Line 6 212S User Manual

Flextone Manual Index - Replacement for Page 1 for Rev F - Monday, September 21, 1998 12:59 PM

User Manual

for the full line of Flextone Series Digital Guitar Amplifier Systems, including:

Flextone - 60 Watt Mono 1 x 12" Combo

Flextone XL - 100 Watt Stereo 2 x 12" Combo

Flextone Duo - 100 Watt Stereo 2 x 10" Combo

Flextone Plus - 100 Watt Stereo 1 x 12" Combo

Flextone Cab - 1 x 12" Satellite Cabinet for Flextone Plus

Flextone HD - 300 Watt Stereo Head

Flextone Cab 212S - 2 x 12" Cabinet for Flextone HD

and the optional foot controllers:

Floor Board and FB4

printed in the USA by Line 6 - part number 40-00-0030

Electronic version also available at http://www.line6.com

Rev F

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Flextone Manual Rev E; bookfile Page 3 Tuesday, September 8, 1998 10:31 AM

The serial number can be found on the Flextone back
panel. Please note it here for future reference:

SERIAL NO:

WARNING:

electric shock, do not expose this appliance to
rain or moisture.

CAUTION:

pursuant to Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.

The lightning symbol within a triangle means
“electrical caution!” It indicates the presence
of information about operating voltage and
potential risks of electrical shock.

Flextone User’s Manual, Version 1.1 ©1998, Fast Forward Designs, Inc., manufacturers of Line 6 brand products. Line 6, Flextone, Floor Board,
FB4, and TubeTone are trademarks of Fast Forward Designs, Inc. All other product trademarks are property of their respective owners.

OU

Y

To reduce the risk of fire or

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device

SHOULD

READ

EEP

K

THESE

THESE

INSTRUCTIONS

CAUTION:

do not remove screws. No user-serviceable parts inside. Refer
servicing to qualified service personnel.

MPORTANT

I

This equipment is UL listed (file no. E174693) for
UL 6500 and CAN/CSA-E65-94 safety standards.

To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock,

The exclamation point within a
triangle means “caution!” Please
read the information next to all
caution signs.

AFETY

S

IN

A

SAFE

NSTRUCTIONS

I

PLACE

Before using your Flextone, be sure to carefully read the applicable

items of these operating instructions and the safety suggestions.

1. Obey all warnings on the amp and in the Flextone Manual.

2. The heat sinks on the back of the Flextone HD can get hot! Do not touch during operation or shortly after.

2. Do not place near heat sources, such as radiators, heat registers, or appliances which produce
heat. Keep the rear of the unit at least 3 inches from walls or other items that might block heat radiation.

3. Do not block any of the ventilation openings or use in an enclosed space.

4. Guard against objects or liquids entering the enclosure.

5. Connect only to AC power outlets rated 100-120V or 200-240V 47-63Hz (depending on the voltage range of the
unit; refer to the back panel). Current ratings should be a minimum of 5A for the 120V range and 2.5A for the
240V range.

6. Do not step on power cords. Do not place items on top of power cords so that they are pinched or leaned on. Pay
particular attention to the cord at the plug end and the point where it connects to the amp.

7. Unplug the amp when not in use for extended periods of time.

8. Do not perform service operations beyond those described in the Flextone Manual. In the following circumstances,
repairs should be performed only by qualified service personnel:

•liquid is spilled into the unit

•an object falls into the unit

•the unit does not operate normally or changes in performance in a significant way

•the fuse is blown

•the unit is dropped or the enclosure is damaged

9. Prolonged listening at high volume levels may cause irreparable hearing loss and/or damage. Always be sure to
practice “safe listening.”

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CHAPTER 1: Q

“Manual? I don’t need no stinking manual!” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1•1

NTRODUCTION

I

Register And Get Great Free Stuff! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1•1

Get On-line. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1•2

Flextone! Meet the Flextone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1•3

TubeTone™ Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1•3

Amp Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1•4

CHAPTER 2: G

Front Panel Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2•1

Rear Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2•4

Flextone Flavors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2•6

CHAPTER 3: M

Which Amps Are Modeled? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3•1

Flextone Signature Sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3•5

CHAPTER 4: F

Onboard Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4•1

Combined Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4•4

CHAPTER 5: C

Using the Manual Channel Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5•1

Using the Channel Memories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5•1

Edit Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5•2

The Preset Reset Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5•3

CHAPTER 6: T

SING

THE

U

F

Getting Connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•1

WO

ODES

M

HANNEL

I. C

Banks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•2

Channel Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•3

Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•3

Editing & Saving Setups with the Floor Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•3

Tap Tempo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•4

Tuner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•4

Wah Pedal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•4

Volume Pedal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•5

2. E

FFECT

Distortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•6

Drive/Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•6

EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•6

Trem/Chorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•6

Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•7

Reverb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•7

Effect On/Off Settings Stored With Programmed Sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•7

THE

FB4

U

T

SING

CHAPTER 7: I

A

PPENDIX
PPENDIX

A
W

HO

A: A
B: E

S

ESPONSIBLE

’

R

MP

FFECT

UICK

S

TART

G

UIDE

RAND

ODELED

LEXTONE

REATING

HAT

LOOR

’

B

T

S

OUR

A

E

& S

SING

U

OARD

MPS

FFECTS

TORING

OUR

Y

WITH

THE

S

OUNDS

EET

F

LEXTONE

F

:

ELECT

S

O

N

/O

WITH

NSIDE

M

ODELS

ARAMETERS

P

?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3

ODE

M

FF

M

ODE

THE

LEXTONE

F

Y

H

OUR

EAD

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6•8

: D

ETAILS

FOR

THE

F

LEXTONE

HD

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7•1

Flextone Manual Rev E; bookfile Page 6 Tuesday, September 8, 1998 10:31 AM

Flextone Manual Rev E; bookfile Page 7 Tuesday, September 8, 1998 10:31 AM

Q

UICK

S

TART

Q

G

S

UICK

TART

UIDE

G

UIDE

:

“M

ANUAL

? I

DON

’

T

NEED

NO

STINKING

or:

“MANUAL? I DON’T NEED NO STINKING MANUAL!”

1.Turn the CHANNEL VOLUME and MASTER VOLUME controls all
the way down to zero.

2.If you’ve got an HD, hook up your cabinets, following the
directions in the HD Cabinet Hook-ups chapter.

3.Plug the power cord into the rear P
plug the other end into an AC wall socket.

4.Connect your guitar to the I

NPUT JACK.

5.Turn on the Flextone by pressing the P
rear panel (front panel if it’s an HD).

6.Select an A

7.Set the C
the M
M

ASTER VOLUME to a comfortable level, and set the BASS,

ID, and TREBLE to your heart’s desire.

MP MODEL.

HANNEL VOLUME anywhere from 3 to 5 o’clock, adjust

OWER CONNECTOR, then

OWER button on the

MANUAL

1 • 1

!”

8.Select your desired E
L

EVEL and EFFECTS TWEAK so you’re happy with the sound.

FFECTS setting and adjust the REVERB

9.What number 8? You’re ready to go!

But wait, before you go any further, flip to the inside back cover of this manual and
notice that it folds out. The idea is to have this handy pictorial reference always
opened out while you’re thumbing through the manual. And then you can
photocopy the back of it, and you’ll have a handy template for making a note of
your favorite settings.

REGISTER AND GET GREAT FREE STUFF!

Included with your Flextone is a handy, postage-paid card for you to send back to
us to register your purchase, and let us know a little about yourself. It is very

Flextone Manual Rev E; bookfile Page 8 Tuesday, September 8, 1998 10:31 AM

QUICK START GUIDE: GET ON-LINE

1 • 2

important that you fill that registration card out right now, and send it to us in
the mail.

How come? Well, for one thing, it gets you all set up for warranty service should
you ever have a problem with your Line 6 product. It also insures that we will be
able to contact you if new software versions or other enhancements are offered –
not the kind of thing you normally have to worry about with a guitar amplifier, but
way important in this case. Cutting edge technology and all that.

Registering also gets you access to special resources available only to Line 6
registered users. Things like periodic free newsletters with tips & tricks, Flextone
and Line 6 news, and special accessories like Line 6 wear will all be made available
to the registered owners of the LUP.

GET ON-LINE

Here at Line 6, our mission is to bring powerful new technologies to musicians. As
part of that mission, we are going to be focusing great effort on making the
internet a valuable resource for every one of our customers. You may have already
visited the Line 6 web site at http://www.line6.com when you were considering
your purchase, and found all the information already there on Line 6 products and
technologies.

The Line 6 web site is going to grow, because it is one of the most effective ways
for us to bring you what you need. Through the internet, we can give you instant
access to all kinds of great, free stuff to make your Flextone ever more powerful.
Like easy email access to our product support experts, handy tips & tricks,
electronic versions of this and other documentation, and the latest news of what’s
happening with Line 6 and the Flextone Series systems.

Already on the internet? Great! Visit us and check out the latest news and the
other resources there. Not on the internet yet? This may be the time to make the
big jump, and thereby insure that you will get all the great resources we can offer
for you and your Flextone.

Flextone Manual Rev E; bookfile Page 9 Tuesday, September 8, 1998 10:31 AM

INTRODUCTION: FLEXTONE! MEET THE FLEXTONE....

INTRODUCTION

FLEXTONE! MEET THE FLEXTONE....

Thanks for buying a Flextone, the flexible Digital Guitar Amplifier System with
the killer tone (and you were wondering how we came up with the name). There’s
a bunch of stuff we have to talk about and only a few pages to do it in, so let’s jump
right in and get started.

What makes the Flextone so different from every other guitar amp? It’s...

TUBETONE™ MODELING

Well, just what is it, and why is it so important? (By the way, you sent in that
registration card, right? OK, just checking.)

Tubes, we can all agree, are the heart and soul of every legendary guitar amp and
are responsible for the warm, harmonic-rich tone quality of those amps. Solid state
devices (transistors) are simply unable to duplicate tube warmth and performance.
And “hybrids” – a tube in a circuit along with a bunch of transistors – are really a
vain attempt at warming up a transistor-based tone. They fall short in any
comparison to a 100% tube circuit. So that’s it – tubes or nothin’, right? Well, not

any more....

You see, the engineers at Line 6, being an adventurous lot, and totally pumped
about this whole guitar tone thing as well, decided to stock up on the coffee, bust
out the engineering equipment, and get down to learning everything there is to
know about tubes. Riding high on the caffeine wave, they began a three-year
project to analyze and map out exactly how different types of tubes respond under
various conditions typical of guitar amplifier design. How tubes process an input
signal, how the signal is colored and shaped, at what point it begins to distort, the
quality and characteristic of the distortion – complicated stuff, but all analyzable
as electronic data. A guitar pickup output, after all, is an electronic signal, and
tubes are really just a complex form of signal processing.

1 • 3

Having sussed it all out, the Line 6 engineers were then able to apply their digital
expertise to develop software which simulates the tube and other circuitry’s signal
processing entirely within the digital domain. Cool, huh?

This revolutionary software-based modeling technology, called TubeTone, gives
Line 6 the power to create butt-kickin’ Digital Guitar Amplifier Systems like the

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INTRODUCTION: FLEXTONE! MEET THE FLEXTONE....

1 • 4

Flextone Series: value-packed amps with a whole new kind of tonal flexibility.

AMP MODELS

The TubeTone process allowed Line 6 to create software Amp Models modeled
after a collection of amplifiers recognized by guitarists the world over as true “tone
classics.” We got these amps together, cranked ’em up, and had a look at the
electronic data generated by the tubes, transformers, capacitors, plate and grid
voltages, tone control curves – and the whole mess of components and elements
unique to each amplifier design. This research led to the creation of TubeTone
software Amp Models. These Amp Models were tweaked up through careful A/B
listening comparisons to the amps that inspired them, with an ear open for the
effects of different volume levels and settings of the originals’ tone and gain
controls. The gain and equalization characteristics of the modeled amps were
carefully measured so that changes to amp knobs on the models would mirror the
effects of these changes on the originals as closely as possible. We’re talkin’ major
attention to detail here. Tone control center frequencies, slopes, and cut/boost
range were painstakingly analyzed, and we also carefully attended to the effect of
presence switches, “bright” channels, and other model-specific factors. Not only
that, but since these old amps had highly interactive circuits, we paid careful
attention to the way that the setting of one knob will change the way that another
knob on the amp will behave. All in an effort to make our Amp Models as much
like the amps we modeled as possible.

The resulting TubeTone Amp Models are the foundation of the Flextone guitar
amp. Now, then. Here are a couple of things we want to be crystal clear on:

1.The TubeTone modeling process is a 100% digital software-based technology
exclusive to Line 6.

2. TubeTone is not sampling, nor is it solid state; no special guitar, pickup, or
cabling is needed.

So, now that you know what’s in store, it’s time to experience the TubeTone Amp
Models for yourself. Grab your favorite axe, plug in to the Flextone, and flip back
to the handy Quick Start Guide on Page 1•1 if you haven’t already been

through that. Then, press ahead with us to the Flextone Grand Tour....

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GRAND TOUR

GRAND TOUR: FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

If you haven’t already done so, turn to the inside back cover of this manual and
notice that it folds out. Ooh, pretty pictures! The idea is to have this essential
pictorial reference always opened out while you’re thumbing through the manual.
And then you can photocopy the back of it, and you’ll have a handy template for
making a note of your favorite settings. The boxed numbers that pop up
throughout the manual correspond to the numbers on the foldout’s illustrations.

Most of the Flextone controls operate exactly the way you’d expect them to:

1

Input - You plug your guitar in here. (Well, we want the manual to be

complete, don’t we?).

2

Master Volume - Controls the overall output level of the amp. Also

sets the headphone level. This setting is not saved when you store a setup into one
of the Flextone’s memory locations. Unlike many conventional amps, changing the
Master Volume level does not change your tone. So you can get the tone you want
at any volume level.

Model Select - When you spin this knob, it’s essentially like changing

3

what electronic “circuitry” is running inside the Flextone to make your amp sound
(see also Modeled Amps on page 3•1). We’ve arranged the Amp Models around
the knob so that they go clockwise from “cleanest” (Jazz Clean) to “dirtiest”
(Modern High Gain). Then the four unique Flextone sounds come next, followed
by the Fuzz model.

2 • 1

4

Drive - This knob controls how hard you’re driving the chosen amp

model. Think of it like the input volume control on a non-master volume amp; the
higher the setting, the more “dirt.”

5

Tone Controls - Bass, Mid, and Treble. Just like a regular guitar amp,

only when you change Amp Models, the response and interactivity of the controls
changes too – to act like the tone controls of the original amp that inspired the
Amp Model you’ve selected. The Flextone also has a Presence bump that can be

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GRAND TOUR: FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

switched on and off when you hold the Tap Tempo button. The detail is in the Tap

Tempo section that begins on the opposite page....

2 • 2

6

Channel Volume - This knob controls the relative volume level of the

channel you are playing through. Use this to balance levels between the setups you
store in two different channels (say between your rhythm and lead setups).

7

Reverb Level - Pretty much says it all, doesn’t it? How much reverb do

you want today? There are two flavors of reverb that live inside your Flextone; a
TubeTone-created model of a spring reverb, and a standard digital room reverb
tone. Which one you get depends on which Amp Model you select. Generally
speaking, if the amp that inspired a given Amp Model had a spring reverb, that’s
what you’ll get. If the amp didn’t have a reverb (like the 1968 Marshall “Plexi”
which inspired the Brit Classic model), you’ll hear the room reverb. The back
cover foldout, Chapter 4, and Appendix A run down the details.

8

Effect Tweak - This knob will always change something, but exactly

what it changes will vary depending on which effect you have chosen. Turn it up
and something will go deeper or louder or just plain more. The speed of the effects
(delay, tremolo, chorus, flanger, rotary speaker simulation) is set by the Tap Tempo
switch (see below). For all the inside poop, look at the back cover foldout, see
Appendix B for Effect Parameters, and read the Effects chapter.

9

Effects - Selects which effect or combination of effects you get. Once

again, all the details will be in the Effects chapter.

Manual Select Switch - Selects Manual mode of the amplifier. This

10

is the basic “where the knobs are is how it sounds” amplifier mode - all the knobs
are “live,” so whatever they’re set to is just what you’re getting out of the Flextone.

11

Channel Select Switches (A, B, C, D) - You use these

buttons to save and recall complete amp-and-effects setups in your Flextone. By
using the four programmable channels, you can save all the details of a complete
Flextone setup for easy, instant recall any time. Thanks to these programmable
channels, you won’t ever have to waste any time when you want to change from
one setup to another, and you’ll never have to lose your “perfect” setups. The

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GRAND TOUR: FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

position of every Flextone knob (except the Master Volume) is stored into the
channel memory when you save a channel. You can also save and recall your
Flextone channels hands-free when you use the optional Floor Board or FB4 foot
controllers (see That’s Using Your Feet in Chapter 6 for more details). Once
you get used to the Flextone’s programmable channels, you’ll wonder how you
could ever stand to play an amp without them!

12

Save - This button saves a complete “snapshot” of all the knob positions

into one of the Channel memories. Chapter 5 explains exactly how it works.

13

Tap Tempo - This control sets and displays the current tempo or speed of

delay or tremolo/chorus/flange/rotary speaker. This is also called the LFO (Low
Frequency Oscillator) speed. For Chorus, Flange, and Tremolo effects, the LFO

speed is actually displayed and set at twice the speed of the oscillator so you don’t have
to count to 23 between taps if you want to set up a really slow chorus. To use the
Tap Tempo control, just tap the button at the tempo you want. Hmmmm... Tap...
Tempo... Tap... Tempo... Pretty clever naming there, huh?

2 • 3

You can also simply hold the Tap Tempo button and turn the Effect Tweak knob
to change the speed or tempo of your effects. This is especially useful if you are
trying to nudge your Tap Tempo setting to just the right value. See the Effects
chapter, the back cover foldout, and Appendix B for Effect Parameters to learn
exactly what Tap Tempo controls for each of the Effect settings.

The Tap Tempo button also lets you access a few extra Flextone features:
a Presence Boost, a Volume Boost, and a Drive Boost. You can think of the

Tap Tempo button as a sort of BOOST switch for these controls. Here’s the detail:

Hold down, and keep holding down, the Tap Tempo button as you turn the
Drive knob up past twelve o’clock, and you get the kind of extra ‘dirt’ that you’d
get from a Distortion pedal. This is just the same as turning on the Distortion
from the Floor Board (details in Chapter 6). As you do this, the Channel A light
comes on if you turn the Distortion on.

Hold down, and keep holding down, the Tap Tempo button as you turn the
Channel Volume knob up past twelve o’clock, and a Volume Boost kicks in. This

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G

2 • 4

RAND

T

:

EAR

OUR

is just the same as turning on the Drive Boost from the Floor Board (details in

Chapter 6 ). As you do this, the Channel B light comes on if you turn the Drive

Boost on.

Hold down, and keep holding down , the Tap Tempo button as you turn the

Treble knob up past twelve o’clock, and you get a Presence boost, brightening

your tone. Same as the EQ boost on the Floor Board (details in Chapter 6 ). As
you do this, the Channel C light comes on if you turn the Presence “circuit” on.

EAR

R

FLEXTONE HD OWNERS, LISTEN UP: After reading these chapters, be sure to

also spend a bit of time with Chapter 7 , which covers all the important differences
between the HD and the Flextone combo amps.

14

that doesn’t connect to the wall socket.

ANEL

R

P

ANEL

P

Power Connector -

This is where you plug the end of the power cord

15

Power Switch -

everything. The HD has a front panel power switch.

16

Headphone/Direct Out -

Chapter 7 for details on direct out setup. If you have a Flextone combo, plug your

headphones or a 1/4” cable into this jack and it will silence the internal speakers,
providing you with private listening or a direct connection to your mixing board or
recorder. Plugging into this output turns on a built-in speaker cabinet simulator to
emulate a miked speaker cabinet. That means no direct box is needed for recording
or feeding to a live PA setup; just plug into this Direct Out for great sound right out
of the box! This output is stereo on the Flextone Duo, Plus, and XL, and mono on
the Flextone.

your level isn’t cranked up too high when using the Headphone/Direct Out.

Note: The Master Volume controls the output level here, too, so be sure

The ultimate digital control; On or Off. Choice is

If you have a Flextone HD, please see

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17

Extension Cabinet (on the Flextone Plus only) - This connection is for

the Flextone Cab or other 8W speaker cabinet only.

GRAND TOUR: REAR PANEL

18

Foot Pedal Connector - This jack that looks like a telephone

connector on steroids is where you connect the Floor Board or FB4 foot controller.
If you have a Flextone HD, be sure to see Chapter 7 for more details on foot
control capabilities.

19

Effects Send and Return - HD folks, see Chapter 7. For all

Flextones, effect send and return are pre-Master Volume. The send can also be used
for a line out connection in live situations where you want to use the amp for an
onstage monitor, and feed the sound system for the main room sound. When using
the send as an output (instead of the Headphone/Direct Out) the cabinet simulator
will be bypassed, so you may want to use a direct box. On the Flextone Duo, Plus,
or XL, the send and return are stereo. On the 1-12” Flextone, they are mono.

USE THE RIGHT CABLE!

When hooking up your effect send/return, be sure to use the right kind of cable.
With a regular Flextone, the effect send and return are mono, so you should use a
mono cable. With the Flextone Plus, Flextone Duo, or XL, the effect send and
return are stereo, and you should be sure to use a stereo cable to connect them to
other devices. If you are connecting the Flextone Plus, Duo, or XL to a device with
separate left and right inputs or outputs, you’ll want to use a standard “insert” cable,
which gives you a single stereo quarter inch connector for the Flextone end, and
two mono quarter inch connectors for the two ins or outs of your other device. HD
people, see Chapter 7.

2 • 5

Note: If you use a mono cable with a Plus, Duo, or XL, you will only get one side of the
signal on the send, and when using a mono cable for the return, the returned signal will
only be fed to one of your Flextone’s speakers.

And note: You probably won’t want to use stomp box-type effects in this loop, as they
aren’t usually designed to take line level signals. Most likely you’ll want to plug your
guitar straight into the stomp box, and then go from the stomp box to the Flextone’s input.

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GRAND TOUR: FLEXTONE FLAVORS

FLEXTONE FLAVORS

In case you haven’t noticed, the Flextone actually comes in several different

2 • 6

flavors. Here’s what each one’s got, starting with the compact combos:

The Flextone - Mono, 60 watt setup with a single 12-inch speaker. The

Headphone/Direct Out and Effect Send and Effect Return are mono.

The Flextone Duo - This is the stereo, 100 watt setup (50 watts per side) with a
pair of 10-inch speakers. The Headphone/Direct Out and Effect Send/Effect
Return are stereo, and the onboard effects are stereo, too.

The Flextone XL - This is the stereo, 100 watt setup (50 watts per side) with a pair
of 12-inch speakers. The Headphone/Direct Out and Effect Send/Effect
Return are stereo, and the onboard effects are stereo, too.

The Flextone Plus - This is the stereo, single 12-inch speaker setup. The
Headphone/Direct Out, Effect Send/Effect Return, and the onboard effects
are all stereo. With no extension speaker you get 60 watts of power. Plug in a
Flextone Cab, and you’ve got 100 watts – 50 watts per side.

The Flextone Cab - The Flextone Cab is an 8 ohm open-back cabinet loaded with
a custom 12-inch speaker, designed by Line 6 for use with the Flextone Plus.
Connect it to the Plus’s satellite speaker output for 100 Watt, stereo amplification.

The Flextone HD - This is the stereo, 300 Watt Stereo head Flextone. The
Headphone, Direct Outs, Effect Send, Effect Return, and the onboard
effects are all stereo. The HD can drive 4, 8, and 16 ohm cabinet setups. Be sure to
read Chapter 7 for all the info on the specifics that differentiate it from the
Flextone combo amplifiers, including it Direct Outs, MIDI out, and recommended
cabinet configurations.

The Flextone Cab 212S - The Flextone Cab 212S is a stereo/mono 2x12" closed­back cabinet loaded with a pair of custom 12-inch speakers, specially designed by
Line 6 for use with the Flextone HD. Connect one or more Flextone Cab 212S
cabinets to the HD as described in the oft-promised Chapter 7.

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MODELED AMPS

WHICH AMPS ARE MODELED?

MODELED AMPS: WHICH AMPS ARE MODELED?

Note: For the following description of the TubeTone Amp Models, and other references

that you will find throughout this manual, please be aware that Fender, Marshall, Vox,
Boogie, Soldano, Peavey, Roland, Matchless, Arbiter, ADA, Leslie, and other amplifier
model designations, and the names of musical artists and groups, and effects, are all
trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with
Line 6. These marks and names are used solely for the purpose of describing certain
amplifier tones produced using Line 6’s TubeTone modeling technology. The TubeTone
modeling technology provides the Flextone Series of Digital Guitar Amplifier Systems
with a wide variety of sounds and effects modeled after some of the most popular sounds
of the classic amps, effects, and artists mentioned here.

Jazz Clean - This Amp Model is modeled after the classic Roland JC-120.

This transistor amp was known for a strident clean sound and built-in stereo
chorus. When using the Jazz Clean Amp Model, try cranking up the treble for a
shimmering clean sound that’ll cut through just about any mix. It’s also perfect for
that 80’s “new wave” sound. Alternatively, try backing off on the treble and turn
up the bass and mids for a darker jazz tone. It’ll give you an essentially flat
response, providing a balanced tone across the fretboard for jazz chord melodies or
single-line phrasing.

Small Tweed - Modeled after a 1952 “wide panel” Fender Tweed Deluxe, this

Amp Model will snarl with the best of them. The original amp had only a single
tone control, essentially a Treble roll off. We set up the Treble knob to give you
this Treble roll off when using this Amp Model. Which left us with the Bass and
Mid knobs just sitting there. That just didn’t seem right, so we figured out a way to
put those knobs to work without mucking about with the authenticity of this Amp
Model’s Treble tone control. We set up the Bass and Mid as post-TubeTone
controls, which essentially lets you EQ up your tone as you would do on a mixing
console after recording your amp. Set the Bass and Mid knobs at halfway to put
them in “neutral,” and try the Treble knob somewhere above halfway for a classic
Tweed sound.

3 • 1

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MODELED AMPS: WHICH AMPS ARE MODELED?

Tweed Blues - The classic Fender Bassman 4x10 combo was the amp that

started it all – instant rock and roll tone. Originally a bass guitar amp, the
Bassman became a Blues staple for 6-string guitarists. It has the fat bottom end
you’d expect from a bass amp but also has the Fender twang on the top. The
Bassman was the “blueprint” for the Flextone’s Tweed Blues. Incidentally, when
Jim Marshall built his first amps with Ken Bran they were heavily influenced by

3 • 2

the early Bassman. One of the interesting things about the Bassman is just how
interactive the Mid and Treble controls are. The Mid control isn’t a bandpass, as
in most tone control setups. Instead, it’s almost like a second treble control. The
two are additive, so if you’re running the Mid knob higher than halfway up, you’ll
find that the Treble Control might give you more bright than you really want. On
the other hand, when you turn the Mid knob down, you’ll probably want to boost
the Treble.

The Bassman, like many of the amps modeled for the Flextone, didn’t have a
master volume. So to get the kind of tone that the Bassman can deliver at higher
gain settings, you had to crank it up loud enough to do some serious damage to
anyone who might be standing close by. With the Flextone, you can get that kind
of tone at a bedroom or studio level – or through your headphones even! Try a
drive setting of about 4 or 5 – it’s guaranteed to dredge up the best R&B licks you
know.

Black Panel - The Holy Grail for many blues, country, and “roots” players

has been a blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb (Of course, now that the Flextone’s
here, that may all change). After listening to quite a few candidates for modeling,
we stumbled upon an extremely cool ’64 Deluxe. Most players love a Deluxe when
it’s turned up to about 7 for a nice gritty sound that cleans up when you back off
your guitar’s volume knob just a little. Notice how the tone control response
changes as this Amp Model’s Drive is changed; clean settings are crisp and
present, while more driven settings will mellow the high end. This is typical of
what you get from a Deluxe, and is nicely captured here.

The Deluxe itself has only Bass and Treble controls. Leaving us, once again, with
the prospect of a knob with nothing to say for itself. But fear not; in this case,
we’ve set up the Mid knob so you can add some post-Tubetone Midrange
contouring for a little more flexibility. Once again, set the Mid knob to its
“neutral” 12 o’clock position for the classic Deluxe sound. Tweaked up right, this
tone will cut through and sing.

Flextone Manual Rev E; bookfile Page 19 Tuesday, September 8, 1998 10:31 AM

MODELED AMPS: WHICH AMPS ARE MODELED?

Modern Class A - The Matchless Chieftain, which was studied for the

Modern Class A selection, is a very expensive handmade amp. Originally designed
to sound like a top-boost Vox AC 30, the Matchless doesn’t exactly have a Vox
sound, but something unique (largely due to the complicated EQ scheme); the
sound is sort of “future retro.” Its soft clipping is typical of Class A amplifiers;
almost a “hi-fi” sound in a great rock n’ roll amplifier.

Brit Class A - Modeled after a 1960 Vox AC 15. Vox amps owe much of their

unique tone quality to a Class A power amp and were standard issue for English
bands in the 60’s. They were actually one of the first amplifiers designed
specifically for electric guitar; the other companies essentially got their designs
straight from the RCA Radio book. This particular sound is based on Channel 1 of
the best AC 15 we could find. Once again, the original amp had only a single tone
control – a treble cut. We faithfully modeled that and then slipped in some post­Tubetone Bass and Mid contouring. Set the Bass and Mid in neutral (12 o’clock,
or halfway up) and play with the Treble control to get yourself some of those
classic British invasion sounds.

Brit Blues - This Amp Model is based on a JTM-45 head with block logo

(predates the “scrolled” Marshall logo), complete with a gold Plexiglas (Plexi)
front panel, although the sound normally associated with Plexi amps comes from
the late 60’s, 50-watt version that was the inspiration for the next in the
Flextone’s line up of TubeTone Amp Models. The JTM-45 marked the beginning
of Marshall’s transition from a mellower Fender-like tone to the distinctive bright
“crunchy” sound of the later Marshalls.

Brit Classic - Modeled after the infamous Marshall Plexi – coveted by tone

connoisseurs the world over. By this time (ca. 1968) Marshall had completely
changed the circuitry away from the Fender 6L6 power tube heritage and moved
to an EL34 tube; another major tone difference was due to the necessary output &
power supply transformer changes. (See, we told you we spent some time looking
into all this stuff.) All this mucking about added up to create a tone forever linked
with Rock Guitar. Amps of this era didn’t have any sort of master volume control,
so to get this sound you’d have to crank your “Mark III Super Amp” to max – just
the thing to help you really make friends with the neighbors. Hendrix used
Marshalls of this era; 20 years later Van Halen’s first two records owed their
“brown sound” to an unmodified 100-watt Plexi. In order to get a crunch sound
out of a Plexi you would likely crank up the input volume and the tone controls
(to 10!). You’ll find that the Brit Classic, in keeping with our basic “make-it-

3 • 3

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MODELED AMPS: WHICH AMPS ARE MODELED?

sound-a-whole-lot-like-the-original” concept, is set up to do pretty darned near
the same thing. Max out the Mid and Treble knobs and turn Bass to about 9 or 10
o’clock on the Flextone when using this Plexi-inspired Amp Model and you can
treat those nice neighbors to a tasty slice of fat rock tone.

Brit Hi Gain - Turn to this Amp Model to conjure up tones of the coveted

3 • 4

JCM 800, one of Marshall’s most universally-acclaimed modern amps. This
updated version of the Plexi continued Marshall’s heritage with added gain and
edge for a new generation of rock guitarists. One of the biggest differences here is
that the tone controls are located after the preamp tubes. We worked with a 1990
JCM 800 with Master Volume to develop this model. This is the metal sound
Marshall made famous. Although not many people play Marshalls clean, it’s a
great tone, so you should also be sure to check out this model with a low drive

setting, too. Of course, you can always pump up the drive and rage....

Rectified - This model is modeled after a 1994 Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier

Tremoverb. Boogie made their mark in the late 70’s and early 80’s by adding
master volumes and more gain stages to amps with Fender-style circuitry. You can
hear the Fender heritage but with more “punch” in the mids. The Boogie Dual
Rectifier’s tone controls are post-distortion, and as with the tone sections of most
of the amps we based our models on, the individual controls interact with each
other and with the drive. When used at its highest drive setting, the Dual Rectifier
gives you a lead sound reminiscent of the early Boogies with the characteristic
nasal midrange push, but with even more drive and presence than the early Mark I
Boogies. Cranking the Rectifier Amp Model’s drive knob will get you into this
neighborhood. Try your Santana licks here. With high drive settings, you can
scoop the mids and crank the bottom end for some great Seattle grunge sounds.

Modern Hi Gain - We obtained one of the early amp heads Mike Soldano

produced when he was based in Los Angeles in order to create the Flextone’s
Modern Hi Gain setting. The Soldano sound is intensely overdriven, and also has
EQ after the preamp distortion. This oversaturated tone is well-suited to thrash
metal and grunge bands, but has also been used more subtly by artists like Eric
Clapton. The Soldano amps are very similar to a Peavey 5150; this is a good Amp
Model to use if you want to get a current Van Halen or Joe Satriani sound. With

the Drive control cranked way up, you’ll get sustain for days.... Go out’n’ave a bite

– when you come back it’ll still be sustaining!