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Each amp model has two variants indicated by blue and amber LEDs

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The Line 6 brand was built on modelling technology, so when the company announced that it had teamed up with boutique amplifier guru Reinhold Bogner to design a genuine valve amp promising all the versatility of a digital modeller, it caused something of a stir in the industry.

Some might have expected Line 6's first foray into valve technology to be a high-end, all-singing, all-dancing Vetta-style combo. Instead they have shrewdly opted for a simpler front end that offers 12 new amp models - two variations each of clean, twang, blues, crunch, metal and insane - along with a simple effects section that will be familiar to users of the solid-state Spider series.

Heaving the combo out of its box it's thankfully not the heaviest 2 x 12 we have encountered, but nonetheless Line 6 has helpfully included a set of casters, which can be fitted to make transportation a little easier.

Cabinet construction is neat and tidy and consistent with similar mid-priced combos. It's reassuring to note that Line 6 and Bogner have also opted for quality internal components in the shape of Celestion Vintage 30 drivers and Sprague Orange Drop capacitors.

We were disappointed not to see at least a basic FBV2 footswitch included as part of the package; 36 user and hundreds of artist preset sounds are all well and good, but to switch between them on the fly at a gig or rehearsal you'll have to splash a little more of your hard-earned.

On powering up an array of blue and amber LEDs skitter across the understated front panel, which as well as the aforementioned amp model and effects controls includes a digital display that enables you to navigate your way through preset banks and also offers a visual reference for the tuner which is activated by holding the effects section's tap tempo button for two seconds.

The tap tempo button also offers other functions; adding a distortion boost when you press and hold it in conjunction with turning the drive control past 12 o'clock, and engaging a noise gate when you do the same with the reverb control.

We don't have the space here to go into detail about the various amplifiers that Line 6 and Bogner have modelled, but suffice to say the usual smorgasbord of Fender, Vox, Marshall and Boogie flavours is provided for your delectation. Now, just how juicy is this Spider...?

In use

Most players are likely to dive straight into the myriad presets in order to gauge the amp's tonal range, so this is our starting point too. As ever, whether or not some of these sounds truly capture the iconic tone of any given song or artist is always going to be hugely subjective and dependent on both the instrument you choose to use and your playing style.

To our ears, the effects and gain levels are often rather overcooked, but at least there's an indication that for anyone who requires lots of very different sounds on tap, be that performing covers in a function band or playing a diverse selection of original material, the Spider Valve has a lot to offer.