KaZoom1618

Hey jmgtr - yes the mod is really that easy! You don't even need to cut a track! I wonder - why 4 jacks? Why not just use 2 stereo jacks? Once you 'get' the control metaphor that FF used in the AX2, its incredibly versatile. Most guitarists just want a knob they can turn up to 11 and let 'er rip. So FF had to dumb-down the interface in the spyder amp for just that reason, to appeal to guitarists and not just Engineers. It lost a huge amount of versatility in my opinion. Your comment about the Alesis Quadraverb circa 1989 got me looking... The TMS320 DSP family was started in 1983, so I'm sure every audio engineer was clambering to design a processor at that time. Now AFAIK, FF holds the patents to digital amp modelling, so they probably just reached into the public domain for effects and 'modelled' existing DSP effect processors, like the Alesis. Either way, the 212 holds a thousand different 'setpoints' to let you tweak a sound just right, with no need to lug around a board full of little effects boxes! KaZoom p.s. After straining to move my 212 after my last gig, I seriously thought about adding some casters. LOL.

Here's a replay of my 2013 post with 2015 updates: I added an Effects Loop to my old AX2! by KaZoom1618 on 2013-01-13 14:37:44 So I have an Line6 AX2 that I luv, but I got a looper for Xmas, and it's the one effect that the AX2 is missing... Now if I place the looper between the guitar and AX2, the guitar is recorded 'clean' so that any effects that I set are applied to all loops as well as the live soloing. Not nice. I downloaded the schematics, and wow - this is the easiest modification to make! I didn't even have to cut any traces - Line6 ran a multiwire jumper from the main board to the master volume pot break-out board that I can hack! So the 'splice out' to a loop-out/loop-in pair of 1/4" jacks can be made right on the cable that links up to the master volume pot. Since the AX2 is in stereo (and my looper isn't) - I only spliced in to the Left channel - but with stereo jacks, you could splice both wire 1 and wire 4 just as easily. I also used a 1/4" jack with a switched contact on the receive jack (it switches as you push in the plug) - so that the receive defaults to getting the 'shorted' send signal - if you don't plug anything in the the loop. This way the amp runs normally with no loop cords plugged in. But plug a cord into the (upper) new 'loop-out' jack on the back panel to connect to the looper input, and another cord from the looper output to the (lower) new 'loop-in' jack on the back panel, and its magic! Uh, here's a few pics along with the schematic mod: http://www.ad-ons.com/AX212/loop-mod.zip If you need more info (if anyone on the planet is still using this paradigm-breaking amp, and wants to mod it), just ask - I'm an EE :-) BTW, it works great! I can record a loop with rhythm guitar effects on, and then play the loop back to the power amp while I solo (in stereo) with lead guitar effects! Re: I added an Effects Loop to my old AX2! by KaZoom1618 on 2013-01-14 14:16:18 I forgot to mention - to remove the amp chassis from the case, you remove 2 screws from each side of the amp, and 4 from the top (including the 2 that hold on the handle). Then slide the chassis out of the back of the case - no need to remove any knobs, but of course, you unplug the AC cord, speakers and floorboard first! Then remove the 'bottom' plate to access the circuit boards by removing the 9 screws. Enjoy!