Best practice amp for metal?

[Fedaykin98]

So I'm looking to possibly pick up a cheap ($300 or less) practice amp strictly for my metal needs. I've been leaning towards a Line 6 Spider III because I always use them to demo guitars in stores when I'm looking to metal it up. I know there are a lot of Line 6 haters out there, though.

Thanks in advance for the tips.

[newbieguitarmaker]

I'm not a Line 6 hater, I'm a Line 6 Spider hater!!
haha, I would try a Peavey Vypyr since from a recent thread I heard it was an amazing amp and there are 3 models that are 300 or below.

Personally I haven't tried one but I'd give it a try before you decide to buy a crappy Spider

[mi2tom]

+1 Line 6 spider is nonsense, get a good metal distortion pedal, ubermetal is still one of the best metal pedal out there.

[Dantesstudio]

Spyders are only cool is you like your stuff to break on you all the time. Get like a tone blaster and a Dan Electro metal pedal. Those things are pretty metal, horrid for everything else though.

[rockboy999]

Go with the Vypyr...the bass response is awesome. You can feel the air being moved by that little 8" speaker. The XXX and MESA models will work for you. Peavey is onto something there...it sounds better than their own transtube amps and it costs less to boot. I know I sound like an infomercial,but it is really that good. The distortion has depth. Not thin sounding like the line 6 stuff, probably because it is analog distortion. Try it before you buy anything. The 15 watter comes with a record out too. Spyder only gives you 12 models.Peavey gives you 24. Like on the JSX model..It models the lead and ultra channels...and the classic 50 clean channel. So you can program the presets so you have a mini JSX,XXX,6505, etc,but with an awesome clean channel too.

[newbieguitarmaker]

Originally Posted by rockboy999

Go with the Vypyr...the bass response is awesome. You can feel the air being moved by that little 8" speaker. The XXX and MESA models will work for you. Peavey is onto something there...it sounds better than their own transtube amps and it costs less to boot. I know I sound like an infomercial,but it is really that good. The distortion has depth. Not thin sounding like the line 6 stuff, probably because it is analog distortion. Try it before you buy anything. The 15 watter comes with a record out too. Spyder only gives you 12 models.Peavey gives you 24. Like on the JSX model..It models the lead and ultra channels...and the classic 50 clean channel. So you can program the presets so you have a mini JSX,XXX,6505, etc,but with an awesome clean channel too.

if you want something bigger as I said there are more models 300 and below. Also check out the pedal board made for it, it adds so many more effects to the amp.

I am no pro in the metal tone area but try the Vypyr and any other amp that is in your price range. Sometimes the amps you know the least about or brush off are the ones you would love.

[Fedaykin98]

Originally Posted by newbieguitarmaker

if you want something bigger as I said there are more models 300 and below. Also check out the pedal board made for it, it adds so many more effects to the amp.

I am no pro in the metal tone area but try the Vypyr and any other amp that is in your price range. Sometimes the amps you know the least about or brush off are the ones you would love.

I read the description of the pedal board, and it doesn't seem to add any effects at all. What am I missing?

I do want to see a Vypyr as well as a Valvetronix XL.

To those recommending distortion pedals: right now I have a Metal Zone that I run through a 70s Deluxe Reverb, (and a Mesa Trem-O-Verb that just doesn't do it for me, FYI). The Metal Zone is nice and all, but I much prefer the sound of a Line 6. Thoughts?

[newbieguitarmaker]

oh I didn't mean effects I meant more presets lol srry