarists, we try to sound like our heroes and fail.

But use the AX to augment your own unique tones and it'll fly.

Bought New in 1997 (An AXSYS upgraded to AX2)
Digital amp with great preset sounds and vintage amp simulation
I practise and gig with in
100 watts
Unlimited amp sound combinations.
Footboard
Tuner
Every imaginable effect

The various sounds range from crappy to awesome and clean to over the top distorted. I found several sounds based on Peavey 5150, Marshall, Mesa and other amps that I really liked. I had several custom sounds I made and also liked the preset Boston, Van Hallen, Mettalica, and Satriani sounds.

Not quite a tube sound but the range of sounds is incredible. It was difficult to learn how to make your own custom sounds which was a big drawback. But the range of sounds and tones is great. But don't expect the real 51050 or real tube sound,,,you will get something close.

My amp never broke down yet...though it seems to be getting a buzzing sound.

It still sounds great, I've gigged with it w/o backup. It is loud but Live I had to run it through the band's PA as well. Key board player and drums drowned it out.

No maintenance issues and I've used it a lot.

No issues...they sent me the upgrades with no issues.

Good rig but don't compare to a tube marshall or Peavey...not fair comparison cause of price difference. This is a good versatile 2x12 combo that gives you a lot of sound options. I've used it extensively since 1997 without problems and it really makes some great sounds. Definitely can gig with it...may need help of a cab or a PA though. If it were lost I'd get another on ebay,,,, they are now pretty cheap.

I've been playing on and off for 20 years and seriously the last 8. My guitars include an EVH Wolfgang, Gibson Les Paul DC Standard, 2 Fender Strats, and a Custom Carvin DC127. They all sound great and I gig mostly with the Carvin, EVH and Gibson. This is now my backup amp since I bought a new marshall halfstack. In fact, I am
considering using this for a few songs since I really like some of the sounds.

Bottom line: A great little package....if you can a clean one used for 300-400 dollars I'd jump on it!