Line 6 Spider 112 Combo

Features? Why only the most realistic amp models ever. I play in a jazz/fusion/deathmetal/blues band, and this little amp does the job! It has everything I want. Just set it to the "insane" model, turn the treble all the way up, bass and mid all the way down, and your're on your way to tonal heaven!

Like I said, realistic. I think most of the amp models sound better than the real thing! There is no musician alive who can tell the difference between this amp and a "real" tube amp. I'm using a B.C. Rich Bronze Series Warlock(better tone than a Les Paul) with this amp, and I have had other musicians ask me my secret to my perfect tone! Yeah, the amp is that good, but so am I. I tune down to open B, so my guitar just sings thru this amp. Very clear bell like tone.

It takes a beating, and keeps on rockin brother! Line6 amps can't break down, it just won't happen! No worries mate!

I spoke with several kind folks at Line6 before I bought this amp. They were very helpful. The let me know that by using their amp, I have a better chance of getting a record deal. Better tone baby, thats what they're looking for! No doubt about it!

I have been playing for about 3 months. I would replace it if it was stolen. I'm thinking of buying a second for a backup amp. I love this amp! I got a great deal from my local Guitar Center. I got an even trade for my 59 Bassman reissue. Suckers!!!! Who wants an amp with tubes and 1 lame sound, when you can get this amp.

A few nice choices on this amp: Clean, Twang, Blues, Crunch, Recto, and Insane... You also have a few choices with effects on it as well... I can't think of them off the top of my head. Anyways, this amp is fucking sick. I played through a Peavey Transtube 212, a Peavy Special 212, and a Tech 21... When I arrived at the Line6 Spider 112, I was skeptical. I had played through this amp before, and I wasn't impressed before, but I never got to sit down and actually tweak with things. Anyways, I'll explain more in sounds. This amp delivers with so much power and clarity... I almost wet myself when I played on Recto, and when I went to the Insane setting, I did... The effects weren't too impressive, but they aren't bad, they're good and do what they're supposed to.

Now... This amp hits brutally. This amp delivers on so many sounds. I cannot say much though, all I can say is what I think and you must figure your own thoughts out. I recommend that you go to your nearest guitar store (Guitar Center if you want, but personally, I hate those dirty f****) and play on some amps. I didn't know what I wanted, I thought I wanted a Marshall AVT50, then I thought I wanted a Crate MX120 w/ a distortion pedal... This amp may be for you, it's for me for sure, but you need to sit down and play on an amp, play every style and every riff... You really have to play on an amp, and choose wisely. If it's not loud enough for you, but you like practicing with it, buy a god damned 4x12 or 2x12, or an addition 12" speaker... This can push it. If you like practicing with it and it sounds nice, you can buy the additional speaker, remember that. That's better than buying the Spider 212, it sounds better when you add on the speaker, rather than purchase the 212. I played this amp LOUDLY... It didn't bottom out, it just shook my balls and aroused me in a way I've never been aroused before. I played Led Zeppelin "Over the Hills and Far Away", and it sounded great, then I played Metallica "Harvester of Sorrow", and it sounded great... It's a real diverse amp... I love it, but like I said... GO TO A GUITAR STORE, AND PLAY THROUGH A BUNCH OF AMPS, FIND WHAT YOU LIKE!!! Lastly, the amp has factory presets, they're presets that are made to sound like a certain amp. If you want your own clean sound or distortion sound and you switch it to one of those, zero out everything (the eq, volume, everything), and then put it the way you like it, that's only way to really see this amp at it's best...

It's built solidly, and it seems it'll last. Remember though, any fucking amp can have a defect, so I can't say anything here. There is a warranty though, so you can get your shit fixed if something is wrong.

Good

I said everything I need to say. This amp is great, but I can't expound on this... You need to go and find out for yourself, and take your time when you do, sit down and play... It'll be worth it.

The features are listed in the other reviews...

I got my Spider almost two years ago and Ive been playing it with a Fender Fat Strat. The variety of sounds you can crank from this amp are pretty incredible for the price. I play mostly rock and alternative (Ozzy, Boston, Hendrix, Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc.) and I can usually modify the tones to get pretty close to what the guitar is supposed to sound like. The recto and insane are really good quality distortion and suit me for any type of distortion that I need. The only major drawback is the crunch tone. It doesnt have that extra kick that Im looking for. If I could crank out a little more distortion (possibly with better pickups) then crunch would probably sound just like a real marshall. The chorus and delay effects (especially the tap tempo) are good but Ive found that the tremolo is pretty much useless. The clean settings are crystal clear. I never practice with the volume much above 4 or 5 but it gets a lot clearer and distinct at higher volume levels.

I just play as a hobbyist so I dont gig with this amp. Ive only had one problem so far. For some reason the sound would get routed through my headphone jack when i didnt have any headphones plugged in. I put up with it for about a week but it never got better. I called up the local line6 representative and he was exremely responsive and helpful. He returned my call immediately and set up an appointment right away. When they took in my amp for repairs they gave me a loner that I used for the duration of the repairs. Line6 ended up replacing my headphone jack twice and now my amp works fine. It wasnt too much of an inconvenience cause the local rep was responsive and he gave me loner- plus it was still under warranty so it didnt cost me jack. Other than that ive had no problems with reliability.

See above description

Ive been playing for 3 years now and I dont have much other gear cause this amp gives me most of what i need. If my amp were stolen or lost Id probably look around to see whats out on the market but most likely i would buy another Spider. I love the versatility and distinct, sharp sounds from the amp, none of this low end muddy crap. I dont know why these other people have been complaining about with the muddiness... just turn down the bass idiots. rock on!!

All the features are well documented in the other reviews.

I've got a '89 Fender Tele with a Seymour Duncan '57 Hot Tele lead or somesuch. I love the standard lipstick neck pickup though... I play everything and anything, from Country to Radiohead to Placebo to SRV to loads of non-pigeon-holeable alternative music, Jazz, Folk, etc. When I started playing I had a 12 watt Marshall practice amp which was alright for a beginner I s'pose. Then I had a Marshal JTM-30 valve amp for seven years which sounded warm and fat at low volumes, totally clean with no reverb. Any other setting and I just couldn't get a tone that I liked. Loud, it sounded all washed together and was just...well...loud, but you couldn't hear the notes and chordal harmonies that you'd worked all this time to setup and be able to play proficiently and passionately. I've played a bluesbreaker JTM-45 '68 I think, and never got one sound out of that I liked, I'm bored with the Marshall sound and being restricted by the one-amp feel. I bought the Spider and I loved it. I haven't gigged it yet although I've had it up to 7 or 8 in the house. I've been playing for 12 years and I'm no slouch. I'm a tone freak and expression is everything. I'm confused as to what the other reviews on this site are going on about. The tone is great, there's none of that muddy, lumpy, not-sure-what-notes-are-being-played-just-sounds-like-some-power-chord-or-another-Marshall-garbage. You go through any of the distortion modes on the Spider and you retain clarity throughout. You can hit a chord up at the twelfth with some open strings vibrating like crazy and you can here every string in it's individuality...I've been looking for that for a very very long time. I paid $350 including the footswitch, I paid a lot more for my JTM-30. With all the effects, diverse amp sounds, you can't get all that for the same money...and you want tubes too? Some people on this page must have their head up their respective arses. If you've got a grand to spend on a lovely tube amp with pedals galore and blah and blish then why did you buy a Spider in the first place? If I could afford a Ferrari, I wouldn't buy a Ford Mustang or whatever and complain that it doesn't drive/sound/handle like a Ferrari and if I couldn't afford a Ferrari then I'd try and find the best that I could for the money I did have and shut the fuck up about it. I don't want to bash out G,C and D with an E minor break and I don't want to sound like Oasis, The Verve or Bryan Adams, so I didn't buy a Marshall or a Marshall sound-alike. Most people with Marshall stacks can't play for toffee anyway, they're a rock-icon backdrop, grrr..."tubes are better, tubes are better", whine whine whine, 'cause their best mate told 'em so and they read it in Grrr-tarist magazine...what-ever!
The Spider is excellent! Don't be fooled by expensive limitations and dogma embedded in traditionalist views that aren't there for any aural reason.

This one is mint and only six months old. No worries with it as yet.
Seems pretty solid.

Haven't had to call 'em so N/A

I think it's great. So easy to setup and play with. I've tried to use some effects pedal/amp emulators that have hi-fi instructions with them and just sound shite no matter what you do. I'd get delay, tremelo, chorus and some kind of decent distortion pedals anyway, they're built in so I don't have to. The tone is fantastic, I play a lot of clean stuff, the twang thing sounds cool, insane is smart for going mental...it's all so good, I'm totally stoked with it. I wonder if bad press makes interesting reading, see advice on filling in this form at top of page --- "BE CRITICAL! Nothing is perfect. Superficial, glowing reviews may not get published. " --- What the fuck? Even if there's loads of 'em? If you want to just plug in and play and have great tone, diverse amp sounds to keep you fresh and half-decent effects to throw into the mix, then this is a cool amp. I'd get another if I lost this one. I spent weeks playing a tonne of different amps and have played loads of my mates' amps over the years; Fender tubes, Laney tubes, loads of Marshalls, Kustom (The ultimate in shite!), Peavey (tone, what tone?), Roland Jazz (nice)...this Spider is the bomb from an all-round, value for money, tone and usability perspective. Go and play one and don't listen to half the horse-shit on these reviews, make your own mind up and compare it to everything that you can find.

as below...

MM...well i reckon you can ignore half the reviews here as this seem to be by valve obsesses computer illiterates,who frankly,im amazed can even get on the web.If you have an issue with playing thru what you regard as a "digital" amp,then er,dont buy one?

Anyhow,yes the thing runs out of steam at high volume.However it is loud enough for small pub gigs and the headphone out does a reasnoble job of doing a line out impersonation if you need to..

I changed the speaker to a bog-standard celestion g12t-75 which sounds better and has a bit more headroom and clarity.Id advise swapping speakers as a first step with one of these puppies.

regarding sounds,

The heavy lead(recto) sounds are great as is the clean stuff.The jtm45/blues/crunch settings aren`t as good and really do give away the digital source of the sounds,so if you mainly want blues id look elsewhere.However if you want mega-filth to trannie clean then its great.

I replaced my rockman x100 amp with this spider and am pretty happy with it.

Yep,its digital,yep it sounds a bit digital(but who can tell in a mix? -or thru a crappy pub PA)

It also ways bugger all,wont need feeding #100 worth of valves on a regular basis and has built in,though basic fx.

For what it is ,it rocks.

I think because it`s supposed to do a good 4x12 recto impression people are comparing it to a 4x12 and a head.This is a bit unfair.The amp should be compared to a 1x12 not a 4x12!

Considering the above i preffered it to the marshall valvestate/me and peavey transtubes i tried.It does an excellant job as bedroom/practice/headphone amp and also as small gig amp.If you need more volume mic it up or use headphone out..

if however you macho image really needs to be bolstered by carrying around a recto-truck and 4x12 and you have the associated vehicle to move all this stuff(not to mention cash to buy and then feed it valves) then of course you`l be dissapointed..

Would have been a 10 but no footswitch - Lots (see other reviews for details)... and with a very useable interface, although don't expect to be able to tweak all the parameters. However remember you need to get one of the footswitches (FB4 is basic, floorboard does the lot but is expensive) to really get the benefit of the amps programmability. You can also take a direct line out for recording which is like a cut down POD, this is also very useful for headphone practice so I don't disturb my children/neighbours.

There are so many useable sounds, not as versatile as a pod or flextone but still loads of class sounds, I like the glassy cleans with my strat and the harder modern rock sounds work great with my washburn idol live, and recording its got these and a few great vintage tones too. The effects are great too and again go from vintage tremelo (I've discovered surf sounds) to edge style pingpong delay and modern bright chorus. The only short coming is that these sound great at low volume but out gigging and up load they don't have the dynamic range of valves or anything like the volume, in fact I've been completely blown out by a 30w peavey valve and a 40w marshall both of which were just ticking over. This is my biggest criticism as I wanted good sounds at low volume for home and gig level volume on stage. If I were the only guitar 50w of transistor power stage would be enough for a small gig but add another guitar or play a bigger room and you'll need to mike up. I guess you can't have both in one amp. Incidentally at low volume the Spider sounds at least as good as valves and there are many more sounds available.

No problems at all

This is great amp, I've been playing for nearly 20 years and never had a decent amp until I got this about two years ago. I wish we'd had amps of this quality when I was gigging regularly 12 years ago. I still kind of wish I'd gone down the valve route but listening to the sounds it makes and considering what it does for the money you can't really go wrong with this amp. Its great at home for practice and recording, good for small gigs and you could always mike it up for more grunt.

Has alot of features, but they don't sound all that good. LOL!!!!!

Basically this amp BLOWS!!!! Sounds real muddy and harsh when you crank it a little. This amp belongs to my friend because I have more sense. It only sounds tolerable at low practice volumes. I don't think it would cut it on gigs or jams and that basically makes it useless. And for $400 there are so many amps that would blow this away. Sure it has alot of features, but they're not that great. The reverb sucks! it's real low even when you turn it up. The amp models I'm sure don't hold a candle to the real TUBE amps they're trying to simulate. The effects are generic but you don't get much control over them, and finally the amp just looks stupid!! It has no class. It looks real cheap and toy-like!! What a piece o' fuckin shit!!

From most of the reviews these amps seem to blow up frequently and the service centers have a fairly bad reputation. I know this one still works plus it's not played much anyway. I sure as hell wouldn't take one out on a gig!!

From the other reviews they seem to have conplaints with line 6. I would never deal with them so I don't care.

It's my friends amp and he's a novice guitar player, so I guess it doesn't matter. The amps only plea for existence would be for a practice amp, but there are SO many other amps out there that sound better and are cheaper too!! If it were lost or stolen I would be very happy for my friend then he would be forced to get a better amp!! I prefer real tube amps, even some cool solid state ones,like I said I would never buy this amp. As far as LINE 6 goes, they are all about DIGITAL SHIT!! I'ts bad enough keyboards are more like computers nowadays that instruments, but amps? guitars? LINE 6 just came out with a digital modeling guitar!! What the &#$%!! The whole digital thing just don't fly with me, because anyone who has any sense knows real tube amps are what it's all about. The best thing LINE 6 makes is the delay modeler. But the Spider, we'll maybe one day it will be a contender for the "MOST HORRIBLE AMPS EVER MADE" hall of fame!!

I bought this amp about three years ago. It's held up perfectly with no problems. Line 6 specializes in modelling other "classic" amps, so there are many options. It's very versatile, as versatility is the objective of Line 6. The Spider has 6 amp models that you can shoose from, four programmable channels, controls for bass,mid,treble,reverb, drive, master volume, and channel volume. What's also nice is the digital built in effects. You can choose from tremolo, chorus, flange, delay, tape echo, and ping pong. There's also a headhone jack. A great amp for experimenting with your sound, and trying to find your sound, without trying out a ton of other amps.

I've been using a Jackson RX10, with a Seyour Duncan JB in the bridge and a 59 in the neck. A Lynch ESP with a Seymour Duncan Distortion, and an ESP strat with a Dimarzio Fast Track 2 in the bridge, Gold Lace Sensor in the middle, and Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in the neck. I'm mostly a metal guitarist, but this amp can suit any kind of music. I experimented with all the modes when I bought it, but now that I've found my style I only use a few different settings. There are two clean modes modelled off vintage fender amps. One is "clean" the other "twang". The amp seems to be a bit "bass heavy". I had to tweak the EQ's a bit before finding a suitable clean tone. I found that rolling the bass and drive knobs down to 50% at the most worked the best, while leaving the treble relatively high, and the mid wherever you desire. The only real difference between these modes is tone and voicing. You'll probably pick the one you like the best and play on that always. I ended up only using the clean, as i liked it better than the twang. The next two modes on the knob are "blues" and "crunch" both modelled off early 60's Marshall amps, like the Bluesbreaker. The blues channel is pretty sweet, great lead tone for that Dire Straits type sound. Add a little chorus and delay and it really sounds good. I didn't really like the crunch mode very much. It doesn't have that traditional Marshall High End. It's a very low end crunch, and sounds better at higher volumes, but even then you have to turn the bass knob down a bit and keep the treble fairly high. I didn't like it but that doesn't mean you won't. The last two are the "recto" and the very impressive "insane". Both modelled off the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier. I eventually ended up only using the insane. The recto sounds better at higher volumes, and the Insane works better at lower volumes. Think a Boogie with an overdrive pedal or something. The amp pushed 50 watts, and the Insane holds up nicely at higher volumes but you can kind of hear that artificial tone that comes with digital amps, and it can get noisy, but it still sounds great. The recto and insane have a natural scooped mid tone, and again are bass heavy. I would, again, roll the bass down to at least 60%, and the treble fairly high. I would adjust the mids according to what guitar I'm using. It's worth getting this amp alone for the "Insane" mode, especially if your a metal guitarist, or want to develop into one. I loved it, and it inspired me to go out and buy the real thing, the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier. It's great for those of you either beginning for trying to find your sound and tone, without trying many different amps.

I've had it for about three years, and never had one problem with it.

Never had to deal with them

I've been playing for several years, now selling the Line 6 spider on ebay, as I now own the Dual Rectifier powering a Marshall 4X12 cab. I also use a Boss SD-1 for making fine adjustments at lower volumes, and a Boss CH-1, an Ibanez delay/echo, and a Crybaby wah-wah. Again, I highly recommend it for those trying to find their sound, and what kind of guitarist you are or wish to become. Great for the beginner and developing your skills. You'll eventually want to upgrade, but this amp will help you decide what you want to upgrade to. A Great amp for what it does.

Lotsa features, but overpriced for a practice amp, which is basically all it is. On top of that, you have to buy the Line 6 footswitch, and that's an additional $200. Ridiculous. I gotta give it points for the flashing lights on the front. It's like a mini-pachinko parlor you can plug your guitar into. lol

Sounds good in the showroom or in your bedroom, but you won't be able to use it with a band. Not enough power, and the sounds are too midrangy for ensemble situations. You just won't hear it in the mix. Most of the sounds are over-processed, and it doesn't have a useful clean sound. Extreme distortion is fun, but you can get that and more with just a POD.

The Line 6 rep claims it's made in the USA, but if you look at the back of the amp, you can see the CE mark... It's made in China. It looks cool, but it will not take any kind of abuse that most kids will dish out... The plastic parts of the front will break and you'll be screwed.

The Line 6 rep lied to me in the store. Not a good sign. They make a couple good products, but they are overpriced, and the success has gone to their head. Avoid Line 6. Stick with a real amp company like Fender, Peavey, or Yamaha.

This amp would be great if it was $100. It's a practice amp. For $300, or anything close to that, you can get a much better amp from Peavey, Fender, or Yamaha. And usually those amps come with the footswitch.

I rated it 7 for good effects but EQ is a little confusing.


I bought this amp in 2002.
It has "amp models" Clean, Twang, Blues, Crunch, Retro, Insane.
It has Chorus, Flange, Tremelo on one knob.
It has Delay, Tape Echo and Ping Pong on the other effects knob.
And finally Reverb.

The EQ features are quite deceptive. It has the standard, Bass, Mid, Treble and Drive. Or does it? After reading the Manual there are many more adjustments you can make. (Like presence, that you should add for leads.) And the Drive knob seems to react to the Channel Volume knob. After reading mixed reviews I would suggest that people should reset the factory defaults on the amp and go from there. (It's in the manual.)

I like to play hard rock and sometimes blues type music. I would think this amp and a good wah pedal and your ready to go.

I use a Ibanez 570: hum, single, hum (V8, S7, V7)
I also use a DeArmond JetStar: Hum, Hum,

I'll be honest, I use this as a practice amp and rarely turn it past 4. But When I do it seems OK. The Distortion channels are very good. I tend to stick to retro. Insane can be good for leads.

My test consisted of the Single coil on the Ibanez, and both lead Humbucker pick-ups on both guitars. I also switched cords several times. (How long have you had your cord? How many times have you yanked, stepped, mashed, kinked and bent it? If an amp or guitar sounds really good in the store and spec-Crap-ular at home this is a very simple thing to check....) All tested well.

For my styles of guitar it's very copecetic. As long as you take the time to learn how to adjust it.

It has never broken. I never really gave it any conditions where it would. So far so good.

I haven't dealt with them.

I"ve been playing for about 8 years. I never had the impression that I was going to be anything but a computer geek. (AKA not a rock star) I tried many different pieces of equipment, from the early unreliable Park's, to decent Peavy's, to Fenders. As affordable small combo amps go this has been the best so far. I will buy another if lost.