Originally Posted by: peterjams

I am getting back into guitar and need to replace my old Line6 SpiderII amp.

Awesome! Both the Line6 & the Fender Mustangs are great choices. And each have pros & cons. But the single most important thing you can do is try before you buy.

I've used both of those amps. The Line6 is sometimes more user friendly for beginners & students that just want to push a preset button & play! And some of them have told me the downloadable presets are easier to deal with on one versus the other.

But that depends on how computer savvy you are or how deep you want to go into that stuff.

My personal preference would be for the Mustang just because it has more timbres that I like to use: models of Fender & Marshall amps. Since I play mostly Strats, it pairs well with the Fender gear. The Line6 seems to lean toward more modern & hi-gain timbres.

But it really comes down to how comfortable you are with manipulating the settings on each amp. And most importantly, how they respond to your playing. Go to a music store that has both of them. Play a Strat through both & see which one you like the most!

Trying out new gear is a lot of fun! Often if I'm seriously considering buying an amp or pedal I will take one of my Strats with me to play through it.

The only other thing I can offer is that if you are going to use it play out & want to mic it, I prefer the live loud sound of a 12" speaker. Both of those company make combos with 12" speakers, so you'd still have to choose. But I think smaller speakers just sound sort of boxy when cranked & mic'd.

Have fun looking for new gear!