Community: Message List

Re: Time to sell the Spider Valve?

support@line6.com — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:43:21 GMT

Hello Goochster,

I recently picked up a Spider II 150 1/2 stack, and I do love it. However, I also never got "the tone" I was looking for. I do think the Spider 2 has one of the best clean tones I have ever heard, and it stays clean when I turn it up. I never got the "Brown Sound" I was looking for, and I went out and picked up a Peavey 6505 (aka 5150). I owned a 5150 in the 90's and I gave it away when I retired from playing. I tried all the presets, went to the store and even tried a Spider 4 head to see if an upgrade would fix my tone, but none of this did (the Spider 2 had more low end and seemed close that the 4). I looked at the Spider Valve heads, but they were out of my price range. I was lucky and stumbled upon a used but in A+ condition Peavey that I knew from previous expereince would make the tone I like the best. I tried everything, all presets, even bought some pedals, and I have to say the MXR FullBore Metal is an excellent pedal with a built in gate that works wonderful. Even though I got the 5150, I kept the MXR because I liked it sooo much. So, for my "Brown" sound, I use the 5150, and on the Spider, I use my presets with the MXR and it gets close. However, you just can't get that tone out of any of the Line 6 amp compared to the real thing, and I am such an EVH fan I could always tell. Others not addicted to older VH might be fine getting 90% of the tone, but I wanted 100%.

I don't know what tone you are looking for, but if it is my tone, consider a 5150. It is sooo easy, turn on the amp, select the lead channel, gain, presence, and resonance set to 11, and you are good to go. That easy! The clean channel is OK, nothing as pure and my Spider's clean tone, but good enough to get by. Even at 0.5 volume, the 5150 delivers the "Brown" like few other amps can. I would like to see how well the new 5150's direct from EVH compare, but the Peavey really nails his tone with no effort at all, hence the reason why they teamed up with Eddie.

So, I guess my question is, what tone are you trying to attain? I do wish Line 6 would include more of the older amps in the SpiderEdit software, like Fender does with their Fuse software, but that is just wishfull thinking.

Good luck, I was so frustrated that I went and bought the amp that makes the tone I love, but I also fell in love with the Line 6 products, and they are my "clean" tone amp of choice now.

Sincerely,

David

Re: Time to sell the Spider Valve?

support@line6.com — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 04:37:41 GMT

Hello,

With the idea of cranking it up and keeping bedroom volume levels, what about using a Variac and then turning the amp all the way up and dailing down the voltage? Will this damage the amp?

David

Re: FBV Shortboard and a Spider 2 - need help

support@line6.com — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:03:04 GMT

So I put in a support question, which was something like this:

If I purchase a POD, and use the effects and modeling from there, what would I set the Spider 2 up as? I would assume CLean Green or Red, and all the other stuff at 5, except for Modulation and Delay, which would be set to 0, and maybe reverb too, if that is going to come from the POD?

I guess this would get my access to the editing software, as well as the ability to trade custom tones online?

My other question is, would it be cheaper to pickup a Spider IV head than a POD on eBay? I figure I can recover $100 from the sale of my barely used Spider2 head, so if I go with the POD there is nothing to sell to recover funds...

I never though I would like Line6 stuff this much, I even want to get a guitar from them now too. What that pawn shop did for Line6 they will never know, I spend way too much on equipment. they gained a good customer from that little shop on the corner selling used amps for cheap.

David

Re: Noob here saying hello - Spider 2 150watt

support@line6.com — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:10:11 GMT

Update #2:

Not the warmest welcome, I guess there is little love for the Spider2/3 folks

Question #1 - Answered! - The FBV and FBV MKII will work with Spider 2 amps. I bought one and it works fine. SpiderEdit, however, only works with the IV series, so no software to make presets You do gain 32 additional presets though, and the volume/wah and additional tuning options for drop tuning, and a few other features. I love mine, so I think it is worth it. However: I am not sure the MKII is worth the extra money over a MKI, the USB port does not get you that much with MKII and a Spider2 head. If you ever upgrade to a IV or newer head, then the MKII will be worth it. If you plan to use your Spider2 forever, don't bother paying extra for a MKII shortboard.

Questions #2 - Still looking, I have found many settings, but I don't think there is software that will support the Spider2. I have installed the others apps, and the only way to make use of the settings is to write them down, then manually make the adjustment and save the presets by hand. Better than nothing. Might even buy a POD then set the amp on clean and then I can swap settings with others?

Question #3 - Answered! - Full stack is only possible by buying other cabinets, the one that comes with the Spider2 is 16 Ohms and has no way to be used at 8 Ohms. Buy cabs that support MONO 8 Ohms foir a full stack.

Question #4 - Answered! - .If you use a LCD display, like the one on the FBV Shortboards, it will show the drop tuning. Without a pedal that has a LCD display, you will have to tune to E standard, then drop from there.

Re: FBV Shortboard and a Spider 2 - need help

support@line6.com — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:40:17 GMT

OK, I get it, no software for me because I have a Spider 2.

What about these presets? Does the FBV store the 4 x 9 banks (=36 total), or are the presets stored in the amp? I am thinking the extra 32 presets are stored in the FBV, but I have no way to know for sure?

I wanted to test this and bring my FBV to a friends house and see if the preset follow me over there when I plug it in.

If they are stored in the amp, then I guess the amp stores all 36 presets, but without a FBV you can only access 4?

Thanks,

David

Re: Spyder 2 / II Full Stack?

support@line6.com — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:31:29 GMT

I called support, and the answer is NO, you cannot make a "Full Stack" with the Lin6 Spider 2 cabinet.

To make a "Full Stack", you would have to buy 2 other cabinets, then it would work as 2 x (4x12) cabinets, each cabinet would need to run at 8 Ohms MONO.

Here is why, and what options you have:

#1 - The Spider2 4x12 cabinet has 4 x 16 Ohms Celestion speakers and 2 jacks on the back. If you use both jacks, you effectively spilt the cabinet into 2 groups of 2 speakers, wired in parallel to give you the 8 Ohms the amp wants. If you use the Left jack only, it will run the entire cabinet in parallel and reduce the Ohms to 4, so if you have an amp that can drive a 4 Ohm mono cabinet, this will work. However, the Spider 2 head needs 2 x 8 Ohm inputs run from 2 x 8 Ohm cabinets( or 1 cabinet split into two(2) 2x12 groups), so there is no way to make this cabinet run all 4 speakers at 8 Ohms.

I called Line 6 support, then I verified this with 2 repair shops, and there is just not an easy way to make this happen with this cabinet. I even considered buying another 8 or 4 Ohm cabinet, and then switch out 2 of the speakers with this cabinet and the new one, and there is just no way to make the Ohms line up and make use of the cabinet to it's full potential. With the "swap idea", I came up with a 12 Ohm load by switching speakers and re-wiring, but then you will not get the full output as the Ohms will be too high, and you would get a net result of about 70% total volume due to the differnt in Ohms. So again, why bother?

If you want a full stack, consider buying 2 new Line 6 4x12 cabinets that support 8 Ohms mono output in 1 jack, and you will have your full stack. Another idea would be to get ahold of 4 x 8 Ohm speakers and swap them, but again, why bother, just get another cabinet (unless you can get a great deal on 4 speakers, like less than $100 for all).

So, there is how you make your Spider 2 head sit on top of a "Full Stack". If you're like me, you got a good deal on the dated Spider 2 stuff, and buying 2 new cabs will cost more than what you have paid for your used Spider 2 setup, which defeats the purpose. If you do go for it, make sure to get switchable cabinets so you have options in the future, should you decide to upgrade your head to a Spider Valvle or IV.

David

FBV Shortboard and a Spider 2 - need help

support@line6.com — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 23:40:38 GMT

Hello,

I have a Spider 2 150watt and a 4x12 cab. I added the FBV Shortboard MKII and it works great. My issues are with the software, or lack there of?

I tried Spider Edit, but it says it is for the Spider 4's and not the 2's? So what could I use to edit and make presets and sound profile?

What works is manually making changes and saving them via the Shortboard. This works, as I have 9 "banks" with ABCD channels. However, if I want to rename a preset, I have to do it using the buttons on the Shortboard? My Windows XP see's the Shortboardm the driver installs fine, Monkey says the firmware is up-to-date. Do I need to buy one of the apps to get settings to transfer to the Spider 2?

Thanks,

David

Re: how do i get the tones i downloaded to the amp.

support@line6.com — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 23:36:20 GMT

IS there any way to do this same thing with a Spider 2 amp and a MKII shortboard?

The shortboard works fine, but the Spider Edit seems to only work with a Spider 4?

Thanks,

David

Spider 4 x 12 cabinet wiring?

support@line6.com — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 22:16:29 GMT

Hello,

I 1st weant to explain my knowledge of 1/4 in jacks, the difference between STEREO and MONO, what a TRS cable is, etc... I have a VDRUM set, so I learned the different with respect to the plugs, whereas a MONO has 1 ring and the tip, and a TRS has 2 rings and the tip. SO, that helped me understand my Spider 2 amp outputs, I think.

Here is my understanding:

My Head (the 150watt SP2) has 2 physical output female jacks, wired in STEREO, requiring 8 outs to be input in each channel.

SO, if I used a splitted, would it be safe to say I would need to have 4 x 8 Ohm MONO speakers?

Is that how my cabinet is wired? Not in series, or parallel, just 4 x 8 Ohm speakers wired up in STEREO to 2 jacks?

So, if I used a STEREO to MONO splitter, I could use a Marshall 8 Ohm mono cabinet? I saw a cabinet that had 4 x 8 Ohm wired in series+parallel, would this work to add another cabinet?

THanks,

David

EVH Brown Sound - My ideas using a Spider2 and 4x12

support@line6.com — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 19:54:01 GMT

Hello,

I have a Spider2 and 4x12 cabinet, and once I got through with looking at others serttings, and threw out what I used to know on other amps, I think I found my idea of the famous sound (with good humbucker):

Amp Model:

Green Insane

Drive:

3 o'clock

Bass:

2 o'clock

Mid:

4 o'clock

Treble:

1 o'clock

Channel Volume:

MAX, 5 o'clock

Effects:

None

Delay:

8:30 o'clock

Reverb:

10 o'clock

I have the STOMP/PRE-AMP turned on as well as the NOISEGATE.

For a single coil guitar, I would increase the drive, turn bass up to 3 o'clock, maybe 4 depending on your pickup. IF it is a little too strong for you, back down the Channel Volume a click or 2.

Good luck with those, I didn't like the CRUNCH model, either red or green, never got it to feel right for the EVH sound.

My biggest issues was I first tried to use settings that worked on other amps. Once I got fed up with the settings not sounding like they did before, I started from scratch and found what I wanted. I have learned that for Line 6, don't apply what might be the right settings on other amps, play with the settings from scratch until you find the sound you want.

David