Line6 Spider Jam


Infinite-T
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Joined: 05/21/09
Posts: 84
Infinite-T
Full Access
Joined: 05/21/09
Posts: 84
08/02/2009 7:56 pm
Hello again,

I recently purchased a Line6 Spider Jam amp. It is a pretty sweet tool for all of us who are still in the beginner to novice levels. It has a zillions of amp models (digital simulations of other amps, such as tube, bass, etc.) fully custamizable effects, and optional footswitch to control them all. However, the icing on the cake is "Jam Tracks". They are simular to what you find on this site here in the "jam Station" but are full on recordings of live musicians, not MIDIs. It also has a drum machine with real recordings of a drummer with many different styles that you can speed up or slow down. It also has a digital recording loop. You can record your jams and solos with a simple button, (or footswitch button if you get the switch) and store them on an SD media card. That is supper handy for working out your chops. If you mess up, hit the delete button and crank out a new one. With 75watts output, you can really rattle the windows.

You can download, purchase, or make your own backing tracks, save them to an SD card and play them back on the amp so you can jam along. There is a million other things you can do and tons of other features too that you can read about on the Line6 Website http://line6.com/spiderjam/

All of this does come at a price a bit higher than a lot of your starter, or practice amps, but all the very handy tools are well worth it! New they usually sell between $400-$500. I got mine for 499.99 at guitar center.

Pros: Built in tuner, drum machine, jam tracks, recording, effects and models. Great for practicing, speed building, or working on your chops.

Cons: It's like a Swiss Army knife, a million different tools that get the job done, but in the end, a spoon is still a spoon, a fork a fork, and a chainsaw is still the best way to cut down a tree. If you want the perfect tube amp sound, a tube amp is still the best way to get it.

Try one out at your local music store.
# 1
compart1
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Joined: 06/27/09
Posts: 1,410
compart1
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Joined: 06/27/09
Posts: 1,410
10/18/2009 6:05 pm
Hi Infinite-T..
I have tried the Line6 Jams at Guitar Center. but it,s hard to get time to go thru it or have sales person to work with you..
Does it have a printed list of the jams tunes.. Most of what I was shown were a little to heavy for me.. I would be more interested in classic rock , blues...
Thank in advance if you can shed a little more light on the innards of the L6 JAMS..
Compart1
# 2
Dirty Bill
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Joined: 09/21/09
Posts: 138
Dirty Bill
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Joined: 09/21/09
Posts: 138
10/18/2009 6:27 pm
I have been reading about the line 6 spider jams. I am interested in the jam tracks too. My main interest right now is Blues (always capitalize Blues)...any way I was thinking of the 15 watt model. I am curious why you decided on the 75 watt model ? :cool:

Always capitalize "BLUES"

# 3
compart1
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Posts: 1,410
compart1
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Joined: 06/27/09
Posts: 1,410
10/19/2009 3:05 am
Hey again Bill.. I think the Line 6 Jams only comes with 75 watts..
75 Watts is pretty intense for me.. My practice amp is 15 watts and I don't think I have ever cranked it to the top..
# 4
Dirty Bill
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Dirty Bill
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10/19/2009 5:20 am
yep you're right..learn something everyday... :cool:

Always capitalize "BLUES"

# 5
sconover
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Joined: 02/04/09
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sconover
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10/20/2009 5:57 pm
So how does the Spider Jam stack up against the Fender G-Dec?
# 6
Infinite-T
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Joined: 05/21/09
Posts: 84
Infinite-T
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Joined: 05/21/09
Posts: 84
10/25/2009 6:47 am
Anyway to answere the questions you all have asked:

There is a pretty decent variety of jam tracks it comes with. They are all just made up songs, nothing you would know or anything. the cool thing is that you can download backing tracks from a 3rd party site to your computer. If you have a program that can convert the files to WAV files you can save them on an SD card for playback on the spider jam!

Yes it is supposedly 75 watts. But im not sure if that is true watts, prolly peak. I have heard top quality 15 amp tubes that sound much louder than this. As far as i know it is only available in 75 watts.

I tried a G-dec when I was at the shop. the G-decs are cool, cheaper, and you can get em in 15watt and 30 watt versions. But you get no recording, no footswitch control option, no SD input for downloads. and the jam tracks are cheeper sounding MIDIs, the spider jam has full live band recordings.

One thing I must say though. I am a tone snob and am really picky about clarity, warmth and response, this all digital spider jam is too artificial sounding for me, id give it a 3/5 in that department. I would never use it live or in jamming with others, just on my own to help build speed and work on licks and stuff. So if you are a tone freak too, definitly try b4 you buy.
# 7

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