I'm starting a tripped acid metal band and I need some information on amps and effects.

Basically, i need an amp head that has a wide range of sounds, is priceworthy, and that i can seriously fuck with. The basic sounds i need is a warm overdrive like queens of the stoneage, to a really acidic distortion like Satyricon's Volcano or The Birthday Massacre. I do //NOT// need a tube amp... i dont feel like spending x amount of cash every other year getting tubes replaced and biased and what not.
Effects i need: phase shift, flanger, tremolo, delay.

Now, all that said, the only amp that i have played that can do all of this is the Line6 Spider II. Is the Spider II worth the price, and will it last me for a long time? And are there any other amps out there that can meet my needs?

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crate GLX has lots and lots of DSP options, pretty fun to fuck with, but... not my favorite amp. I would recomend this amp in your case though, i got some pretty bitchen sounds out of the dsp from that.

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The only note-worthy effect in amps is usualy Reverb.. all other stuff should be kicked out of it.

If you want digital effects, i'd suggest buying a boss Gt-6/8 or maybe a POD or something.

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If you want to go line6, look around for a used flextone II or an AXS 212 combo. They have a large range of sounds and can be had rather cheap.

sounds like you need a pod xt.

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Agreed, team it up with a nice SS poweramp, and you've got a nice, simple to set up but quite versatile rig

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I got a old Crate GFX1200 head that has effects built in and it is has some nice tone for a SS amp. It is all foot switchable too.

The cleans sound way sweeter on the Crate then my new Randall Cyclone, but the Crate can't compete with the Randall's distortion.

I'm going to try and trade the Crate and a 4x12 cab to Guitar Center to get a GT-8. If they will not trade then I'm just going to put them on E-bay and see what happens.

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i doubt guitar center would give you much.
And yeah, ss crates kick ass. i'm sure randalls are better, though the ones i've tried, i didnt like as much.

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The Randall's clean tone has a lot to be desired, but all I have is reverb on the Randall cleans. The Crate has everything but a good adjustable distortion.

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bad distortion ruins an amp for me. I can live with shitty cleans..

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Yeah, get something Line 6 that ISNT a Spider II. PODxT/HD147/Vetta II might do you good. If you cant afford those maybe the rackmount Behringer V-Amp with an SS poweramp. I've heard those things get surprisingly good tone, and not just for being behringer. (make sure you set the cabinet emulation to L2 if not DIing, though).

get a real amp , line6 makes cool modeling pedals but sucky amps , name a pro who uses one, marshall or mesa
leave the line6 alone

Meshugga have used them, In Flames use them- but for the effects though i believe.

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Foxguitar is a newb, plenty of "pros" have use Line6, but that really doesnt mean shit, because you are looking for your own sound not a sound some other guy has already got

But Ampeg V140C Combo + MultiFX beats a Line6 IMO

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sweet, thanks for all the advice guys... im just guna add some stuff.

I really dont use cleans, and even when i do, i keep them slightly distorted so i can get just a touch of crackle... and with my emg 85, the cleans my guitar pump out are so muddy, theres just no point.
I almost never use amp distortion, but in saying this, pedal distortion only sounds good if the amp has a sweet clean channel =/

The reason im thinking of the Spider II, is that it's a fairly cheap stack amp compared to alot of other stacks out there, and it wont burn off my skin when i try to move it out of a gig. Whoever told me to buy a mesa or marshall can fuck off... i'm not that rich.

I will look into the Pod xt, and the Crates you guys were talking about... especially the foot switchable crate... that is key. I've heard too many bad things about Behringers...
thanks a bunch

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