Looking for AMP Help.. Advice?

[OneShot]

EDIT: Title should say LOOKING FOR AMP HELP.. ADVICE
if any mods see this could you please edit the title. thanks

Well I spent about 4 hours at Sam Ash yesterday trying out amps. brought my guitar to get a better idea too.

I tried marshall stuff, The newest Vox amps, the SpiderIII, the Spider Valve, a used Crate 212 something.. an awesome mesa dual rec solo head (that was used and beat up for 1500)
umm what else.. I almost tried some Bugera stuff, but was told they are behringers and so i steered clear..

Aside from completely loving the mesa head.. its out of budget and was too beat up for the money, plus I would need a cab obviously and dont really need or want or have space for a half stack..

So I kept returning to the Spider Valve 212 .. But I dunno.. Im just not sure about it.
The price is decent though. I can get it for 720 new in the box, plus Line 6 is offering a free fb express pedal board for free via rebate right now.. seems like you cant get the tube sound and versatility anywhere else.. and if I want just a raw badass tube amp I gotta spend well over 1200 for a head and then lay out more for a cab.. as far as tube combo amps.. I dunno what Am I missing there?

Opinions on the Spider Valve?

[jb4674]

Have you tried a JSX?

Jimmy

[OneShot]

no i was going to yesterday but the price kinda held me back a bit plus what I have heard about it and the fact that they keep changing and upgrading/updating it to JS's likings.
supposedly they "got it right" this time, until next time that is. I hate nothing more than buying a new piece of gear that gets replaced by version 2, 3, 4 etc shortly after. lol

Plus I heard its not as much of a gain monster and it's better for more clean and crunch stuff especially at higher volumes. I wont be gigging the amp I am presently looking for. Home and studio use only.

I'm looking for something that can get really dirty and is high gain enough to handle my favorite late 80's early 90's thrash metal, as well as the really high gain newer stuff.....
But that can also clean up well, and do some blues and jazz stuff. Hence my interest in the Spider Valve with all the simulations. Seems like a simple enough choice.. yet I just don't know..

[toshiro]

How loud are you planning on playing? The Spider Valve has the same preamp as the 75/120/150 Spider III with a tube buffer and power amp. At low volumes they sound identical to me, it's only at band volume that the Spider Valve sounds better.

I would look at the Peavey JSX or the new 3120 before buying the Line 6.

[OneShot]

Originally Posted by toshiro

How loud are you planning on playing? The Spider Valve has the same preamp as the 75/120/150 Spider III with a tube buffer and power amp. At low volumes they sound identical to me, it's only at band volume that the Spider Valve sounds better.

I would look at the Peavey JSX or the new 3120 before buying the Line 6.

wow.. I'm glad you brought that up. I don't plan on playing at band volume much at all.
although I'm curious.. i was looking at the SVpre ( http://www.strymon.net ), which if your not familiar with adds a tube at the input before the digital conversion and preamp section of the spider valve. Essentially from what I've read it allows you to use tube gain instead of digitally simulated gain. (if you choose)
I would think that being able to hit tube as soon as you plug in before any processing would allow for a warmer richer sound and feel, specifically at lower volumes maybe.

I dunno just an idea.

Also, Part of the intrigue of the spider valve also is the fact that I can get it for 720 on sale, but that ends tomorrow. I might get it and continue to look and seek advice at the same time. But before I buy anything I plan to play as many as possible, with MY guitar, and will be sure to try the JSX and 6505 and 3120 if I can find one local.

thanks for the input so far.. keep it coming please.

[toshiro]

I have no experience with that mod, but it seems kinda like running a tube OD/Clean boost into the amp. I'm not going to knock it, because I regularly use an OD in front of tube amps.

I would demo the Spider Valve and Spider III 75 side by side and let your ears decide if it's worth it or not. It might be for you. I actually have a 75 as a practice amp. Just don't rely on the "POD 2.0" output for recording, sounds awful, a real POD2.0 isn't as bad.

[OneShot]

yea as far as the direct out goes, according to the diagram in the manual, the signal path it guitar in..a/d converter...digital processor.. direct out..

may as well use a pocket pod for the same effect.

I would just assume to put the amp in the booth and mic it anyway.

I should have been more specific from the get go that I am looking for something that shines at low volumes as well as high volumes.. NOT more so at high volumes.. seeing as how all the recommendations I have gotten are for heads, which are more than I wanna spend, without even buying a cab. I really wanna stay around 500-800.. but would be willing to go to 1000 if I find something worth it. I just dont know if I can find something as versatile as the SV with all the presets and models it has. I would also get (sooner than later) an EQ and some outboard fx or stomp boxes as I have heard and witnessed the fx being acceptable but far from choice, especially where editing/tweaking is concerned. I have been on the fence about that a bit.
That, and wondering just how much of a difference the tubes really made over the SpiderIII 212, and also how when switching presets the volume jumps around alot. But spending some time re-saving the presets can fix that issue. the fx being ehhh at best... not so much. lol

I plan on going to play the SV and the SpiderIII (both in the 212 versions) tomorrow. and will try whatever else they have too.

p.s. I would love to buy and have a head and cab. although it wouldn't be my first head choice at all, the Spider Valve 100 looks awesome as hell all lit up in the dark.
I just dont need that much power or volume at all. Even with a house and sound proofed studio room.

[OneShot]

well i was itching for an amp and looking for one used was not in the cards right now(maybe cause of the frustration I have been feeling on the used gear front as it pertains to my search for a s540ltd, as well as that has gone) yes sarcasm!

SO I went into Sam Ash and bought a Spider Valve 212. I got it for 20% off. It was 899, I paid 720 before tax. Another thing I LOVE about Ash.. They didnt have it in stock. SO... they gave me the floor display to play until mine comes in. What a great policy. GC doesnt do that kind of ****!

So the Spider Valve. Christ it gets LOUD! Very sensitive Master volume knob.
I love the feel and dynamics of the amp. I compared the Spider III and the Spider Valve side by side before I took the plunge and the difference was night and day to me, although admittedly some presets allow that difference to be much more noticeable than others depending on what amp model your playing.

In any case I have found a guy on youtube that has done some very cool mods to the SV and I may follow suit. His results were great and I have heard his sound clips to prove it.

So despite Line 6s reputation which appears to me to be a "not serious" or "not quality' kind of gear type rep, I am very pleased with it so far. And if I change my mind I have 45 days to return it. Not to mention my awesome Sam ash sales guy has not been holding me to the return period. I returned my pocket pod bought in early February the day I bought the amp and got a full credit for it. It had been like 70-80 days since I bought it. SAM ASH ROCKS
and despite negative opinions, the SV212 is suiting me great now!

[toshiro]

Hey, whatever works, right?

[jb4674]

Whatever works is right. I have a JSX 212 and I love it. Congrats on the purchase though.

Jimmy

P.S.: post some pics...

[OneShot]

Originally Posted by jb4674

Whatever works is right. I have a JSX 212 and I love it. Congrats on the purchase though.

Jimmy

P.S.: post some pics...

or else it didnt happen right? lol

Cool ill post some pics. but as I said in the previous post the one I have now is a floor display so its a little beat up, but mine comes in on wednesday. So pics then..

I also came to find that the reverb knob on it is not working. Which means aside from not being able to apply or remove some verb from the presets, I cant adjust other features as well.... like gate, etc.

but again mine comes in 2 days. Plus I know he said this one I have now has been on the floor since they were released and had been in 2 others homes before mine while orders were filled, so no surprise about it being beat up. I on the other hand baby my gear.
plus I am excited seeing as how mine will have nice new tubes and probably sound a tad better, or brighter anyway.. not as dull as this one since the tubes in here are over a year old and played several hours a day EVERY day.. and considering I already love how it sounds now, any enhancements to the current sound would just be even better!

I do plan on trying some mods with this amp tho. Like the SVpre, swapping the celestion v30's to G12K-100s, and possibly changing the master volume knob out for a less sensitive one (Line 6 apparently had changed to volume knobs at users requests to have be more sensative at lower volumes according to the FAQ on their site) which I dont like since I play at house volume not gig volume and the MSTR volume knob is jumpy.

anyway gotta run

[OneShot]

awesome just heard from sam ash.. amp wont be in till 5/25 YAY!
not.

oh well thinking about returning it for the SV HD100 head anyway and building a 2x12 cab with some g12k100's in it.

anyone have cabinet building experience?
I have no doubt I can do it with my car audio experience and I have all the tools.. but some tips or cab design to suit specific amp and driver specs is welcome....

[toshiro]

Don't use MDF.

[scottop1972]

voidless baltic birch..... 7 to 11 ply. basically 3/4 inch ply. finger joints or dovetail. match it to wahtever cab youre trying to emulate. or if you like you could go to 18watt.com and look in their cab section and ask questions. i made a detuned 2x12 for modelling application with eminence legend modelling 12 speakers. i like the sounds i get out of mine. do some research... look into london power and maybe buy their cab book.... i am pretty sure there are pics of my cabs on harmonycentral.com and 18watt.com. I made them from solid flamed maple with walnut inlay.