Line 6 released the Spider range of amps around ten years ago, and started a trend of low cost digital modeling amplifiers that sounded great and were available to all levels of guitar players. This along with the legendary Line 6 POD has given Line 6 something to really shout about, and with the current economic downturn (which is looking up a little more now) they seem to be pushing more and more gear out of their doors.

Around two years ago Line 6 jumped on a band wagon which no one could foresee. They released a valve amplifier: The Spider Valve. This has now had its own revision to the Spider Valve MKII and Line 6 included a couple of extra features in the MKII that users (Including myself) had asked for after owning an original Spider Valve. Some of these features were already included in the Spider Valve MKII when it was released a few months back (Like MIDI, pitch shifter/harmony FX and a Looper). Two more of the requested features the Spider amps and original Spider Valve lacked ware many of the FX that POD users had become used to, and a PC software editor. Well Christmas 2010 has come early for you Spider IV and Spider Valve MKII owners!

Line 6 announced at the winter NAMM show that they intend to release a free Spider FX Infusion update. This will soon be available to all Spider Valve MKII and most Spider IV owners (Spider IV 15 and 30 are excluded) and can be upgraded using an FBV MKII Express or Shortboard foot controller only.

The Spider FX Infusion update will add an addition 28 effects to Spider Valve MKII and compatible Spider IV amplifiers, which increases the total effects available to more than 50! This beats the number of built in effects on any other modeling amplifier currently available.

So if you are in the market for a new amp, you can't go far wrong with a Spider IV or Spider Valve MKII, especially with this new update due out 26th January for the Spider IV and 9th February for the Spider Valve MKII.

Rowbi is hobby guitarist based in Cambridgeshire UK, and also frequents the Line 6 forum community in his spare time:
www.rowbinet.co.uk
www.youtube.com/rowbi12345