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For Those Of You Working On Building The "Dream Rig"


robbieb61
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My DT50 112 is down with blown transformers. Line 6 is covering the cost.
BUT...the transformers are on backorder for a couple of months.

So I was resigned to just using the HD500 direct. Sounds great! But not quite as good as it does with my DT50. :(

Just out of curiosity...I went looking around for DT amps.

And it appears that Yamaha is doing to the DT what it did to the James Tyler guitars...discontinuing them. Probably in favor of a Yamaha branded amp. Just like they did with the Tyler Variax guitars and moved over to the Yamaha variax guitars now.

Which meant that I was able to buy my JTV89F for less than half the price it was just a couple of years ago!

Well...here's the good news: The same thing is happening with the DT amps.

I just ordered a brand new DT25 head for $499 on Musicians Friend!!!!
That is a GREAT price! And I would urge any of you who have wanted to get one but couldn't, to jump now.

I did!
And now when my DT50 is back in service in a couple of months. I'll have 2 of these baby's to fool around with.

 

-Robbie

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I am glad you are digging the changes in the company re: your dream rig. I do a very similar thing by using my HD500 patches into the effect return of my 5 different tube amps sans cab models. Blown trannys are just something I cant deal with anymore even on cheaper tube heads. I think a lot of these problems are because currently manufactured tubes are disposable junk and more and more I am using FRFR setups for gigging.Yes I know the DT amps change topology etc.. with each patch change but thats not enough for me to buy a DT head and have to put NOS tubes from 1960 in it at a cost of too much money to make it worth my trouble.My 1982 Marshall might get some NOS love in the future but my more modern tube amps will not.Line 6 cannot get into the tube business and have control over this critical component in tube amp manufacture. I think they will soon get out of the tube amp business.I know Fender wants to get out of it.

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Like I said..."For those of you working on your dream rig"   :)

 

You're not.

But hopefully with this limited time to grab a DT amp at these ridiculously low prices, maybe some other people will be happy to be able to get one finally. 

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I don't believe the JTVs have been discontinued. They're still making them as far as I know. I don't know about the DT amps - that does seem to be some crazy low pricing.

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JTV's seem to be plenty available.  My guess is that they are low enough volume that Line6 only has them built in batches when they run low on inventory so it's hard to tell when they will stop making them.  The Standard is not a JTV replacement.  I have no idea what they are doing with the DT amps. 

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Well I don't think the DT's are being discontinued.  The DT25 HD is still full price on other sites but discontinued on Musician's Friend.  I think the problem is more likely with Musician's Friend being discontinued.  They are part of Guitar Center and as noted earlier this year that company appears doomed financially...  I expect a lot more deals ahead as the death spiral continues...  I could be wrong...  read the article for yourself...

 

The End of Guitar Center

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I just noticed you can get the DT50 412 for $299... :o

 

That is crazy. Musicians Friend will even ship it for free. I have no need for a 4x12 cab myself, but, man, such a great deal.

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/line-6-dt50-412-4x12-guitar-speaker-cabinet?rNtt=line%206%20dt-50&index=4

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Backordered parts and SKUs are very common in this industry, I'm afraid. It's not like we own our own factories and can just ramp up production on any product any day we feel like it.

 

DT amps and JTV guitars are absolutely, positively not being discontinued anytime soon. We've seen a lot of interest in these guys lately; Variax Standard caused a surge in JTV interest—par for the course—and it's resulted in lower stock than expected.

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Ah, okay. I just assumed the JTV guitars are discontinued because of the new Yamaha branded guitars. I figured that was the reason for the massive price drop.

I was thinking the same thing on the DT amps ever since they came out with the Stage Source and now the "Amplifi".

 

Looks like you guys figured out the reason the DT's are so cheap on Musicians Friend. :)
I'm still not sure why I was able to get my JTV89F so cheap though. But I'm glad I did!

So I guess I'm changing my advice to be: Hurry and get a DT amp from Musicians Friend while they still have some. I'm still in shock over getting the DT25 head for $499.
I don't think I've ever bought an amp that cheap before in my life!  :)

 

EDIT: I kept saying $499 in my post.  I just looked at my order again...It's actually $449 !!!!   Wow!

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No more DT25 heads on MF but it looks like GC still lists them.

And the DT50 head for $600.

Just bought the DT50 head. I paid $650 for each of the two DT25s I have used from private parties. A little scary but I'm guessing this is just MF and GC blowing out inventory. We will see how the value holds up after the fact.

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Went into the Guitar Center near my office to pick up some slides last Thursday and they had a DT50 212 combo for $850...I asked what was wrong with it or if it was used and they said No...just a sweet price. I was tempted.

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DT25 head on MF and GC is on sale @ $499 great price. The DT25 combo at normal price. So I don't think it's a death spiral yet or end of life for the DT series just a good sale.

 

He means the sale prices are the result of the Guitar Center / Musician's Friend death spiral...not the DT series. That company has been hemorrhaging money for years.

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He means the sale prices are the result of the Guitar Center / Musician's Friend death spiral...not the DT series. That company has been hemorrhaging money for years.

 

I think that's probably the main reason, if not the sole reason, for these types of sales. I've noticed GC more aggressively cutting prices on a lot of stuff recently. I think they're just trying to generate cash flow so they can make their credit payments. It's kind of like when people start selling stuff to pay rent. You can only do that for so long before you run out of stuff to sell.

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I keep seeing "Yamaha Variax" on a bunch of forums. It's still a "Line 6 Variax Standard"; Yamaha is simply manufacturing the instrument portion for us, based on a Line 6 guitar design.  :)

 

Korean and American JTV's are still being made as well.

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I think that's probably the main reason, if not the sole reason, for these types of sales. I've noticed GC more aggressively cutting prices on a lot of stuff recently. I think they're just trying to generate cash flow so they can make their credit payments. It's kind of like when people start selling stuff to pay rent. You can only do that for so long before you run out of stuff to sell.

 

True...much of brick and mortar retail is on life support anyway...they just can't compete with online businesses. Too much overhead. On a long enough timeline, most of it will disappear in favor of a bunch of Amazon showrooms.

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I keep seeing "Yamaha Variax" on a bunch of forums. It's still a "Line 6 Variax Standard"; Yamaha is simply manufacturing the instrument portion for us, based on a Line 6 guitar design.  :)

 

Korean and American JTV's are still being made as well.

 

I'm not saying it's good or bad...but whether it was by design or an accident of fate, that "Line 6 design" looks an awful lot like a Pacifica, and I think that you're gonna find it difficult to get people to stop calling it the "Yamaha Variax"...nearly impossible to undo a first impression. Just ask anyone who hates their mother-in-law... :P

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True...much of brick and mortar retail is on life support anyway...they just can't compete with online businesses. Too much overhead. On a long enough timeline, most of it will disappear in favor of a bunch of Amazon showrooms.

 

Like Sales Tax ?  ;)

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I'm not saying it's good or bad...but whether it was by design or an accident of fate, that "Line 6 design" looks an awful lot like a Pacifica, and I think that you're gonna find it difficult to get people to stop calling it the "Yamaha Variax"...nearly impossible to undo a first impression. Just ask anyone who hates their mother-in-law... :P

 

Wait!!!! Remember ALL that custom shop design work that went into the new Standard ??? Kinda more like coming out with a new car model and having it still look like a VW bug . :rolleyes:

Could have saved a lot of time AND money by just putting JTV inerds and pick-ups on an old 700.

Well, maybe a new sticker would be nice.............

 

                                                                Kylling It

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Damn!  Missed the DT25 head for $449!  Good score for those of you that got one.  Yessss.

 

Interesting - but sad story about Guitar Center - I did not know they had fallen prey to that new way of running companies... into the ground so a handfull of investors can make a quick return.  I don't really want to see GC fail - but it might be the best thing for all of us...   Sorry to get off topic.  Hmmm hard to say if this was GC trying to raise some quick cash, or Line6 hinting at a replacement or refresh of the DT series.  You currently can't seem to backorder the DT25 head from GC.

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Damn!  Missed the DT25 head for $449!  Good score for those of you that got one.  Yessss.

 

Interesting - but sad story about Guitar Center - I did not know they had fallen prey to that new way of running companies... into the ground so a handfull of investors can make a quick return.  I don't really want to see GC fail - but it might be the best thing for all of us...   Sorry to get off topic.  Hmmm hard to say if this was GC trying to raise some quick cash, or Line6 hinting at a replacement or refresh of the DT series.  You currently can't seem to backorder the DT25 head from GC.

Not hard to say if you look at comment #8 in this thread... :)

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Its not a dream rig but last night I played a very large outdoor farmers market using my HD500 an EMG equipped hardtail strat and an Atomic Reactor wedge I was planning ro sell.Holy Crap what great fun tones! I got to try some of the new vintage model pack amps and used the Divided by 13 amp about 50 per cent of the gig.The Atomic is the older 50 watt with 6l6s in it just to make it more linear. I think I will keep it after all as they are becoming a bit harder to find.If I come across A DT25 at a price I can live with I would try it but more and more the poor quality of CP tubes is driving me away from my tube amps.Glad you guys are digging these DTs!

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No I use the Tube Depot.They have been good to me.Yesterday I did a 2,000 plus outdoor beer festival gig on a huge stage.I used my HD500/ line 6 wireless/2 Alto 12s and one of my strats switching to my 335 for the last set. Cranked up this rig sounded great. I am used to the difference in feel having been using Line6 software in studios since the first Amp Farm came out. Funk/ Roots/Punk/Classic Rock and even a little Nirvana. This simple rig worked very well and required no tubes or the concerns that go with it. The band also has a huge killer PA and that helps when using any modeler. I think a lot of players get frustrated with especially the HD because they are forced to blow it through poor PA gear. The gig yesterday was hot and dusty. Not good tube conditions. The guitarist in the band before us used an Axe-Fx into a nice tube amp.He is a good player but sounded pretty bad. I think it was the PA his band brought.Too small for 2,000 plus outdoors.

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  • 2 months later...

Well, its been less than 3 months and both musiciansfriend and GC are selling DT25 heads again. Expected ship date 9/18. All new DT25 heads are listed at $900. 

 

Not as much love for the DT50s with the music stores. It looks like just a couple new ones and a few used ones available.

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