Line 6 Flextone II, Flextone II Head User Manual

Pilot’s Handbook

Your source for the insider information on your Flextone II and the optional foot controllers, Floor Board and FB4.

Rev H. Electrophonic version available at www.line6.com and on accompanying CD.

REDUCED SIZE BACK COVER FOLDOUT FOR ELECTROPHONIC PILOT'S GUIDE

FLEXTONE II FRONT PANEL:

II

	POD / FLEXTONE II
	TONETRANSFER COMPATIBLE
1	2

0 10

INPUT MASTER VOLUME

AMP MODELS

BLACK PANEL

TWEED BLUES				MODERN CLASS A
SMALL TWEED3						BRIT CLASS A
JAZZ CLEAN						BRIT BLUES
LINE 6 INSANE						BRIT CLASSIC
LINE 6 DRIVE						BRIT HI GAIN
LINE 6 CRUNCH						RECTIFIED
LINE 6 CLEAN				MODERN HI GAIN
				FUZZ

(AMPS 17-32)

		10						11						CHANNEL SELECT													12				13
																																TAP
		MANUAL							A						B				C					D				SAVE				(HOLD)
																														(HOLD TAP FOR ALTERNATE FUNCTIONS)
4									5															6					7					8
	0	10				0		10				0	10						0			10			0		10			0	10				0	10
	DRIVE					BASS							MID					TREBLE						CHAN VOL					REVERB					FX TWEAK
(DISTORTION ON/OFF)					(DELAY FEEDBACK)							(DELAY LEVEL)						(PRESENCE ON/OFF)						(VOLUME BOOST ON/OFF)					(NOISE GATE ON/OFF)					(EFFECT/TAP SPEED)

EFFECTS

	ROTARY SPEAKER					DELAY		DELAY/COMPRESSOR
						2	X 12
	FLANGER 2 9								4	DELAY/TREMOLO
									X
	FLANGER 1								10		DELAY/CHORUS 1
	CHORUS 2 1										DELAY/CHORUS 2
	X
	CHORUS 1	12							12		DELAY/FLANGER 1
	TREMOLO								4	DELAY/FLANGER 2
									X
		1					OFF	DELAY/SWELL
	COMPRESSOR				X
					8

BYPASS

(CAB SELECT)

AMP MODELS 1-16:*

AMP MODELS 17-32:*

HoldTAP and turn the Amp Models

EFFECT SETUPS

knob to select Amp Models 17-32.

Amp Model

Based on:

Volume Pedal

Reverb

Tap plus...

Amp Model

Based on:

Volume Pedal

Reverb

Effect

Tap

Tweak

Notes

Line 6 Clean

Line 6 21st Century Clean

Pre

Room

(Line 6 Clean)

Line 6 Twang

Fender Deluxe and Bassman, with more tone control range

Pre

Spring

Bypass

n/a

n/a

Turns off the effects

Line 6 Crunch

Line 6 Thick Grindage

Pre

Spring

(Line 6 Crunch)

Line 6 Crunch #2

’68 Marshall Plexi 50 watt with more tone control range

Pre

Room

Compressor

n/a

Ratio

Higher settings "squeeze" your

Line 6 Drive

Line 6 Industrial Strength OD

Post

Room

(Line 6 Drive)

Line 6 Blues

Marshall JTM-45 meets Budda Twinmaster meets Line 6

Pre

Room

volume more.

Line 6 Insane

Way too many hours of shredding

Post

Room

(Line 6 Insane)

Line 6 Layer

Line 6 Clean meets Psychotic Drive

Post

Room

Tremolo

Tremolo Speed

Depth

The tremolo was designed with the

Jazz Clean

’87 Roland JC-120

Pre

Spring

(Jazz Clean)

Tube Preamp

Tube Instrument Preamp

Post

Room

characteristic Fender shape.

Small Tweed

’52 Fender Deluxe

Pre

Room

(Small Tweed)

Small Tweed #2

’60 Tweed Fender Champ

Pre

Room

Chorus 1

Chorus Speed

Range of

Square wave LFO, "rack" type chorus

Tweed Blues

’59 Fender Bassman

Pre

Spring

(Tweed Blues)

Boutique #3

Budda Twinmaster head

Pre

Room

choruses

setup; subtler than Chorus 2

Black Panel

’65 Fender Deluxe

Pre

Spring

(Black Panel)

Black Panel #2

’65 Blackface Fender Twin

Pre

Spring

Chorus 2

Chorus Speed

Range of

Sine wave LFO, approx. 10% feedback;

Modern Class A

’96 Matchless Chieftain

Pre

Spring

(Modern Class A)

Brit Class A #3

’60 Vox AC 15

Pre

Room

choruses

emulates an old Roland CE-1 for

Brit Class A

’63 Vox AC 30 with Top Boost

Pre

Room

(Brit Class A)

Brit Class A #2

’60 Vox AC 30 non-Top Boost

Pre

Room

classic stomp box-type sound.

Brit Blues

’65 Marshall JTM-45

Pre

Room

(Brit Blues)

California Crunch #1

’85 Mesa Boogie Mark IIc+ Clean Channel

Pre

Spring

Flanger 1

Flanger Speed

Range of

Light Flange

Brit Classic

’68 Marshall Plexi 50 watt

Pre

Room

(Brit Classic)

California Crunch #2

’85 Mesa Boogie Mark IIc+ Drive Channel

Post

Spring

flangers

Brit Hi Gain

’90 Marshall JCM-800

Post

Room

(Brit Hi Gain)

Boutique #1

Dumble Overdrive Special Clean Channel

Pre

Room

Flanger 2

Flanger Speed

Range of

Heavier flange with more feedback

Rectified

’94 Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Tremoverb Combo

Post

Room

(Rectified)

Rectified #2

’95 Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Head

Post

Room

flangers

Modern Hi Gain

’89 Soldano X88R Preamp

Post

Room

(Modern Hi Gain)

Modern Hi Gain #2

’89 Soldano SLO Super Lead Overdrive

Post

Room

Rotary Speaker

Rotary Speed

Depth

This emulates a classic spinning

Fuzz Box

’60’s Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face

Post

Room

(Fuzz Box)

Boutique #2

Dumble Overdrive Special Drive Channel

Post

Room

speaker, a la the Leslie

			Delay	Delay Time	Delay Level	Very quick delays will have no repeats
						for better slapback
			Delay Swell	Delay Time	Swell Time	Volume swell
14	18	16	19	20
	15		17
			FLEXTONE: TAP LIT BUTTON FOR TAP TEMPO / HOLD LIT BUTTON FOR MANUAL

* Fender, Marshall, Vox, Budda, Dumble, Matchless, Mesa Boogie, Soldano, Roland, Arbiter, and other amplifier and effect models are all trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Line 6. These trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely for the purpose of describing certain amplifier tones produced using Line 6's modeling technology. Line 6's modeling technology provides the Flextone with a wide variety of sounds and effects modeled after some of the most popular sounds of these classic amps. Line 6, Flextone, Floor Board, the Line 6 logo and the Flextone logo are trademarks of Line 6, Inc.

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

SERIAL NO:

WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture.

CAUTION: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not remove screws. No user-serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel.

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

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

Flextone II Pilot’s Handbook © 2000, Line 6, Inc. Line 6, Flextone, Floor Board, FB4, POD, POD Pro, Bass POD, AX2, Amp Farm and Echo Farm are trademarks of Line 6, Inc. All other product trademarks are property of their respective owners.

YOU SHOULD READ THESE IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS IN A SAFE 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 this Pilot’s Handbook.

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 II Pilot’s Handbook. 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.”

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

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

INTRODUCTION

Register And Get Great Free Stuff! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1•1 Get On-line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1•2 Flextone! Meet the Flextone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1•3 Modeling /Amp & Cab Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1•3 There’s Magic in the A.I.R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1•5 Customizing your Amp Models and Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1•7 ToneTransfer: Exchanging sounds with Flextones and PODs and the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1•7

CHAPTER 2: GRAND TOUR

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

Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2•7

Dual Mode Direct Outs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2•9

Flextone II Flavors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2•11

CHAPTER 3: MODELED AMPS

Which Amps and Cabs are Modeled? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3•1

Cabinet Model List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3•13

CHAPTER 4: FLEXTONE EFFECTS

Deep Editing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4•1

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

CHAPTER 5: CREATING & STORING SOUNDS

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

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

ToneTransfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5•2

Edit Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5•4

Customizing Amp Models & Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5•4

Memory Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5•7

CHAPTER 6: THAT’S USING YOUR FEET

USING THE FLOOR BOARD WITH THE FLEXTONE

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

TWO MODES:

I. CHANNEL SELECT MODE

Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•2 Channel Select. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•3 Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•3 Editing & Saving Channels with the Floor Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•4 Tap Tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•4 Tuner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•5 Wah Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•5 Volume Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•6

2. EFFECT ON/OFF MODE

Distortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•7 Drive/Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•7 EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•7 Trem/Chorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•8 Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•8 Reverb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•8 Effect On/Off Settings Stored With Programmed Sounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•8

USING THE FB4 WITH THE FLEXTONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6•9

CHAPTER 7: DEEP EDITING & MIDI CONTROL
MIDI Basics: In/Out, MIDI Channel, MIDI Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7•1
Flextone II / POD / POD Pro ToneTransfer via MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7•3
Backing Up Your Flextone’s Memory to Other Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7•5
Emagic SoundDiver Software: Editing your Flextone Sounds with a Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7•6
Other Things You Can Do with MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7•7
Step by Step with SoundDiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7•9

CHAPTER 8: INSIDE YOUR HEAD (FLEXTONE II HD)

Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8•1 Effects Loop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8•1 Series vs Parallel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8•2 Making the Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8•3 Setting Effect Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8•4 Mono/Stereo Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8•4 Cabinet Hookups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8•5 Open Back / Closed Back Emulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8•6 Take a Load Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8•7

APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-F

QUICK START GUIDE: “MANUAL? I DON’T NEED NO STINKING MANUAL!”

QUICK START GUIDE	1 • 1
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.Plug the power cord into the rear POWER CONNECTOR, then plug the other end into an AC wall socket.

3.Connect your guitar to the INPUT JACK.

4.Switch on the POWER.

5.Select an AMP MODEL.

6.Set the CHANNEL VOLUME anywhere from 3 to 5 o’clock, adjust the MASTER VOLUME to a comfortable level, and set the BASS, MID, and TREBLE to your heart’s desire.

7.Select your desired EFFECTS setting and adjust the REVERB and EFFECTS TWEAK so you’re happy with the sound.

8.Channel A, B, C, D buttons select one of the Flextone’s four programmable channels. Press SAVE then one of these to save your own sound to one of these channels.

9.Press the MANUAL button any time for a “Manual Override” that gives you where-the-knobs-are-is-how-it-sounds operation.

10.What number 10?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. 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 in this manual 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 important that you fill that registration card out right now, and send it to us in the mail or

QUICK START GUIDE: GET ONLINE

	1 • 2	jump on the internet and register at the Line 6 Support Center – www.line6.com.
		How come? Well, for one thing, it gets you all set up for warranty service should
		you ever have a problem with your Flextone. (Warranty info is at the end of this
		manual.) It also ensures that we will be able to contact you if new software
		versions or other enhancements are offered – cutting edge technology and all that.

GET ONLINE

Here at Line 6, our mission is to bring powerful new technologies to musicians. As part of that mission, we focus great effort on making the Internet a valuable resource for every one of our customers. You may already have surfed the Line 6 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 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 you and your Flextone ever more powerful. Like easy email access to our product support experts, handy tips & tricks, electronic versions of this and other documentation, the latest news of what’s happening with Line 6 and the products we make for you, and....

Line 6 ToneTransfer and Discussion Forums: Visit the web site, and you’ll find a powerful way to connect to other Flextone and POD users. Swap sounds, get and give advice, and generally hang out and get Flextone-a-licious, all from the privacy of your own comfy computer chair!

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

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION: FLEXTONE! MEET THE FLEXTONE....

1 • 3

FLEXTONE! MEET THE FLEXTONE....

Thank you 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 get started.

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

MODELING

Modeling: just what is it, and why is it so important? (By the way, you sent in that registration card or did it on the web, 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.

INTRODUCTION: FLEXTONE! MEET THE FLEXTONE....

	1 • 4	The Line 6 engineers also directed their caffeine-enhanced attention to a study of
		guitar speaker cabinets, and the important part they play in communicating great
		guitar tone.
		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 DSP (digital signal processing) software-based modeling
		technology gives Line 6 the power to create super butt-kickin’ Digital Guitar
		Amplifier Systems like the Flextone: value-packed amps with a whole new kind of
		tonal flexibility.

AMP & CAB MODELS

This modeling know-how allowed Line 6 to create software Amp and Cab Models modeled after a collection of amplifiers and speaker cabinets recognized by guitarists the world over as true “tone classics.” We got these amps and cabs 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 Line 6’s software Amp and Cab Models. These models were tweaked up through careful, scientific A/B comparisons to the gear 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 have highly interactive circuits, we paid careful attention to the way that the setting of one knob changes the way that another knob on the amp behaves. All in an effort to make our Amp and Cab Models as much like the amps and cabs we modeled as possible.

INTRODUCTION: FLEXTONE! MEET THE FLEXTONE....

The resulting Amp and Cab Models are the foundation of the Flextone guitar

1 • 5

amp. Now, then. Here are a couple of things we want to be crystal clear on:

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

2.Line 6 Modeling is not sampling, nor is it solid state; no special guitar, pickup, or cabling is needed.

THERE’S MAGIC IN THE A.I.R.

When you’re ready to do some recording, Flextone delivers its modeling tones through another innovation: Line 6's A.I.R. direct recording output. The A.I.R. (acoustically integrated recording) technology is the result of intensive research and careful study of the tonal characteristics produced by the interaction of amplifiers, cabinets, speakers, microphones and the recording room during the recording process.

The direct output of many preamps, amplifiers and direct box-style amp replacements available today offer some limited form of cabinet simulation or speaker emulation. Those that happen to be more than simple high end roll offs have little or no control options. These cabinet simulations cannot reproduce the markedly different tones of different cabinets which arise from the choice of speakers, wood, and other design elements. They also fail to reproduce the significant tonal contribution of microphone selection and placement, and do nothing to reproduce the subtle ambience of the recording space.

The result is the familiar dissatisfaction with direct recording products – even those that deliver a reasonably usable basic tone fail to reproduce the “life” of the guitar sound, and destroy the proper feel in the process. It is as if your guitar strings became heavier and less responsive, like they just went up a couple of gauges when you plugged into your direct box. And your sound lost its life.

Flextone’s combination of Amp Models and A.I.R. technology provides superior direct tones by recreating all the elements contributing to a great recorded guitar sound, and giving you that tone with the same feel as playing through a real amp and speaker cabinet:

INTRODUCTION: FLEXTONE! MEET THE FLEXTONE....

	1 • 6	• The effect of the guitar amplifier electronics is emulated by the Amp Model you
		choose. Each model was developed from extensive study of a classic amplifier
		treasured as a tone classic.
		• In a guitar amp, once the guitar signal passes through the electronics, it is output
		to one or more speakers in a speaker cabinet. The specific design of the speakers,
		how many there are, and how they are arranged contributes significantly to your
		guitar tone, as does the construction and resulting tone of the wood box itself. A
		Marshall head driving a single 12-inch speaker in an open-back cabinet, for
		instance, will sound dramatically different from the same head driving a 4x12
		closed-back cabinet. Line 6 has carefully constructed virtual software speaker
		cabinets that emulate the contribution made by real speaker cabinets to great
		guitar sound.
		• Once the sound makes it out of the speaker cabinet, the next important link in
		the recording system is the microphone that receives that sound. Guitar
		recordists select different microphones, and arrange them in different
		placements, to get particular sounds. A microphone pointing directly into the
		cone of a speaker will hear something different than one positioned off-axis.
		Line 6 carefully analyzed the coloring that standard microphones add to the
		guitar sound, as well as the effects of different mic placement techniques, and
		developed a set of cabinet simulations that give you the tone of great speaker
		cabinet and microphone combinations.
		• The guitar amp, cabinet, and microphone don't just sit in empty space. The
		room that they are in contributes importantly to the guitar sound you will
		record. Reverb can be used to capture the basic character of the space,
		simulating the effect of the sound reflecting off the room's walls, floors and
		ceiling. But there are other subtle details that have more to do with the “spread”
		of the sound as it passes through the air between the speaker and microphone.
		This final component is the key to the sense that the listener is in one position
		in the room, and the guitar sound is in another position, and that the two are
		separated by a mass of air that sound spreads through to reach the listener.
		All of these important sound-shaping components are accounted for in Line 6's
		Flextone. Turn the Amp Model knob to call up the amplifier emulation you want.
		Flextone automatically matches that amplifier with an appropriate cabinet and
		microphone setup, and gives you the sound of that setup coming through the air of
		a recording space. You can add reverb to taste, and start recording incredible mic'd
		up sound. The included SoundDiver MIDI-control software lets you use a
		Macintosh or Windows computer to do “deep editing” of these and other Flextone

INTRODUCTION: FLEXTONE! MEET THE FLEXTONE....

parameters. With it, you can design your own custom rig, making new

1 • 7

combinations of Amp Model and cabinet/microphone emulation, and adjusting the contribution of the “spread” of the sound as well.

The A.I.R. direct recording output is exclusive to Line 6. In combination with Line 6's Amp Models, it is the key to Flextone’s phenomenally satisfying direct recording sound.

CUSTOMIZING YOUR AMP MODELS AND EFFECTS

New with version 2.0 software, you can customize the settings for each of Flextone’s Amp Models and Effects. This way, when you pull up an Amp Model or Effect via their knobs, you’ll get your very own favorite setting for that amp or effect, without having to do a lot of knob twiddling. Chapter 5 has all the details.

TONETRANSFER

With your Flextone, you get a constantly-expanding universe of sounds, and the ability to use those sounds with POD, POD Pro, or any of the Flextone II series amplifiers. Visit our ToneTransfer Web Library at www.line6.com, or one of the many other sources popping up for sound exchange. The sounds you collect transfer seamlessly between POD, POD Pro and Flextone II series amps, so wherever you go, all your sounds can make the trip.

AND AWAY WE GO....

So, now that you know what’s in store, it’s time to experience all this juicy Flextone fun 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....

GRAND TOUR: FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

GRAND TOUR

2 • 1

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.

If you have a Flextone II HD head, you’ll notice very slight differences with your front panel – for one thing, the power switch is on the front.

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.

3 Amp Models - When you spin this knob, it’s essentially like changing

what electronic “circuitry” is running inside the Flextone to make your amp sound (see Chapter 3 for descriptions of the Amp Models). We’ve arranged the Amp

GRAND TOUR: FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

			Models around the knob so you get Line 6’s four custom sounds first. From there,
			the models go clockwise from “cleanest” (Small Tweed) to “dirtiest” (Fuzz).
			New with Flextone II, you have a selection of 32 Amp Models from this knob (the
	2	• 2
			original Flextone could access only 16). To access models 17-32, hold down the
			TAP button and turn the Amp Models knob.
			When you choose an Amp Model, a Cabinet Model is also loaded automatically.
			For instance, when you choose the Brit Hi Gain model (based on the classic
			Marshall JCM 800 head), a Cabinet Model based on a Marshall 4x12 will be loaded
			with it. You can choose a different cabinet via the Effects/Cab knob (below).
			In fact, with Flextone II, all amp-related settings are automatically loaded when
			you turn the Amp Models knob. Drive, Bass, Mid, Treble, Cab, Reverb type, etc.
			will all be determined by the Amp Model you choose – giving you a ready-to-rock
			sound with the turn of just this one knob. Once you get familiar with your
			Flextone, you can change these Amp-associated settings to customize the settings
			of each of the Amp Models to fit your tastes. Note that when you are in Manual Mode
			the Drive, Bass, Middle, Treble, and Channel Volume are set by the knob positions
			instead of being automatically set with the amp selection. Complete details are in
			Chapter 6.

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 switched on and off when you hold the Tap Tempo button. The detail is in the Tap section that begins in just a couple more pages....

GRAND TOUR: FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

6 ChannelVolume - 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).

2 • 3

7 Reverb - How much reverb do you want today? Spin this knob to set the Reverb level. There are two flavors of reverb that live inside your Flextone; a 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 theTapTempo 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.

10 Manual Select Switch - Press this button to light it and activate Manual Mode. In this mode, wherever the knobs are set is what you’re hearing. Move knobs around to change sounds. Or....

GRAND TOUR: FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

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

2 • 4 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 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 (which lets you save and recall 36 channels) or FB4 foot controllers (see That’s UsingYour 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 - This control sets and displays the current tempo or speed of delay or tremolo/chorus/flange/rotary speaker. To use the Tap control, just tap the button at the tempo you want. For Chorus and Flange effects, the speed is actually displayed by the blinking of the button and set at twice the speed of the effect so you don’t have to count to 23 between taps if you want to set up a really slow chorus. And for Tremolo the tapped tempo is displayed and set at half the speed of the Tremolo effect, so you can get fast tremolo settings even if you can’t tap as fast as Bruce Lee. You can also simply hold the Tap 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 yourTap 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 controls for each of the Effect settings.

GRAND TOUR: FRONT PANEL CONTROLS
13 Tap (HOLD) Functions - The Tap button also lets you access a
second layer of Flextone features, labeled in gray: Amp Models 17-32, Cab Model
selection, Delay Feedback, Delay Level, a Noise Gate, a Presence Boost, a Volume
Boost, and a Drive Boost. Here’s the detail:	2 • 5

Amp Models 17-32: Hold down, and keep holding down, theTap button as you turn the Amp Models knob to select Amp Models 17-32. Appendix A lists these Amp Models and details about them. Chapter 4 describes them.

Cab Model Select (Effects Knob): Hold down, and keep holding down, the

Tap button as you turn the Effects knob to select Cab Models. The cab models are labeled in gray. You’ll find a list of the Cab Models at the end of Chapter 4.

Drive Boost On/Off (Drive Knob): Hold down, and keep holding down, the

Tap button as you turn the Drive knob up past twelve o’clock, and you get the kind of extra ‘dirt’ that you’d expect from a Distortion pedal with the distortion control set low and the output control set high. It boosts your guitar signal before it reaches the Amp Model, so that you hit the model harder and get a dirtier sound. This is just the same as kicking on the Distortion at the Floor Board (details in Chapter 7). As you do this, the Channel A light comes on if you turn the Distortion on.

Delay Repeats (Bass Knob): Hold down, and keep holding down, theTap button as you turn the Bass knob to set Delay Repeats any time you’re using a Delay effect. More Delay details are in the Effects Chapter.

Delay Level (Middle Knob): Hold down, and keep holding down, theTap button as you turn the Middle knob to set Delay Level any time you’re using a Delay effect. More Delay details are in the Effects Chapter.

GRAND TOUR: FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

Presence Bump On/Off (Treble Knob): Hold down, and keep holding down, theTap button as you turn theTreble knob up past twelve o’clock, and you get a Presence boost, brightening your tone. Same as the EQ boost on the Floor

2 • 6 Board (details in Chapter 7). As you do this, the Channel C light comes on if you turn the Presence “circuit” on.

Volume Boost On/Off (Chan Vol Knob): Hold down, and keep holding down, theTap button as you turn the Chan Vol knob up past twelve o’clock, and a Volume Boost kicks in. This boosts volume without extra ‘dirt’ – like for a lead boost. This is the same as kicking on Drive/Boost at the Floor Board (details in Chapter 7). As you do this, the Channel B light comes on if you turn the Drive Boost on.

Noise Gate On/Off (Reverb Knob): Hold down, and keep holding down, the

Tap button as you turn the Reverb knob up past twelve o’clock, and you’ll activate Flextone’s built-in Noise Gate. Turn below twelve o’clock to turn the Noise Gate off. As you do this, the Channel D light comes on if you turn the Noise Gate on.

Effect Speed (Effect Tweak Knob): Hold down, and keep holding down, the

Tap button as you turn the Effect Tweak knob to fine tune the current Effect’s speed. More Effect details are in the Effects Chapter.

13 Tap (HOLD) Latch Mode - Now that you’ve discovered the “second layer” of Flextone II features, you’re probably wishing you could tweak these controls while keeping one hand on your guitar... We heard ya, and your wish has been granted! We call it Latch Mode, and it allows you to adjust any of the “hold Tap and tweak...” controls without the use of your best Twister contortions. Here’s how it works: PressTAP and MANUAL simultaneously to enter Latch Mode, where all Flextone’s knobs perform their alternate functions, and when you’re finished tweaking, press any button - except SAVE - to exit.

GRAND TOUR: REAR PANEL

REAR PANEL

2 • 7

Power Connector - This is where you plug the end of the power cord that doesn’t connect to the wall socket.

Power Switch - The red button switch by the power connector is the ultimate digital control; On or Off. Choice is everything. You smart kids will recognize that this switch is on the front of the Flextone II HD.

Foot Pedal Connector - The jack that looks like a telephone connector on steroids is where you connect the Floor Board or FB4 foot controller.

MIDI In and Out - Jack your MIDI equipment in here to control channel selection, alter Flextone parameters, and more. This is also the magic connection for ToneTransfer and SoundDiver editing – see Chapter 7 for all the details.

Effects Send and Return - The Flextone’s Stereo Effect Send and

Return are pre-Master Volume.

UseThe Right Cable! - When hooking up your effect send/return, be sure to use a stereo cable to connect them to other devices. If you are connecting 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.

Note: If you use a mono cable, you will only get one side of the signal on the send, and

GRAND TOUR: REAR PANEL

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 2 • 8 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.

And note yet further: Additional details regarding the Flextone II HD’s effect loop are in the oft-mentioned Chapter 8.

Speaker Outs (Flextone II Plus, XL, and HD) - This is where

you can hook up external cabinets to be run by your Flextone amp. Please note, the Flextone XL and Plus are designed to be connected to 8Ω speaker loads only.

Flextone II XL – Plugging into either the Left or Right speaker connection disconnects the internal speaker and lets you run another 8Ω speaker cabinet instead.

Flextone II Plus – If you have a Flextone Plus, these jacks will be labeled Internal and External. Plugging into the Internal connection disconnects the internal speaker and lets you run another 8Ω speaker cabinet instead. The External connection is designed for the Flextone Cab. It supplies 50 Watts of power to the Flextone Cab, to give you a 100 Watt Stereo configuration.

Flextone II HD – Please check out Chapter 8, which describes the whole speaker out thing for the head in glorious detail.

Headphone Out - Plug your headphones into this jack to silence the internal speakers, providing you with private listening. (Now you’re ready for some all night shredding without waking the rest of the family!) The Master Volume

GRAND TOUR: REAR PANEL

knob controls the output level here, too, so be sure your level isn’t cranked up too high before strapping on the headphones.

Flextone II – If you have the 1x12 Flextone II, you can also use this jack as a

2 • 9

direct connection to your mixing board or recorder. Plugging into this output turns on the A.I.R. processing for speaker-mic-room emulation, so no direct box is needed for recording; just plug into this Direct Out for great sound right out of the box! The Master Volume controls the output level here, so be sure your level isn’t cranked up so high that it’s overdriving the input of your recorder when using this as a Direct Out.

Flextone II Plus, XL, and HD – If you have a Flextone Plus, XL or HD, you’ll

want to use the XLR direct outs when recording or playing live....

Plus/XL rear panel shown here. HD jacks and switch are at right side of rear panel

Dual Mode Direct Outs - One of the especially groovy features added to the Flextone Plus, XL, and HD when they became Flextone IIs is their Dual Mode Direct Outs. These versatile connections are designed to give you the perfect pair

GRAND TOUR: REAR PANEL

of direct connections for live performance and studio recording sessions. They’re powered by the Line 6 exclusive direct out technology that has made POD the new standard for guitar recording, and the revolutionary tone-tool for live performance.

2 • 10

Studio Mode – Slide the Live/Studio Switch to the Studio position, and the XLR Outputs will be +4 line level outputs with A.I.R. speaker-mic-room simulation, ready to plug right into your recorder to lay down your guitar parts. No hasseling with microphones (or neighbors annoyed by the ruckus) required! The speakers are disabled in this mode.

Live Mode – In Live Mode, the XLR Outputs are mic level, ready to plug in to the mic snakes you’ll probably find at your gigs. The direct out signal is speciallytailored for live sound and the speakers, of course, stay active to rock the house.

Ground Lift – This switch lifts the grounds on the XLRs. Use it to eliminate ground loops if you get ground hum when connecting to the XLR outputs.

GRAND TOUR: FLEXTONE FLAVORS

FLEXTONE FLAVORS

In case you haven’t noticed, the Flextone II actually comes in several different
flavors. Here’s what each one’s got:	2 • 11

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

Flextone II XL - This is the stereo, 100 watt setup (50 watts per side) with a pair of 12-inch speakers. It includes our unique Dual Mode Direct Outputs, as well as speaker outputs for connecting external speaker cabinets.

Flextone II Plus - This is the stereo, single 12-inch speaker setup. It includes our unique Dual Mode Direct Outputs, as well as speaker outputs for connecting external speaker cabinets. It also includes an extra power amp for powering the companion Flextone Cab. With no Flextone Cab, you get 60 watts of power. Plug in the Flextone Cab, and you’ve got 100 watts – 50 watts per side.

Flextone II HD - Rule the world with this stadium-ready, high power head. The Flextone II HD delivers the power and feel of two 100 Watt tube heads into any cabinet set-up (full power at 4, 8, or 16 ohms!) Includes Dual Mode direct outs, and a switchable Series/Parallel Effects Loop.

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.

Flextone Cab 212S - 2x12” speakers; 150 watts max.; Mono/Stereo operation, 4 or 8 ohms; removable casters. Tone big enough to fill a club, yet small enough to cart around in a Bug.

Flextone Cab 412S & 412SB - 4x12” speakers; 300 watts max.; Mono/Stereo operation, 2, 4, 8 or 16 ohm switchable; removable casters, metal handles and corners. Classic British design and monster tone!

MODELED AMPS & CABS: WHICH AMPS AND CABS ARE MODELED?

MODELED AMPS & CABS

WHICH AMPS AND CABS ARE MODELED?	3 •	1

Note: For the following description of the Line 6 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 modeling technology. The Line 6 modeling technology provides Flextone II 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.

There are 32 Amp Models living within your Flextone II, plus 16 Cab Model selections. When you turn the Amp Models knob, you select an Amp/Cab combination. You can then mix ’n’ match different cabs with the amp by holding the Tap button and turning the Effects knob. Chapter 5 tells you how you can customize these amp/cab combinations. We list all the Amp Models and the Cabinet Models below, and describe the original equipment that inspired them:

Line 6 Clean - To create this Amp Model, we essentially grafted the top end of a JC-120 (Roland’s popular “Jazz Chorus” solid state combo) onto the bottom end of a classic Marshall JTM-45 tube head, to give you the crisp and clear top end of a solid state amp, but with a rich, satisfying tube amp-style bottom.

MODELED AMPS & CABS: WHICH AMPS AND CABS ARE MODELED?

Line 6 Crunch - Our “boutique” sound. Not too clean, but not too raging. We spent some time with a rare Dumble combo, and picked up a few tricks from it to put together this tone. Great for modern blues or jazz, this sound should be like a fine cognac, smooth and warm going down, but with a nice kick. The Mid control is located before the Amp Model’s Drive, but the Bass and Treble controls are placed after the Drive for maximum range.

3 • 2

Line 6 Drive - Our version of the modern, super-saturated, high gain, lead amp; smooth, yet biting. All the tone controls here are post-Amp Model for maximum control with minimum muddiness. Again, this unique overdrive tone was created by merging different tone-shaping elements from different high-gain amps. It’s like playing through a collection of amps simultaneously – a studio technique that has made possible some of the greatest guitar tones of modern recordings (Line 6 Layer builds on this idea with even more versatility). With your Flextone, you can get this same kind of rich, multi-amp tone out of one combo, a feat that wouldn’t be possible with traditional guitar amps.

Line 6 Insane - Our goal here was to provide you with as much input gain distortion as possible short of complete meltdown. You get ridiculous, rich tube drive to shame the distortion of pretty much any amp on the planet (sort of like a Dual Rectifier on 10 being used as a preamp for a Soldano), while still retaining tonal definition and character. As a result, you get way lots of bottom end and cabinet character with tons of wide-ranging tone shaping. Crank up the Drive control and take no prisoners!

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 Mid for a darker jazz tone. It’ll give you an essentially flat response, providing a balanced tone across the fret board for jazz chord melodies or single-line phrasing.

MODELED AMPS & CABS: WHICH AMPS AND CABS ARE MODELED?

SmallTweed - 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-Amp Model

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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.

Tweed Blues - The classic ’59 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 Flextone’s Tweed Blues. Incidentally, when Jim Marshall built his first amps with Ken Bran they were heavily influenced by 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 your 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.

MODELED AMPS & CABS: WHICH AMPS AND CABS ARE MODELED?

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

3 • 4 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 your Flextone’s Mid knob so you can add some post-Amp Model 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.

Modern Class A - The ’96 Matchless Chieftain, which was studied for the Modern Class A selection, is a very expensive handmade amp. Originally designed to sound like a contemporary Vox, 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 - Music was changing in the early 60’s and guitarists were asking for more brilliance & twang. So the Jennings Company, makers of Vox amps, decided to add Treble and Bass controls (and an extra 12AX7 gain stage, incidentally); this additional circuit became known as Top Boost. The AC 30 with Top Boost was the amp made famous by many British invasion bands. Much of the unique character of the Vox sound can be attributed to the fact that Class A amps overdrive in a very different way than Class AB. Brian May of Queen, Mike Campbell of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, and The Edge of U2 have also used classic AC 30s to make their music. On this Amp Model, your Flextone’s Mid control acts like the Cut knob on the AC 30. Although usually played fairly clean, a