Helix... how digital dare you go?

Strat_a_tat_tat

Helix is getting so much love nowadays... so I wondered, is anybody here using Helix with a Line 6 Variax guitar?

Any comments on what it performs like?

Thanks

Cabicular

Me
great
my wanted dead or alive patch is genius

Strat_a_tat_tat

Cabicular said:

Me
great

Yeah... we know you're great... but what about the Variax?  :-)

Which model are you using?

Do you gig it?

sgosden

How stevic (12 foot ninja) uses his is incredible.

I'm a luddite, wouldn't know how to be that creative.

Cabicular

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

Cabicular said:

Me
great

Yeah... we know you're great... but what about the Variax?  :-)

Which model are you using?

Do you gig it?

I'm using a JTV 69
I'm periodically gigging it depending on the gig and if I have the room for another guitar
I used it for the wedding band when I was doing that. Adding banjos 12 strings a simulated mandolins
The flexibility is amazing. You can change all the parameters with snapshots. I setup up a couple of paths. One with an acoustic IR compressor and reverb and another with a guitar amp
I put a gain block in front of each one set to zero  and then switch them on and off to flip between the paths 
I have snapshots for
12 string acoustic with drop D
12 string acoustic in Mandolin tuning
6 string acoustic standard
6 string acoustic DADGAD
Lester1 Standard tuning into a Badonk and a delay
Lester 1 in Open Drop C (just for fucking about)

I should probably do a little vid on it if folk are interested

Strat_a_tat_tat

@Cabicular. Thanks for the info. A video would be very interesting.

What's the JTV like in terms of 'feel'... as a regular electric guitar?

Cabicular

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

@Cabicular. Thanks for the info. A video would be very interesting.

What's the JTV like in terms of 'feel'... as a regular electric guitar?

Its perfectly acceptable
It won't set your world on fire but you won't struggle to play it.
I could tell the difference between the modelled Electrics and the Mags unless I knew I was on one or t'other. No real latency. The key to good acoustic sound with them is good EQ, soft plectrum and a gentle touch.
I would struggle to take it as my only guitar but thats more down to my own snobbery rather than anything being wrong with it

Strat_a_tat_tat

Cabicular said:
I would struggle to take it as my only guitar but thats more down to my own snobbery rather than anything being wrong with it

Thanks for the info.

Yes... your final sentence applies to me as well, I think. I imagine a JTV would struggle to feel as resonant in the hand... as say a decent CS Strat.

Still... I might give one a try. A few dealers seem to be selling them at a bit of a discount. :-)

fretmeister

I'd love to try one - the idea of footswitching to different guitar types is just witchcraft!

The new Shuriken is a bit teenage metal head for me these days but it looks to be a great idea. Maybe I'll get one and paint it.

fretmeister

Smeg.

Now I don't care about the silly look of it. I want it.

Voxman

I tried a JTV59 at Yamaha Music when I went to try out the Pacifica 611. Conceptually brilliant, but in practice I just hated it both functionality wise and tonally.  Sounded nothing like the guitars it purported to model & I was very disappointed with it. But trying to remember which model was which was a nightmare - sometimes the p/up selector changed pickup positions of the modelled guitar, other times it changed the guitar model. Hard enough with a chart in front of you - onstage?  Bloody nightmare!

I suppose if you have a Line 6 Helix or even a Pod HD whereby you can pre-programme everything to change guitar and amp/cab/effects patch simultaneously, then I can see the advantages.  But as a practical gigging guitar, thanks but no thanks - I'll stick with my proper guitars. 

Musicman20

I went to see My Vitriol a month or so back, and they were both using a Variax guitar. No amps on stage, just monitors and the PA pushing the sound of the band. I couldn't see if they were using Helix.

It sounded clear, but it missed something....maybe not just volume...

Cabicular

Voxman said:

I tried a JTV59 at Yamaha Music when I went to try out the Pacifica 611. Conceptually brilliant, but in practice I just hated it both functionality wise and tonally.  Sounded nothing like the guitars it purported to model & I was very disappointed with it. But trying to remember which model was which was a nightmare - sometimes the p/up selector changed pickup positions of the modelled guitar, other times it changed the guitar model. Hard enough with a chart in front of you - onstage?  Bloody nightmare!

I suppose if you have a Line 6 Helix or even a Pod HD whereby you can pre-programme everything to change guitar and amp/cab/effects patch simultaneously, then I can see the advantages.  But as a practical gigging guitar, thanks but no thanks - I'll stick with my proper guitars. 

The models don't sound what they are modelling 
or more importantly feel wrong
I just kind of treat it like Lester 1 = humbucker
strat 5 = single coil 
You can also switch between Variax and mags on the Helix

hubobulous

I can see how a Variax plus Helix could work for our take on an acoustic set. Mostly acoustic, but some songs with loops and layers of electric, (clean and OD), etc. Never played one, but my interest is piqued