There is a lot of debate in the guitar amplifier world as far as the solid-state versus tube amp battle goes. Now, I’ll come right out and say that I’m on the tube side, to relieve any confusion.
However, I seem to have stumbled upon an amp last year that really struck me an unexpected blow as far as solid-state amplifiers go. Enter: The Line 6 Spider IV.
Line 6 Spider IV 150 Watt Combo Amplifier – Priced Right
The first thing that drew me to the Line 6 Spider IV was its price tag, I won’t lie. Usually, I have to say that isn’t the best move to make when purchasing musical equipment, but this time, it really paid off. Since my eye was caught by the price, it drew me in to take the first obvious stance, “This thing must suck hard for $499.” So, I crossed the line, and I plugged in. To match the price tag, I grabbed one of the similarly priced guitars off of the guitar shelf, and shoved that ¼” cable in there, and turned the thing on.
Surprisingly Good Tones – Almost Tube-Worthy In Some Areas
After a brief blonde moment with the channel volume, I played a few rhythm licks on the first amp model; it was a clean, unobstructed tone, with no effects. I nodded and shrugged, for there wasn’t much to see there. It wasn’t tube-worthy, but I continued on. I skipped right to the Metal: Red amp model, unwilling to waste any more time with something that wasn’t really making me think twice. Upon the first pick stroke, I was in love. I’m not quite sure what it is about that particular amp model, but it caused me to fiddle with this little black box for more than 2 more hours in the store.
Sure, not all of the amp models were fantastic from baseline, but I had to admit that, overall, this thing wasn’t so bad after all.
More Effects Than You Can Shake A Jimi Hendrix Bust At
Here is where this amp takes a big leap in value. The 150 Watt Combo model comes standard with 18 different effects models, and while many of them sound very “computerized”, they do a great job of making their point, and each effect is fully adjustable, which you don’t really notice until you fiddle with the knobs a lot.
In fact, almost everything on the amp can be further adjusted by pressing the dialing knob under the screen. One cool thing that Line 6 has done recently, is that they have made a downloadable package that adds 28 more effects models.
A Beast At Blowing Eardrums
I really, really need to stress that this thing is ridiculously loud for its price. At $499, you simple cannot find a guitar amplifier that is this loud, as far as I’ve found. I have actually never turned up the master volume past about 2/3rds, because at that point, earplugs are a must if you are even near the amp. This thing could easily play outdoor shows if need be. This greatly impressed me, and this is why I would have to say that this would be an amazing “starter band” amplifier, as it is great for practice, and if need be, you can easily do a show with it.
While, of course, I much prefer using a tube amp for anything live, this thing will definitely suit anyone that is just starting out in the live performance world. While the Line 6 Spider IV 150 watt combo guitar amplifier doesn’t really excel in any areas other than price, this is one of the very, very few solid-state amps that I have to nod and give my utmost respect to.
Scotty Smith
Guitarist Rock ©2008-2010
