Convert me to Line6!

[capoeiraesp]

So, something that's been catchin my eye lately is the hd147. I've noticed alot of people here talking about them and hearing some very postive feedback. My 5150mk2 is tempting me to do some extra mods, re-tubing etc. but in the same sense i'm starting to feel limited by what it can do and repair/upgrade costs are not terribly inspiring. I'm yet to play on a hd147 so I can't judge yet. Opinions please, especially metal players who like a bit of variance in what they play i.e blues, jazz etc...

[Riff Master Mike]

Just buy it, you'll like it.
:)

[capoeiraesp]

So mike, you own one?

[jet66]

Mike is the Line6 pimp. He'll get you all hot and bothered for the HD147, and then convince you that the Vetta II is a much better amp, and you will buy one. That's what happened to me. Bastard!

I really liked the HD147, but the Vetta II does a whole lot more. I was ready to pull the trigger on an HD147 until Mike started conveying the virtues of the Vetta II to me. I am glad I went with the Vetta II. The two-amps-at-a-time feature was well worth the price difference. The Vetta II has a whole lot more stuff to tweak than the HD147, so if simplicity and more focus on high-gain tones is more your thing, the HD147 is a great choice. If you want all that and more, and like spending hours tweaking every little parameter to get that sound 'just so,' then the Vetta II is for you. (Not that you HAVE to tweak everything, it's just that you CAN, if you choose to.)

[capoeiraesp]

hmm i wondered about the Vetta II aswell... it's a bit outta the budget cause I also wanna buy a std horizon this summer. I am generally a high gainer, minimal effects sorta player so the hd147 sounds up my alley.
Anyone got any personal clips? i'm not overly impressed by the line6 examples esspecially with Ben Moodey.

[KFW]

Try and play one in person, then you can get the whole feel and experience of what it sounds like in person. I don't like bassing my decisions on clips, there are so many other variables that can either make or break the clip. I'll just tell you that they do sound awesome, and the many different options for tones kicks ass. You can go from a perfect high gain sound, to a perfect clean sound with any effects you want at the click of a single button, without having to compromise.

[BrazilianBootyLover]

How is the Vetta one? Theres one at my local music shop in the used section. I was thinking about trying it out.

[Rex Rocker]

^if you upgrade the software, it's pretty much the same as the Vetta II

[esp_gaijin]

what kind of speakers do all you poo pushers use with your hd147's and vettas?


i don't actually have any valid question, i just wanted to pop in here and call a whole group of people poo pushers. :o

[Chopped_In_Half]

^if you upgrade the software, it's pretty much the same as the Vetta II

Correction: it IS the same amp, minus this one recording plug-in attachment that you can buy separate for under $100. :)

I bought a used Vetta 1 on Ebay for $600 after selling my Peavey JSX(god, I hated that piece of shit), and expected to get my hopes up even though I didn't have much to lose, after dealing with a horrible amp. I was completely blown away, to say the least. At first, I made a channel using some simple EQing and bi-amping a couple of loud models, and came up with a half-assed, old Morbid Angel sounding tone. After tweaking it for a total of about 6 hours off and on, I found my tone and wouldn't change a thing about it. But, the really awesome part about this amp is that you have around 60 channels to program. I think that the tones only come second to an actual rig consisting of all of the models, but why waste your money when you can sound almost as good at a fraction of the price?

[BrazilianBootyLover]

I was going to get an engl 50 watt combo amp for my room but I want to try the vetta first. I'm looking for a great bedroom amp up to par with my normal rig(engl blackmore mesa cab). my rig is at my bands practice space which I only use on the weekends so I need something great cause I'll be using it every day mon-fri.

[Mr Pigwalk]

How is the Vetta one? Theres one at my local music shop in the used section. I was thinking about trying it out.

I got my Vetta 1 for about 830 on ebay, they're a goddamn steam for the price, Saved a few bucks by reusing my Spider cab and it's going strong.

Mike is the Line6 pimp. He'll get you all hot and bothered for the HD147, and then convince you that the Vetta II is a much better amp, and you will buy one. That's what happened to me. Bastard!


Familiar story.... Think that bastard gets comission?

[jet66]

Pigwalk has the Vetta I with the upgraded software. He seems to really dig it.

And here he is now...

[The Sloth]

I really recomend that you try it...I really like Line6 stuff, I use it for recording BUT I've found that in general (I can't say Ive tried everything by them) they sound very smooth and don't have the same punch as a 'real' amp. It's subjective though and you may like the sound of it, it has some quite nice distortion sounds.

[capoeiraesp]

I'm gonna go have a crack at a few this weekend. It'll have to be good to make me wanna part with my 5150mk2. Is there anything to be aware of when testing em, settings etc.?

[Riff Master Mike]

Actually fella's, I do get commission. My commission is the warmth you give my heart knowing that your eyes, ears and hearts have been opened to the wonderful world of high quality modeling guitar amplifiers.:)

Correction: it IS the same amp, minus this one recording plug-in attachment that you can buy separate for under $100.

Where can you find the vdi insert these days?


I never really took note of the difference in sound quality between the first vetta and the vetta II as far as normal everyday use goes. They both sound the same with matching software. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I used the digital 24bit outs of the vetta II when direct recording, over just using the XLR sends. It certainly does make a difference. But for most cats, and some dogs, it really doesn't matter as it is used so rarely that one forgets they even have the option of digital outs. The other great thing is the variax connection. I think the biggest difference I have made to my vetta is getting the soundside upgrade that adds more cab models and new direct out mic model tones... But it's just an added bonus, the regular stock vetta already has plenty of choices, 80x2 tones to be exact.

As far as the HD147 goes, it's a great amp also. Less gadgets and sounds, but all in all, it's a great amp. Considering that it was designed specifically for the high gain user, it works great for metal players.

If you want to hear an HD147 direct, without a single cab used, go out and buy the "A tribute to Slipknot" CD. (FYE/Bestbuy) You will hear mine on the cover of surfacing. Of course, the album itself sucks ass, but I'm on it and figured this would be a great time to plug it to make myself feel important. :\


As for the cabs I use, I use 2 vintage roadmaster cabs loaded with Celestion UK modelers. I mention UK because they don't make them in the UK anymore. So the model number has changed, and I don't know what the new chinese model number is. But you definately want to get modeling speakers/line 6 cabs for a modeling amp. Although, it's not mandatory or anything. You can get good sound out of any good guitar cab regardless.

Anyway, I bought my HD147 in 2003, I literally had first one line 6 shipped to the east coast! I had 2 for awhile too.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/studiopics116.jpg

[XY-SATAN]

I was going to get an engl 50 watt combo amp for my room but I want to try the vetta first. I'm looking for a great bedroom amp up to par with my normal rig(engl blackmore mesa cab). my rig is at my bands practice space which I only use on the weekends so I need something great cause I'll be using it every day mon-fri.

That's what I use mine for and it works great!:hat

Plus it's got the balls to jam with if needed.

[capoeiraesp]

damn... that's a very convincing argument riff master mike, jet66 was right bout u

[Riff Master Mike]

WHHAAAT? I haven't even started yet.

[capoeiraesp]

well riffmaster, enlighten me!

[Riff Master Mike]

well, the chicks dig them. Thats all that really matters.

[capoeiraesp]

Nice...
Whats all the biz about being able to update em and use patches from the line6 site? I really like this idea.

[avi8r2005]

Well to tell you the truth, Line 6 is cool in it's own little niche. The modeling thing is cool, I had a Flextone III XL up until about 2 weeks. I did like how you could download different sounds from the site, but after a while, they all sounded about the same. The reason for getting rid of it, it tries to sound too much like all of these other amps, but yet it does not have it's own sound, just my opinion though. I prefer to have something that has it's own personality ( too compensate for my lack of). It is a cool amp, but I had to add so much extra shit on to it to make it sound how I wanted it to and that just got to be a bigger pain in the ass than it was worth and expensive too. It's subjective, it's all a matter of your tastes and what you like. I'm getting to be more and more fond of good tube amps, they just sound so much warmer and more natural. Not the processed digital sound of the Line 6 stuff, hope that makes sense. I would buy another one someday for a tinkering around kind of toy, but for now I'm still on the hunt for the ultimate tone.

[Riff Master Mike]

well, because they are software driven, they can be updated. For example, the last vetta update gave the owner brand new amp models plus new effects and wahs! Before the update, there was only one wah to choose from. Things like that. All line 6 updates are free. Then there is the 3rd party upgrade for the vetta, which gives you double the cab tones along with other goodies. The patch sharing is simply just that, you can download and upload patches online and share tone. Think of it as file sharing for guitar tone. I don't know what to tell you really. Everybody has their own idea about what a good guitar amp is. My idea of a good amp is being able to get the tone I want, when I want it, with as few hassles as possible. Since everything is built in, it's much easier to transport and use than the average guitar rig... plus it has way more choices of tone than the average rig. You just simply can't do the same things with a normal amp, period. One huge difference, a HD147 or a vetta is stereo. As far as tone goes... I never heard any complaints. I played tube amps for about a decade, and then went to line 6 and never looked back. They are MUCH quiter, and they have no need for tube changing. I haven't heard a tube amp that sounds better than my vetta to my ears, probably because it's MY OWN tone.

he reason for getting rid of it, it tries to sound too much like all of these other amps, but yet it does not have it's own sound,

thats what the line 6 custom models are for.

[Mr Pigwalk]

Actually fella's, I do get commission. My commission is the warmth you give my heart knowing that your eyes, ears and hearts have been opened to the wonderful world of high quality modeling guitar amplifiers.:)
[/IMG]


I don't know about eyes ears and hearts, but sometimes when I crank my Vetta past 3 my bowels start to shake and my balls recess back into my abdomen.

Mike know anything about how much it costs to get the Vetta 1 chassis replaced with the Vetta 2? I hear line 6 does it, but it takes a while.

it's much easier to transport and use than the average guitar rig

Funny you mention that, since I got my shortboard I've slowly been getting rid of my stompboxes and just using the ones on the Vetta itself. Makes setting up at a show even quicker.

[Riff Master Mike]

It's probably just as cheap to just get new tolex put on your vetta. Thats what I would do anyway.

[avi8r2005]

I think the other reason it bothered me was too many options on it. It is cool to have everything built in there, but goodammit, I spent more time fucking around with trying to get a sound I liked than playing through it and enjoying it. To me, it was sensory overload having all of those things at my disposal and not really knowing what to do with them all. I do however like the idea of the Vetta 2 at once option, that is cool, but again, too many options on them. I'm considering a Mesa Boogie Roadster, only 4 channels and that is 2 more than I really even need for my sounds, but the few that I've played sound killer, lots of low end, lots of growl, a very good sounding amp. But it's hard to justify to the wife why I need to spend $2000 on yet another amp within the last 6 months. That would make number 3 for me, not to mention the guitars I've aquired too in that time frame.

[capoeiraesp]

Some strong, respectful arguments. This whole software update thing has really got me excited. Couple more questions though...Mike, do you ever use the effects loop with eq's etc or is there simply no need? I find my mxr 10band is a real important part of my 5150's sound. Also, the half stack vetta2 is gonna be impossible for me to afford (in Oz this shits expensive) but the combo should be alright. Any words or experience about the combo vetta?

[avi8r2005]

To answer that, I used a rack mount EQ through the effects loop on mine, it did make a hell of a lot of difference in tone. If you get one, that may be an option to explore to really get deep in your sounds. I like to get rid of as much mid as I can and the EQ helped with that.

[capoeiraesp]

True ay. I wasn't too sure on whether digital amps respond differently to eq's or if the line6 effects loops were any different.

[KFW]

Some strong, respectful arguments. This whole software update thing has really got me excited. Couple more questions though...Mike, do you ever use the effects loop with eq's etc or is there simply no need? I find my mxr 10band is a real important part of my 5150's sound. Also, the half stack vetta2 is gonna be impossible for me to afford (in Oz this shits expensive) but the combo should be alright. Any words or experience about the combo vetta?

If you get the combo, I think it'd be wise to get the 2x12 extension cab so you can get full use of the stereo features. Other than that the combo is the same engine, just in a smaller package. And it's plenty loud for any gigs if you are worrying at all about that.

[capoeiraesp]

Well between these arguments and some very good reviews from experienced guitarists on harmony central I am well convinced about getting the Vetta. Everyone who rates it highly stresses taking time to make good patches and that's right up my alley.

[chrisolson]

The big selling point for L6 for me was the fact that I could use the amp I wanted when I wanted to use it. I disagree about the amp "not having it's own character". I think it has it's own and then some (I'm talking about the Flextone series - I have not owned the Vetta). I can dial in tones on the Soldano & Marshall models that I cannot dial in on the actual amp - not without mods, pedals, MASSIVE VOLUME, etc. In all honesty, I don't really care so much about what amp is modeled as long as it sounds good - when and where am I going to be able to just walk into a shop and plug into a Dumble, Cornford, Budda, etc?? And if I like them...well, too bad. I could never afford one.

I just sold a Mesa Boogie Rectoverb head -- there was nothing wrong with it and I really liked it. But here was the problem - I could only sound like Mesa. If that's the only amp you like, great, but that was not the case for me. I love Marshall tones, but cannot find a Marshall right now I'd want to spend the money on - the new ones blow, and the old ones are getting too expensive. To me, L6 is the perfect answer. I can play a Marshall when I want. You get the idea... If i were ever to get in a band situation (HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!), it would probably be a cover band, and L6 is the perfect answer -- I can play the amp played in the song.

One other thing -- I tend to find that once you find a "set-up" you like, it works pretty well across most amp models. I tend to EQ at about 1 or 2 o'clock on damn near everything. That's a curve my ears find pleasing, and it cuts through pretty well. The effects are VERY easy to use. You don't have to know MIDI - I like that!! The argument that L6 amps are complicated just doesn't hold water with me. I can sit in front of ANY L6 amp and have a great usable tone within 5 minutes of sitting there.

One other hidden gem - if you can, close the back of the open back cabs/combos. You'll be much happier if you're playing any of the higher gain models. It doesn't have to be airtight - just closed up.

Rig I just sold: Mesa Rectoverb head >> TC Electronic G-Major >>Mesa Recto Cab
Current (interim) rig: L6 Floor POD Plus >> Alesis RA-100 poweramp (stereo) >>Mesa Recto Cab
New rig in December: L6 Spider Valve 100 HD w/FBV Express >> Mesa Recto Cab

[Riff Master Mike]

Mike, do you ever use the effects loop with eq's etc or is there simply no need?

You CAN use an eq just like any other guitar amp, either in front or in the loop. I own a 15(x2) band eq, and I tried using it but it ended up just not really doing anything I couldn't do with the right tweaks on the vetta. Many vetta owners forget, or don't even know, that 12 O'clock on the dial of the EQ section is actually set at zero, less is cutting the freq and more is boosting. The regular EQ that you get with each amp model changes to replicate the actual amp EQ. There is a graphic EQ, a global EQ, the actual amp model EQ, and a 4-band EQ. So, this is 4 EQ's total to work with. THEN you have the EQ's that comes in conjunction with some of the effects boxes on top of that! So, in the right combination, you can indeed get away with having no extrernal EQ, being that you are indeed a tweaker. Like said above, these amps aren't for everybody, kind of like how some people like automatics and other people like 5 speeds. I LIKE to tweak sounds, others do not.

As far as the vetta combo goes, it's open back, and you can't really get use of the doubletracker by itself, but it's a good amp. Not quite as loud, but loud enough.

[jet66]

One other hidden gem - if you can, close the back of the open back cabs/combos. You'll be much happier if you're playing any of the higher gain models. It doesn't have to be airtight - just closed up.

I closed the back of my combo, and it tightened everything up nicely, especially the high-gain models.
Everyone who rates it highly stresses taking time to make good patches and that's right up my alley.
Definitely. I've had mine for several months now, and only have about 4 patches that I pretty much consider 'done.' That might seem anal to a lot of people, but I am well beyond pleased with the sounds I am getting. And as great as the HD147 high gain tones are, wait until you can combine amps with the Vetta II. I have a Modern Hi Gain (Soldano X88) + Brit Gain J-800 (JCM800) w/TS sim boost patch that screams mid-late 80's guitar hero that is by far my favorite. Think Gary Moore meets Satriani in that time frame. I'd like to post clips, but I have not been able to really capture the sound as well as I would like it to be represented.

[capoeiraesp]

Well fuck me dead... i'm convinced, no doubt I will be trying a vetta out this weekend for atleast an hour. The amount of eq's you talk about, that's awesome! And this whole blending of amps things sounds very interesting. I feel quite comforable now in parting with my 5150 and maybe some pedals, in order to get the half stack vetta.

[Riff Master Mike]

DUN DUN DUN, another one bites the dust!

yea!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/myrecordingrig.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/IWTKYrigs.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/IMG_0096.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/IMG_0092.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/IMG_0106.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/IMG_0098.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/vettaandvariax.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/all.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/iwtkyvettaII.jpg



You may want one of these too.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/MajikRiffs/IMG_0003.jpg

[Mr Pigwalk]

Are the specific pedal names part of that one upgrade they sell? What is it, like 30 40 bucks?

Are you blind as shit too? BEcause when I'm onstage and I don't have my glasses I can't see dick on that shortboard, the ghetto paint is a killer idea.

[Riff Master Mike]

The upgrade I bought is $99 I think... but if you just want the name changes, it is cheaper. The one I have was free because I had already had the upgrade before the newest vetta update. It includes using the real names for the stomps and effects as well as all the amps and cabs. It also puts your name in the system setup menu. this is for anti-theft I guess, you can't take it out or change it without a password, even if you reboot to factory. But the coolest thing is that you can actually name the amps, cabs, and stomps whatever you want! I just never did, but I may sometime just so I can make you all scratch your heads.
"Hey guys, I put my vetta on the riff master model mixed with the spacegrass model with voltron cabs and it kicks ass!"

I actually have good vision, but in the dark it's still hard for me to see too. I used gaffers tape and then wrote with a paint marker on top of that. Channel A and B or "HEAL", are for cleans.. (a being standard without effects and B being with multiple effects) And channel C and D or, "KILL" being the high gain channels. So, I have 2 cleans and 2 gains for each bank. The loop is also my boost switch, depending on what preset I have going. The pedals are also often used for my delays and mix from one amp to the other... but for simplicity, I just put wah and volume so when people use my gear they don't get all confused and shit... Even though they always do anyway.

[capoeiraesp]

Damn mike that's some impressive gear, simple but impressive, not yards of equipment. Any suggestions of what to do when going into the store to test it out?

[Riff Master Mike]

yeah, buy it.

[Riff Master Mike]

I'm just curious, simple compared to what?

[capoeiraesp]

I guess in comparison to big ass rack mounted rigs and loads of pedals, the reasons why you buy a setup like this in the first place...
Oh and big cheers to ya Mike and others for your advice on this matter.