NAMM 2010: Free Line 6 Spider software updates
Here’s some cool news for Line 6 amp owners. Expect lots of Line 6 coverage while I’m here at NAMM!
LINE 6 ANNOUNCES FREE SOFTWARE UPDATES FOR SPIDER GUITAR AMPLIFIERS
—Free downloads provide over 25 additional effects and a computer-based editor-librarian—
CALABASAS, Calif.—January 14, 2010—Line 6, Inc. (line6.com), the industry leader in digital modeling technology for music-creation products, announced today three free updates that deliver a host of effect models and a computer-based editor-librarian to Spider® IV and Spider Valve™ MkII guitar amplifiers: Spider IV Edit, Spider Valve MkII Edit, and Spider FX Infusion software.
“Spider amplifiers are famous for their unparalleled flexibility,” remarked Aaron Suplizio, Amplifier Category Manager at Line 6. “These free updates, which deliver additional effects and expanded flexibility, are the icing on the cake.”
Spider FX Infusion delivers 28 additional effects to Spider IV and Spider Valve MkII amplifiers. The free update more than doubles the amount of overdrives, compressors, delays, reverbs, mods, and wahs included each amplifier, and boosts the total to more than 50 effects: a number that tops the amount offered by any other modeling amplifier.
Spider IV Edit and Spider Valve MkII Edit provide computer-based editor-librarian functionality to Spider IV and Spider Valve MkII guitar amplifiers. Users can edit their presets, create backups, and share tones via email with other Spider amplifier users. Spider presets can also be traded freely at CustomTone.com, a popular Line 6 website used for the trading and rating of Line 6 presets.
A Line 6 FBV™ MkII foot controller is required to download and use Spider IV Edit, Spider Valve MkII Edit, and Spider FX Infusion software. Spider IV Edit and Spider FX Infusion software for Spider IV amplifiers will be available for download from www.line6.com/software as of January 26, 2010. Spider Valve MkII Edit and Spider FX Infusion software for Spider Valve MkII amplifiers will be available for download from www.line6.com/software as of February 9, 2010. Spider IV 15 and 30 are not compatible with the updates.
REVIEW: Line 6 Pocket Pod
First off, the Line 6 Pocket Pod is such obvious genius that I can’t believe it wasn’t the very first thing the company invented. You know that episode of the Simpsons where Homer had financial problems and he dreamed he invented something that changed the world (and fitted in the palm of your hand) but he was woken up before he could see what it was? Well I’m pretty sure it was the Pocket Pod.
What you get here is 100% of the famous Line 6 digital modelling technology in about 1/8 of the size. The Pocket Pod is the same familiar kidney bean shape as the regular desktop Pod, but it’s about the size and thickness of a Bubble-O-Bill ice cream. For a small handful of cash you get 32 classic and modern amp models, along with 16 cab models and over 300 custom presets by guitarists from Thursday, Ash, As I Lay Dying, Sparta, 311, P.O.D, Razorlight, Hawthorne Heights, Killswitch Engage, Maroon 5 and Guns N’ Roses.
The list of amp models – ready for this? – is ’64 Fender Deluxe Reverb, ’59 Fender Bassman, ’68 Marshall Plexi 100 watt, Marshall JTM-45 meets Budda Twinmaster, ’60 Tweed Fender Champ, Budda Twinmaster head, ’65 Blackface Fender Twin Reverb, ’60 Vox AC 15, ’60 Vox AC 30 non-Top Boost, ’85 Mesa/Boogie Mark IIc+ Clean Channel, ’85 Mesa/Boogie Mark IIc+ Drive Channel, Dumble Overdrive Special Clean Channel, ’95 Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Head, ’89 Soldano SLO Super Lead Overdrive, Dumble Overdrive Special Drive Channel, 1987 Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus and Line 6 Insane.
Available speaker cabinet models are 1960 Fender Tweed Champ, 1952 Fender Tweed Deluxe Reverb, 1960 Vox AC-15, 1964 Fender Deluxe Reverb, 1965 Fender Blackface Twin Reverb, 1967 Vox AC-30, 1995 Matchless Chieftain, 1959 Fender Bassman, 1996 Marshall with Vintage 30s, 1978 Marshall with stock 70s, 1968 Marshall Basketweave with Greenbacks, Line 6 4×12, Line 6 1×12, Line 6 2×12 and Line 6 4×10.
There are 16 effects: Compressor, Tremolo, Chorus 1, Chorus 2, Flanger 1, Flanger 2, Rotary Speaker, Delay, Delay/Compressor, Delay/Tremolo, Delay/Chorus 1, Delay/Chorus 2, Delay/Flanger 1, Delay/Flanger 2, Delay/Swell, Reverb.
The sounds are great whether used for practice or recording. For my money, some of Line 6’s best work is in their emulations of naturally overdriven Marshalls and highly distorted metal amps. I was able to create some quite authentic classic rock girth and grit with the former (rocking the 100 watt Plexi model with my PAF-alike-loaded Ibanez Talman), and some Megadeth ‘United Abominations
There’s so much tonal variety on tap here that you can play around with sounds for hours, and that’s before you start tinkering with them via computer with the included Vyzex software, where the on-screen control layout takes the fiddly work out of setting your sounds. Editing sounds using the Pocket Pod itself can be a little tricky, but since this device isn’t exactly configured for on-the-fly live use, you wouldn’t really expect a huge assembly of up-front editing features on the surface.
The casing is probably a little too light to use live regularly if you’re in an energetic band, but I could definitely see myself throwing one of these puppies into my guitar case to use as a backup if my amp ever packs it in mid-gig. It would also be a very handy teaching tool – it never hurts to have an easily accessible library of classic guitar tones to dial in when helping a student nail their favourite song.
Every guitarist needs one of these bad boys in their parts box, guitar case, gig bag, or on their desktop. It’s an invaluable backup as well as a fantastic tone generator in its own right. I only had the Pocket Pod on loan from the distributor for a few days but I would definitely like to buy one. In fact, every time I sit on the couch jamming unplugged on one of my electric guitars I can’t help but think of that baby Pod and wonder where it is now.
This is an expanded version of a review that originally ran in Mixdown magazine.
LINK: Line6.com/pocketpod/
REVIEW: Line 6 Spider Valve
Line 6 has been at the forefront of a lot of sound modeling innovations – desktop units, modeling amps, and the revolutionary Variax guitar. But despite the company’s amp modeling technology finding its way into pro studios worldwide and on thousands of concert stages, purists have been somewhat wary of the lack of valve technology. With the Spider Valve, Line 6 is looking to capture that slice of the market which has been hesitant to try modeling technologies because of the lack of valves.
At first glance, the Spider Valve looks a lot like a Spider III. It shares a similar control layout and 12 amp model types including clean jazz; 1973 Hiwatt custom 100; various Fender valve combos, Marshall heads; a Vox AC-30, Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier; and Line6’s own creation, “Insane.” There are also 7 effect types, and you can store 36 of your own sounds in addition to the hundreds of factory presets.
The signal travels into an analog-to-digital converter, then into the digital signal processor for tone generation, and is then converted back to analog and split to a cabinet simulated direct out, and to the effect loop. Then the signal hits a pair of 12AX7 preamp valves. The first acts as a cascading gain stage, and feeds the master volume which hits the next 12AX7 configured as a phase splitter. This is followed by Sovtek 5881WXT/6L6. There are two 6L6 output valves’s for 40 watts of class AB power in the combos, while the head version has four 6L6’s for 100 watts of class AB power. Bogner specified the use of boutique components such as Sprague Orange Drop and Wima capacitors in the tube section, and the combos are outfitted with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers.
The Spider Valve sounds very much like the Spider III at lower volumes. The same artist and song presets are there, and user-conjured tones are similar too. The amp has been re-voiced to provide more complexity to the mid gain tones, and the best way to hear this in all its glory is to crank the amp. Once the valves start cooking (and the neighbours start knocking), the slightly clinical bass response of lower volumes tightens up. The subtle fizz to the treble, common most high gain amps at low volumes, fades away to be replaced with rich transients. But the real beauty is in how the midrange opens up with lush harmonics, and the amp responds more interactively to changes in pick attack, playing dynamics and guitar control settings. This makes medium gain models come alive, and puts muscle and presence into clean tones. The sound tends to still be a little ‘hi fi’ compared to a 100% valve amp, but it’s a much more organic-sounding unit compared to the Spider III.
But don’t just take my word for it – here’s a video of Guitar World’s Paul Riario demonstrating the Spider Valve (although the treble sounds a bit harsh on this video). Make sure you stick around for the blues sound at 9:40 in the video to get an idea of how the Spider Valve handles non-metal styles.
The Spider Valve is more than ‘just’ a modeling amp. It has its own character, and offers something that nothing else in the industry can do. The design input and endorsement of Bogner also doesn’t hurt in lending some cred in boutique circles.
Shopping links:
Line 6 Spider Valve 212 40W Guitar Combo Amp Standard
Line 6 Spider Valve 112 40W Guitar Combo Amp
Line 6 Spider Valve HD100 100W Guitar Amp Head
REVIEW: Line 6 BackTrack
There’s nothing quite like the Line 6 BackTrack out there at the moment. Ever tried to record a guitar riff on your iPod or phone? Not always the best sound quality, huh? Well the BackTrack is a tiny recording device which you can plug in between your guitar and amp, or use the built-in microphone if you want to capture the sound of your amp or even your full band.
The first thing I looked for when I plugged into the BackTrack was the amp modelling. This is Line 6, after all, creators of the venerable Pod. But amp modelling is nowhere to be found. If you really wanted to use it to record riffs as you noodle on the sofa, consider placing a Pocket Pod between your guitar and the BackTrack. If you record a riff you like and you don’t want to hear it back as just a clean guitar part, simply play it through your amp, and a properly-impedence-matched version will shake through your bedroom or rehearsal studio as if you were playing it yourself live.
You can hook this little puppy up to your guitar strap or even Velcro it to your pedalboard so you can record rehearsal-room inspiration, but if I was to buy one (and I think I might), I would use it for live gigs. I tend to improvise most of my solos, but occasionally, if we record a gig, I find an improvisation I like, and then learn it as the permanent solo. With the BackTrack I can have a permanent record of all my live solos, so I won’t be bound by the economic realities of which gigs we can afford to multitrack, or the technical limitations of a handheld camcorder.
This is such a cool idea that it belongs in every guitar case or gig bag, whether you’re a guitarist or bassist, and while its main use is to record guitar parts through the direct input, it can also be a very handy way of keeping a record of the full band in the jam room.
NEWS: Parker Adrian Belew Signature Fly
This has already been posted about on a few blogs, so I’m not pretending it’s a scoop or anything, but I feel like writing about it for the sake of completeness (the first place I saw it was at guitarnoize.com though), so I don’t get people emailing me saying “Petie, ya dumb-ass, how come you didn’t cover the Adrian Belew Parker? You’re a Bowie/Zappa/NIN geek, I thought you’d be all over this?”
The long-awaited Parker Adrian Belew signature model is finally available, and while I haven’t played one, even just looking at the specs I feel I can honestly say without hyperbole that this guitar is the greatest thing humankind has ever achieved.
Ok, maybe a little hyperbole.
Of course, a guitar this pimped out isn’t cheap. It’s $9,599 USD. If that hasn’t scared you off, you can buy one from Guitar Center by clicking here.
Here’s the press release. I’ve bolded the bits that blow my mind.
Parker Guitars announced today the addition of the Adrian Belew Signature Fly to their line of electric guitars. Designed from the ground up to the exacting standards of legendary guitarist Adrian Belew, the Adrian Belew Signature Fly is one of the most advanced and innovative guitars ever built.
The Adrian Belew Signature Fly features an exclusive Dimarzio bridge pickup along with a revolutionary Sustainiac Stealth PRO neck pickup which produces intense, predictable and infinite feedback sustain. With the Sustainiac, musicians can create amazing tones, from screaming feedback at any volume to upper harmonics using the unique harmonic mode control. Onboard Line 6 Variax Modeling Components allow guitarists to select from 25 preset sounds including classic acoustic and electric tones.
For even more versatility, the Adrian Belew Signature Fly features computer connectivity that allows artists to customize and create their own tones and custom tunings. Sound equalization is provided by six separate sensors within the RMC bridge saddle, which allows each string’s volume to be processed separately, giving the player unsurpassable tonal control.
“From his early work with Frank Zappa, David Bowie and King Crimson to working with Talking Heads and Nine Inch Nails, Adrian Belew has always been a pioneer who pushes the limits on what is possible with the electric guitar,” said Jody Dankberg, Director of Marketing and Artist Relations at Parker Guitars. “The Adrian Belew Signature Fly combines the easy playability and perfect fretboard of Parker Guitars with ‘out of this world,’ cutting-edge components to offer the most technologically advanced electric guitar available today.”
Features
Exclusive Dimarzio bridge pickup
Revolutionary Sustainiac Stealth PRO neck pickup
Onboard Line 6 Variax Modeling Components with 25 instrument models
Computer connectivity
MIDI capable
13 pin out
RMC Pow’r Bridge ‘PF” Saddles and RMC Poly
Drive 1 Preamp
Sperzel Trim lock Tuners
The Adrian Belew Signature fly is currently available at Parker retailers. To locate a parker retailer, please visit http://parkerguitars.com/code/dealer/dealer.asp
NEWS: Another Mustaine signature Line 6 amp on eBay
Dave Mustaine is auctioning another of his signature Line 6 amps over at the Megadeth eBay store.
A handful of these amps were made for Dave but they never saw production. These days he’s working with Marshall.
CLICK HERE to see or bid on the amp.
The listing says:
MEGADETH-Line 6 Half Stack Used Bt Megadeth and Signed By Dave Mustaine
Here is an auction many of you have been waiting for. This auction is for a Line 6 half stack used by Dave Mustaine of Megadeth. Both the cabinet and amp have been autographed by Dave in silver Sharpie. The amp is a model designed and made specifically for Dave, but was not mass produced. The Mustaine amp has the same power amp section as the HD147, a two DSP chips, a main processor, and 4 amp models (a Line 6 clean, a Dave signature heavy tone, a modified vision of the Dave signature heavy tone, and a Plexi tone). The cabinet is a 4 x 12 including a custom grill and metal handles.
This item was used extensively by Dave during the recording of “The System has Failed” and the subsequent tour. Megadeth’s tenth studio album,”The System has Failed”, was critically hailed as a brilliant return to form which Revolver described in a four-star review as “Megadeth’s most vengeful, poignant and musically complex offering since 1992′s Countdown To Extinction”. In creating this album Mustaine has taken all the greatest elements of successive Megadeth line ups, mixed them together and reinvigorated the sound with an injection of fresh Mustaine venom. The album debuted at #18 on U.S. Billboard charts.
Also, included in this package is the Line 6 FBV Shortboard. “The FBV Shortboard™” is like having a crew of roadies ready to wheel out an entirely new collection of gear and hook it all up – in time for your next note. With a backlit display that shows where you are, and rugged steel stomp switches and pedal to give you complete control of where you’re going.” – Line 6
Cables are not included.
This set up is a must-have for the guitar playing Droogie. IT IS LOUD! There are some wear marks on the equipment as it has been used and transported. Don’t miss out on this one. Good luck winning this awesome item Droogies.
This item comes with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) signed by Dave Mustaine.
NEWS: Dave Mustaine auctions signature Line 6 amp
You can see or bid on the amp HERE.
According to the listing…
Here is an auction many of you have been waiting for. This auction is for a Line 6 half stack used by Dave Mustaine of Megadeth. Both the cabinet and amp have been autographed by Dave in silver Sharpie. The amp is a model designed and made specifically for Dave, but was not mass produced. The Mustaine amp has the same power amp section as the HD147, a two DSP chips, a main processor, and 4 amp models (a Line 6 clean, a Dave signature heavy tone, a modified vision of the Dave signature heavy tone, and a Plexi tone). The cabinet is a 4 x 12 including a custom grill and metal handles.
This item was used extensively by Dave during the recording of “The System has Failed” and the subsequent tour. Megadeth’s tenth studio album,”The System has Failed”, was critically hailed as a brilliant return to form which Revolver described in a four-star review as “Megadeth’s most vengeful, poignant and musically complex offering since 1992′s Countdown To Extinction”. In creating this album Mustaine has taken all the greatest elements of successive Megadeth line ups, mixed them together and reinvigorated the sound with an injection of fresh Mustaine venom. The album debuted at #18 on U.S. Billboard charts.
This set up is a must-have for the guitar playing Droogie. IT IS LOUD! There are some wear marks on the equipment as it has been used and transported. Don’t miss out on this one..Good luck winning this awesome item Droogies.
This item comes with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) signed by Dave Mustaine.
All items are signed with black sharpie. If you have any questions, please email.
I dunno if Line 6 amps will some day attain the same level of vintage fervour currently reserved for 60s Marshalls, but if that day comes, this one would be a pretty unique addition to some future, 50-years-from-now Line 6 collector. Line 6 aren’t exactly known for making custom amps, so this is pretty unique.
It would be interesting to plug into this amp and compare it to whatever Dave is about to release with Marshall at NAMM in a few weeks…
NEWS: Dave Mustaine signature Marshall?
Hi! I'm Peter Hodgson. I write for Gibson.com, Australian Guitar, Australian Musician, Mixdown Magazine (including my instructional column, 'Unleash Your Inner Rock God,' which has been running since 2007), Blunt, Beat (including their weekly hard rock/metal column Crunch) and The Brag. And I'm Assistant Social Coordinator with Seymour Duncan.
I've been playing guitar since I was 8 years old, and I've been writing for magazines since I was 18. I've also worked as a guitar teacher (up to 50 students a week), a setup tech, a newspaper editor, and I've also dabbled in radio a little bit. I live in Melbourne, Australia, and my hobbies include drinking way too much coffee, and eating way too much Mexican food.
You can check out my guitar playing at Bandcamp or on YouTube, and feel free to email me at iheartguitarblog@gmail.com