Line 6 Vetta amp, tube modeler, and FX for PSG

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 21 Mar 2003 1:01 pm

This 200 watt amp head with tube amp modeling and a comprehensive assortment of classic FXs is worth considering for steelers looking for everything in a single 40 lb. package.

I recently had my Fessy U12 at a local big box Guitar Center and tried out a bunch of guitar amp heads, tubes and ss. None of the 100 watters had enough clean head room for steel.

I was really dissappointed that the Mesa Road King (150 tube watts) didn't work for steel. I know it wasn't built for that, but as a state of the art big tube amp I was hopeful. I had it on the #1 "clean" channel with no drive, but it broke up at moderate volumn. After I got home I was browsing the manual on line and noticed that each channel has settings on the back of the amp, so maybe it wasn't set for clean there, I don't know.

But the Line 6 Vetta had clean power to match my Nashville 400. Then it has modeling for a couple of dozen classic tube amps, a bunch of classic speaker cabinets, and a bunch of classic FX units. It has all the same stuff as POD and then some. But unlike POD, with the Vetta you can combine two different amp models. So you could combine a clean model with a tube model and get just enough tube sound to sweeten things up without tearing up the chords. This is the best tube modeling I have run across. At around $1500 this is a modest price for all this thing does. If you put it with a separate small 15" cabinet it would make a helluva steel setup in a small package (compared to the rack gear it would require to duplicate it).

If you play regular guitar also, this thing would be ideal for switching between regular guitar and steel. If you put a Variax with it you could damn near duplicate every guitar, amp, cabinet and FX combination there ever was. Awesome. This company is onto something. I'll bet if we talked to them they would create some amp models for steel.

If anybody else has tried one of these I'd be interested in what you think. This could be my next amp. [This message was edited by David Doggett on 22 March 2003 at 06:19 AM.]

Dennis Olearchik · Post by **Dennis Olearchik** » 21 Mar 2003 7:15 pm

David, I have a Vetta "combo" and like it. But I traded some equipment in for it so I only paid @ $600 for it. If you or anyone else is interested in finding out more about these very interesting amps, here's the URL to the Vetta users forum: http://www.instituteofnoise.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3
And here's the URL to the Line 6 Vetta web site: http://www.geocities.com/nathanshane/mainpage.htm
All the best,
Dennis

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 22 Mar 2003 6:17 am

Thanks, Dennis. Do you play pedal steel through the combo? They're only 100 watts and I don't think anything less than 200 is suitable for pedal steel. It's not a volume thing, it's all about clean head room for sustain with the volume pedal and clean chords.

I see you live nearby - who do you play with and where? Come on up to the Mermaid Inn in Chestnut Hill for a jam sometime. Every 1st Tuesday is a country music jam (all acoustic except for steel), 2nd Tues. is acoustic blues, 3rd Tues. is bluegrass. Check out their schedule at Themermaidinn.com.

Anyone else have opinions on the Line 6 Vetta?

Dennis Olearchik · Post by **Dennis Olearchik** » 22 Mar 2003 7:55 pm

David, I'm not playing steel through the Vetta combo. Btw, I think some forum members play their steels through a Uni-Valve or Bi-Valve amp and they're only rated 15 to 30 watts (depending on the tubes used). Also, the good thing about Guitar Center is you can keep the Vetta head for up to 30 days and then return it (if you find that it doesn't meet your needs). I'll send you a note before checking out the Mermaid. Best regards, Dennis

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 23 Mar 2003 3:55 am

if I had one amp for the studio it would be a Line 6. I use the plug-in all the time.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 23 Mar 2003 8:14 am

I'm always hesitant to play through low wattage solid state amps. The ceiling is so hard, and it sounds so bad when you hit it, that I'd be afraid to take a 100 watt solid state amp on a gig.

But now I'm thinking, with this new "modeling" technology, are they actually handling that? I mean, if you model a Twin Reverb in a 100 watt modeling amp, what happens when you start hitting the peaks? Does it gently flatten them like a real tube amp, or do you still get the hard clip sound?

Now that I'm playing a Line6 Variax guitar, I'm starting to question all of my pre-conceived notions about what can be done with electronics.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 23 Mar 2003 1:44 pm

b0b, the Line 6 Vetta amp head is 200 watts. I just tried it in a music store so I don't know how it handles the tube models maxed out. At moderate volume the tube models sounded good, and the clean channels had lots of clean head room, similar to a Nashville 400.

BTW, how's the banjo sound on your new Variax?

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 24 Mar 2003 1:41 pm

I don't know about that b@#J0 sound. I never use it. Actually, the only thing I like in that "Reso" group is the Danelectro Sitar. The other things may sound authentic, but they are sounds that I don't care to hear from my hands on a guitar.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 25 Mar 2003 12:42 am

Line 6 has some tube amps with modeling stages before them and they sound great.
Also one that can have a different sound out of each twin speaker because there is a discreet amp for each. Very cool!!
I have heard the Line 6 live on stage and it's a great tool in the right hands.
These guys ave really advanced the state of the art for amps. A trickle down from my friend Tom Scholtz's "Rockman" technologies.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 25 March 2003 at 12:45 AM.]