Line 6 opens the doors to its amp collection room and showcases its finest vintage treasures
In the latest Backstage With Line 6 video, sound designer Ben Adrian shows off some of the firm’s rarest pieces
Ever questioned whether or not the amp modelling firms of the world have rooms stuffed with great vintage gear? Well, the latest video from Line 6 confirms that, yes – yes they do…
In the short clip above, Line 6 sound designer Ben Adrian takes you on a quick tour of the firm’s amp collection. Among them is a heady blend of classic gear from Marshall, Fender, Vox and Orange units, through to boutique builders like Dr. Z.
Some of the highlights that Adrian points out include a trio of tweed Fenders with two-pronged plugs, a 1939 Gibson amp with a field coil speaker, and some vintage Vox combos that date to the early 1960s, before the famed Top Boost circuit was introduced.
Adrian reveals that – among his other responsibilities – he was given the enviable role of keeping this collection ticking over, pulling out an amp or two a week to play and ensure it's still operational.
“When I was a kid I wanted to be a scientist or a musician,” says Adrian. “And I have this job now where I get to be a scientist about musicians.
“I get to dig into gear and figure out the way things sound and behave. To figure out why players like the way things sound and why certain guitars and amps work well.”
We have to admit, we can certainly think of worse ways to spend our days...
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Matt is Features Editor for GuitarWorld.com. Before that he spent 10 years as a freelance music journalist, interviewing artists for the likes of Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, MusicRadar, NME.com, DJ Mag and Electronic Sound. In 2020, he launched CreativeMoney.co.uk, which aims to share the ideas that make creative lifestyles more sustainable. He plays guitar, but should not be allowed near your delay pedals.
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