Helix LT... my pedal board build plans have been halted and probably / maybe scrapped?

bloodandtears

Voxman said:

bloodandtears said:

all my pedals are being listed as soon as I can be bothered to... I then need to decide whether I have the desire to upgrade from my HD500X to a Helix..   practically and flexibilty are great with this route, moder modellers are brillianr.. albeit eggs in basket

But then the old English grammar and spelling ...perhaps not quite so brilliant!?  No idea what a moder modeller is or what eggs in basket has to do with pedals!?   Perhaps just a wee bit too much sherry after dinner there @bloodandtears ;?! 

pedant!

The eggs in basket reference is in relation to the fact that a multi-fx modelling unit is quite often used in solitude.. if it fails you can't muddle through as you could if you merely had say a distortion pedal fail in an all analogue setup.

welshboyo

peteri said:

Musicman20 said:

welshboyo said:

Musicman20 said:

I have a feeling the digital market will continue to grow very quickly, which also means new models. This will leave the older models losing value compared to a set of pedals, which in some circumstances may even gain value. Not that it is all about value!

Whilst I would like to try a Helix, I do love just plugging a pedal into a tube amp.

With the amount of available technology these days all effects/units will never increase in value - this goes for everything - Strymons, Fractal, etc etc.

The days of any pedals increasing are long behind us.

And if we all bought such things as an investment then we are buying them as a investor rather than a musician....

The whole "Pedal into a Tube Amp" thing is a little cliche now...and thats coming from a valve amp snob...

It's not just the sound I like, it's having lots of separate effects all built especially for (usually) one function, and I really enjoy actually have the physical pedal in front of me....sounds silly but it is a bit like playing a record....

...and I'm not one for constantly looking into the past as all of my bass amp gear is super lightweight Class D and I sold my bass tube amp...

It's not even tube amps...I like using individual pedals anyway for some bizarre reason.

I might even venture into something like Helix but I'm going to wait another few years and see how things change.  

Absolutely the same for me, reading all the positive reviews on the Helix makes it attractive, and I'm far from a luddite - I've worked in IT my whole life, love my Apple watch etc.

I own, and really like the Timeline and Mobius.

But I just don't like the experience of changing settings, the sound quality is amazing now - for the first time, we now have the pedals interacting properly - I always found previously that yes it sounds like a Tubescreamer, but it doesn't impact the amplifier the way a TS would.

Now that's fixed.

But for me, bending down and changing a setting on a pedal is a different experience to on the Helix/Fractal - yes the UI is amazing and it's easy to do, but the act of looking at a screen engages another part of my brain and I just don't enjoy it so much.

One day I'll get a Helix for headphone use (at the moment I use my iPhone and Amplitube) - but for me, I like the pedals, and the idea that I can buy (or sell) anything I like is part of the hobby I enjoy.

You don't even have to bend down with the Helix ;-)

dindude

I also like the appeal of pedals with all the knobs laid out in front of you, I'm a constant micro-tweaker, but only if it's right there. My delay pedal has 4 modes on a toggle switch, and I even forget to explore those, goodness knows how little I'd end up exploring of the Helix.

It also reminds me a bit of when everyone moved over to racks in the 80's, all of a sudden they couldn't live without stereo effects and multiple processors, now everyone can't remember how they survived without a multi-path output with 4 delays - just because you can doesn't mean you should!

But, yes I would still like one as a very flamboyant headphone practice tool, and will probably punt when I'm feeling flush.

Wazmeister

All these opinions, and I respect and understand them and I've used them myself, will disappear when you play one.

The UI is truly inspirational, imho...

Maybe my own journey has opened my mind a bit to accept the brilliance of modelling when it works like this, I dunno...

guitarfishbay

dindude said:

It also reminds me a bit of when everyone moved over to racks in the 80's, all of a sudden they couldn't live without stereo effects and multiple processors, now everyone can't remember how they survived without a multi-path output with 4 delays - just because you can doesn't mean you should!

I still do everything in mono.  In fact my general philosophy with anything to do with music is to keep it as simple as possible.  The more stuff you add the more stuff you have to tweak.  It's easier to get 1 amp to sound good than 2 etc.

In general that's why I use my Axe FX for recording guitar but I use my Darkglass pedals for recording bass.  Getting a good guitar sound in the Axe FX is as simple as just pulling up an appropriate amp and cab sim and setting the controls.  Getting a bass tone I'd like requires setting up a bunch of routing and blending which I can't be bothered to do vs just plugging into my B7KU as all the options I need are right there on the pedal.

Moe_Zambeek

I for one welcome the transition to our new digital overlords, so I can buy some nice cheap obsolete pedals

dindude

I can just picture the new age "show us your pedalboard" thread with post after post showing their Helix's with slightly differently worded scribble strips.

dindude

  Wazmeister said:

All these opinions, and I respect and understand them and I've used them myself, will disappear when you play one.

The UI is truly inspirational, imho...

Maybe my own journey has opened my mind a bit to accept the brilliance of modelling when it works like this, I dunno...

To be fair, you are easily led astray (insert smiley). I'm going to get to see/hear one this coming Sunday and then based on this I may or may not take a punt.

Teetonetal

dindude said:

I can just picture the new age "show us your pedalboard" thread with post after post showing their Helix's with slightly differently worded scribble strips.

More interesting would be the let's hear you pedal board thread with (hopefully) creative minds runnIng riot. 

dindude

Teetonetal said:

dindude said:

I can just picture the new age "show us your pedalboard" thread with post after post showing their Helix's with slightly differently worded scribble strips.

More interesting would be the let's hear you pedal board thread with (hopefully) creative minds runnIng riot. 

But this a forum, a place to peacock your gear, not to create music!

peteri

Ok

I spent nearly an hour trying a LT yesterday on headphones.

Loved the amp models - definitely the best I've heard in terms of dynamics.

But there isn't an amazing range of overdrive pedals for my tastes, how successful are people finding using a pre-amp model in place of a distortion (for example the 5150 to replace a Wampler Pinnacle)?

VJIves

...I just caved, the Andertons triple points weekend tipped me over the edge. You can probably expect a ridiculous list of boutique pedals in the FS section next week.

VJIves

After spending three hours with the LT, I'm sold on it as a tool to make live shows easier but I can't imagine using it to write or record with.

JonHosker

Yep..sold on buying one....pedals ready to hit the classified here and maybe an amp as I think the FRFR amp route is better for me.
Probably take it stage by stage ...LT first..
Cheers

Wazmeister

peteri said:

Ok

I spent nearly an hour trying a LT yesterday on headphones.

Loved the amp models - definitely the best I've heard in terms of dynamics.

But there isn't an amazing range of overdrive pedals for my tastes, how successful are people finding using a pre-amp model in place of a distortion (for example the 5150 to replace a Wampler Pinnacle)?

Yes mate, early days for me but I have a tweed pre amp running into my (real) Carr Rambler. It really does sound good 

JonHosker

Heading Helix Lt. once I have sold two pedals, one board and a power supply (Sounds like the title of a film?)

Wazmeister

JonHosker said:

Heading Helix Lt. once I have sold two pedals, one board and a power supply (Sounds like the title of a film?)

Have you bought one yet mate ?

JonHosker

Funds permitting - next week!!
Selling three quality CS electrics at the moment to support home move...one guitar plan!

It'll be a 

Gretsch or 335

equalsql

In 10 years you'll get less for a Helix than a mini germanium fuzz-face, such is the pace of technology 

JonHosker

Yes...this is an issue..
That's caused some of my indecision.
But on balance...sound variety, cost versus an uber pedal board and home friendly...it seems the best solution.. ..