Line 6 Flextone Plus

06' model flextone 3 plus combo, If you are checking this amp out you probablly already know the general setup but if not just read some of the reviews below. I don't need to list all that again.

The ability to add not just one but two external cabs is nice. (If you add the second the internal speaker is disabled)

Got lucky too- it was on sale for $500 at guitar center and the last one they had for that price. at least $50,000 worth of gear if you bought all the stuff this thing models probablly a lot more.

This amp is very versatile, I mainly use a Don Grosh retro classic with fralin blues special single coils and it sounds great(essentially a fancy strat) . My les paul sounds good on it too.

It sounds good at performance volume as well as practice volume. I play quite a bit of pink floyd+ zeppelin and it suits that music well. however you could do most anything with it.

Do expect to have to tweak and resave most of the amp model settings to get your best possible tone. but once you get it right and save it the hard part is done. you can always fine tune and resave settings. plus download tones from line 6 site with midi interface.

I have played for over 12 years now and never thought much of solid state amps I own and have owned quite a few tube amps including fender, mesa, dr.z, swart, and kendrick. That is untill I tried this one. I think the flextone is about 95% of the way there if you set it up right. And that is impressive considering how many amps it models.

The effects seem to be fairly good quality too.

I find the amp to be smooth and fluid feeling to play, not harsh at all. very fun amp to play on. and oh so much easier to use than a conventional setup. enough said.

Well I have not owned the amp very long so I should not say I know it is dependable but it seems like it will last a while.

I would like to have a backup but now this is the only amp I have big enough to gig with-at least when playing with a drummer. maybe they will figure to make a nice head version soon (why the hell have they not yet anyway?). If we as a band got big enough I would buy another for backup though. Or maybe the xl.

Only issues I have had so far are, 1.the thing did have a small rattle when I got it home- call me crazy (and I know you will) but I removed the head from the cab and tightened all the screws on the chassis, reassembled and that solved the problem. I have quite a bit of experience fixing rattles and buzzes and do not reccomend anyone who does not know what they are doing to do what I did- I should'nt have done it but screw driving all the way back and they did not have another anyway. No biggie I have had amps costing much more rattle much worse and be harder to fix. I would have sent it to line 6 if I could not fix the buzz.

Hey it saved three more hours on the road and took like 15 min to do and I still have the amp here to play.

2. the power cord and power switch don't exactly fit tightly into the chassis of the head- this could be a set up a little bit better but it works ok for now. just annoying.

Have not had to deal with them. I believe the warranty is for one year.

In 12 years of playing many amps and guitars of all quality levels I must say this amp is just fun to sit down jam out on- fully customizeable. I play it all evening quite often. Good fun to gig on too. sounds the same every time too. tube performance can vary sometimes.

I own a few boutique tube amps also and must say this line 6 comes very, very close to the quality of tone I expect from a tube amp. I never thought I'd buy or enjoy another solid state amp but line 6 has earned some respect from this player.

Definitley gets you the tone without all the pedals. you can get so many good tones so easily.

Wish it was available as a head to make it more portable as it is kinda big and a little heavy in combo form. At least it has speaker jacks so you can use it as a head.

If it was stolen-(you don't lose an amp, especially one this big) I would be very, extremely pissed off but would buy it again.

I find it a joy to play on, easy to use, and very toneful and has power to spare.

I agree with what the guy somewhere below me said- If you can't get a good tone you like out of this you are probablly never going to be happy with any amp. And I agree about tone being in the fingers, and in the wood of a good guitar not just in any amp or pedal. don't expect a cheap ass guitar to sound like a good high end or vintage one.

The amp has soul+ vibe and plenty of it, honestly if you can't find it try another guitar or maybe some lessons for real. A super pro- which hardly anyone of us is- lets be honest now, could and probablly does need more from an amp but this thing should more than take care of most anyone else.

Figure up what all the amps, effects,and cabs this thing models cost (if you can even find them for sale). Add it all up and then ask yourself is it worth all that money for about a 5-10% better sound and feel. If you play with only one type of sound well this may not be for you but if you have to play whatever the people want to hear or anything you want to hear give it a try. I have had many compliments on the tones I get out of the amp. plus try to haul all that gear to a gig!!

If you are a perfectionist or a vintage buff to the level of obsessive compulsivness you probablly won't be satisfied with this amp but then when are you satisfied? - probablly almost never! the vetta may be better for you. maybe not.

If you are a creative guitarist wishing for many options as to express your individuality and personal taste you will like it. This amp opens many creative doors as advertised.

See other reviews above.

A lot of sounds, delivered with about 75% of the depth and punch of the real thing. The biggest problem with this amp is lack of treble. I have the treble control on 10 at all times and it still doesn't bite like a "real" amp, even with a Tele.

Had it three years, mostly used for recording, no real problems. However, the on-off switch has a tendency to pop off and disappear. Replaced it once, now I have to just plug it in to use it. A pain.

Been playing a long time and I'm pretty demanding. I just bought an old Traynor and almost sold the Flextone, but, using the Traynor I remembered how versatile, if limited, the Flextone is.

all thats been covered

great stuff for a while but hell i'm 48 years old, i bought a tone bone hot british pedal, and the lazy bastard i am, i can play that little pedal thru whatever amp i want, mines up for sale, it was a great amp for 4 years, most people bitch about line 6, i'm tired of hearing of all the rectofuckapeaveyfenderdeville shit!! wake up boys! you'll never find your sound!! i have a 1964 gibson skylark, i'm fuckin deaf---- i am a pro musician---- my ears ring like a bitch---- make sure youget at least 2 marshalls- btw i've owned 4 heads and tons of cabs-- i want all of you to buy a mode fuckin 4 marshall, between all the shit i hear in your cars, about 2012 you fuckers will be so deaf you'll cry--------- get that big amp fool!!! other than that- i'm the fastest baddest dude you wanna mess with----- try me!!

the amp never--- and i mean---never let me down!

n/a

i have many guitars and amps--- it took me many years to figure out how to do things---- it's all in your fingers boys, pedals ain't gonna make ya sound good, learn rhythm guitar first, and when ya get good -- punch the lead---i have faith in all of you young guys and gals!! keep rockin-----!!!!!!!!!!! i love ya all!!!

Nothing to add here. It's got alot! Although I wish the Leslie Rotating Speaker effect was more adjustable.

You NEED the foot board for this amp... PERIOD!

Hmm... sounds GREAT loud, sounds crap when played quietly. Perhaps this is everything to do with the speaker, as it sounds great at low volume plugged into my computer's line in. Excellent for recording.

You MUST have single coil pickups, as this amp is made for vintage sounds. I cannot get a decent sound on my LP humbuckers - sounds like butt! On a Fender, well it sounds superb. Wonderful!

However, two things majorly grate me about the sound:
1). Most tube tones have that same nasal sound as if they are all just variations of each other - no matter how you tweak the settings.
2). It lacks a decent "presence" control. You can up the treble levels by 6db if you figure out the foot controls, but with humbuckers, you cannot get that bite even on the heavy amp models. The bass notes fart with humbuckers. Sounds great with single coils.

The buttons on the top are tetchy. Buttons on the floorboard ALWAYS go bad - and common advice from Line6 is to remove the springs and stretch them.

No idea. They have seemed to drop most info from their site about this amp now that new models are available.

For the blues player with single coils = 10/10.
For the hard rocker/metaller = 4/10

Bought this amp used off of ebay for $600 with the floorboard. When you consider the realatively low cost of these amps and the features that they have they are a true bargain. It has a wealth of great models and effects.

I think that anyone can get the sound they are looking for if they take the time to tweek and really listen. Small changes in the tone and drive controls can make a big difference. I have had this amp for several years and I am still learning more about this amp. One thing I did change was the speaker. The comments that you hear that may be negative in regards to tone stem, I think from the stock factory speaker. I mean its an ok speaker and it can handle the power but to my ears sounded a bit raspy and harsh at times. I changed the speaker to a Electrovoice SRO rated at 200 watts. This made a huge difference in the quality of the sound. To add to this even more I got an old Mesa Boogie shadow speaker rated 150; I think these maybe made by Electrocoice for them, and put that in a sealed cabinet for the extention speaker.The result, clean detailed sound that lets you really hear the differences in the amp models with an amazing amount of volumn if you need it. I have used this amp with a 92 Paul Reed Smith Ce 24, various strats and a tele, a '78 Ibanez 335 type atrist, and a custom archtop guitar. This amp can deliver great sounds with any type of music that you are interested in playing. Take the time to dial it in and it will be there. I have had classic Fender amps and still have a Mesa Boogie Mark IV. This amp is far more versitile and alot of fun. Jump from classic Fender tone to giant Marshall stack, to mellow jazz flavors with just a few clicks of the floorboard. This is a must have option in my opinion. Are The sounds exact replicas, Maybe and maybe not but great tone is definately there and with a wide variety that just can not be had with yout typical one trick pony amps. Dial it in, its happening.

No problems.

Seem to be on top of things when I have asked questions

I have been playing 25 years. If you just were going to have one amp I think the technology is to a point that these new modeling amps are the way to go. I just have this one but have heard and played others. Tubes are great sounding but you do have the maintance issue and the lack of versatility that thes modeling amps afford you.

just an update on the older flextone plus , i have found a pretty decent patch that i formerly kept passing over , the modern class A If you tweak it just the way you want it it sounds pretty cool! try it and see what ya think! to all the people who cant get the right sound out of this amp , clean the friggin wax out of your ears , sit down , relax grab a cocktail,stroll through sounds ,read the manual ,know what the controls can do and create something of your own!! dont start cryin cause ya fiddled with a few knobs and it dont sound like a marshall!! go out and buy a marshall! YES I KNOW THIS AMP IS NOT 100% tube sounding , i got a whole room full of mesas,laneys,etc! ,nothin blisters your balls like a good old tube amp,however,imho, the flextone gets close enough,for most gigs,i stand by it as a good alternative to carryin a marshall half stack, and a twin reverb,im young at heart but to old to cart!! thanks for your time pickers and TOIN IT UP!!!!

This is the pre Flextone II series and has 16 amp models with no cab modeling. Good range of amps from jazz clean to Fuzzed out mush. I have the floorboard giving me 16 preset channels and 16 user definable channels. Much more than anyone will need. Effects send and return and headpnone jack with a output for the extension cab to make this a 100Watt stereo from its original 60Watt Mono. I use this amp at home and at practice with my band. This amp has LOTS of volume and does well with distortion at low volumes, too. I give it an 8 because it has no Line out, at least I can't find it.

I use an American Strat and Epi Les Paul with SD '59 and SD Custom Custom. I really liked the tone on this amp until I put it with my band. I have tried for hours to adjust my settings for a fuller base response and deeper, not harsher, distortion to drive chords. I can't seem to get past this crisp "processed" sound. Cleans are pretty good, but still I have a hard time getting a decent bass response. I play everything from old school blues, SRV, 80's rock to new metal. You can get a decent growl by setting the amp as tweed and the drive to 3'oclock, and the High Gain settings are good for lead, its the rythym parts that suffer.

This has been a very dependable amp. I have had it for 3 years and had no problems. I have recently developed a buzz in the power supply, so I may have a problem coming, hence the 9 instead of 10.

This is the best Customer Support in the world. No.. Really. I didn't buy my amp new, but these guys treat me like I have the Platinum Warranty on every call. They always answer the call immediately or call very shortly after getting a message. They always answer my questions without referring me to a local service center. They even shipped me the latest upgrade (Via IC Chip) free of charge and helped me install it. Kudo's to this Company's commitment to their customers.Most companies, even outside the music industry, could take a lesson from these guys.

I have been playing for 10 years. I have played so many amps I can't even list them . I would not replace this amp if stolen . I would give Line 6 a listen on the Flextone II series because they have been so good to work with, but would probably pay a little extra and get the real deal, Mesa Boogie With tubes. Don't get me wrong, at home this is a lot of fun and sounds good, but If you play next to guys that have tube amps, good ones, they'll eat you alive.

Power really affects this amp, if you are dont have steady electricity you may have trouble. Other than electrical concerns, it is perfectly reliable to me. A power regulator is all u need to take away the worry.

Took 3 minutes to get a replacement input jack on its way to me for free...the guy on the phone was totally friendly and nice.

I've been playing seriously for 10 years or so. I play jazz, blues, classic rock covers, and current stlyle rock.

I've done mostly fender amps, delux, deville and twins. I always play stratocasters, particularly my 1980 '57 reissue...best strat ever (to me).

Stolen or lost...To be honest I would probably get a carr amp and a full tone pedal and leave it at that. If I didn't have $1500 to throw down and was stuck in the under a thousand range I would deffinately get another Flextone Plus.

At first it was hard to get the sound I was looking for, but after a couple of months I knew exacly how to get the tone I wanted.

Getting good bass response with a "fender" sound was hard, but not impossible. Marshall sounds were made possible by the satelite(spelling error on satelite?) cab because there just wasn't enough thickness comming from the 1x12. 2x12s stacked on top of each other seemed to do the trick. Also, the Soldano model is very close, but you can definately tell that it doesn't have all the power of a real soldano...same with the mesa models.

After a year or so of giging with it I finally bought a midi dongle and the cables to hook it up to my computer...THIS MAKES THE DIFFERENCE! Being able to save a set of sounds that had a good reaction to one club, or outdoors, or whatever the gig may be is very nice. It will be HARD TO PART with these capabilities...very.

Also, I found the abundance of patches (tone settings) available for free on the internet to be an amazing resource. Some of the settings I have found online for this product are simply amazing...near exact replicas of cherished amps and tones...amazing.

Hate...hrmmm. I hate the "Quick Start Guide" at the begining of the manual. If I had read past this I would have had the sounds I was looking for way, way sooner. The Line 6 website is very lame, the links are the most usefull content...i hate that.

I wish I had a carr amp and a fulltone pedal. *chuckling* I saw a Fender rep buy a carr amp at a local store...everyone in there was laughing at him.

I will close by saying this: I highly recommend the Flextone Plus as long as you get the satelite cab and a floor board. Without the floor board u will have 1/100th of the controll and features. It is very important to read the manual...dont be ignorant like I was...It was a huge help. Please Ignore the "Quick Start Guide" at the beginning of the book.

This is a follow up to the previous review I submitted on 12-08-2001. Yes this amp has great versatility and the effects are pretty good?I said they were O.K. before. The built in tuner is very good and I have heard other players say their tuner was finicky but mine is great! You can also change from standard tuning (440) to other settings (445, 435, etc). But when I am finished with the tuner and I switch back to my preset settings, there is always a loud buzzing, scratching sound?very annoying, especially when you are on stage. The floorboard has a mystery function that the dealer and Line 6 couldn?t answer. The word ?Compare? is on the floorboard (next to the LED display) that serves no purpose. I thoroughly read the operators manual and I couldn?t find anything to explain why it was there or what its purpose was?maybe the layout of this board was originally for the AXS? Line 6 possibly overlooked this snafu, like they did with the sounds.
This amp is 60 watts mono and 50 watts a side stereo. With a 1x12 open back extension speaker, the overall sound does improve?with my JBL in a sealed cabinet, the sound is even more brutal?but with my 4x12 Mesa Boogie Cabinet, the sound is massive?this thing will give you Cancer!!!

Like I have said before, the sounds are something to be desired. The EQ is weak and I have tired of tweaking the EQ?it has been 3 long frustrating years and I have scratched every bit of hair off of my head tweaking this thing. Although many have said they were pleased with the sound of their Flextones, I truly cannot get mine to respond. This amp has a naturally sounding buzzy, mushy, un-tube like tone to it. I really thought this was going to be the answer to all of my dreams but it only turned out to be a nightmare. Granted if I wanted a Boogie, Marshall, or Fender, I should have bought one, but when I decided to buy this amp, I was looking for an all in one package. I didn?t have the option of plugging into this thing and demoing it, as I live 700 miles from the nearest dealer. I decided to buy this amp based on reviews in Guitar Player magazines and others. The dealer I spoke with said it was amazing and unbelievably accurate?ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! Too bad I didn?t know about Harmony Central back in 1999. I don?t mean to sound like I?m crying in my beer, but I am really disappointed in the tones of this amp. I feel misled by dealers and the media. I wanted to simplify my set up and I thought this amp was going to do that. I ended up purchasing an ADA MP-1 preamp to get tube tone and an ADA MicroCab II to give the amp some character and life. These ADA products did miraculous things for this amp?I run it thru the effects loop and it sounds unbelievable!!! I am presently designing my own amp using these components?just don?t know if I will go with a combo or head/cabinet version. What ever it will be, it will have a closed-back cabinet and not an Eminence Speaker! I wonder if the folks at Line 6 would ever consider marketing a device that would utilize the effects loop such as I do. Something that would interface with the power/preamp section and improve the tone, feel and life of these amps. Maybe something like an ADA MicroCab or something similar!
If they did, I hope they don?t screw that up!!!

You heard it before in my previous submission about the preset loss?all is fine now since I repaired it myself?no thanks to Line 6 Support!

Well you read it all above!!!

I have been playing for 27 years. I have had Yamaha, Fender, Peavey, Boogie and now a Line 6 Plus. If it were stolen or lost I would
NEVER, EVER BUY ANOTHER LINE 6 PRODUCT...NEVER!!! I do like the channel switching capabilities and the effects but I am not fond of the useless direct out and the buzzy, mushy, harsh sounds of the amp models. After I bought this thing, I had a chance to A/B it with a Dual Rectifier, Yamaha DG80 and Crates Digital Amp. The Crate, although loaded with tons of effects, sounded to me just like the Flextone. The Yamaha had the best, most tube like sound than any digital amp I have ever heard...I would have bought a Yamaha before the Line 6. The Boogie ate the Line 6 Plus alive and spit out a transistor radio!!!
I wish Line 6 took more time in researching the Digital Domain before they released this thing. With a little more effort, they would have had a winner. If this amp had anything, I wish it came with a built in MicroCab...it made all the difference! Listen Up Line 6!!! Wouldn't it be great if you (or someone) designed an outboard device like the MicroCab. It could interface with the power/preamp via the effects loop! TRY IT...WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE!!!

I bought this amp new and have had it for a couple of years (2000 model?) I play 3 different Christian rock bands: adult contemporary, classic rock, and modern worship/alternative. In other words, every style except classical. I needed one amp to cover all the bases - and this one does. One word of advice: do NOT bother getting this amp unless you get the big floor board. Otherwise, you aren't even scratching the surface. If I play 6 songs in a service, I will typically use 6 entirely different settings, and may add a touch of the swell pedal and wah pedal. I use the satellite cabinet when I can, but it's too loud for older audiences so I usually reserve that for the high school crowds. Then I mic both cabs and pan them out so it comes out of the mains in stereo - very cool - IF your sound guy has a clue. I wish there was more user control on the delay. All you can do is set the speed and amount. I really wish you could set the attack and feedback. In any event, all the effects you REALLY need are on board. Your audience won't be as picky as you.

I use an American Standard Strat with stock single coils. My guitar is very bright and edgy so it's hard for me to get the richer low-end sound I crave from this amp. A friend of mine played his guitar with more tame single coils through it and I thought his sounded better. The distorted and slightly overdriven sounds are good, but I can't find that special clean, rich, Fender tube sound with a lot of low end. In order to get the bass response I want in any of the models I have to crank the drive until it's a little edgy. This is the only thing I really don't like about this amp. Otherwise, it's great.

My classic rock band plays in some harsh environments - outside in the Texas heat or cold, in prisons, and on the back of more flatbed trucks than I care to admit. I have had no problems with this amp. However, I had to go through 4 floorboards until I got one that worked with 100% reliability. The one I have now hasn't given me a problem and I've had it about a year. I wish they didn't use that red light for the display. You can't read it when you are in the direct sunlight (flatbed truck).

I emailed Line 6 one time with a wierd question about rewiring the extension cab so the whole rig would play in mono. They replied within 2 days with a detailed answer.

I have a music degree (not in guitar) and have been playing off and on for 25+ years. For the price you pay to get the amp, the ext cab, and the floor board, there are probably a lot of other good options out there. However, I really think this is a great choice for players in modern praise bands or cover bands. I can get close enough to EVERY tone/effect I hear on the radio. Sometimes I can tell it's not a "real" amp (just a model), but my audience can't. And that's really the point, isn't it? If you want to be a Johnie One-Style that plays in club only your friends have heard of, then you should probably go ahead and spend way too much on a "real" tube amp. But if you want to go to a gig and feel confident you can handle whatever is expected after you get there, then take THIS amp.

I bought this new in '99, when they first got over to blighty. Well, compared with all the other amps I own it is packed with features. I know the newer II models have midi, but the reason I got this amp was not to have a myriad of boxes etc, so I wouldn't use it. To be honest, as a guitarist ludite, I wouldn't really know what to use it for! The reason I have this amp is due to the fact I play in a covers band that play a wide cross section of music, and it handles everything. Before this, I used to take TWO amps and a number pedals so I can do a dance routine during songs for clean to solo to crunch to whatever. I have to strongly advise the extension cab - more later. With regard to features, these are well covered by other reviews and if that ain't enough, go to their web site. I gave it a 10 based on having the floor board which has a wealth of additional features, as well as effects like Wah and Volume. Without this it would be about 8.

I use a PRS Custom 24, with a PAF pickup in the bridge position, 3 way toggle fitted to select pick ups, and a coil tap for the neck pick-up. The combination of guitar/amp is extremely versatile and works exceptionally well in a covers band playing different styles of music. Again, sound is why I got this. It has a vast array of very good useable sounds. However, on it's own they do start to sound a little thin at higher volumes; this is where the 1x12 extension cab comes in. Placed either side of the drummer, the sound has both more depth and a much greater spread, giving an overall thicker tonal quality into the bargain. I gave up a long time ago trying to compare the modelled sounds with the real thing; some are really close, others aren't. It took a bit of time, but I eventually realised that I should just get the sound I was looking for, and don't just try and get the clean sounds from the Twin type models and the distorted from the High Gain models. I found the best distorted rhythm sound came from the Blackface wound right up, the best cleans from some of the higher gain models wound down, that sort of thing. So don't try and emulate, take your time and get the settings to sound right for your ears. Having said that, I have a number of valve amps that sound better than the Line 6....but only at one or two things! That is why I use a Boogie Blue Angel in a driving blues trio; it's the only sound I use and sounds better that the Line 6. However, playing in the covers band, the Blue Angel will only sound great on 20% of the songs, good on 20%, Ok on 20% poor on 20% and crap on 20%: of course I could take two amps, loads of pedals and get back into my tap dancing routine!

Well, I have been using this amp without back-up regularly for the past two years in my covers band. There is a problem, which I came across at home, on that sometimes (maybe once in every 30) when I power on, my user settings are lost. As I know about it, I have written down each of the settings for my 12 programmes and it takes me less than 5 minutes to do, which is a minor inconvenience. I must stress that this has never happened once the amp has been powered up (and if necessary reset), so I have had no real problems, just inconvenience. But, it shouldn't really happen...trouble is , as it's only an inconvenience and a rare intermmitent fault, I never bothered taking it back to get checked out.

Never contacted them, and apart from the power up problem, it has proved reliable.

I have been playing 26 years. With the Line 6 I use my PRS Custom. If lost or stolen I would certainly get another to avoid the hassle of what I used to go through with multi amps and stomp boxes. I love the versatility, which is why I got it, the power up problem is just a pain which detracts from an otherwise very good product.

As is the common phrase... "you know what this amp can do." And if you don't know, go to www.line6.com. Extremely versatile, yet lacks the output section and MIDI capabilities of the newer Flextones.

I use a custom-built Strat with a maple fretboard and a crazy electronics scheme (let's just say I can get any sound I'd like...) It goes very well with the Flextone. I've owned the Flextone Plus for a long while now (over 2 years or so) and have put it through its paces. Let me add that I've been playing guitar for over 10 years and before I bought the Flextone, I had been on a quest (aren't we all?) to find THE effects and THE amp combination... going through all sorts of tube preamps (Mesa, Egnater, etc.), boutique pedals (Voodoo Labs, Visual Sound, vintage pedals, etc.), and TUBE amps (Mesa, Fender, Rivera, Soldano). The ONLY amp that I wish I had kept is a Soldano Atomic 16, but that's beside the point. All this to say that I must admit that I enjoy the Flextone more than I ever enjoyed playing the tube combos. The tube combos (save for the Atomic 16) routinely sounded thin, anemic, and frustrating...and forget about distortions. And get this, I was so tired of getting subpar tone with the Rivera, that I went to Paul Rivera HIMSELF to get it tuned up/biased/etc. and when I got it back, it sounded WORSE! That sent me a new quest... I jokingly tried a Flextone in Guitar Center once for 3 minutes, thinking it would just sound like junk, but I was wrong...and impressed. I went back to a different store (where 12 year olds AREN'T playing a fragmented "Smells Like Teen Spirit" ALL day long with the amp on 11) and decided after hours of playing that the Flextone Plus was the one for me. I have been happy with it ever since... HOWEVER, I must admit that there are times when I grow tired of the Flextone, just as I usually end up growing tired of most of my gear, BUT the Flex is one of the only pieces of gear that can redeem itself, given that it is so, well, flexible. Bottom line is that is sounds great...if you put a simple few minutes of time into it. Forget about "does it sound just like the amps it models?"... does it sound good??? To me, yes. The only reason I'm parting with this amp is to buy the Flextone II Plus.

Reliability for me has been good, but the amp chassis physically buzzes and it can get fairly annoying. But if you're playing even at bedroom levels and you're into it, you forget about the buzzing pretty quickly. It's funny to me that people complain about their floorboard switches here on the amp reviews...though I do understand that actual amp reliability has not been as great for others.

The one time I sent the chassis to Line6 to get checked out, everything went okay, not exceptional, not bad.

Great overall amp. It's not going to blow the top off the Astrodome or make you look like a rock star at the Whisky, but it's a great practice, recording, and general gigging amp. Oh yeah... I'd advise on getting the large floorboard, as it does open up the full capabilities of the amp (and the wah is almost worth the price of admission by itself). I look foward to more innovations in this arena of amplification.

this amp was made in 99 or2000 ,the amp is very virsatile, icall it my swiss army amp.i have played rock,blues,punk,country ,oldies you name it it does a very convinceing job,the features have been well gone over, i mostly use the blackface deluxe setting,and the modern hi gainsoldano sound ,chorus echo, maybe some flange .Ive played lots of eagles clubs,lots of outdoor gigs, basements, decks, fairs, you name IT!!! I usually use a 2 12 cab loaded with vintage 30sfor the cool stereo effect, its friggin addicting!! im also going to change the stock eminence 12 in the amp to a vintage30,ill give lhe eminence to my kid so he can use it for target practice!!! plenty loud!!

It all boils down to this fellow axe slingers- read the manual ,so you understand hou to create sounds,use your ears to tweak it to your personal taste-you do not have to be a damn rocket scientist to get some pretty damn good sounds out of this amp!! amp can be noisy with single pole pickups,watch the neon lights, i use my noise gate it helps a lot sometimes.this amp can go from clean ta scream with the flick of the switch. clean channels can soun however ya want,want super clean? dial up the roland jc-120, want your clean with some grain in it dial up the tweed champ or blackface deluxe and have at it! the distortion on the rectified and modern hi gain can get as brutal as ya want, any more and ya probably need thearapy!!!i have an ibanez rt-450 1993 its modified with dimarzio tone zone fore the bridge, carvin ap11 single coil mid ,and a schaller golden50 for the neck,this guitar sounds great through this amp!! i also have a 99 gibson lespaul junior lite with p 100 pickups,its a screamer ,a 94 reissue fire bird V ,AND A 91 LES PAUL standard.

Ive had it since march 2000,bought a nice padded cover from LEcover.com, amp covers,check them out,i got my cover for 40.00to my door,the amp has never broken down,no tubes this is a tone geratin computer,somthin may glitch down the line,who knows??

N/A

i have been playin for 34 years, at 45 years old,im basically an aging rocker with tinittis. I do have a new mesa 50 watt rectoverb head just to have a kickin tube head,a 2 12 purple cabinet with vintage 30s whom i fondly call ''bruce'',a little vox pathfinder15 wattamp ,surprisingly loud for its size. if it werstolen or lost,i may consider gettin another one, but im a total gear head, and technology is movin fast,so who knows????

Great versatility ?the effects are O.K. It would be nice if you could get into the parameters though, especially the delay?apparently they have a better system on the Flextone II and Vetta models. The floorboard is a must-have if you want to access its features?13 channels if you include the ?MANUAL? channel! I only use 9 of these and a few are duplicates of other sounds as to ease the burden of switching between the 3 banks. Other than that, there is not to much good I can say about the sounds of this amp?more on this later. As for features, the ?direct out/headphone jack? works great with headphones? thru the headphones, the sounds are very good but once you unplug your headset and that thing they call a speaker cuts in, look out! Ugh!!!?Ugh!!!?Ugh!!! The signal coming from the direct out is useless if you were to slave it to another amp or mixer?it is way, way too hot. Even with the master volume (it controls the majority of the output from the direct out) completely off, the signal still sends the mixer / slave amp into clipping?it sounds like it?s going to self-destruct?it is worthless! Even if you find a reasonable level, once you switch to a boosted lead sound, you?ll drive everything into oblivion!!! What I do like though, is plugging an extension cabinet, like my 1x12 JBL, into the direct out?of course there is no great amount volume (you could easily talk over it), and the quality of sound was quite satisfying. Even at this low volume, you could feel the tight bottom end and my guitar sounded full and well defined, which is none existent once you unplug the cabinet and let the same sound travel thru that worthless Non-Modeled, Flat Frequency, Non-Responsive power amp. What kind of company claims they have modeled all of this vintage and modern amps only to neglect the fact that the characteristics of preamps and power amps work off of each other?(you know what I mean). These ?incompetents? modeled the preamp sections and thought using a power amp, such as you would find in a P.A., (flat frequency) would be ideal. I can?t help think these people weren?t musicians of any caliber, only electronic scientists trying to create something?something?something?other than a great sounding amp. The must be tone deaf. I?m just so disappointed in this amp!
The effects loops, in all amps these days, should have the option of selecting between line or instrument levels?this one doesn?t. And another thing?if you use the effects loop, then you can forget about plugging an extension speaker in, because it will not work?the extension speaker that is. So if you have something to enhance the quality of sound?which could be just about anything, and you use it thru the effects loop, then plugging in your ext. cab. is out of the question. So I contacted Line 6 Support, via e-mail, about this situation, and was informed that there was nothing that could be done about it?that is how the amp is design by our Morons. Low and behold, I was not satisfied with this response?so I took it upon myself to find a way and I did?all you have to do is plug the male portion of the ?? jacks partially into the jacks of the effects loop. The ?? jacks on the Flextone Plus are stereo, so instead of going all the way, I just went until the first ?click??voila!!! I had the combo speaker and 4x12, with my effects loop engaged as well. So tell me why they could not have told me this?because they just don?t give a damn is my guess! There is a feature that should be on this amp, all amps that is, and it is a choice of passive or active EQ?s. I have found active controls to be much more powerful and accurate. I know they didn?t do this because they were trying to model vintage amps, but they didn?t model anything really?and I don?t know how anyone at Line 6 thought they did.
As for wattage, there is plenty of it for me. I play in venues which hold between 500 or 750 people and with the channel volume always at its 3 o?clock position, the master is usually between

I use a Lado, Larrivee and an Epiphone Les Paul. But my favorite is a custom Strat Style Guitar with a H-S-H pick-up configuration (Jackson in the bridge, Jackson in the middle and a Dimarzio P.A.F. PRO in the neck. I use Saddle Savers exclusively and recommend them big time. Past amps in the past consisted of a Yamaha JX 50, a Fender 75, a Peavey Bandit 65, a Mesa Boogie Mark III, a Peavey Renown 112, a Peavey Stereo Chorus 2x12 and finally, the Line 6 Flextone Plus. I think I should join L.A. (Line 6 Anonymous) Hi, my name is Paul, and I own a Line 6?BOO! HOO!
Like I have said before the sounds are something to be desired?and I desire much better quality and control over my sounds. The EQ is weak?the bass function ands mush and flubber. The mid-range works like it should but the high end, treble, is too over powering and instead of getting nice brilliance to your sound, all you will get is harshness and irritating highs. I never have the ?presence? on, as this only ands to the harshness. This is do to the fact that they use a micro-processor that is only entry level in respect to this digital era. The Fender Cyber-Twin uses a micro-processor, which is much more geared towards recreating anything that resembles Tube Tone.
I play mostly Rock-n-Roll, Top 40 and oldies from the 60?s, 70?s, and 80?s and this amp will do the job, if you are not particular about your sound that is. However, this amp is very quiet and the noise gate works remarkably well. It doesn?t cut off your notes and when you strike your strings, the sound comes thru without any delay.
I mainly use the Rectified setting and the distortions are adequate. It gives me anything from chunk to sizzle but lacks character?to bad, cause this would have been Heavenly otherwise. The same goes for the other modern type amp settings too. The clean settings are not bad and because I rarely use these sounds, I can?t fairly comment on them. I have played with them though and them do seem to be adequate and retain their cleanliness at high volumes. But the ?buzzy-ness? of this amp interferes with all sounds and seems to be linked to the construction of this amp. I am so disappointed!

I didn?t have this amp a week and I lost all of my presets. At first I thought it was just something bizarre, but after losing them 3 times within a span of a week, I decided to contact Line 6. They told me it was possibly a bad cord and I suggested they send me one at their cost but was refused?I would have to pay for a new cord, and I had this amp for only 1 week! They also suggested I send it back to the dealer for repair. Now that?s a great idea if you live near one but I live in a very remote location in Canada and explained to him my predicament. It cost me $100.00 to have this thing arrive here and it would cost $100.00 to have to sent to the dealer, plus $100.00 to have it returned! $300.00 everybody!!! That?s about the same price I paid for the pedal-board! So I decide to leave it as be and went down to Radio Shack only to discover that the type of cord recommended by Line 6 doesn?t work?nothing?not a gig when plugged in. Even after returning that cord and trying 2 more, I was still back to square one. Once the warranty ran out, I took it upon myself to inspect the pedal board only to discover that 3 screws used to secure the circuit board to the chassis were completely backed off and barely holding on with just a few threads. Now not only do these screws hold the circuit board to the chassis, they also aid in grounding the circuit board to the chassis as well. Once I tightened these screws, I never had a problem with preset loss. After contacting Line 6 via e-mail, I never did get a response, only an incident number?I have file full of incident numbers by Line 6?which I will delete?as the files numbers are worthless?much like Line 6 Support. I am giving a rating of 5 as of now the presets stay...but if there was no resolution...it would have been a 1...I am so disappointed!

Well what more can I say...I am so disappointed!

i treat this amp with great care...I have with all of my equipment accually. It rides with me in the seat of my car anytime it goes somewhere. I run a BBE Sonic Maximizer thru this amp and although it helped, running an ADA MP-1 thru the efffects loop improved the sound of this amp drastically...I would recommend this to anyone. If it were stolen, I would hopefully catch him and remind him that he forgot the floorboard...or giggle uncontrollably in the shadows. I will never, never, ever buy another one...not a Line 6, that's for sure. When you read the manual, you get the impression it was written for some 12 year old, (I don't jump on my pedal bike with this thing under my arm and race over to my buddies house)indicating to me that these folks at Line 6 are not really serious about their product...maybe they think it's just a toy...yeah that's it...A TOY!!!
I put a Mesa Boogie speaker in this amp when the warranty ran out and it did help...tighter bottom end...it didn't squash out like the "other" speaker did. And I did take the amp head out as to look for what ever was rattling or buzzing inside but found nothing.
They had a good idea but they should have researched more...way, way, more!!! If Boogie made something like this...I would buy it in a flash! One more thing...I had a chance during one of my travels to A/B this thing with a Boogie Dual Rectifer...no contest everyone...the Line 6 sounded like a transistor radio!!! Did I ever mention I am so disappointed???

I bought my Flextone Plus new in December 1999. I recently purchased the large floorboard and the 112 extension cab. The features of this amp are well documented both here and at line6.com. Is this amp versatile? Oh yeah.

My main guitar is a Fender Tele> I also have a Strat that I use occasionally. My Tele sounds incredible throught this amp. I play in a praise band and I have every sound I need and then some. I also get together with friends and jam on cover tunes and original music. The flex covers it all perfectly. It can be a little noisy, but I think that is the fault of my Tele, not the amp.

I haven't had a single problem since I bought it (12/99) I don't have a backup amp, and I don't see a reason to get one. I'm not a pro musician, but I play regularly.

I've never dealt with customer support, but I've heard they respond well. I participate (mostly lurk) on a line 6 discussion board and they guys there can answer just about any question that comes up.

Overall, this the best amp I have ever played. It has everything I need, especially since I bought the large floorboard and extension cab. I have been playing guitar for thirteen years and have played through quite a few amps. I doubt I will ever need a different amp. If it was lost or stolen I would be definatly buy another one. Its got it all. Great tone, versatility, all in a compact package.

digital modeling amp.features well known.
good concept.

i play mostly strats.i liked the idea of having a versatile portable unit.since i was playing in a top 40/gala band i thought this was an affordable solution.
this was two years ago.now the flextone stands in my office next to a champ 12.i will never use it live anymore.it lacks power dynamics and richness.any cheap tube amp like deville/deluxe or peavy delta work much better(havent said that i like those ams).it may sound fine in the store or in the bedroom but it will sound thin and un inspiring in a real live situation.after a couple of weeks the sound of this amp got on my nerves.again:good idea but not very pleasing.
in the recording studio you get ok results.i would consider it as usable for jingles or computer music which needs some "guitar sounds".
not for serious productions.

still works but as said not being road tested for above reasons.

For beginners ok but too expensive.for lawyers and doctors who want to have some fun great but too cheap.
i play for 20 years the last 5years full pro.a good tube amp with some decent stomp boxes is much more versatile and USEABLE than the flextone.I play a 2nd hand fender "the twin" with a h&k tube factor and a jekyll and hyde o/d pedal.Then i got a real good comp.(carl martin) and wah + vol. pedal.allthough the evil twin is not my favorite amp this set up sounds killer live and in the studio.all styles except metal which i hate anyway.you need a good tech though who takes care of tubes ,caps.once in awhile

The Line Six Flextone line-up has been written about quite well in other columns. Let me say this though. I've played for nearly 36 years as an amateur. The sounds this amp makes are fabulous. 16 "amp" choices, lots of power, separate amp for external speaker, and 16 sound effects. All in one package. We would have killed for an amp like this in the 60's. Control over the special effects is wonderful. However....you need the footswitch to control the amp most effectively. I would highly recommend the large floorboard (which can be expensive....but boy is it worth it) because it includes additional memory (16 combinations of your choice) plus a good wah-wah, and a volume pedal. I bought the amp used for a great price, and purchased a new floorboard from my local dealer. I gave it a 10 becuase I've never seen anything else that came close in features.

16 "historical" amps, 16 special effects, master volume, channel volume and good clean power. Great, great sound. I can find no fault after two months of use. I'll give it a "9" on principle that there may be something better I haven't heard. (Over the years I've played through Kustom, Fender (many, many Fenders), Ampeg, Acoustic, Sun, Carvin, and others.

bought it used (1 year old) and have had it 2 months...no hint of a problem. I do not make a living with my guitar however.

no contact

for what I paid and how good it sounds, if it were stolen I'd get another one as quick as possible. I wouldn't even consider another amp. I'm currently playing a PRS custom 24, although my Japanese strat sounded great as well. The effects are incredible!!!

I bought mine over a year ago. This is a followup to a Post I did a lONG time age. I play out pretty often..it is startin' to show signs of road wear. I HAD to remove the LIne6 logo from the front. It was tearin' up my jeans! With that STUPID on/off little pushbutton on the back, I Have to carry it backwards or the switch will get obliterated by my knee! I NEED A ROADIE! 40 Years of playin and NO ROADIE... I already busted the Headphone jack off the bacvk tryin to squeeze out the door of a bar....can't remember though!
I think we all know the features..tons of 'em....almost too many at times! I bought the Floor Board too. There is even stuff you Don't know about unless you hit the Web Site...

Sounds...hmmmm. I have been a Tube (Fender) Man since 1969. I still have the '76 Super Reverb I bought. I play thru a '68 SG, '74 Strat (Hard Tail-no tremm - Swamp Ash -Nat Finish ---has to brag on this one!)..'82 ES335, '88 tele, '90 Les Paul Gold Top classic, and a '98 Carvin Home made Strat (too much stuff) It's kind of funny how some of us 'pureists' refuse to believe that anything can be as good as an 'old tube amp' but I'll be damned if this thing ain't CLOSE! And let me say what I tell all my students and fellow guitarists....I don't care if you get "your" sound thru a rubberband and a toothpick, if its what makes you play your best, amen! I can guarantee, if digital technology and PCB boards were around when Leo and Jim were making their babies, well, 'nuff said. ONE MAJOR GRIPE---High Gain setting are NOISY....especially in the Bars with Neon Budwiser lights. There were time when I had to put the amp away cause of the noise. Digital and 60Hz still don't cooperate all the time. The amp also sounds best with the 12" speaker included in the amp. I hooked up a 4-12 Marshall (could only use 2 of the 16 ohmers-2 Celestion Vintage 30's)..and the tone was a little flat compared to the 12" eminance. I guess all the tone is developed in the software and having speakers with "too much" personality screws things up! The 1-12" has plenty of punch though, and you can always Mike it thru the PA if you have one.
The tones are very good. A LOT of fun to play. I put it head to head with my '76 SFSR, '78 Marshall 50W MKII, '68 Bassman Head and my '77 Vibro Champ....I don't know why...had nothin else to do for about an hour I guess...the LIne6 was VERY convincing...AND more versatile. I never owned a JCM 800 Marshall or Mesa Boogie so I can't compare it but I can say that when I select these settings, the windows shake! Combine it with the effects and you have a winner. ALMOST has the FEEL of a tube amp...which really helps me get into playin...but not quite...BUT its a keeper. I had guys coming up to me after a benefit we played (12 Bands)asking me "What the hell are you playin' thru?" they were VERY impressed...I want to think it was the playin'....

Floor Board #1 went out on me...replaced----I still get a Indicator diode on the selector switches that occasionally won't come on until I talk to it...kind of like my wife..Had the Remote Power amp blow..sent the head back--they Fixed it and put in an updated chip -- NO Charge--Very nice....spilled tequilla on the Reverb Button...next day it was Glued..had to pry it out.. popped that sucker right out of the Pot!!!!I put it back together though...guess I can blame Line6 for the bad tequilla. its been thru a LOT of crap though and it always fire up...

Great when I needed it

I have been playing since 1964...Blues, Rock, Fusion and now, thanks to the club owners where I live, Creed, Metallica, Alice in Chains, Satriani ( I like him!) etc. The Line 6 cover ALL of them...amazing. My Marshall sound crappy on rhythm parts and the Fender just won't grunge on this newer stuff...The Line6 has No Problems ( less the noise). I judge it by the Fun Factor,...some nights I'll be playin all my amps and VERY OFTEN I end up using the Flextone. I'll be jammin' away by myself and the next thing I know, an hour has gone by..its now 1:00 AM. Thats how I know I like the amp! I am an ampaholic and will continue to buy and use different amps until I croak BUT, the Line6 is definitely a Very useful, well designed tone machine. There are more and more musicians ubsing it and I know why..it Kicks BUTT

This is an brief update from a previous post just below. This amp is now compared in live situations vs. recording studio.

I use mainly an old Hagstrom II (unmodified) which has its own temperament and sound. I use this axe mostly in studio recordings but now having played live with this amp (well... live insofar as practice playing in an old bare loft), I need to add a few additional comments.
The amp is quite different in live situations vs. direct recording and the settings have to be adjusted accordingly. This is not so surprising since that is the case with most guitar/amp configurations using different sound environments, but with this amp the tweaking is more like black magic. This could be somehow related to the Eminence speaker in the vanilla package -- changing the speaker (as suggested below) to Celestion Vintage 30 made the transition between acoustic environments a little easier. The point is that an amp will sound differently in an anachroic chamber than in a garage (surprise! surprise!) and will not improve your playing any better than what your talent allows!
This amp needs a lot of tweaking under different situations to give the precide tone you want -- then again, that is the case with most amps except these amps do not give you the controls to tweak in the first place. In a recording studio, generally I needed to add less drive but more reverb and more treble than a live situation. At least I could get the tone I wanted, eventually, under situations that I could never be as happy with the result as with this amp!

No problems so far.

Maybe one day I will need support but so far this amp is rock-solid!

I've been playing for over 35 years and enyoying every minute of it. Other gear I own? (lots of useless effects now that I have this amp...)
I rate this amp a 9 but it's not perfect but. Ironically, it's more to do with its versatility and what it takes to take full control of it...

Features are pretty well described above and at Line6. As far as veratility goes this amp gives and gives. I guess though that if you are used to very specific tones and effects, and you want to get exactly the same out of your guitar(s) and amp(s), (previoulsy owned, heard, or want to get), you could be disappointed. A lot of previous reviews compare the Flextone with very specific combinations and if they don't match up, well give yourself a break! This amp offers more options than others in the first place...

I play mostly blues and jazz (with blues under-pinnings). I would like to play like Chet, Jimmy (whatever), Eric, or Stevie Ray, but I have my own style (and have been playing since I was seven, and because I'm older than I would like to say, and all I will say is that I have played the guitar here and there, with this and that, and can hold my own -- thank you very much).

Too soon to say but the concept of a digital chassis makes this amp, in principle, very sturdy. Besides, is digital not the way to go? (try shaking a tube amp on a pickup truck for 100 miles and if you don't worry about the rattle all the way there, then you've had one beer too many).

Unknown at this time but appear to be well setup for support.

No need to go into details here -- I have a GREAT vintage guitar and MUCH experience in local bands, recording studios, and mostly play for fun (what is life without it?).
Is Flextone perfect? No -- but if you want to give your fav axe a new life, go for it!
Will Flextone replace your fav effects, using x and y + z with a twisted ud and and inverted Ic through the buzztone pci neck Specials on your wintage IbanGibFend GS315? Who knows(?), but open your mind to other fixed tones that only you can hear.
Nothin's perfect but Flextone is a brand new wave... Enjoy!

Everyone reading this post knows the features on this amp by now, 1x12", 60w mono, 100w stereo, digital emulation....so on and so forth.My only gripes ; you loose the manual channel when using the 4 button foot-switch, they should have let you keep that channel by double clicking, giving you 5 pre-sets instead of four. And, there is a definite change in tone when going from a manual setting to a saved setting. It's minor, but it's there. Other than that, very user friendly, well thought out, and versatile little amp.

I have several guitars, and have tried all of them through the amp. Teles, a Yamaha w/humbuckers, but the guitar it seems to like the best is my Les Paul Junior, w/ the P-90. Now, here's the deal. I have owned almost all of the amps that this thing emulates, and still own a few. I have always been a die-hard tube fanatic, have a great ear for tone, and have been playing for over 25 years. I bought this amp on a whim, and a recommendation from a very good friend. I didn't really know what to expect, seeing all the mixed reviews, here and elsewhere. First off.........CHANGE THE SPEAKER IMMEDIATELY! I have NEVER played through an Eminence speaker that I liked.......ever. It confounds me as to why so many manufacturers use them, they SUCK! Flubby, tubby, pinched and dull. I immediately put in a Vintage 30 I had lying around and HELLO, what a difference. To all those out there struggling witht the tone of this amp.......do yourselves a favor, pick a speaker, ANY speaker, and put one in. A G75,80, Vintage 30, E.V., anything but the Eminence. I play pofessionally in an band, and record often, tour etc. I needed this amp to work in a live situation, no bullshit, no excuses. Here's my opinion.....if you take some time, have a good ear, know what you like/want/need, you can get this amp to do some VERY cool stuff. For those who got on here and gave this amp an absolutely dismal review, I can only say this: you probably do not know how to go about engineering a good tone, because that's really what the amp allows,...encourages you to do. BUT, it does take a little time!! At first I too was not too impressed with the over-all tone. I didn't know which sounds would really work for me. My present on stage set-up is a vintage AC30, run dirty and loud. I tended at first to lean on the Soldano setting, but found it lacking in sparkle and complexity. So I was patient. I kept flipping, and tweaking, and I can honestly tell you, I have gotten my Flextone to kick some serious ass, ironically, on settings I thought would NEVER use. Granted, I play the amp rather loud, half volume, channel volume cranked. Nevertheless, I have gotten three very likeable tones out of the amp (and more, but three that I will use live at shows). Mod class A, Rectified, and JCM-800, with ample tweaking and guitar swapping, have yeilded smokin, present, in your face tones, that cut as good as any tube amp I've ever owned/used. As far as the amp lacking high end or presence.......bullshit. That just tells me that that person did not really work with the amp. I do not have the presence boost kicked in on any of my settings, and there is PLENTY of top-end. It took very careful evaluation, down to the position of the tone knob on my guitar, but damn it, this little amp kicks butt. It sounds thick and nasty. It chirps, barks, growls, squeaks, and saturates as good alot of very high dollar tube amps. The only thing lacking, like when A/B'd w/ my AC30, is a little complexity and natural tube compression on the top end. But hey, the VOX does one thing, and one thing only. The Line 6 is truly a great amp, and a good bargain. If you have no patience, STAY AWAY. If you do not really know the recipe (frequency-wise) for a good tone, STAY AWAY. But, if you want to experiment a bit, and have some patience,(and the guys in your band can bare with you a few nights), GO FOR IT. Get one.

Haven't beat on it yet.

E-mailed them w/ a question..........no answer. Hmmm.

Granted, many people would say that the sign of a great amp is that you can just plug in any guitar, set the controls quickly and play. I agree. But the fact is that the Line 6 is just a different kind of animal. It does require some serious homework. And, the few pros I know who use them for-warned me of this fact before I got mine. They were right. The amp is very sensitive to changes in guitars, tone-knob settings, and most of all, the way the amps knobs inter-act with eachother on each setting. Moving the gain slightly on a Marshall setting(ie: Plexi) GREATLY affects the tone. But, hidden in these amps are some very useable, unique tones. I really like mine, and hope that it relieves a little of the un-reliability, cost, and variance in tone quality, that my tube amps often suffer from. By the way, the stereo extension makes it sound absolutely huge if used w/ a closed back 1x12!