Well I have a new job, so I can afford things now, like new strings, that V I've had my eye on, amps and possibly lessons.
I've been thinking about getting a distortion pedal, something that can handle light rock but gets heavy enough for metal. I was thinking the Boss DS-2. Anyone here have any thoughts on that pedal, or any recommendations of something better?
Also, my birthday is coming up, and my parents have agreed to buy me an new amp, woohoo! So far, I want the Spider II 112. Anyone have any thoughts on that amp, or the Spider II series?
Also, is there any point to buying a distortion pedal if the amp has it built in as a model?
Well, to be brutally honest, I think the Line6 Spider series blow. Badly. The effects have only the most basic paramaters, sound lackluster and plastic, the amp models totally lack the dynamics and warmth you'd like in an amp and it's plasticness is in no way fixable. I'm sorry but it's really that bad in my opinion. Check out the Roland Cube series and the Vox Valvetronix series, the last one being my first choice.
In any case, none of these three amps need a distortion pedal for anything, really. You'd be better of getting something like a compressor or equaliser, in my opinion.
That is the first bad review I've seen for a Spider II amp.....
I really like my Spider II 30 amp. It plays really well, but the distortion isn't the greatest. I rather have a pedal for the distortion/overdirve.
I tried the Spider II when I was comparing it to the Behringer's GMX210 & GMX212...I didn't mess with too many of the controls but it just sounded hollow to me...
I know that this is not a fair review since I only gave it about 10 minutes of my time but I honestly thought the Behringer's were better..
Now I did play one of the Roland Cubes...I believe the 30 watt one and it sounded GREAT!...
And of course the one I want to get is the Fender Blues Reissue (I forgot the actual name of the amp)
I checked out the Vox Valvetronix series, a bit too pricey unless I want something small. I want the pedal for a bit more control, I could get a footswitch, but it would only work with a Spider II, so I wouldn't be able to hook it up to anything else. I have seen reviews that agree with what Arjen has said, but some say you can get the tone you want by messing with the knobs.
I actually heard the distortion on the amps was good, but that's for the Spider II 112, not the Spider II 30. Actually, some say the distortion sucks on the 112 too. Wish people would agree.........
One reviewer recommended the Marshall MG Series instead, but it gets more bad reviews than the Spider II's.
I did check out the Roland Cube Series, wow..........it's so loud for such a tiny amp, and the effects do seem better than the Spider II's. I will definately have to check those out.
Thank you for your help.
Anyone have any comments on the Boss DS-2 or any other good pedals?
OneWingedAngel, I am not sure if you do the eBay thing but I have seen the Roland Cubes at GREAT prices lately...Especially the 30 watt...I got the MicroCube (2 watts of the LOUDEST sound I have heard from a TINY box!) for $71 (they go for $125 new)...
Also, I know Arjen will agree...don't rule out the Behringer line. Personally I think they are better than the Line 6's at less than HALF the cost.
Right now, I'm leaning towards the Roland Cube 60, possibly a Behringer, depending how much my parents are willing to spend on my birthday, get the feeling I may have to pitch in for the Roland Cube 60 but I doubt I'd need another amp for a long while if I had something like that.
Are you sure the Cube 30 won't do? They are very loud -- loud enough for gigging with drummer -- just put it up on a chair to get all that SPL at ear level. And if you need even louder, mic it into the PA. Same goes for the 30W Vox AD30VT.
-=tension & release=-
Line 6 Spider II 112.. Stay away. I had one... HAD one. I got one from MF and kept it just long enough to figure it was really loud. the sound at first is cool, but then your ears soon hear overprocessed distortion and effects, its crap and I applaud Line 6 for their "Marketing" it caught me, but I'm quite turned off by anything Line 6 as a result.
I returned it and the $$ credit they gave me for it I got a G-Dec. Which I still have 8 months later and practice with it alot.
As far as BOSS pedals, I don't think you could go wrong with anything from Boss.
Congrats on the new Job Chicka!! :)
Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. - Wernher Von Braun (1912-1977)
I really don't want to insult anyone by taking a piss on their equipment but since this is important I'm going to explain my previous post a bit more. The Spider seems a great amp: Big speaker, lots of watts, red AND green lights with a high pimp-my-amp factor, onboard effects and models, a slick design and a friendly pricetag. But I can't be harsh enough on it or warn people enough since it is a *horrible* amp, and I'm not talking about 'taste' here. Try this:
-Set the Spider to a clean patch, no effects. Play a strat and a jazzbox through it and notice the absolute minimal difference there is.
-Set it to a bluesy crunch and vary your picking dynamics. Notice how it doesn't clean/break up depending on your picking dynamics. Espescially disgusting since most people who will buy this amp are beginners who really need to be able to work on their dynamics, which is near impossible with this amp.
-Check the effects, it's absurd. Maybe it's me but as far as I know a chorus is NOT a watered-down phaser and a phaser is NOT a watered-down flanger. It's over the top, lacks proper control and will not suffice when you want to use them as anything but a toy.
I really played with this thing a lot in stores and it just doesn't work as it should. It hasn't got anything to do with turning knobs, the processor inside just isn't going to respond the way it should. It will render any tone-ideas you had useless and will greatly handicap you when practicing your picking dynamics. It's disgusting, as much as I hate to say this in a community where quite some people have this item. Don't get it. If someone tries to give one just burn it and make sure you see a doctor to make sure your hearing hasn't been damaged by it's build-in Soundwaves of Mass Destruction.
As for the Vox, re-consider it. It took me some time myself to realise that it is not about quantity of effects or wattage. I did an outdoor gig with the 30W version and I didn't came close to pushing it, volume was no issue. The cube is good (the 30W version should do, really) and excells at tight metal rhythm and ultra clean sounds. The Vox on the other hand beats the Cube when it comes to bluesy overdrives and rock sounds. Note that the cube does not respond well to pedals being placed in front of the amp, atleast that's been my experience. Both the cube and vox are rather limited in their I/O options, Behringer got that part down really well.
I checked out the Vox Valvetronix series, a bit too pricey unless I want something small.
Quality is far more important than size.
You can gig anywhere in the world with a 30 watt amp as your main amp. 30 watts is loud enough for small venues, can be miced and function as a monitor in larger shows.
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST
Note that the cube does not respond well to pedals being placed in front of the amp, atleast that's been my experience. Both the cube and vox are rather limited in their I/O options, Behringer got that part down really well.
I've found that a front-end gain booster does actually thicken up the Cube 30's tone quite nicely. And I was very surprised. Accidentally found this out with my Boss Loopstation. Noticed the Cube sounded beefier in clean mode with the Loopstation when some gain was dialed in, than it did without. Prompted me to go out and get a booster. BTW, I was using a Strat-type guitar.
-G
-=tension & release=-
Well, the amp would be a birthday gift so I'd only have to pay for half, and having to work 11 hours a day (hence the reason I'm screaming in my avatar) 6 days a week (again with the screaming), getting the money for a Cube 60 is not going to be hard. And if the cube excels at metal rhythm then it would probably be best for me. Bluesy overdrive is nice, but I doubt it's something I would use often, if at all.
Hopefully I find a store, or stores that carry the models you all suggested and can try them. Might have a new guitar to try them with too
Sorry to highjack the thread but how are the cleans on the Vox Arjen (or anyone that has it? For me it's all about the clean since that's mu primary sound...maybe with some bluesy distortion/overdrive as well but the clean needs to be crystal for me...
It seems that is where most companies fail on an amp...creating a clean sound that doesn't break at high volumes...It seems that Fender has the best clean I have heard...and I have mentioned before that the Fender Blues Deluxe is my dream amp!
thanks
I see this often when a guitarist has purchased a solidstate amp only to be disappointed when they show up to jam or a venue only to get walked on by us tube amp boys. I'm not trying to be rude, just pointing out something I've seen to many times. I do have solidstate power amps, they are used post, only when true transparent volume is needed.
Joe
