LINE 6 amps..

[Hi_Flyer]

why do you feel you need pedals? if you're playing original music, then I recommend you find a unique sound, or your own unique voice instead of trying to cop somebody else's tone.

how much variety are you looking for, tone-wise (sorry I'm not all that familiar with the bands you mentioned)?

I tend to agree that these modeling amps are more useful if you need to cover a whole lot of tone-territory, but they don't exactly sound like the amps they are supposed to emulate. I've heard guys play through them and sound really good though. I think they do heavy distorted sounds and crystal clear sounds better than some of the stuff in between (where you get into touch sensitive break up, and gritty dirty-clean).

Are you new to guitar playing? I have heard that there is a bit of a learning curve with these amps, and though a more experienced guy may be able to coax some nice sounds out these amps, it may be harder for a beginner...

Are you looking for crazy effects like delay, chorus, flanger, phasers, etc... or are you just looking for a variety of clean and distorted sounds? If you are looking for "effects" then I would say get a decent tube amp and grab a few pedals.

 

[wx3]

i play an alternative type of music sorta like maroon 5 to lifehouse and howie day sorta thing....what kind of pedals would be good for those kind of electric guitar sounds...

Marron 5 and lifehouse are light kinda pop rock, their tone is usually clean, or with some distortion. I'm thinking pedals aren't what you're looking for. What about a nice used fender twin?

 

[amra]

Amra, he's talking about getting an amp that models tube amps - so I think it's fair to assume that he wants a tube tone.

I think I've made it clear that I think there's a place for good tranny amps.

I'm also pretty clear on the benefits of tube amps for many styles of playing. Namely tone (via harmonic distortion) and dynamic response.

Modelers and tranny amps cannot do this stuff.

Of course Vai could sound good through a POD - he's a technical virtuoso.
Do you disagree that he would sound better through a good amp though?

Don't get me wrong - I'm no 'tone hound', I have one tube amp, one tranny amp, two guitars and two pedals (besides my tuner). I don't need any more.

I'm also a great believer in skills before gear (I've heard Marc Ribot do an incredible set on a junk-shop guitar) - but to think that good gear doesn't have it's place would be foolish.

The gear you use is very dependant on your sound and what you're doing.
I'll never forget having to use another band's back line. I went through the guitarist's Vibrolux and the way it cut through the mix and the dynamic range I could coax from it using nothing but my fingers (as opposed to tweaking the volume pot), convinced me that a good amp becomes part of your guitar. I also fell in love with the sound and the way it reacted to my playing. I went out and got one and don't think I'll ever get rid of it. I found 'my amp'.

I hope the same happens to you some day.

I can't really disagree with anything you said there...
I personally own a tube amp, and there are several others I would like to get if I found a good deal (always wanted a Soldano). I do believe that Tube amps have an important place, especially for recording.

Only one comment to what you said here:

Of course Vai could sound good through a POD - he's a technical virtuoso. Do you disagree that he would sound better through a good amp though?

I don't disagree - but do you disagree that the vast majority would likely be so captivated by his playing that they probably wouldn't even notice? (just a rhetorical question, don't want to further hijack rookies thread..lol.)

 

[amra]

Based on those bands, I was thinking a fender too, or something with nice cleans and a nice med. gain overdrive. Maybe a fender hot rod or traynor custom 40.

 

[greenascanbe]

i play an alternative type of music sorta like maroon 5 to lifehouse and howie day sorta thing....what kind of pedals would be good for those kind of electric guitar sounds...

A good basic overdrive should do the trick. Most agree you can't go wrong with an Ibanez Tube Screamer.

As far as the 95% percent factor, 95% of the audience isn't going to notice if your playing a Gibson or an Epiphone, a Fender or Squire, they'll think a Crate Stack is cooler than a small fender twin or Marshall or Mesa Combo, and they'll think your a great guitar player if you jump around and shake your money maker. As long as they score wherever your playing, your a great band.

The other 4% are musicans who think your going to suck no matter what gear you have. The other 1% is the bar owner / manager who wants you to turn it down so you won't distrub the people who didn't come to hear a band and wants to see the other customers happy so he can justify the check he's going to cut you at the end of the night.

 

[LewisWu]

The other 4% are musicans who think your going to suck no matter what gear you have.

i almost fell out of my chair laughing

 

[boomtap]

It all depends on what type of sound you are after.

The audience won't know the diffrence between any amp you play. So pick out something that you would like to record with.

And yes you won't make the venue owner or house sound guy happy no matter what you use.

 

[Codmate]

I can't really disagree with anything you said there...
I personally own a tube amp, and there are several others I would like to get if I found a good deal (always wanted a Soldano). I do believe that Tube amps have an important place, especially for recording.

Only one comment to what you said here:
I don't disagree - but do you disagree that the vast majority would likely be so captivated by his playing that they probably wouldn't even notice? (just a rhetorical question, don't want to further hijack rookies thread..lol.)

Well - I'm not really into Vai's solo stuff, so I'd probably be impressed for a bit by his technical virtuosity and then as bored as I usually am by his musicality (or lack of it). But that's a subjective thing.

If it was a commercial live gig I would be very surprised to hear him playing through a POD, and would probably be a bit disgruntled if I was a paying fan. I expect good sound at gigs that I go to.

If it was two or three people in a room discussing guitar it wouldn't really matter.

 

[RoOkiE85]

fender twins huh...i'll look into that...

 

[Ronan]

i was wondering if the line 6 amps were any good...since they have the 6 model sounds for the electric guitar....

No. They are not any good.