Gibson Les Paul Menace & Line 6 Spider II 112

I just bought a Gibson Les Paul Menace and a Line 6 Spider II 112.

What do you guys think?

I'm not a pro player. I stopped playing when about 4 years ago and i'm about to start again. I think i did a good buy with the guitar, but i'm still not convinced about the amp. I mean, that sh*t sure is a good buy for everything it has, but every review i read about it is so different that it's hard to get a good idea. Does anyone think i made the best choice considereing that i like to play metal and hard rock and didn't want to spend more than 250 (300 at the most)?

You guys think i should have bought a Vox or a Marshall amp? I could have got a Marshall amp for something around 250, but it had a 30w output, that is what discouraged me. I want something loud and powerful, but then again i don't have a band or play gigs at all.

Anyone have a good advice about this? i bought the amp at guitar center, so i can return it or exchange it at any time.

Also, does anyone have a good recommendation for a instrucional video? i heard the Paul Gilbert one was pretty good.

first of all NOT A MARSHALL - they make fantastic high range amps ... but the MG series is flawed, it's like if ferrari were selling their cheapest car for 30k, u'd think that cause it's ferrari it'd be better then the toyota's mid range 30k car ...

Line 6 spider, heard a lot of bad things about them, but i think some people just have high standards and expect miracles, after all it's a cheap amp, has heaps of features, so it's bound to be a bit flawed.

Personally I would have picked a roland cube over a spider but it might have cost a bit more. cubes are loud as F**k though.

Seems a bit strange that u'd spend so much on a guitar and not spend money on an amp. I mean a mid range guitar through a mid range amp can sound really really awesome, but a high range guitar through a bottom range amp can really be a downer, can really dampen the quality of the guitar.

Thanks for the input dude. You're right about an amp that does not match the guitar, but i had a budget for the whole thing and just wanted that f*cking gutar, so i was willing to sacrifice a bit on the amp.

I just checked a Roland Cube and found one 225, but it's only 30W. Is it worth to change a 75W amp for a 30W one?

I also checked out this Vox amp. Do you (or anyone) know anything abuot it? The sound bits the have there sound pretty cool.

I love my Spider II. www.soundclick.com/magicninja These are a few songs recorded with it and my Gibson LP (Try Igor, Overnighter and Not All About You). It is a cheap amp amp but for the amount of money you're paying for it you get alot more than anything even the Cube. Line 6's reputation is from old school guys not giving the new technology a chance.

sounds like a good rig should sound pretty damn good through a spider

not wanting to start an argument or anything but even though the marshalls may be flawed they are still a damn nice practice amp for the price, and i prefer mine to a spider for the older classic rock sounds i can get out of it. they do however sound shocking when turned right down one of the flaws i get, but simple solution dont turn it down lol. i s'pose everyone has there own opinions.

i do understand your guitar fetish though, that's one nice guitar! my guitar is worth 9 times more then my amp anyways so who am i to talk :)

I like Spider II's alot...I think they are comfortably the best amps in their price range...

That said, I am not a fan of the Gibson menace series...just dont like them myself...anyway, cant say its a bad guitar, so its just a matter of personal taste

what don't u like about the menace? it looks like it could kill a few ppl, prolly the look metaljunkie was goin for neways.

btw metaljunkie give us a review and your impressions on the spider when you get it! i reckon with a bit of tweakin that amp wouldn sound all that bad for a solid state practice amp.

Andrew, i'm interested about what is it that you don't like about the Les Paul Menace. If you can, let me know.

SuicidalMoose, I will post a review once i get to play more with it. So far, i've been trying to find my tune and trying out as much as I can.

The guitar is sweet. The all-black look is what got my eye. It sounds and looks great, but I must say that it kind of bothers me that it doesn't say Les Paul on the headstock and that it doesn't have the marks for the frets on the fretboard (aside from the fist on the 5th fret). They are just details, but i am one of those who is always looking for that perfect thing, which almost never comes along unless you do it yourself.

hmm, I'm not sure what it is,there are just some cosmetic issues I dont like...most likely the things you do like...

namely: the fist inlay, the all black look, and most importantly, those channels that are carved along the sides and top of the guitar...I just dont like the look of them...the clear pickup covers are pretty cool I guess, but I wouldnt have them on one of my guitars...

I just like traditional sleek looking guitars...I'd take maple grain (any kind) over black any day of the week.

To each his own I suppose

That's cool bro.

I thought you might not like some stuff other than cosmetics that i was overlooking.

Like you said, to each his own.

I just don't understandwhy you need such a loud amp if you don't gig or anything!

yeah i know...it doesn't make much sense.

I just want to buy some good sh*t, you know? Plus who knows, maybe someday i'll have a chance to play or something.

Would you recommend something smaller and better Fenderalltheway?

Well you know, the louder the better if you can afford it! But I play with an eight watt micro cube with my band and it's loud. But no, I don't really recomend anything else, because that looks like a good amp.

Spider II is hands-down the best amp you can get for under $300. now, there are much better amps out there, but until you get into the $500-600 price range, the spider II is your best option.

about the guitar, seems to me it's the exact same gibson guitar with different cosmetics... not that that's a bad thing, I play an SG and I love it! I personally don't like the looks of the menace, but if you do, then that's all that matters!

you did make some good decisions, so don't sweat it. I personally would've gone with a cheaper guitar and a more expensive amp, but that's just me.

Thanks 6strings.

I've been playing more with the amp and i can get a good range of tones, so i'm getting closer and closer to write a (somewhat) good review about it.

Originally, i bought a BC Rich Warlock Deluxe. It's a model that it's not on the website, but that i found on musiciansfriends. I really f*cking liked that beast. The only problem is that it was a platinum BC Rich, with a bronze BC Rich bridge. I don't get why they do that. I also like to play some clean tones every now and then and the pickups were of such a high output, that i never got a clean tone. In the guitar's defense, I was playing it in one of those Marshall mini half-stacks amps...****ty, i know.

I love the killer black son-of-a-bitch look of the Menace, so likeyou said. It depends of what you like. Me for example, for some unexplainable reason, I "hate" Fender guitars. I "hate" their colors and i "hate" their shapes.

EPI>BC, BC-Rich is pretty shoddy until u get the really expensive ones though i guess they have their advantages.

Lol about Fenders, i used to absolutely hate fenders and now i think if ure playing some clean tones like chili peppers they outdo their gibson counterparts, but i much prefer the Neck thru aspect of gibsons to the bolt on strats.

Most Gibsons are set necks not neck thru. Just for historical accuracy. :)