Line 6 Spider 212 Combo

The amp is a first generation Spider 100 watt 212. It has 6 amp models from clean to insane, plus it has several other effects like chorus and reverb and a few others I don't use so much.

This is my first digital amp. I bought it used because it was a good deal and I had heard good things about Line6. Some of the other reviews talk about it sounding muddy or not clean. This was how mine sounded when I got it home and plugged it in, I just couldn't get any decent tone out of it, so I went to their website and downloaded the product manual. It shows how to do a complete reset back to factory defaults. After that my amp came to life and sounds great. You have to remember that all the knobs are digital so if you go to a default tone, the position of the knobs don't matter until you move them again, then they work in the actual position that you set them in. It does have some quirks though. Like others have said, sometimes it sounds better than other times even though I'm using the same settings. I also noticed that just unplugging the guitar cord from the amp and plugging it back in can change the tone a bit. I use a Fender Strat, Gibson SG and a Les Paul and this amp makes them all sing. It seems that mid volume sounds the best but its too loud in my bedroom, bedroom levels still sound pretty good.

Its an older amp and it still fires up every time.

Never use it.

Great amp if you can find one at a god price. I figure the original owner gave up on it and sold it cheap. But like I explained before, a factory default should bring it back. It has a lot of features that are nice to experiment with. I have two other combo amps but this is the one that I mainly use because of its versatility.

I love this amp! It has 7 effects, 4 simultainiously and 12 amp models. i cant get enough of this amp. i love it so much! It is 150 watts with 2 12 inch speakers. I use it mostly at home and it, even after a year, continues to blow me away with its solid distortion. one of my friends uses it at band practice because he loves it. he likes how he can do sweeping without it picking up the pulloffs that arent supposed to be played. I only have two complaints about it. The knob for the amp models doesnt work quite right. And, the main prblem is, that after about 6 on the master it gets some feedback. I have yet to figure out why but i bet that its my fault. i dont know what some of these other guys are talking about, this amp rocks!Also, when the amp powers up, it gives a cool light show which i think is neat.

this amp has sounds all the way from cannibal corpse to pink floyd to SRV and then to three days grace. The clean channels are thick and full and with my guitar, can give slight distortion at very high volumes. My guitar has two hummbucking pickups and has a tonne of low end. I adore everything this amp has and gives. I love the noisegate feature, My buddies have marshalls and at basically any volume they get smajor feedback. But i can turn mine up all the way with absolutely no noise.

I would put my life in the hands of this amp! It has never let me down. I have the fbv express pedal swithc with it and it always works great.

never had to deal with them.

Ive been playing three years and have been through fender and marshall amps and the line 6 blows them out of the water. I used to use a boss ma-2 metal footswithch but with the line 6 i don't need it. If it were stolen (i would hang myself if i lost it) i would either buy it again or buy the head and cab. I love everything but the amp models knob, it isnt really accuate. it gives feedback at high volumes but i think its my guitar. Im going to go to the place i bought it at (long and mcquade) and find out why it does it.

Our bass player suggested I'd look at Line6 amps when I was looking to buy one.
I've learnt 2 lessons in the mean time, 1 being "don't trust bass players with guitar amp advice" end 2 " don't believe the hype".
Many of the reviews here are quite positive and I must admit they partially contributed to my final choice, the Line6 Spider II 212...
I bought it sans floorboard and initially hooked my Boss ME-50 to it.
This can be done but it really is a terrible combination. You need to set the Spider as clean as possible to let your effect unit work but the final result is absolutely horrifing. So I ended up coughing up another 315 EUR for the shortboard, without which you can't really use the Spider in a live situation.
I stil rate this a 6 as it appears to be pretty verstatile and feature full, and first glance that is..

My main quibble is inconsistency. This amp sounds pretty nice sometimes but awfull most of the time... I have recordings were the thing really sines but other where it absolutey sucks, using exactly the same guitar and settings...

After 1,5 years, the guitar connector got loose, pushing the input inside the casing..
I managed to fix this issue myself but it confirmed my opinion that we're not dealing with the best quality amp...
It didn't really let me down during a live gig, apart from the varying sound quality...

ever dealt with them

Well, I decided to buy another amp, having a natural clean tone. I'll get my effects from either a multi effetcs pedal like the boss ME-50 or separate boxes.

I really believe I've given this amp a thourough chance, having owned it for nearly 2 years and twisted the nobs to find my tone but I still haven't found what I'm looking for...

Digital isn't just ready for prime time I'm afraid.

It has some good effects, but for recording, DO NOT USE THEM!!! They aren't quality effects and are only there to satisfy young kids who can't tell the difference.

It is very bad. I mean, try the distortion, it is heavy, dull, and a lot of low end. You can play clean, but the clean clips and gives you damn distortion anyway.

Had it fixed 3 times.

Good, but still, I ain't the type to keep bringing it back to get it fixed, I want reliability!

Mostly crap. Get something good. This amp sucks. I mean it.

SPIDER 212 SPECS

Amp Models (6) Clean, Twang, Blues, Crunch, Recto, Insane
Channels 4
Presets (6) factory, (4) user-programmable
Basic Controls Amp Model, Drive, Bass, Mid, Treble, Channel Volume, Flange/ Chorus/Tremolo, Delay, Reverb, Tap
Hidden Parameters Clean Boost, Distortion Boost, Presence Boost, Noise Gate
Amplifier 100W (50W per side in stereo configuration)
Speakers (2) 12" Line 6 Tubetone
Dimensions 26.5" (W) ? 20.5" (H) ? 11" (D)

I'm pretty sure it was made in the year 2000.

This amp will sound amazing when a little time and effort are put into configuring the controls and finding the right sound for you. The presets can be quite instrument particular but once you have matched the amp you wont be sorry you bought it.

The only problem I had with the sound quality is that it doesn't sound substancial enough on low volume. It wasn't until I turned the volume up that everyone was blown away. And at a high volume when everything has some power flowing through it the amp can really sound atmospheric.

I have been practicing/gigging with this amp for a couple of years now and not a thing has gone wrong with it. Superb.

I've contacted them via their website with regards to additional effects and things and they've always replied in a timely manner. Although I don't feel like I'm talking to electronics/sound obsessed professionals. Which is what I expect.

I've been playing far too many years to count and have gone through hundreds of guitars and amps. Some of my favourite amps to play through are old Peavey bass amps for simple clean and great distortion. However, I'm really sold on these modelling amps and I don't think I'll ever go back.

I've played Behringer and Yamaha modelling amps and I prefer the Line6 hands down. The effects are more specific but they're just what I'm after.

I would never, ever let this get stolen.

2-12 2003 model solid state built in effects and amp models

I have to say this was the biggest blunder i have made in guitar equipment over the years. I on a whim decided after reading some good reviews to order this puppy on-line without having heard it myself. (what was i thinking?) I have alway owned tube amps but had some good results with fender and roland solid state amps as well. I was on a budget and was getting back into playing and needed the most versitility for as little money as possible. This amp seemed to have it all with lots of power and effects at a decent price. The first time I plugged it in and started playing with the effects I felt like i had egg on my face. This amp has the most lifeless toneless sound of any amp i had ever played and ive played a lot. The effects are almost useless too much effect with very little control over them. I think If u are new to guitar and havent played many amps u might think this amp sounds good but if you have ever played anything halfway decent you will be very disapointed. I get much better sound playing directly into my computer and turning my monitors up. If u have ever played a fender, marshal,vox, mesa boogie, orange, peavy, matchless, ampeg......ect you will hate this amp. Please dont waste your money be patient save up and get a quality amp.

This amp started to pop and hiss after only two weeks. It did have a warenty and they did fix it but it didnt sound any better when i got it back.

Well they were extremely busy and hard to get on the phone so i guess i wasnt the only one having problems.They did honor the warenty at least.

Ive been playing for almost 20 years can play almost anything prefer to play blues jazz fusion and classic rock. I have owned many great amps over the years including vintage fenders, marshals, vox, sunn, peavy, mesa, roland to name a few. I wish a had kept them all but having a family will change your priorities. The one thing i love about this amp.....hmmm well i love to turn it off. I hate the sound the tone and the effects pretty much everything not to mention it is very heavy and hard to move around. I was trying to save a buck and ended up losing $500. still trying to sell it no takers. If you are considering this amp please go to the music store try it out.

What the Spider's got :
- 2 12' Tube Tone speakers in open-backed cabnet (stereo)
- 4 user defined pre-sets
- 6+ Amp models
- 6 effects; chorus, flange, vibrato on one dial, tape echo, digital
delay & ping-pong delay on the other
- TAP button to set effect tempo/rate, treble, distortion & volume
boost, noise gate, compare mode
- headphone jack
- single instrument input

The Spider's dials work in a 'Dead Zone' style: when you switch from one preset to another, the dials will be inactive and not alter tone until they are turned past the point they were at when the setting was saved. Once you exceed that point, the dial becomes fully responsive again.
At first, this bugged me, especially when watching the dials on a Cyber-Twin 'magically' align themselves with the levels of their selected setting. Later, I realised the 'dead zone' thing was no big deal and easy to master. Anyway, the servo's auto-turning the Twin's dials seems like just one more thing that will eventually have to be repaired...

If you check the review of any amp in the Harmony Central database, there's going to be mixed opinions. No surprises there because appreciation of sound is subjective (as well as dependent on type of gear, style and level of play, and the ability/willingness to tweak the dials.) For that reason I'm going to avoid the 'real-tube' vs. DSP war and just give my honest opinions.

- guitars used : '83 Ibanez Roadstar, '99 Godin LGX, '02 Burns Bison
- musical style : rock (hard, progressive, punk)

The Spider comes with 6 presets : Clean, Blues, Twang, Crunch, Recto & Insane. Aside from the last, I found I had to experiment with the dials to get acceptable sounds from the presets. Once I did though I found them each distinct and emotive. That said, I felt the 'Crunch' channel didn't have the bite I expected from a Marshall-based mode although with the Drive cranked it gives a passable AC/DC. The amp does seem to tend towards 'bassiness' but this can be easily cut back; the controls all respond well; a slight turn of the dial can make a surprising difference in sound. All the models sound full and cut through at higher volumes, clean or distorted.

Brief reviews of the models after being tweaked:

Clean : once the chorus and reverb are dialed back this provides a neutral (though maybe a bit sterile) tone. Nice for guitars with accoustic piezo or transducer pick-ups
Blues : with the Drive up, this mode is soulful, dynamic, hot, resonant with a threatening growl
Twang : not being a country player, it took a lot of fooling around before I got a tone I like out of this. With the Drive, Mids & Treble up I get a fun Surf/Ska/Punk sound (East Bay Ray was my inspiration here)
Crunch : I take the drive off this and use it clean; especially good for accoustic piezo or transducer pick-ups (better than 'Clean' in my opinion.)
Recto : Full ranged sound that can be shaped by the Drive to fit almost any genre. I've got it set to a sort of jazzy, Steely Dan tone.
Insane : Sizzling. Tons of sustain, tight defined chords, stinging harmonics, beautiful muffled-E control

I use this amp for band practice where it has no trouble at all being heard over another guitarist (using a Fender head w/4x12's) or the double-bass drum kit. I've never had to put it past 7 and even then it keeps its shape, fullness and clarity. The Spider is surprisingly quiet even on high gain settings; I can take my hands off the strings at full volume, while on the Insane setting and hear neither buzz nor hiss. By comparison, a friend playing a Fender Cyber-twin couldn't shake the cacophony of cracks, hums and hisses coming out of his amp (and I didn't notice a sizable difference in sound quality between his rig and mine either.)

I've owned and steadily played with this amp for over 5 years. In that time I've had 2 of the plastic corners replaced (previous ones cracked)and the button for User Channel A has become 'sticky' and requires some jiggling to engage. Other than that, the Spider has performed without hiccup (ie; no problems with sound or function, knock wood)despite being submitted to the snow and sub-zero temperatures of five Canadian winters. Even the black 'tolex' exterior has survived bashes without gashes and hasn't faded (although that could be the Amour-All)

Of course nothing's perfect: my problem with the Spider regards how it reacts with a recently purchased effects pedal (a Digitech EX-7.) No matter what I've tried (and believe me, I've done all I can do) I encounter persistant, significant line noise when using the two together. Changing location (home & studio), different cords and guitars, tweaking dials on pedal and amp, using a stripped-down clean channel & a power conditioner does nothing to solve the issue. When I try the pedal on other amps (digital or otherwise) it works without the slightest problem.
Emailing line 6's support brought a prompt reply but their suggestion (adjust pedal output) was third on the list of things I told them I'd already tried.
Kinda makes me feel like they're just giving lip-service, not reading their customers concerns...

Previously a singer/bassist, I bought this amp when I decided to get serious about my guitar playing. My only previous guitar amp was a Roland Jazz Chorus which didn't give me the versatility or heaviness I desired in my sound. In one form or another I've been playing for 15 years.

Spider Likes:
- the sound: if you can't find a sound you like off this amp you're probably not trying hard enough (and it's not that hard...)
- on board effects: what a relief to have quality effects built in. Admittedly, dedicated rack/foot units are going to have an edge here but the Spider's still sound great, especially the flange and ping-pong delay
- dependability: you've got to be able to trust your amp.
- plenty of power
- quick and easy set up

Spider dislikes :
- no foot control included. For the price, there should be.
- no effects loop, XLRs, or 2nd input
- achieving a late-night volume is a strenuous experience due to the sensitivity of the Master Volume. A volume that can be adjusted in increments (ie; using a rocker button) would be a vast improvement
- it's the only amp I've tried that refuses to get along with my effects pedal

I'll soon be moving on to an amp with more professional options (effects loop, XLR's, footswichable channels, pedal compatability, ability to drive an external cab) for use on stage but I don't foresee getting rid of my Spider. New guitarists especially will value this amp's versatility, dependability, sound quality and effects. It's definately helped me advance my playing over the last few years and I'd strongly recommend new guitarists or those looking for a wide palette of sounds add it (or the Spider 2 nowadays) to the list of 'amps to try.'

Mine is a 1998 and I have programmed in so many great sounds.
The Delay often leaves something to be desired...you can't quite get the "streets have no name" vibe going with it, but it's cool.
Amp is plenty powerful for what I use it for, and the clean channels are just as punchy as the crunchy ones.

I have used a Les Paul, Schecter C-1, a Taylor410ce, a Larrivee d3 all on this amp and they each were well represented.
Playing everything from metal to worship music, it is quite versatile and for someone like me 4 channels is plenty when it comes to pre-sets. At first the INSANE was just too much, but the more I used it, it blew away the RECTO setting and I primarily only go insane now.

The Amp has been great, but the only problems I have had with it, come from the floor switch, which often sticks and depending on the mood it's in, will or won't switch to all the channels, which sucks.

A great amp! I have owned Peavey's, Crates and even some stacks and this Amp just beats them hands down for being a plug and play genius.
2 thumbs up.

Made in 2002. They made a new version which replace it - the spider II. Hopefully it works better than mine.
This Amp is VERY versitile. It has a 6 amp models(each with their own distortion settings, including an 'INSANE' setting which is quite mighty) and a range of useful effects. It has four banks where you can save you settings when you sound you like (apparently the footswitch has more built in banks). Headphone Socket. No output for connecting extra speakers, unfortunately. Not as powerful as i expected but is loud enough for medium size gigs. Doesnt seem to 'cut through' the band mix very well, kinda gets lost. Good all round though, shame it's a piece of junk (see below)

I mainly use an Ibanez RG reissue and the amp sounds pretty good for the rock/metal sort of stuff i do. The 'Recto' setting is pretty good but not that brutal. The 'Insane' is quite dissappointing, to be honest. It'll do for most metal but sounds a little bit weedy for really nasty metal but generally with the range of effects chances are you'll find something you like unless you'r a Dimebag wannabe (like me). When it's working (it used to) there wasnt really much noise even with lots of distortion at high volume. There are lots of cool sounds you can use, more types of reverb and echo than Edge can shake a strat at. Lots of variety. If you want a randall, Get a Randall. if not, this should be O.K. But read on!!!!

I paid #500 for it, more than i could afford but it sounded really nice. it worked ok for a few months (the odd crackly noise but nothing too bad). Then it went bad. I may have just got a dud but it think it is just a rubbish amp. I was doing a soundcheck for a gig and it went completely haywire. A godawful racket started belting out. Even with the volume really low it still makes a deep feedback noise at what seems like full volume. I have not mistreated this amp in any way that could have caused this. I sent it back to the shop FIVE TIMES, at some point every part of this amp has been replaced. It still sucks. It's out of warranty now and there's no way i'm paying to send it back for them not to fix it. I cant even use it in my room, i wouldnt dream of using it at a gig. As far as i'm concerned it's a piece of junk. It's rubbish, useless. A complete waste of money.

DONT GET ME STARTED. I sent it back repeatedly and they were no help at all. Completely useless. the first time i sent it back it was under warranty., they replaced a few bits and bobs and it lasted a couple of weeks, then broke again. By then the warranty was out. I sent it back four other times and was charged between #65 and #80 each time. They claimed to have fixed it repeatedly (i'm not even sure they even opened it up. there was a piece of tape that would have to have been removed to open it. it hadn't) at one point they said they fired it up and that there was nothing wrong with it - my arse. I hate them. they were very uncooperative when i phoned them. I would NEVER give line-6 any of my money again. i feel like i've been ripped off.

It worked well for a while. i was very happy with it while it was working (even though it was slightly underpowered). It sounded pretty good. But it's so unreliable i dont even plug it in any more because i know i'll just end up diving across the room to kill the power and then have to apologise to the neighbours for 'that bloody racket!!!' I'm going to take the amp out and throw it away and just use it as a speaker cab. As i say, i may have got a dud amp, but my advice is to buy something that you know is gonna be more than a rest for you cuppa in six months.

you probly already know the features.

I have played this amp through a stock strat, a prs custom 24, and a parker p-38. none of the pickups in any of these guitars could coax a decent sound out of the amp (not even the prs). I play with alot of distortion alot of the time, and found myself using the recto setting the most; it has the most sustain without the hissing and muddiness of the insane setting. the blues setting isnt bad, but it still sounds flat. in fact, every setting, except for clean, is the sensual equivalent to drinking ginger ale that has been sitting opened in a hot car for two days.
this was the first powerful amp I bought, and so for two years i didnt know what i was missing tonally: that is, until i finally started using the amp for live shows. i was thoroughly disappointed with the lack of power, clarity, and character that it exhibited. the drums and vocals both clashed with the amp, causing a very unpleasant listening experience. i used to think that the if you were truly a good guitarist, you could make any piece of equipment sound good. but i realized after playing a couple of shows with this amp that even jimmy hendrix wouldn't sound good, if all you heard was mud bubbling from his amp!
dont buy this amp, because its useless in any venue: its too loud and heavy (literally and tonally) for a practice amp, and too crappy sounding at high volumes, and then not quite powerful enough to be heard clearly over a loud drummer. save yourself some cash and buy a 30 watt vox if you want good tone for the bedroom, and save your patience and buy a real amp (marshall, mesa, framus) if you want to have good live tone. dont make the same mistake i made, and make a hasty purchase for a product that you didnt research at all. i think that a lack of research could be the only reason that line 6 sold any of these things at all, or else lots of grandparents were buying their grandkids line 6 spiders, along with XXXL t-shirts with mickey mouse on them.

it has held up well for the last 4 years, although ive only played it live a few times (once is more than enough!)

never dealt with them

ive been playing for ten years, and i this amp has been a thorn in my side for nearly half that time. now that i am finally making some money, i am anxious to get a real tube amp with more power and feeling. if this amp was stolen, i would consider its performance punishment enough for the criminal.
granted, i am not the most knowledgable about amps, and i have not owned many in my life, nor have i tested out as many as i would like, but i know when something doesnt sound good, and this amp fits that build.

Your kidding this thing has no features when compared to a similar amps in it's price class. no effects loop and no speaker extention jack and no sound

Alright this was not my amp and i used a Schector OMEN 6 through it when making some demos. this was the other guitarist in my bands amp and he kept it pretty clean but drenched DRENCHED DRENCHED in reverb. the reverb drenching made it sound pretty good and almost like my vintage reverborocket(MY HOLYGRAIL OF TONE). the problem is that when I took the reverb off to try and get my sound it sounded like crap. my main stage amp (at the time a solid state fender that had a good clean channel) had broken and this was the only amp in the house at the time so i tweaked at it for 2 days straight. This amp does not get tube emulation at all. most line6 products dont although the pod easier to use then anything else. All the models sounded so fake to me that i couldnt believe anyone would want to buy such a thing. at least with a pod you can record it into the red on an analog machine or use it through a tube powerstage using an effects loop. I cant give it a 1 being as it is decent and if played through by a good enough player it would serve well. Line6 should have gone back to the drawing board with this as it sounds so bad

NOt mine dont care

I would never buy this amp. for about the same price ther is the Behringer GMX212 (my main amp) which gets tube emulation right and sounds like a good (not great it's solid state) tube amp. this amp cant even touch it for features or sounds the only thing better on this amp is the ease of use for the effects but thje effects on this amp suck so there is no point

Pretty cool effects. There's a whole lot you can do with it. As for the style of music I play, let's say I'm a punk who loves Tool. we'll leave it at that. It has met my every need. only thing it lacks is an output jack...no adding a 4x12 with this. But I've used it for recording and gigs and it's worked out well.

I'm playing a Scheter Omen 6 Diamond series and a guitar I built that had 2 single coils and a Symore Duncan Invader in it. Way too much feedback, but turn it down and mic and it's cool. The Clean channel gets pretty distorted, i play with my highs and lows at about 7 and my mids at 3...but the distortion that way gives you this gnarly metal groove.

I used this amp all summer without any problems, and then one day it just cut out on me..it just...wont turn on....
and yes, it's plugged in when i try.
i'd like to get it fixed, but i'm scrounging up the money...

i've been playing a good 5 years. before i got this amp, i was using a Peavy keyboard amp, which was pretty cool to experiment with, and a Crate head through a KMD cab from the 1980's. I don't think KMD even exsists anymore. I love the distortion and the effects. i hate the feedback.

Built in effects are pretty sweet; reverb, chorus, and delay are all pretty useful. Some of the amp models are decent i guess. The area this amp lacks in is inputs and outputs. 2nd input would be nice, external speaker jack would be nice, an effects loop would be real nice. A digital amp without midi? whats this?

I play mostly blues and jazz and also jambandy bluegrass stuff like the String Cheese Incident and Phish. I play a Les Paul DC with 490s and a Strat with G&L pickups. I mainly used the blues model which i believe replicates a Marshal. It sounded decent, a little sterile, but decent. The clean channel is clean. Very clean, so clean its scary. but i guess its got its purpose. I used it to amp my acoustic electric sometimes. The crunch, recto, and insane were noisy as hell so I never used them, plus i don't play that kind of music. the twang is supposed to model a Fender tube amp. It is way to harsh. I could never get a good sound out of it. Funny thing is I sold the line 6 to buy a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. not harsh at all. Theres something about the warmth of a tube amp you can't get no matter how many engineers and computers you use. For a modeling amp this thing is'nt too bad.

Built solid. No tubes to break. I'd kick it down the stairs and expect it to fire up again. Not that i would do that.

Never called em.

It's decent. Thats about all can say. Its good for a beginner who hasn't got there style nailed down and wants to experiment. For a more experienced player, I say get a real amp.

Line 6 likes features.
This amp has 6 models: Clean, Twang, Blues, Crunch, Recto, and Insane.
It is sold as a 100 Watt amp, but is really two 50-Watt amps side by side.
There are 7 effects to choose from, but you can only use three at any time, and only if one of them is reverb. One dial has flange, chorus and tremolo. The next has delay, tape echo, and ping pong. The last dial is reverb.
There are both a channel volume and a master volume, and these are separate from Drive.
One input, one stereo headphone jack, and a proprietary pedal jack are the only holes in the front of this thing.
There is also the standard Bass, Mid, Treble EQ arrangement.
They all seem to work in their own way.

I play a Jackson DKMG, modded with an X2N in the bridge and a Breed in the neck, both by DiMarzio. I play Rock 'n' Roll with a lean in the metal direction.
Seeing as this amp has 6 amp models complete with preset EQ and effects, I'll explore them individually.

Clean: Dial back the effects and this is squeeky clean. This amp model is a little flat without the effects, but it is the loudest of the six available models, so if you want volume, plug a pedal into this one. I don't use this model much.

Twang: This is a really nice little model which sounds good with or without drive. I use this one almost as much as I use the recto setting. Twang is supposed to model the fender bassman, but like all digital models, it is only a digital model. Ignoring any side by side comparison, however, you can really start to enjoy using this thing.

Blues: Supposed to sound like an old Marshall bluesbreaker. The overdrive on this model is a little too 'dirty' for my tastes, but a litle tweaking fixes that. A nice sound at medium volumes (about10 o'clock on the Master dial), but not my fav.

Crunch: Talk about no soul. This model is thin, soulless, and, well, crunchy. I don't use it much at all, and I don't like it much at all.

Recto: My very favorite amp model on this amp. It doesn't even come close to sounding like the Mesa Boogie dual rectifier that it was modeled after, but thats beside the point. This model gives me the greatest sonic range of any individual model in this amp. The drive can be made to sound nice at almost any level, and the EQ's tend to have more range here than on the other models.

Insane: Almost useless and very noisy. Even with the noise gate on and my pickups dialed back, feedback is a nuisance on this model.


Despite a couple of bad seeds, this amp has adequate sonic variety to keep rocking. The high rating discounts the models I didn't like.

Hasn't broken yet.

Haven't dealt with this bunch beyond sending in my warranty card.

I purchaced this amp with a discount. I think it reatails for close to 600 bucks American.
I didn't buy this amp with high expectations for the 'tube emulation', and was therefore not dissapointed. If you want tube sound, buy a tube amp.
I have been playing guitar on and off for the last fifteen years, and have tried out many many many different amps. I would not have purchaced this amp if I had not got such a great deal on it. I would rather have the Mesa Boogie, or a nice THD, or even the Soldano SL (Mmmmmm....Soldano), but for just over two-hundred bucks...well, you can't beat that.
If this amp were stolen, I would wish bad things on the thief, but would not replace the amp. I would go with something tube.
As for the 100 watts...well, as the amp is turned up past notch five or six, nothing much happens. The thing is completely saturated halfway up the dial. Line 6, don't make the master volume go all the way to ten if the sound won't follow it up there. And how about a nice effects loop? How hard can that be? As for all of you complaining about a speaker jack: It didn't have one when you bought it. If you want a 4x12, buy the spiderII head.

This amp is an overall winner for the price.

Features are VERY limited for a fairly expensive amp (when new). I've
never found out who makes the speakers.

I kinda like the instant 4 presets, but I still couldn't use them instead of the pedal I use. The headphone jack is useless if
you use any kind of effects pedal, but it's nice to have if you
don't.

The features MISSING from this amp are CASTERS (hello Line 6) a second
input, speaker out, and effects input.

The Line 6 site claims that speaker out is an advanced feature, I say it's silly not to have them.

Line 6 also cautions against too much gain usind a pedal on the guitar input. WHAT??? You leave OPUT an effects input THEN disclaim responsibility if the owner uses one??? That's stupid.

Hey, the 4 button external pedal is $100!!! WHAT???? Jeez, can this
be so expensive to include? Fender has been making reverb/tremolo pedals for what... 45 years and they include it? I'd say that not
copying a sucessful business model is corporate suicide.

Lastly, they "say" that it's stereo, but even with the tape echo I can't get a decent believable stereo effect.

Oh, I like master volume controls in a tube amp, I cant't see what it does in solid state amps, over drive the over drive transistor :-)

The "modeling" is pretty limited, and with only 4 presets almost any amp
with a decent pedal that costs $150 you can get FAR more sounds
from a used any brand amp and save a LOT of money.

I say that this amp is NOT 100 watts, I don't care what kind of meter
Line 6 uses, I have a Marshall 100 watt tube half stack, and a Fender
Quad Reverb that make this 100 "watt" amp sound like a cricket in a windstorm.

This is not a big deal, I really NEVER exepected this amp to perform here, as I've met few smaller solid state guitar amps that had the
power I expected from them.

It's never broken on me, but the flimsy rubber logo on the front fell off... bad choice of glue :-)

Never used them, but their website has manuals and FAQ's.

I've been playing over 20 years, and have been blessed to have owned many "classic" amps and guitars. If this amp were made 20 years ago,
it would be the cat's ass, but nowadays the bar is Way, way up, and
a few cheezy presets don't go far to wow me.

For a lot less money you could buy an as new Fender 2x12 combo, and
multi-effects pedal, and get much better results.

If I compared this amp to a Fender Ultimate Chorus (available for $300 used) and almost any effects pedal from Boss, korg, and the ilk
you'd be on top of the Line 6 by a lot.

As a practice amp in your living room, it's OK... beyond that, it's too limited for practical use gigging, unless you play in church halls
and can't afford, or won't use effects pedals. If you play in Bars

If the Spider 2x12 got lost, I'd buy something else like a little
Marshall top practice with.

If you use an old style amp with NO effects and no pedals, you may like the Spider 2x12, but try one before you buy it, and I don't mean
a 10 minute wonder tryout in Guitar Center.

I bought this the first year they came out. I bought it because it was cheap and I needed an amp and it did sound good in the store at moderate volume. That ones on me, because I should have taken it into the "loud room" and would have exposed it for the fraud that it is. It features 6 models, 100 watts, nice delay, dont use the flanger because I own the real deal....an Electric Mistress, lots of other useless features to cover up the fact that the tone is missing. I should have bought a POD. That way I could have had even more unrealistic amp simulations and not have lug this thing from gig to gig. What good are features if there is no soul to be found. Those that have tasted the real thing know exactly what I am talking about. Those that love this amp.... you only THINK you know what tone is.

I play a Gibson Les Paul and a Firebird V with mini humbuckers. All of the models are just ok, I use the clean model, the twang model with extra gain and the recto with some of the gain rolled off. I never use the harsh insane model. I play in two bands. One is an original jamband ala Phish, Grateful Dead, WSP. And the other is original southern rock/blues ala Gov't Mule and The Allman Brothers. This amp has a wide variety of sounds that are not that great. I bought this amp before I was in either band and I convinced myself it was woth it. That was until I was trying to keep up with our other guitar player's Fender Deluxe, which regularly blows my ass out of the room. I have finally come to terms with the fact that this amp isn't all that great. Basically it sounds thin and crappy when turned up. There is no sweet spot at higher levels. Plus, it has made some strange unwanted noises during numerous gigs. I miss the glory of real tubes. This is a fake.

It's never let me down as far as breaking down, so that's a plus. But the shitty tone and the noises lowers the score here.

Never dealt with them

I've been playing for 25 years. If it were stolen, I would hope the asshole that stole it would have it stolen from him. If I lost it, I would take that as a sign....I wouldnt buy another line 6 anything. I am saving my gig money to buy a Mesa Boogie. Even a Studio 22 would be better than this amp. I'm getting rid of this thing as soon as I can

4 channels, 6 modes each, lots of effects. footpedal doesnt really switch smoothly... theres a small break which bothers me. i dont use the effects very much. you can buy a big footswitch which makes them easier to use i guess. you dont have much control over the effects. price is for amp and 4 button footswitch. an 8 because of the switching and effects, it replicates different amp sounds really well. the modes can go either way, you could get a modern metal sound or a classic rock tone out of the recto channel.

this thing is pretty loud for 50 watts. i usually play in my room at about 3. i had it at 12 o'clock and my friend was really surprised it was 50 watts. when you put it on 10 its not terribly louder than 12 o'clock but still pretty loud. the clean channel is very clean with gain on 1 on 10 it breaks up and you get a sort of bluesy tone. the modern channel is pretty hissy with a lot of high end but you get great harmonics and screaming distortion through my jb jr in the bridge position. you can get a good rock sound with the crunch channel, through the neck pickup on my strat i can get bend with tons of character. i dont really like the effect and dont use them much. but you can get some good depth with the reverb, and the effects sound pretty good.

i knocked it over once and the nuts on the input jack broke. they're plastic. lots of plactic on this. havent had any serious damage to it. i assume the jacks and knobs are attack to the boards because the jack didnt fall out when the nut broke. not the most rugged construction ever.

never delt with them.

i've been playing for about 5 years. i have a fender strat with a jb jr. in the bridge. i've had few crappy amps before this so this is my first "real" amp. its very versitile. i can get a good tone on what ever style i try to play through it. it was lost stolen blew up etc. i'd probably look at some tube amps (i am now anyway). for an intermediate player this is an excellent amp. my guitar teacher who tought my dad when he was a teenager uses a line 6 (vetta i think) and he's one of the best jazz guitarist in the area. i dont think you could get a better amp set up for the price so a 10.

Easy to use. Digital Reliability,Effects, 100 watts

At volume level 2 I could play a small bar. Past level 4 and this amp was sounding feedback HELL. I used Strat and Les Paul copys. I got HEAVY METAL and super Blues. Great clean sounds. but something missing in the tube tone.Cause its a Digital.

Digital amps are VERY reliable. I've struggled with old tube amps for YEARS.... and it's a pain in the ass if ANYTHING fails. You got so many expensive tubes and you have to bias correctly.

Hey, they do have a 1-800 number

I tried a Marshall TSL 100 and it only had one good sound, Petal to the metal. MesaBoogie Dual Recto sounded noisy to me. Like you had 3 distortion petals hooked up together in series. I then tried the Line6 stuff and was amazed at the their mastery of the digital domain.
Line6 claims to have replicated the Recto sound and even IMPROVED upon it. I still miss the real tube tone. Would like to get a JCM 800 or Bogner ubershall

100 Watt 2x12" Speakers, 6 effects. (Chrous,Tremolo,Flanger, 3 delays)
Can get a variety of styles on it. Loud, no feedback. READ THE MANUAL DAMMIT! IT TELLS YOU LOTS OF TRICKS SUCH AS NOISE GATE, GAIN BOOST, ETC... Many people have given this bad reviews comlaining about feedback. First of all, these is dependant if you have a high as hell output pickup(s). Second, If your turning the gain/treble all the way up, expect feedback. Third, they never read the manual and never knew a noise gate existed. So seriously, read the manual it'll take about 5 mins tops, and the outcome you learn is worth all the time.

Ok, if you go for that natural, tube-tone. This is NOT YOUR AMP. This amp is 100% digital and digital is line 6's expertise. Quiet clean and quiet clear distortion. All of the amp models really shine in their own individual way. But remember, your guitar plays a huge role in the tone. The effects are very nice especially the delays and chorus. The flanger and tremolo are pretty useless in my opinion. But thats just me. If you are looking for Digital tone, this is YOUR AMP!!!

Never had problems, never will. I'm overprotective of my equipment.

6 For Line 6's customer support. They're not too great and can be lazy a lot of times. So, try not to break anything.

I've been playing for a while, and still in search of "my tone." I play countless styles such as blues, metal, funk, progressive, rock, 80's, 90's, and more. This amp really brings out my clean "tone." Probably the best deal by line 6 for the quality of this amp. I have previously owned other amps and they were great sounding, but I would get distortion cleans and feedback when gigging. Defiantely a must-buy for the digital tone cravers. I like a natural tone a lot but with digital, its like a cheap way out. However, everyone has their own taste in sound and music, so this can not be debateable. Don't take my word for it, but definately try this out.

2003 Line 6 Combo, This amp does everything you could ask except phaser but i hate phaser any ways. It has 4 channels (foot switchable) No effects loops but a headphone jack. I only wish the distortion wouldnt get so thuddy at high volumes.

I use a Gibson Les Paul Classic Plus w/ orginal gibson pickups in it, this amp and guitar were made for each othere im tellin ya. At times the AMP was noisy until i read the MANUAL somthing a lot of you dont do!!! theres a noise gate on the amp hold TAP and turn REVERB past 12 o'clock. The amp does anything the clean channel is crystal CLEAR amazing works good if you use RP2000 w/ it but i got this amp to throw that processor out. The distortion all though gets thuddy is unbeleivable for a solid state amp in fact i will never buy a tube amp again. Ive been playing for 10 years owned at least 100 amps and this is the one, only wish they made a SPIDER head.

This amp after i added a fan works perfect i never use a back up because i treat my amps good and make sure nothings about to "fall off". Its made very tough, anyone raving about a marshall lemmi tell you they SUCK with reliablity!! TUBES although sound great make a great amp SHIT lol (as stupid as that sounds) plus everytime you turn it on it sounds a little different this amp sounds the same all the time good!!!!.

NOPE never will either i fix things myself i know how to do all that maybe a lot of you who are having problems with your amps should learn HOW YOUR AMP WORKS ,maybe learn to fix it yourself!! Line 6 builds a hell of an amp its up to you weather the thing lasts or now.

After 10 years of playing actually now that i think about its 11 years i have never heard a more dynamic guitar amp (i tried trhe flextones and Vetta and duoverb) this one to me sounded the best the other line 6 amps dont have the ease of use this. If it were lost or stolen i would not think twice about getting anew SPIDEr other than possibly getting the Flextone II HEAD for my 4x12's but this 2x12 is plenty loud, also go out of headphones into a 100 watt head into a 4x12 and bam your amp is going through a 4x12 with the 2 12s bypassed pretty nice many of you complain about no speaker out!! THINK a lITTLE!! I only wish this amp hadnt gotten the ridiculoud reviews many of the SO CALLEd guitar players gave it, if you know how to use and amp any amp youd know this amp kills anything in its price range and more.

2002 model. This amp can do just about anything you can ask for. I play Contemporary Christian rock, and this amp gives me tons of flexibility. With the Pedal board, I have great access to the effects. Only real gripe I have with this amp is that when you change amp models, there is a 1/2 second of dead silence. It's not too noticable in most of the music I play, but sometimes, it sticks out there like a big zit! I would also like to have a little more flexibility with the effects, but this is the Spider line so I can't complain.

I'm using an Ibanez SZ540QS with it right now and I love it. I used it with my Jackson PS7 for a year and a half. This thing has more amp models than I can use! With 100 watts of power, I have played a few shows without even being in the PA, wasn't by choice, but this amp had the guts to still push my leads out there.

I rarely ever have a backup amp on my gigs with this amp as my main unit. I have had some problems with the amp getting too hot and cutting off for a second. It's usually not a problem, but I make sure there is plenty of air to circulate around the amp now when I play a live show. Also be careful with the control cable to the pedal board as it seems a little easy to damage.

I emailed Line 6 several times about the overheating problem, and the only answer I ever got was.....ship it to Atlanta and let their techs look at it and see if we can do anything.... Not really the answer I was looking for, so I just make sure it doesn't overheat when I play now. I have even gone so far as to place a small fan, and I do mean small so it doesn't blow into the mic, behind the amp to keep the air moving.

Ive been playing for 15 years and this is one of the best sounding amps I've ever owned or played on for that matter! If it were lost or stolen, I would probably upgrade to the newer Flextone III 212.

Excellent features for the price that is put into this amp. It has more than any other amp for the cost and is quite user friendly. I play mostly metal and alternative and it fits the sound for every tone that is necessary to create and record great music. There are no effects loops...but with line 6, who needs it???

I use the Ibanez RG series which seems to be made for this style. Heavy...Heavy and more heavy. Anyone who has a problem with the sound of this amp, knows nothing...and I mean nothing about sound. For those who prefer analog...grow up!!! Times are changing and you guys are about to become dinosaurs!
The insane setting is just that...Insane. I get one helluva ripping tone and the clean channel is unmatched by ANY other tubed amp I've ever heard. UNMATCHED. I record music professionally and have yet to cross a sound that touches the price and the dependablity of this amp. Marshalls, Randalls, Boogies...Look out! You're about to be replaced. I sold my fender set up just to get it.

Perfect...Haven't had a problem yet. If you do have problems with this product...again, its because you don't know sound or how to manipulate the programming of this remarkable product.

Haven't needed any

I've been playing music for more than 15 years in band settings and touring. I play every instrument and have a knack for sound. Line 6 is the ultimate brand. For even better programming, sound and control, the duoverb and the vetta are recommended.

I bought the amp used, but it only had dust inside(near the speakers), so it was no biggy. This truly is "for everyone". Its got everything you'll need for a interm. guitarist. I traded in my Marshall: MG30DFX for this beast, and man, I will NOT regret that!

I use a Stratocaster with a Seymour Duncan: Hotrails bridge pickup and a Charvel: Model 4 through it, and it sounds just awesome! Everything from Alice In Chains to Mudvayne can come out of this amp. Thoughs are the styles I play, and they really come out.

Clean- OMG!, by far the nicest clean channel I have heard. (I played alot amps before I played this one so I could find the right one)
Twang- Bluesy style w/ light dist. nice for a song called "Bleed The Freak" by Alice In Chains.
Blues- The same thing really, just with a lil' bit more dist.
Crunch- This is kinda like Stone Temple Pilots distortion, which I personaly like, not too aggressive, not too soft soft, just right!
Recto- HAHA!, my absolute favourite!, I have never played a real Mesa/Boogie Rectifier, but man, this sounds MORE than enough to me! I like to think of this style as a Fuck-You-In-Your-Face tone!
Insane- ok, this is the only one which I will not laugh at. This style here, seriously is too heavy for me, ..I love Mudvayne. This style is kinda simular to the Recto, only WAY more gain. It reminds me of Peavey: 5150. However, its still great.

I can seriously depend on this amp. I've put this amp to its limits with its volume, and the speakers did not blow or anything, but IT IS FUCKING LOUD! make sure to stand back so you will not get feedback.

I didn't deal with them.

I've been playing for 14 months, but everyone says I've over high standards. And I am gear head when it comes to guitars & amps. I didn't know anything about this amp until I played it, WOW! If your looking for a GREAT amp, "Try my product", lol, j/k, no, at least try this amp, its awesome!

Um... This is a review to update my previous one. I thought this amp was good... I mean, it seemed good with all the amp models and effects. But to tell you the truth, it's really not that great. It's got a lot of features, I'll give it that. But the sound is crap, I'll get to that soon.

I used this amp with a Fender deluxe fat strat modded to have two humbuckers, a seymour duncan invader and a gibson 57 hum. I had to get them to mic it up cause yeah, it was loud enough to play without micing, but it sounded like total crap if I turned it up really loud. I've discovered that digital really isn't my thing, cause it lacks a warmth and depth to the sound. Most of the sound is flat. It does sound pretty good at really low volumes, but it's total shit at high ones.

It's VERY dependable... it's never gone out on me or anything.

I hate their customer support. They give you crap answers that don't tell you anything. I had to send them about 5 emails to get the right answer I needed. What a bunch of crap.

I've been playing for about 2-3 years... and I've been able to judge sound and tone by now. When I first got this amp, I had just started to play guitar and I thought this amp was pretty cool. But I've discovered digital really isn't my thing because to me it lacks a depth and warmth to it [no offense to all you digital users out there]. But I have found a half stack that I'm going to get in place of this amp. It's by a brand called B-52 and it's the LG-100A head and 400 watt cab. This is all you need for great tone, it can stand toe to toe with mesaboogie's rectifier distortion. I highly suggest checking one out. All you need is an effects processor or several effects pedals, and you've got a great amp. And it's only 350 for the head and 350 for the cab. But don't let the price fool you, it's an AWESOME amp for the money. Check it out at b-52pro.com [it's the solid state stealth series, not the tube] I think even the dedicated tube users will like this amp. Go by guitar center and see if they have one in stock. I highly recommend it. Again, Line 6 really tried to make a good amp. But overall, it's just not that great of an amp, and it's definetely not worth the retail price of 650, but it might be worth the 500 I payed.. I'm not sure. It's a good digital amp, but it's just not for me.

THE AMP WAS MADE IN 2000 I BELIEVE, I PLAY MOSTLY SOUTHERN AND CLASSIC ROCK. 4 CHANNELS, THIS AMP HAS WAY TO MANY FEATURES FOR MY LIKINGS, I LIKE IT TO BE SIMPLE YOU KNOW. THIS AMP HAS LIKE 20 MILLION DIFFERENT ECHOES, THEN A WEIRDO FLANGE, PLUS A STUPID TREMOLO SETTING WHICH I FOUND USELESS. I USED THIS AMP TO GIG WITH, 100WATTS WAS WELL ENOUGH POWER FOR ALL MY GIGS. I SOLD THIS AMP TO BUY A FENDER HOT ROD DEVILLE I JUST DONT THINK DIGITAL IS MY CUP OF TEA.

I USE AN EPIPHONE SG AND FIREBIRD VII, THE SG HAS 2 SEYMOUR DUNCAN PICKUPS A CUSTOM 5 AND A PEARLY GATES. THE FIREBIRD HAS FACTORY INSTALLED MINI HUMBUCKERS. THE CLEAN SOUND I GOT FROM THIS AMP WAS OKAY FOR SOUTHERN ROCK, BUT THE CRUNCH AND RECTO SETTING WERE WAY TOO WEIRD FOR MY STYLE. IT JUST DIDNT SOUND RIGHT PLAYING 60S AND 70S ROCK. THIS AMP WOULD BE PERFECT FOR NEWER ARTISTS. I NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH HUM EXCEPT FOR THE INSANE SETTING WHICH IS A TERRIBLE SETTING. IT BECAME VERY THIN SOUNDING IN LARGE ROOMS TO GIG IN, I DIDNT LIKE THE SOUND I GOT FROM IT AT MOST SHOWS. THERE IS ALOT OF VARIETY IN THIS AMP THOUGH, JUST NOT WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. I FOUND THE CLEAN CHANNEL CLEAN AT ALL TIMES EVEN WHEN CRANKED. WELL THERE IS BASICALLY THREE DISTORTIONS FOR THIS AMP: CRUNCH, RECTO, AND INSANE. IT TOOK ME MONTHS TO GET THE CRUNCH TO MY LIKINGS BUT OVERALL IT SUCKS. RECTO WAS JUST ALITTLE TOO HEAVY FOR ME, IT WAS NICE FOR HEAVY LEADS THOUGH. AND INSANE WELL I DONT EVEN WANT TO GO THERE, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY IT IS PERFECT FOR DEATH METAL.

I PLAYED THREW IT FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND HAD ONE PROBLEM WITH IT AND IT ENDED UP COSTING ME ABOUT 70 DOLLARS. SOMETHING CAME LOOSE IN IT. I WOULD USE IT WITHOUT A BACK UP. BUT THATS ME I USE EVERYTHING WITH OUT A BACK UP. THE AMP HAS NEVER "BROKEN DOWN". OVERALL IT WAS VERY VERY DEPENDABLE.

I HAVE NEVER DEALT WITH LINE 6. NICE LITTLE ONE YEAR WARRANTY WITH IT.

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING GUITAR FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF. IF THE AMP WAS STOLEN I WOULD JUST LAUGH AND GO BUY A REAL AMP. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER LINE 6 AMP. DONT GET ME WRONG THOUGH THIS AMP IS PERFECT FOR "NEW ROCK" BUT SUCKS AT CLASSIC ROCK. THIS AMP WAS PERFECT FOR JUST PLAYING AROUND WITH, IT MAKES ALOT OF FUNNY WEIRD NOISES. OVERALL THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. IF YOU ARE A NEW ROCK OR METAL PLAYER BUY THIS AMP, IF YOU LIKE LYNYRD SKYNYRD, JIMI HENDRIX, AND SRV DO NOT BUY THIS AMP.