HELP! Line 6 Spider 3 150watt lacks growl

[sixx_ gunner]

I traded a guitar and some cash for this at the beginning of the year.For the most part I am very happy with the cleans and other presest but.... I have spent some time on the Line 6 forums and have checked out the user settings suggestions made by others there, but just can't seem to get the growl I am looking for. I tried the Megadeth, Metallica, etc suggestions but the amp just doesn't have that gritty rasp I am looking for.
Examples: Lay it down-Ratt, Bark at the Moon-Ozzy, Anything GnR, of course any early VH and Scorpions. There are presets, but they just don't have the balls gritty sound like these.
With all the presets and user inputs available, I was thinking I could get real damn close. I have tweaked it till I am ready to go cross eyed!
Can someone share a little experience on how to make this very flexible amp become a keeper for me? Would putting a SD-1 in the chain help more then anything?
I am playing at bedroom volumes and do not play out anywhere.
Please don't tell me to sell it or get another, that is not an option at this point. I have spent enough cash on this stuff for the year and am tapped out.
Gimmie some of your suggestions so I can love this amp....

[chrisolson]

I can't speak DIRECTLY of the S3, but I had the SpiderValve and SpiderValve 2. My favorite setting was a Plexi-style slammed with an SD1. It was my favorite (and pretty much ONLY) way to play it. Uber-crunchy.

I'm not sure how not having tubes in the mix will effect it.

Run your SD1 with the level about 3:00, gain about 9:00, and tone about 12:00.

[DalyTek]

Most of those bands have their own presets built into the Spider III, at least they do on my Spider III 75-watt combo.
I know a lot of functionality was removed from the heads though. Does yours have the 400+ presets?

[horns666]

Ummm..those presets suck da' balls!

I wouldn't slam the Line 6 syder with the boss. That'll sound like ass. The amp IS a distortion box with a HUGE amount of gain on tap. I suggest using the insane channel, back off on the drive, turn up the mids, and tap your own delays and such as required.

I have ZERO problems getting the tones listed above. Let your ears be the judge..you'll get it. But that amp will get shrill over a loud drummer..like most SS amps. It's loud 'nuff for gigs and such..but really not for live jammin'. Ironically, I was showin' my kid "BATM" today. I'm prolly playing it wrong..but it sure sounded right..flange/delay and all. It does a mean Eruption too..and ect.

I'd assume the spider valve may be a different story...I dunno.

I enjoy line 6 amps..they're fun to play.

[sixx_ gunner]

Thanks for the input so far.I will keep trying, my ears are hearing the amp as too light sounding for what I want...
Here is mine:

[Twitch]

Most of those bands have their own presets built into the Spider III, at least they do on my Spider III 75-watt combo.
I know a lot of functionality was removed from the heads though. Does yours have the 400+ presets?

Correction, Spider III HEAD.

[DalyTek]

Correction, Spider III HEAD.

Haha..yeah it's a head NOW, but was originally a combo. Some of the Spider heads that were designed as heads were lacking in the features compared to the combos. He's got the 140-watt combo anyway. For some reason I was thinking he had the 150-watt head.

sixx_gunner, maybe it's sounding too light because of the tuning of the guitar? A lot of the heavier stuff is heavily drop tuned...