Line 6 Flextone III XL

This is one of several Line 6 amps I own/ have owned and must say, I was very disappointed is the sound quality. It has tons of great features and sounds but not quite geared for metal as most of their others are. It is very loud for an open back combo. I cant think of anything they missed as far as features go. Its a huge guitar rig in a nice small 65lb box.

I am mainly a humbucker player who likes high gain but not muddy mid-scooped sound many people get sucked into. I love the warm full body of tube sound without the grit yet with a reasonable amount of saturation. This amp excelled at clean tones and what I consider mild gain tone ala AC/DC & classic rock. But, trying to get a great high gain sound left it very compressed and lacking any sort of feel. Felt very much like I was playing with a stomp box distortion like a metal zone or something. After not getting a good sound via the combo, I hooked it up to my 4 X 12 with Celestion GT12-75's and started over but to no avail. Again great clean and mild gain tones but the metal sound just didn't cut it so I went back to my old friend Line6 Flextone II HD.

I have had many Line6 amps and most of them held up really well. Some have had issues but NOTHING works forever without a little tlc.

N/A

I have been playing for 24 years. Classic rock to metal. I feel Line6 is the leader in modeling technology but missed the mark with this one.

All features of this amp have already been listed and there is a lot of them. One thing I find very practical for me is the MIDI functions, which allows connection to the computer to modify more deeply the channels and the patches.
On the other hand, I find a little bit deceiving we cannot use more than one modulation effect at a time.
Generally speaking, this amp can content anyone searching for versatility and choices in tones.

I mainly use a Fat Strat guitar (HSS) which I customed and a Les Paul Custom. Previously, I tried many amps, Fender Hot Rodes, Marshall MGs, JVM, Line 6 Spiders, Orange amps, obscure companies amps, and they all have their own particuliarities. When I tried the Flextone, sure it is not the pure sound of each of the amp modelized, but still, they are great. The tones I could get on it are incredible, as long as I take the time to tweak around.
It is not a noisy amp, but in special case like high gain line6 Fuzz (one of the tone you can get), the noise gate do a great job. In some amps I tried, I experienced the definition loss at high volume. On the F3XL, this is not a problem. It is a 150 watts amp, so before you lose any definition, you have blown the mic used in micing your amp on a stage (or in studio) or your have no ears at all... I tried it...
I'm a alternative-soft-rock-punk-metal guitarist, and each of the songs I play needs different tones, so in a way, this is the best amp I could get with its versatility and the tones I get of it.

Here is the problem. I got this amp new with a new FBV Shortboard, in order to have full control of the amp. The first time I used them out of the box, the pedal didn't work properly. So, I tried another pedal (one of my friend did get an FBV Shortboard that worked) and the same problem appeared. The channel switches didn't reacted normally. I continue to use the amp and the pedal and get used to the problem, and after a while, the problem disappeared. A month and a half ago, the problem reappeared and nowhere I can find an answer why the amp is doing so.
In gigs, I wouldn't trust it as much as I trust my effect pedals and any other "normal" amps.

I never dealt with the company, even for the problem I had, since I live in Canada, and the company is in the US. Still, the walkthrough guide of the amp is really helpful and makes the amp really easy to use.

I'm playing guitar since 5 years now, and electric guitar for 4. I've personally own three different amps and the F3XL is the best I ever got. Though, I've played through many other amps and the F3XL surpass them easily, even if its "models" aren't the exact replica of the original amp. Previously, I used to use a Boss MT2 distortion pedal with a Zoom G1X multi-effects pedal in order to have the tone I wanted, through a mixer (during shows) and directly in the computer in studio-working. Once again, the F3XL beats up the combination of effect pedals I used.

I purchased this amp 1 month ago, all the features have been mentioned already, suffice to say there are quite a few, it's a very versatile amp as you would imagine however you really need an FBV pedal to make the most of it, with that it's an amp for any occasion and serves people in covers bands especialy well, more than enough grunt for all but the most demanding player too.

I use a Maverick F1 special edition and a Yamaha AES620, the amp is quiet and with the noise gate on silent, as mentioned plenty of times it takes quite a bit of tweaking to get 'your' sound but it is well worth the effort, you can get clean and slightly dirty sounds that are wonderful and have surprising warmth to them, and i'm a huge fan of the lead tones availiable, punchy and articulate, where i had some trouble was with higher gain rythm sounds, but i am generally happy with what i've got, i may play some more with it but as i said, you need to mix & match amp/cab/effects/tone to get the sound your after, push the volume past 11'o'clock and the sound fills out nicely, overall i'm happy.

So far, no issues, it's second hand (about 2 years old) and is working just fine, it feels very solid

Never dealt with them, but the Line 6 website covers most of the bases well.

It's an interesting amp this, many people with dismiss it instantly, but it would be their loss, it's a great amp with some truly wonderful sounds, take your time with it and you'll have an amp for all occasions, recording, gigging and with genuine all round versatility, it's a firm favourite of mine.

I purchased this amp new 2 years ago (it was built in 2006) and have gone through a love/hate relationship ever since. I'm back on the love train right now (more on that in a moment).

You can read the other reviews to find the info about features.

I play in a cover band and this amp basically gives me everything I need to get the job done. Our band plays Eagles, Beatles, CCR, Petty, etc.

I agree with almost every reviewer who has said..." you have to read the manual, you have to use deep editing on the computer and you have to be patient if you want to get any satisfaction with this amp." So...after 2 years I finally took everybody's advice and now I'm finally happy. Not 100% all the time but almost always 85-90% happy.

Make sure you get the Shortboard or you're really going to be limited with your options.

I use an American Deluxe Fender Strat. The amp is pretty quiet, even at high volumes and even when using one of the single coil pickups. I always set the master at "11 o'clock" and control my volume with the foot pedal. Running it at 11 o'clock makes it plenty loud and it also opens up the tone.

The clean sounds are absolutely fantastic. My main clean tone is the Matchless Chieftain with a 2x12 cabinet. I add a little reverb and chorus and I'm good to go. By manipulating the tone and pickup controls on the Strat I can cover Skynrd or CCR or Petty. Pretty easy.

Where I had problems was with: 1) getting leads to punch through the mix and 2) getting distorted tones that sounded worth a damn. Both problems were recently fixed via the addition of a Boss Blues Driver. That unit warms up the tone, adds punch for leads without having to add a lot of volume AND brings several of my distorted/rock patches to life. This unit was the missing link.

I've used this amp consistently for 2 years with no problems.

No experience

Your satisfiaction with this amp will be 100% linked to: a) your expectations and b) your willingness to do your homework.

If you want a small amp, with plenty of power, basic on-board effects and enough flexbility to handle lots of musical styles (not 100% dead-on but close enough) then this amp's for you.

I've had this for about 3 years.

You already know the features if your are reading this...
Solid state amp with many channels and some great sounding effects.

This amp can get really LOUD... However in my opinion any thing above bedroom volumes and it loses definition and sounds like a muddy mess.

It has the ability to plug into a MIDI USB interface, and you can use the free Line 6 edit software to dial in some unique sounds

I mainly run pickups like PAF Pro's and EMGs, which have great definition and makes it fairly easy to judge the clarity of an amp.

The clean channels are fantastic, especially with some reverb and chrous. It's a pretty quiet amp as well.

When I purchased this amp I made the mistake of not cranking it in the store. It sounds great at "bedroom" volumes, but crank it up and it starts to really lose definition even with the mids cranked.

If you are planning to buy this amp to play metal... Stay away.

I am not a solid state hater, my favorite amp at the moment is my Line 6 Vetta II, which sounds amazing when dialed in properly.
I just can't seem to make this Flextone work on anything other then clean sounds. It's hard to explain, but the words "lifeless" and "sterile" are the best I can come up with. When I first purchased it I thought it sounded great, but after I developed some ears for great tone I changed my mind..

I have never had any trouble with this amp.... The controls are not solid feeling, an the input jack is just cheap.

I decided to take a week to properly evaluate my new F3XL before posting a review, because frankly, after playing with it for an hour of so, I was giddy as a little school girl. I honestly can't believe somebody finally made a solid state amp that has all the best sonic characteristics of a tube amp, without the heat, hiss, noise, and general pain-in-the-*** of the real deal.

I've spent 30+ years trying, buying and selling gear, because most stuff is poorly engineered, over marketed, and under thought. Even the really high end stuff has been a let down for me, because I demand tone at low volumes. And I CANNOT STAND having to mentally climb into some rack unit just to get a usable echo or modulation.

This is the first package that puts all the real, useful musical tools a studio musician needs together to cut tracks without making it overblown or underpowered.

The delays and modulations are top notch - everything you would need to record (or replicate live) good solid guitarwork. The compression is iffy on some mods, but spectacular on others, so use with discretion.

The shortboard is an exceptional piece of gear that puts everything at your feet. God Bless Line 6 for making a footcontroller that you can easily use out the box, and for putting in a LARGE backlighted display that you can actually read on a dark stage. High marks all around. Thank you for thinking this one through...

After reading reviews year after year of gear on this HC forum, I have come to a conclusion: most players don't really like the sound of a tube amp. It's true, seriously.

I've read hundreds of reviews of good sounding tube amps that describe them as muddy, choppy, chunky, lumpy (sounds more like peanut butter after a while...) in a disdainful way.

Hate to tell you this, but this is what a good tube amp sounds like. They thump, chunk, pump and ring like a bell. I guess some guys hear the heavily doctored, harmonized and compressed tones they hear on their favorite albums and think that's what tone is supposed to sound like. If that's what you want, you're really looking for a fuzz box, that will replicate the sound you're used to. It helps to be honest with yourself about what tones you're going for. You'll be happier in the end, for sure.

That being said, the F3XL sounds very much like my old Plexi, a Mesa I played through several times, the Fender I blew up, and the third Marshall I just sold. It's very faithful to the originals, without aping the sounds in cardboard box fashion.

The delays and modulations are very good - good enough for live performance and studio work. To get better, you'd have to go rack, and then perhaps possibly Eventide and the like. That kind of money doesn't translate on to the tape, as we used to say, so why spend the money?

I have to give it a nine, though, for one reason. The amp needs an overdrive switch - something to give you a lead boost on any amp or setting. PODs have the same problem. You have to go with an outboard stomp to get this, which is a shame, considering everything else the amp can do. Line 6, take note...

Had my POD for years and never had any trouble. But will wait and see on this bird.

Never contacted.

"Know thyself". Those words are very important when selecting an amp. Play lots of gear, and make notes about what you like and don't like. Don't buy something because of the name - some of the best gear out there doesn't sell that well.

Be discriminating, and invest some time in understanding your tone preferences.

For me, the F3XL fills the bill and then some. A great, compact music machine that allows me to create without too much trouble.

I'm not sure of the year as I purchased this amp used. This amp is very versatile and feature-packed between the different amp models, cabinet models, and effects. With the FBV Shortboard, this amp allows you to save multiple presets suitable for any style of music.

I'm not sure why so many people bash these amps or Line 6 products in general. I use this amp with my American strats and Les Pauls and can get everything from shimmering clean, to a nice crunch, to all out distortion capable of heavier styles of music. I play mostly blues and classic rock, and this amp is MORE than versatile. I'm not going to make any comparison to this amp and a tube amp...this amp was designed to emulate or "model" certain amps, and for being digital it does an excellent job. You have to be patient and learn how to EQ this amp, as the EQ takes on a different personality with each amp model. In other words, the EQ will take the same shape as the EQ on the original amp that it models. Once you figure that out, you can get some awesome tones from this amp. Anyone who can't get a good tone from this amp either doesn't know how to EQ the amp, or simply can't get past the fact that this isn't a tube amp. This amp can get LOUD but can also be used at home at reasonable volumes. I get a nice volume with GOOD tones with the master set at 11:00 and the channel volumes set at around the same. This amp provides both sparkling cleans and a nice bass response.

I've owned several Line 6 products and have never had a problem with them.

There is alot of good information on the Line 6 forums for support. I've never had to deal directly with the company, but use the forums on the Line 6 site for alot of information.

I've been playing guitar for 38 years, and have owned solid state amps, tube amps, boutique amps, and modelers. I currently own an 18-watt PTP hand-wired amp, as well as a Vox AD50VT. I love the versatility of this amp as well as the tones. Again, it's not a tube amp, but that being said, I've heard some tube amps that sound AWFUL.

I rated this low on features BECAUSE, You buy the amp, and then realize that all the control functionality(already in a Vetta) is "outboard" and built into the floorboard, so you have to pay another $300 to get this 2nd "part". I like the 2 12" speakers, effects loop is ok but bascially not used much by ANYONE these days. The midi stuff is good.

This amp is better than MANY tube amps. And more versatile than ALL tube amps. No noise. It can make great sounds with tons of variety. The clean channel is great and the distorion capabilities...legendary. This is a modern day classic and in a few years people will be looking for them used.
As far as it sounding like tubes?? It sounds better and you do not have to worry about cold or warm tubes, tube type, old tubes, bad tubes, etc. Tubes "opened" the door to the sound guitarist want.....And modeling kicked the door in and walked all over tubes.

never a problem. Beutifully constructed.
Needs no regular servicing like a tube amp needs. No biasing or flaky tubes to change out.

Warranty is good. Never needed customer service. If it dies after warranty I can buy another. Way less expensive than what music dealers ransom the tube amps for.

I love this amp because it is THE perfect PC based platform for recording, ...just plug the headphone out into a PC card, and use Cubase and "Roomworks" reverb(included in Cubase SX3) and then enjoy. Foor live just use the 2 12"" speakers and add extension cabs if you want.
What I don't like..is not about the amp...but about the tube morons that don't give this artwork the credit it deserves. HEY!, If you are young, or on a budget, or home guitarist, or small venue live player, this is the amp for you. Enough said.

Have had several 150W 2X12 Combo's (this is not good! Read on.). Use the Shortboard with it. Very versatile. Shortboard allows patch switching and simultaneous turning off and on the effects, better for live work than any multieffect unit or a bunch of stomp boxes strung together.

Versatile, loud, easy to use. Shortboard makes it the best live unit matched against ANYTHING.

Here we go! Am on my 4th Flextone III and going for my 5th. Have bought all of these in the last 3 years NEW and ALL have failed in less than a year. Each failed differently. No smoky environments, no bouncing around in a trailer, not rained on, etc. Never played above volume level 5. Customer support has been fantastic. They have come to the rescue each time but I would like to know if anyone else has seen this failure rate.

Great. See above

Wish it would stay working. If you depend on this amp, order a backup now!!!

i like the features but i'm only going to talk about something i tried that people might find interesting.

i have many tube amps and always felt ss amps lacked any defining charactor. this amp is ok with it's ability to tweek it but i did some experimenting and found a way to make this thing sound like a really great tube amp. i happen to have a hughes an kettner blues master lying around (hard to find these and they are expensive). for those of you who know what they are (a 5 watt tube amp) and have heard them you can appreciate their abilities. anyway, i put hk in the effects loop and...holy crap!!!! the possibilities are endless. i havn't touched my tube amps since. i'm sure there are other tube driven stomp boxes (not as good as hk) that would do the same thing. just thought i would throw that out there.

seems ok but there is something large that moves around in the amp. i did check everything i could but cannot find anything loose.

don't know. however they did keep me waiting on line for a long time before i decided to hang up.

great with my modification

Nice feature-set for variety and experimentation. Overall easy to use, but the reverb, modulation and delay sections require a button+dial combination for additional tweaking, which is a minor inconvenience. Excellent choice of speakers; and the cab is tuned well for the models. These days, i've been using this amp at home; BUT ... it's an good giging amp too, IF you crank it. This amp NEEDS to be played loud to get the most out of it, and your guitar.

These days, i'm playing this amp, and a class-A all-tube Genz-Benz Black Pearl 2x12" combo. My guitars are a Fender production Strat mod'ed with Joe Barden pup's, a PRS Mira, and a Reverend Club King HB. My favorite OD pedals are an Xotic BB Preamp & RC Booster; Barber LTD and Barb-B-Q (not an OD really); and a Maxon OD-9. I run a FT ChoralFlange with the Genz when i need modulation.

Okay, so here's my take on the Flextone: EXCELLENT variety of Cleans (as others have mentioned); can be overdriven well in some circumstances, not so well in others. Takes pedals pretty well, for a SS amp. On-board effects are good to have, convenience-wise; they sound okay but nothing exceptional here. "Tips" -- What I do to get the most out of this amp: (1) Play a GOOD guitar through it. Luckily, this base in covered. (2) Play it LOUD when possible. The softer you play it, the thinner it gets, and the more you'll have to tweak to get at good-quality sounds/tones. (3) I run a booster/EQ box in the FX Loop, with the gain kicked up a bit. This IMO makes a HUGE difference in the sound quality. (4) Use the CAB Models alot. For any Amp model you choose, dial through the Cab Models to find several good timbre's. Functionally, I use the Cab models as a sort of global EQ device, and just run from there. You can further tweak the setting with the tone dials if you feel you need to, but the Cab models themselves are an excellent way of landing on a tone quickly, in order to find something that works with the guitar you're playing.

That's basically it. This is a SS amp, no question about it. It WON'T play like a (GOOD) tube amp. BUT .... here's the kicker ... this amp is a good value anyway, since it can open up a wide range of usable cleans for experimenting with recording ideas, as well as a nice complement to live play, esp. when running in a stereo-amp setup. The cleans are very articulate, and these models, i'll tell you honestly, really let a good guitar shine through. You CAN push many cleans with the Drive knob into some gritty overdriven tones, but personally, i like to stay clean with this amp, as the Amp & Cab models can get very loud and full-bodied without breakup, to enhance your GUITAR'S character. To me, this is the best use of this amp, but you'll have to be your own boss here.

Good so far. It's got some vibration internally when moved, though; not sure why, as i've tightened everything up as best i could find. It hasn't effected its playing, but i'm being very careful when i lift it & put it down. I'll leave this rating at "No Opinion" .... for now.

No opinion.

For MY uses, this amp works well. When i want dirty, gritty, overdriven sounds i tend to go to my tube amp, with various flavours of OD pedals. "Tubes Rule" in this area, as far as harmonics and playability goes. BUT, a single amp, even a multi-channel one, is built & voiced for a relatively narrow range of tonal flavour. I've found that this Flextone is great for opening up the palette for clean playing, with a wide variation of EQ textures available. You CAN get "heavy" with this amp, and the metal / "shredder" no doubt can get to some usable over-the-top tones here; but i'd really say that the cleans are where it's at with the Flextone. I don't think any serious player would be disappointed in this regard, as long as you consider my "tips" in the "Sound Quality" section.

Tons of features, tons of tones, tons of power. This amp covers all the bases.

For those of you who trash this amp and write if off, I have to ask...do you know how to edit the sounds or are you just going by the presets??? Before you slam a product, spend some time with it. There is every sound imaginable in this amplifier, but if you stick with the crappy factory presets, you can't give it a proper rating. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the way this amp sound!!! It absolutely rocks!

I've had mine for years...practiced with it, gigged with it, lugged it around the area for a while now. It's never even hiccupped on me once. I would and do use this without a backup. Line 6 builds their stuff like tanks!

I've never dealt with them. I bought my Flextone III XL used off of Ebay, and I've never had a single problem with it.

For a gigging or studio musician, you cannot go wrong with this amp. Combine it with the long floorboard, and the possibilities are limitless. I know, it sounds like I'm selling the damn things, but I've owned a LOT of gear over the years, and I'm a guitaraholic (I've probably owned, traded, played, bought and sold every brand of guitar out there at one time or another!) My guitar collection comes and goes, but this amp has and will remain a constant in my collection!

- seemed to have everything you need

- cleans work well , roland setting is great .I have a problem with the overdrive settings , they stink .Many are useless

Seems reliable - I used it for a while with no problems , but my buddies tell me the sound stinks , so it's up for sale

no opinion

Playing for 30 years , some recording rock acts , if it were lost , i would leave it that way , I thought the versisility would make up for some tone problems , but i cannot listen to this anymore ,

I've had this Flextone III since January '07 or so. SS, lots of effects, lots of amp models. Stereo xlr outs are great for recording.

Very quiet over all. Awesome cleans, no gain to high gain. Effects are very good all around. It doesn't replicate any of the amp sounds it tries to emulate, but it does get close.

Very reliable, no issues at all.

I'm a fairly new player and this was my first amp. If you like lots of sounds it's a great option. I, however, ended up using the vox ac30 model all of the time. So, I decided to get that amp. The flextone is still around for playing quietly, and recording. And from what I've seen I never have to worry about it breaking down...

I don't think that i would have to (re)state the amp's feature-set, so i won't; all this has been posted here and elsewhere ad nauseum, and all the details are available at Line 6. I would suggest downloading their user manual (PDF format) .... it's a good read. It is worthwhile to note that this XL with the 2x12" celestions sounds "better" than the "Plus" (1x12") ... IMO of course. It's a true stereo configuration, with 75 watts per power amp. A potential donwside with the XL is that if you want to run with a 2nd cabinet, the on-board speakers will be dis-abled; whereas the 1x12" "Plus" will play through the on-board as well as the extention cab. This wasn't a big concern for me, because i do stereo play by running a 2nd amp with a split signal, with each amp sculpted to have a complementary tone with the other.

I normally don't give "10" ratings in ANYthing. BUT .... this amp covers such a wide spectrum of quality sound that i have no choice. The modeling is ABSOLUTELY steller. Pick an amp model, move through various cab models, and voila .... you now have separate, unique "REAL" amp's at your disposal to work with. I can construct a totally clean "amp", then tweak as needed; all the way through light-to-moderate-to balls out breakup sounds. Each amp model is extremely sculpt-able with proper Volume & GAIN dialing. I play a LP Custom '78, a deluxe players Strat, and a Reverend Club King HB. I can maintain each guitar's character easily with my Flextone. This is EXtremely important to me, to be able to recognize the guitar, and for ME to have the "last say" as to how it sounds, and not the equipment. ALSO ... and this is the other BIG plus for me ... the Flex takes outboard equipment - stomp's and such - VERY well. My frontend includes a Carl Martin compressor, MXR Graphic EQ, and one of various OD stomp's depending on my need. My FX Loop includes a Boss Chorus Emsemble (optional when needed), 2nd MXR EQ, and a BBE Sonic Maximizer (for added final clarity.) My Flex LUVS my setup!

So far, so good. I'm NOT hard on my equipment, so care goes a long way. The Flex is pretty easy to move around .... it's about 60 lbs or so, so it's not difficult to carry around.

No opinion - per se. I've spent some time on the Line 6 forums and Line 6 people get on and respond to other's inquiries, although not consistently. If i ever have a problem with my Flex, i have a local certified Line 6 service tech available. I DO expect that the internal battery will fail one day. When it does, i won't attempt to replace it myself, based on what i've read.

My Flextone III XL is all i could hope for, and MORE .... for an amp costing me thousands less than the "real" equipment that it's modelling. Modelling is all about flexibility and cost-effectiveness. BUT, if the quality sounds weren't there, then there'd be no market for it; and i certainly wouldn't be a converted customer. My playing days span back to the early '70's, and i've seen the field of guitar playing evolve through all manner of twists & turns. To this day, there continues to exist the die-hard tube amp enthusiast. And, for good reason, as there are excellent sounds to be had with the high-quality equipment that's out there. HOWEVER ... this is the BIG rub in the tube-amp face .... the best modelling available today is (IMO) as good as the traditional equipment, and coupled with the flexibility & cost-effectiveness issues that modelling brings to the table, absolutely puts a modelling rig OVER THE TOP. There's just no comparison in value between a rig - mine as one example - which, all told, costs me less than $1,000 (minus guitars) - verses a rig with but a SINGLE real amp, with only the tonal flavours available with that ONE AMP - that MAY end up costing several thousand dollars, and give you more headaches and a strained back to boot! At this point in my playing days, i'm a total modelling convert, and that's it. I've had Fenders, Marshalls, Mesa's, Gibsons, and a Bogner .... too many $'s ill-spent. I will conclude my review by saying this: I LUV MY FLEXTONE ! (To quote a famous American shredder - " 'NUF SAID" .)

150w 2x12 digital modeling guitar combo
32 amps covering all styles
16 cabinets covering most styles
6 delays
6 modulations
reverb, compressor, gate
XLR & headphone out
Stereo FX loop
FBV controller in

Should cover just about anything you want: Pristine clean, light grit, crunch, fuzz, shred, grind, etc...
Is it a perfect copy of all these amps/cabs/fx?
No, but for 1/2 the price of most of these amps individually I'll take it.
Not too fond of the stock speakers, but that can be delt with in time.
Remember, DON'T JUDGE LINE 6 AMPS BY THEIR PRESETS!!!

I've had no problems yet (only had it a month), but I've also owned about half Line 6's product line at one time or another. Only 2 problems and both due to neglect.

Excellent, always very helpful, even on older products.

I've had many Line 6 products: POD/POD 2.0 is fun, good for beginners or practice. Floor POD/PODXT Live, better but still missing the feel of the amps. Vetta, wonderful, perfect studio rig, you'll never need anything else, but not plug-n-play, too much to play with. Duoverb, great sounding, more traditional amp, like the dual-channel option, but no FX. HD147, monster power and sound, but limited mid-gain options and not available in a combo, which is what I like right now. Flextone/Flextone II combos, again, good practice/beginner amp. Spider series amps, much like the Flextone II. Flextone III is by far the best bang for your buck, simplicity and versitility of the Flextone/Spider series w/ the sound quality of the Duoverb/Vetta in a great feeling 2x12 combo. Now I just need the FBV shortboard.

OK-I've been reading the reviews on this amp and some of the comments are plain silly. I can't believe that some apparently informed people would give the same amp a '10' for sound, and another allegedly well informed critic give it a '1'. Taste is important-and people are entitled to the view they take-but some of the comments in these pages are simply unwarranted. This won't be a short review-if you are serious read on. I'm going to be thorough. Because maybe you are thinking of buying one.
Features? Loads of on board effects, 32 amps, plenty of cabs, a noise gate, compressor and 4 preset memories (programmable). Also a stereo FX loop, twin XLR outs for stereo feed to PA, midi programmability, etc...Headphone jack. Reassuring handle (these things are important-ever dropped an amp when the handle came off? NOT nice). nothing is ever perfect so...9

OK-this is where everything becomes subjective. I can understand someone having differing views on the accuracy of the modeled sounds but, with all due respect, some of the reviewers on this amp are way outside the boundaries of sense when they use words like 'crap' and 'poo' to describe this amp. It doesn't inform anyone ('harsh' 'shrill' 'toppy'...'boomy...' these are helpful. Telling the world that the tones 'fucking suck' doesn't tell me much.
Sound quality on the models I've 'test driven' in rehearsals and live have been from 'satisfactory' (say 7) to excellent-especially the Vox AC30 and the Soldano. I have a Soldano Hot Rod 50 plus so I was able to A/B between the real thing and the Flextone. Valves have their own voice-but the flextone was very very close-though it was essential to play with the tone controls-i.e. putting the Soldano's tone controls at 12 o clock and doing the same for the Flextone didn't produce the same sound-but then its an SLO 100 that's modeled-the Hot Rod 50 is essentially the same circuitry but at lower power. So like all good guitarists, play with the tone knobs. The AC 30 is stunningly accurate and I got a very responsive chiming sound that expanded with reverb, and with stereo delay added in, loads of compression etc, keeping the drive about half way, gave a very clear and lasting ringing tone that sat beautifully in the mix (Drums/bass/Keys/Acoustic Guitar plus me). Soldano is hissy but thats just like the real thing-noise gate works fine. Drive is not as 'dirty' sounding as the read deal-you need to dial in more to get the same sound. I use it with my '81 Les Paul custom, and also with a new USA Series Tele-two guitars a world apart tonally. Sounds great with both. That's important. With the LP in a smaller venue you have to watch a 'booming growl' creeping in during rhythm playing when you leave the chord to hang for half a bar-judicious palm muting in the last beat and a half solves that. I think its an EQ issue I haven't yet got my head around.

Only had it a few weeks so can't comment. As I use it with a PODXTlive I'm not really gigging without a back up as if it failed I could always in emergency put the POD straight into the PA and rely on my monitor or IEM system. (I never gig without a backup. The audience deserve better than me muttering 'sorry I've bust a string/blown a valve/my lead's gone west' etc). Even the finest gear can fail.

Always found them excellent-my Variax power box just died one day and they sent me another straight off...the website is truly excellent and the Line 6 Monkey/Line 6 Edit software happily ensures my software/Drivers are always up to date. I find Line 6 are very customer focused. I notice that one reviewer gave customer support a '1'... but then asks 'Did this fuck even consider the concept of checking your work??'... Well if you speak ABOUT people like that, what were you like on the phone TO them...just a question. Maybe they give you a low score too, pal.

Been playing 32 years. Have owned 42 guitars-presently have 13. Includes 1960 relic strat, USA Tele, The Heritage H535, 81 Les Paul Custom, Variax, Gibson Firebird, Martin 00-0028, Gibson LG0, Dobro D33 Resonator, Yamaha CPX, etc...Soldano, Fender & Marshall Amps... more FX than I can list....I'm not easily pleased... If it were nicked I'd even upgrade to a Vetta. I love the sound, programmability, the vintage look is nice, the XLR out are a real boon (I don't find the sound changes as it reaches the PA-maybe that's a subjective thing to an amp model I tend not to use-I notice some people comment on that). Compared it to the VOX equivalent-didn't like it. Vox make awesomely good amps but the feel of the one I tried (can't remember the model number-one o the current range) sounded thin somehow-maybe that's taste, again. Ideally I wish it had a Vetta style screen for editing but hey-I link it to a laptop and off we go...

A ton of features. The greatest tube amps and classic Cabs have been vacuum packed inside the Flextone III XL. The FBV Shortboard is a must have for this product. A Midi hook up provides thousands of tones from the Line 6 website.

I have owned a Fender Super Reverb and a Marshall Plexi in the past and have played on lots of other tube amps. I have always loved tube amps but the Flextone III is great. Its so close to the originals that its scary. I have yet to A/B the Flex with one of the modeled amps but i will soon. It has great bottom end and clarity. 150 Watts should be plenty of power for anything and i can record direct at 2 am. I bought a first generation POD when they came out and i still used it until i got the Flextone. The Technology progression that Line 6 has made is awesome, no comparison between my POD 2.0 and the FlextoneIII. I can rip through some Eric Johnson Ah Via Musicom tones, classic Van halen , SRV , or even U2 if i want. The effects are awesome. They are great duplications of the originals and all are in stereo. This amp works great with effects pedals too, most digital amps dont. You can get any kind of tone out of this amp. Ive had it for 3 weeks and im still shocked at how damn great it sounds.

The amp seems to be built really well. The floorboard is built well too.

I havent had any problems. Hopefully i wont.

I've been playing for 24 years. I play a little of everything but, mostly blues/rock. If lost or stolen i would replace it for sure.The versatility and all of the great tones make this the best amp ive ever played.

What else do you want? It has 32 amp models and 16 cab models (well 15 and a bypass) and any of the effects you could want. The models range from Roland Jazz clean up to Solando distortion, scary but satisfying. 2 speakers and 150watts of power. I am gigging it at the end of the month so I'll let you know how it goes. I'm giving it a nine because it doesn't have the pedal board included.

Well, I like it. I play a mixture of indie rock and pop so i usually use the Fender Bassman setting with my hollow body Ibanez AK85. This gives a beautiful crunch that works for my style. I also love the Vox AC15 when played through a Marshall 4x12 with high reverb, a little bit of ping pong delay and a compressor. But thats the point. Every sound isn't perfect, the Fender Vibroverb is extremely average but it just doesn't matter, because you have 31 different ones to try until you find the right one. Before buying this amp, i was contemplating Marshall JCM900s, TSL602s the usual tube bunch but the price, features, ease of use, sound quality and looks all drew me to this amp. I cant praise this highly enough, I've sat for hours playing through all the settings and seeing what i like and what i don't and i haven't even scratched the surface of what this amp can do.

I have a confession to make. I broke one. It wasn't mine but when i was trying a second hand one out in a shop before i knew how to use it i put all the volume up accidentally and played a C chord. It went pop and stopped working. Mine works perfectly at any volume but i've only had it for 2 months and haven't gigged it yet so who knows but i have full confidence in it. A 7 for a scary 1st experience.

Well the line 6 website is amazing. But a word of warning, go on it too much and it can seriously effect your wallet. The bassist in my band is buying a Line 6 Lowdown 300pro and the Variax is my next purchase. Scary stuff.

Ive been playing about 3 years. I have a Squier Strat and a Ibanez AK85. I got this to replace my Marshall MG30 which just didn't have the power. This does. If it was stolen, I'd buy more, and I'd congratulate the guy who stole it for his exquisite taste. I love this amp and i can't see a need for any other, my only complaint is the price of the footpedal that really unlocks this amp. For the price of the pedal, you could buy a Variax 300...... no contest. Honestly this has everything you need and a little more.

2006 Line 6 Flextone III XL

2 "12 Celestions
150 Watts
Tons of modeling going on here

I wish this amp had a tuner on the control panel instead of having to hook up my shortboard for a quick tune up.

Good God this thing is loud.

This amp can do everything.

I can get the most hardcore death metal distortion to blues tones to early 60's brit pop to country cleans in 5 seconds.

I play blues/classic rock and this puppy does it all.

There is no base uncovered here.

With a Tele, you can get good blues and twang, with 'buckers you can get good solid rock, metal and jazz tones. With a strat you can nail SRV and Hendrix tones in a second.

The noise gate takes care of any noise you are going to have, from Distortion fuzz to 60 cycle hum.

The amp when pushed, sounds like a loud amplifier. I don't notice a difference at louder volumes. I play in a soundproof environment, so maybe that makes a difference.

The shortboard is a neccesity on this bugger. it really helps the amp come alive.

Gig without a backup? Sure.

Broken down on me? Nope.

??? Never had to call.

been playing for 17 years. Got rid of my stack and wanted something portable but loud. I love this amp. I would buy another again in a heartbeat. Buy it. You will like it.

Bought this amp used about six monthes ago. This thing has about a bizzillion models in it to cover anything you wish to play. Read the past posts for a more in depth review of features.

Ok, I have owned many-o-tubes amps and still do, including a full stack 5150II and the most recent to my purest tube collection a Peavey Classis 30 head that I run through one of the 5150 cabs. These are great tube amps if the "tube amp tone" is what you desire, but this line 6 can do all of that and then some at bedroom levels. Do not fall to the hype about tone, play one of these and you'll be surprised how much you don't miss your trusty tube amp. I've been playing for 30 years, and this amp is wonderful. Sh*t Can all of your effect pedals, there is really no need, everything is self contained and easy to use. The tone of this amp is awesome. Line 6 did a very good job on this one!

Hello there. You are on the right track.

I own the XL 2x12. I use all features if not all amp models. It has effects loop, stereo XLR direct out with independent volume control and is louder than you'll ever need it to be. Enough technical specs, let's get down to business: The amp sounds absolutely glorious and is rock solid. Don't succumb to the idiots around you who just repeat what people tell them on messageboards. Tube is a four letter word. Just judge for yourself - listen to it, and you'll never look back. From the electric guitar itself to the fuzz pedal to whatever else, rock music has always been about pushing the sound to greater heights. That said, any new technology takes time to develop. This amp proves that the time of digital has arrived.

I came to this amp because I needed a solution to the problem of wanting the absolute best sound for each song in my band's set. My band is adventurous - and we're not a cover band. It was apparent that each song's arrangement benefits greatly from its own sound, volume, level and type of drive, distortion, delay, reverb, eq, etc. Even the same song can require 2 or 3 different sounds. This amp, along with it's floorboard, seemed to offer a way to have all that at my beck and call. Bit how would such a thing sound? Wasn't this all a bit too easy? Where was the catch?

A bit more background on me: I primarily play a custom made Telecaster and I am also one of the lucky ones who got a lot more than what they paid for from a Mexican Strat. Until the time I bought the XL I had extensive experience with various amps at numerous rehearsal and recording studios: from JCM 800s / 900s to Mesa Boogie to Sunn, to Vox and Fender Double Verbs and everything in between. I had never found all that I wanted in any one amp; I love different things in different amps, and each one likes a different aspect of me. I myself owned a Fender Twin, an amp which can be very lush and thick but also very bright. The tube sag in that thing makes the Tele sing and growl and I was very happy with that.

Could this digital nonsense hold its own? Even partly? Cause these are some big claims!

Well, I played it in the store and found that, to the best of my judgement, it actually freaking did all that Line 6 promised. Part of me kind of didn't want it to do so well, you know? Yet another part of me kept asking "are you sure its good? Are you maybe so looking forward to having all these presets that you're talking yourself into it?" I had to find out more. I kept going from the Flextone to all these different amps and not only found it "held up" but actually that it was just sweeter, rounder, fuller. Still, I held out. I went online and searched more. The thing was kind of new at the time, but The Flextone II was looking pretty ok. I figured the extra 'I' must count for something so I went ahead and bought it.

The clincher was not only the different amps but also the ability to program custom delays / modulation / reverb /compression / gate for each preset... Damnit, it sounded amazing to me, I just had to have it.

Now, lets make one thing clear: upon buying this thing, you need to seriously set aside some alone time with it and just fiddle away. I really must note that the presets it comes with, which might be ok as a starting place, are a bit... lets just say... geared towards selling the amp to IDIOTS who want to easily get all these established sounds, which is utterly USELESS. You want to sound like yourself, man. But the thing is, that's just marketing.. The amp itself is not about "simulating the sound of an amplifier used by Chad Fripp on that one song" i.e. take the sine wave and process it with EQ and compression until it sounds kind of like amp XYZ. No. It's actually mimicking the physical, mechanical and electrical processes involved in the sound's journey from guitar to mic (Line 6's whole deal after all) and so what you get is the full gamut of sound each amp modeled has to offer. The real responses and quirks, the right feedback, the right girth.

In the 2 or so years I own this thing I have maybe spent an aggregate, oh I'd say - - dozen, labor-intensive, hours on my own with it getting the sounds just right. This may seem much but if anything was ever worth the effort it was this. I have never looked back. The sounds you sculpt will be there forever, available with instant recall at the hit of a button. The Twin has gone the way of eBay - - even in the studio the engineer will prefer this amp over any other!

Now, do I use all 32 amps? No. What I've found to happen is that, just like somebody mentioned, you do end up using around 4 (to 6) choice sounds and that, yes, that tends to be enough for even the most eclectic among us.

I have owned this amp for over 2 years. I can't imagine a more trusty, there-when-you-need it piece of gear. It is relentless. It is my valliant steed, my most fanatical collaborator, my companion. It will be with me To The End. As an indication: I got the FBV shortboard the same day I got the amp, and still use even the original goddamn Cat-5 cable that came with it. Even the damn cable is intact. I have hauled this amp in and out of clubs, it has stayed in the van for nights in a row - in both freezing cold and sweltering heat - it has been dropped, kicked, sat on, stood on and has been in an auto accident. IT CANNOT DIE. After I discovered it had spent the night right under a leak in the ceiling, I said to it, I says, if you make it through this, I will start writing reviews to help Line 6 make even more money because someone did their goddamn job to the F'in T. Well, what happened when I decided to turn it on after letting it dry upside down for a day? You guessed it. Its as good as the first day I got it. INVINCIBLE

NEVER had to even think about it.

BUY IT NOW, DON'T THINK. LIGHT A CANDLE FOR ME AND WISH ME WELL WHEN YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH I HAVE MADE YOUR LIFE BETTER THAN IT WAS BEFORE.

This amp will get any sound you want from it. It has 36 amp models and 16 cab options. It is very loud and can be DI'd to a PA in a live situation. You will never get bored with this amp if you enjoy tweaking and changing sounds.

I use a Fender Telecaster guitar and am not an effects junkie by any standards. There are an endless amount of sounds you can get with this amp, from Fender twin type clean to Mesa Boogie Rectifier. I mean, let's face it, they don't sound exactly the same but if you're stupid enough to think you're going to replicate 36 different amps, to the letter for ??400,you may as well go back to Noddy Land! The Marshall 1980's sound is stunning. I don't normally go for the Marshall sound but this'll blow you away.
The main problem I've found with this amp is the ever so slightly synthetic edge it gives you. I know it's not a valve amp and there's no point in comparing the two, it's all about pros and cons as I see it. I don't believe every guitar sounds the same on it like some people have written, I've tried many out on it and they sound totally different (Perhaps the people who've written that own 5 different coloured Strats!) You can keep this to a minimum by not using the noise gate and keeping the drive low. I can imaging some inexperienced players having a field day with the amount of overdrive you can achieve with it set to 10. Take my word for it, it'll sound shit-too much gain=mushy fake crap to mask your poor playing. If you set the drive to about 5 or 6, you can get some fantastic chugging rythym (is that how you spell it!) sounds.
I own an FBV express pedal with this amp which gives you 4 channels, a volume pedal and a wah. All good as far as I'm concerned and all I need. What concerns me is that people say you have to own the full floorboard to get the best out of this amp. What they mean is 'you need 36 preset sounds'. How many f*cking sounds could you really need!? Unless you're in a covers band that plays songs by Slipknot, ELO, Hendrix,Lemar,Bryan Adams and Megadeth (and if you are, then please stop!) then I'd imagine 4 sounds would suffice. I've seen guitarists play an entire set of covers with a 2 channel Marshall amp. Sorry, I know I'm ranting but I think you'd be better off finding 4 really good sounds that suit your style than 36 downloaded off the net which were devised by some 19 year old computer geek in Idaho! Still, each to their own.

No problems at all. Built like a tank as far as I can see.

Very modern approach. Much support on the line6 website and forums. Haven't needed to approach them for repairs as the amps not needed repairing.

A fantastic big amp. I've discussed its only limitations in the sound section. If you want a total valve sound then buy a valve amp-simple. I've been playing for about 15 years now and I'm very happy with this amp. It takes a lot of work to get the sounds right but it's worth it in the end. It's very heavy (to carry-not heavy metal) but I like heavy.... it's a sign of quality in my book. You can use it for any type of music which is a big plus. Ideal if you're always joining and leaving bands, playing covers or just very experimental. Thanks for reading my review. I hope it's helped you in some way in your quest to find the right amp for you.

I bought my Flextone III XL several months ago. I have been playing a Peavey Ultra Tube 112 for 8 years now but it broke again for the fourth time in one year. I use a Boss GT-8 multi effects processor for all my sounds and therefore needed an amp with an FX loop and a good clean sound. I connect the GT-8 straight into the FX return. From that point of view the Flextone already has enough features for me. One of the features I realy like is that the 2 x 75W amp and 2 x 12 inch speakers interact as if you were using tubes. Believe me... it sounds great and is very loud. I think it even sounds better than my tube amp. The amp itself is loaded with extra features. Lots of models which in my opinion all sound good. Good reverbs, delays and modulation effects. FX loop, XLR outputs, Midi and the possibility to connect an external cabinet. You can even edit it using a computer through midi. These features make the amp realy versatile. I play symphonic rock and create my own sounds. I already rehearsed and gigged with it and this amp can do everything they promise.

I have 2 comments though. I wished the amp came with a decent foot switch and why did they put the FX loop all the way at the end of the chain. This means you cannot use an effect in the FX loop and then use the reverb of the amp. The amp's reverb and delay will allways come before the FX loop which seems unlogical to me.

Allthough I hardly use the models of the Flextone, because I use my GT-8 for it, I must admitt the models of the Flextone sound much better than the models of the GT-8. However the combinations of distortions and preamps of the GT-8 provide me with exactly the sound I am looking for. I have been playing around a lot with the models on the Flextone. It is so much fun and truly inspiring. Do they sound real? To be honest... I don't know. I compared the JC-120 model with the real thing in a jam session with my nephew and we agreed it gets awfully close. If all other models are that good I would say it sounds nearly as good as the real thing. I can tell one thing for sure... this amp sounds very very good. No doubt about it.

I don't know if I can depend on it. Only time will tell. I can only give a good feedback after using it for a few years. I have used other Line 6 products and they never gave up on me. I am very carefull with my gear so I guess the Flextone will last. So far no problems and I gig without a real backup. If it breaks down I can run my GT-8 straight into the P.A. without any problems.

The shop where I bought my amp was a Line 6 Max store. This means they have all Line 6 products in store and provide support if needed. The first amp I got was not quite neat and they replaced it without any problems and even gave me a cover for my amp for free. I allso like the website with the forums. Very good.

I have been playing for about 32 years now and use the Boss GT-8 for effects and a Blade RH4 and Ibanez SC-620 for guitars. I must say I am happy with my current setup and would most definitely buy the Flextone III XL again if it were stolen or lost. I highly recommend this amp. It's flexible and has a great sound. One important remark though... I submitted this review with the value for money in mind. In my opinion it's useless to compare an amp like the Flextone with a tube amp of 3 or 4 times its price. If you have the money and don't need the flexibility of a Flextone you most certainly should go for the real thing.

this amp is incredibly versatille, has every sound known to man, i use it for alternative rock stuff and this thing gives me too many options. 4 channels but loads more with pedal (pedal is a must, otherwise difficult to control). has effects loop and all that jargon.
i use the amp for live situations and in studio, and its great for both. there are features i never use because of how many features there are. this amp has 2 times 75watt speakers, and yes its fucking loud!

the sound quality is awesome, it does sound like tghe real thing as far as ive heard, can take a while though to tweak the sounds.
the clean channels are really crisp, and can be slightly distorted if programmed correctly, the distortion is excellent also, i can imagine some sickos will not find the distortion heavy enough, but it is very capabe of being extremely dirty and keeping its musicality. i use a fender strat(single coil) for clean sounds great, and a les paul (humbucker) for dirty which also sounds great.
The amp has a built in comp and gate which eliminates noise at all volumes, though for example a marshall jcm2000 distortion channel is noisy so without the gate the simulated version on this amp is too, can be useful.

has been fine so far had bout a year, buit like a brick shit house too. im poor and therefore do not have a backup, i refer to it as old faithful!

not applicabe really, the manual is really good though.

been playing for 8 years, and have too much equipment to list,if it was lost i'd be stupid cos u can hardly just run off with this thing, but i'd cry and the fork out the cash again.
love its versatillity, power and built in effects etc, hate its weight! and hate how people love me for my amp. :(
compared it to valvetronix also very good but this one has the edge. also i had owned numerous marshall solidstates which were awful.
if your a tone purist and have owned the great amps known to man dont buy because you could never truly love it, if you need a versatile amp, with effects for recording and live use, this is it you cannot fail.