Need some more info/opinions on the Spider valve stuff

[VBCheeseGrater]

So i'm thinking about trading my HT20 for a spider valve 2x12. I need a bit more power and the extra speaker.

On paper, it sounds great to me Bogner tube amp + pod is how i see it, but i hear so much bashing on the spider valve stuff, i'm wondering if it's at all warranted or just the typical line6 hate. Sure i can try it out at GC, but thats not the same as owning it for a few months, and online reviews are all about "consider the source." Any spider valve owners out there want to chime in? - how do you like your amp?? Complaints? Highlights? If you think it's a heap of dung, tell me why.

any insight is much appreciated!

 

[fitterhappier]

I had one for 4 years (the 1x12 model). At first I really liked it, as it was my first tube amp. I got sick of the models after a while, and then just started to use the clean channels with various distortion/OD pedals in front. It's an ok amp if you are upgrading from solid state, but I'm not sure if this one is going to wow you over the long haul.

I think part of my issue was that the modeling sounded too digital after a while. It definitely has the oomph thanks to the tubes (I put JJs in after a few years which helped somewhat), but the high-gain models are pretty fizzy and some are downright useless.

If you're dead set on Line6, maybe check out the DT series. Those (at least to my ears) are noticeably better-sounding than the Spider Valve. What kind of sound are you going for?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Also, I don't believe the SV uses the POD modeling, it uses the Spider series modeling.

If you want L6, get one of the PODs and a tube power amp or a Vetta II or a Vetta I with the Vetta II firmware.

 

[PettyThief]

The Spider Valve is defiantly a good starter tube amp. I upgraded from a little Fender Frontman 15G to the 212 mki model and I do like it, but I'm not crazy about it anymore. If you spend some time with it and figure out how to dial it in properly, you can get some decent tones out of it. I only use the Amber metal channel (modeled after a rectifier) and none of the other models do it for me.

I got my 212 for $600, so I mean in the price range I got exactly what I needed and there is still not much you can get for $600 with tubes (I hated the peavey tube combos when I tried them).

If you can score one for cheap, I'd say go for it. I've had mine for 2 years and it gave me the power I needed and the sound I wanted at the time (Tubes). I am looking to upgrade in the not so distant future, but I'm in the process of buying a new car so that'll have to wait.

If you do get one some advice: Keep the channel volume to around 12'o'clock and push the master volume up to get the tubes to kick in. For the longest time I was putting the channel volume to max and then adjusting the master volume and was just getting nasty distortion.

Best of luck with whatever you choose.

 

[Raaaaal13]

I owned the 2x12 for a good several years. It was my first tube amp and I gigged with it everywhere. I dug the tones I could make using the amp models knob. Didn't touch the artist presets or the effects. It was also incredibly reliable on my end. Nothing ever went wrong with this thing. You could score one for cheap on GCs used site. That being said however, you could probably pick up something better at the same price(I would just try finding an HT40).

 

[VBCheeseGrater]

cool thanks for the replies guys. Not at all set on line 6 , but this trade presented itself. I'm thinking about a few options, one of which is to keep the HT-20, and use my stereo chorus pedal to run another similar tube combo in stereo - i'm thinking that could sound killer.

 

[KAMI]

id do the trade!

I've never played a spider valve my self, but some people say that it sounds better than a mesa rectifier and that they have sold their mesa rectifier in order to get it... must be pretty fucking good if someone gives up a rectifier for it!

 

[VBCheeseGrater]

^^^ i'm still considering it based on monetary value alone, waiting for response from the owner. Maybe i'll shell out the 375 and run it stereo with the HT20, man that would be beastly, but i digress.

 

[Rick]

Also, I don't believe the SV uses the POD modeling, it uses the Spider series modeling.

If you want L6, get one of the PODs and a tube power amp or a Vetta II or a Vetta I with the Vetta II firmware.

This.

 

[cwhitey2]

I owned one for 2 years. Good amp except when running a decimator it made some weird squeeking noise. Other than that I liked it.

Its funny cause I was at a show syracuse. The one guitarist had a 6506+ and the other had a sv. The sv killed the 6505....but for some reason I own a 5150 now....

 

[VBCheeseGrater]

^^ probably more about settings in that situation - i'm sure either could be setup to blow the other away with the right/wrong settings.

I'm passing on the SV, now I'm pretty dead set on keeping the HT-20 and getting another tube combo to run in stereo when necessary. Tried it last night with a practice amp and it sounds killer. I do like modular approaches too

 

[flexkill]

id do the trade!

I've never played a spider valve my self, but some people say that it sounds better than a mesa rectifier and that they have sold their mesa rectifier in order to get it... must be pretty fucking good if someone gives up a rectifier for it!

The Spidervalve is ok, but saying it's better than a Mesa is a bit much.

 

[MistaSnowman]

Time to go get the HT Club 40 vb....you know you want that .