Considering FX pedals again... Now Un-Helixed... Hexit?!

stickyfiddle

So I have a Helix. It is extremely clever and capable (frankly much more than I am, most days) but I'm finding myself missing "real" pedals rather more than expected. ( @Kebabkid predicted this happening...) Specifically I'm missing good pitch shifting and better reverbs and really fancy Strymon Deco and a Small Stone phaser, which are really the only missing things from the Helix, but as hard as I try I can't get close to those sounds with the Line 6. What it's really brought home is that actually I don't want to experiment and I know what I like (my own Rat, a couple of home built boosters, and recently the Anarchy Gold Class I picked up in Oz), so all those other options are going unused. 

The good news is I got a stonking deal on the Helix (under 1k shipped from to the UAE including import costs) and should be able to sell it here for more than I paid, since noone sells them here.

I still have all my favourite dirts and drives, and the sale of the Helix would free up funds for a Deco, a Digitech Ricochet, a used Small Stone (or a @Juansolo special, more likely) and a reverb (have they discontinued the Digitech Supernatural? SCANDAL!) . All I'd need to work out is what delay I fancy and I'd have an awesome fun pedal board and honestly not miss the Helix. And I actually really like designing and building pedalboards, so I'll actually enjoy that process over the course of a few months. 

Am I mad?

Are we all mad? 

Does anyone have any opinions on delay pedals (other than screeching "TIMELINE!" at me)?

Does anyone want to sell me a Deco for £15.99 and a multipack of curly wurlies?

stickyfiddle

(was that single lol my wife..?) 

JDE

stickyfiddle said:

What it's really brought home is that actually I don't want to experiment and I know what I like 

For me, this sentence has totally summed up my recent gear binge and purge. You're not mad. Well, if you are, I am too.

Fretwired

Strymon Dig ... Strymon El Capistan .. they work well with the Deco .. I have all three .. :-)

ThorpyFX

The best delay pedal around is the Moog-MF104M... but it think they cost more than a helix at this point. A close second though.... is the new Boss DM-2W, which is much better than you'd expect considering the price point. 

dindude

Welcome back

dindude

What are you looking for from a delay, simplicity or something with options?

stickyfiddle

dindude said:

Welcome back

I figured someone would say that. 

For delays, I've previously been a bit whelmed with Strymon stuff. I've had a Timefactor 3 times and they're getting silly cheap (for certain values of "cheap"!) these days so that's the default. 

I had a Timeline for a bit and it was very competent but just a little meh. Given I'm set on a Deco which can cover slapback I just fancy seeing what else is about. Part of me wonders if a Pigtronix would be good, but I recall @monquixote (I think) had no end of trouble with his, which is not ideal when you're 1000+ miles from a dealer.  Boss DD500, maybe? I really want flexible stereo/parallel delays, but not mega fussy on other details as they're all the same these days, aren't they?

Maybe another Timefactor would be good... :rolleyes: But they're a pain to power...

Grunfeld

stickyfiddle said:

Am I mad?

Are we all mad? 

Does anyone have any opinions on delay pedals (other than screeching "TIMELINE!" at me)?

Not mad -- the power of the Helix, and the efficiency, is really attractive... but...
I like pedals for their tangibility, their Velcro-y stickiness, and that point about knowing what I like.
So...
sounds like you want an echo of some sophistication.  Or if you're pragmatic, a DD-7, cos it covers all practical bases.
My favourite delays are all basically one-trick ponies. 
Boss RE-20
Catlinbread Echorec
Catlinbread Belle Epoch
They do what they do really well.  And... I know what I like.

guitarfishbay

ThorpyFX said:

The best delay pedal around is the Moog-MF104M... but it think they cost more than a helix at this point. A close second though.... is the new Boss DM-2W, which is much better than you'd expect considering the price point. 

My g/f's dad has a Moog delay (and a few other big Moog pedals) and loaned me it a while back. They're really great, totally understand the draw of analogue delay after trying it. His partner doesn't know how much his Moog pedal collection cost, probably for the best lol

siraxeman

Try the awesome  "no man ever went to the moon" reverb pedal and the unbelievable Flat Earth pitch shifter. Well worth flogging the helix to find. And even though you like some of the drives you kept you gotta go try the Edge of Earth od/dist pedal. They're not cheap but they're "the truth" range of amazeballs pedals. Check 'em! ;-)

dindude

Hhhmmm, for the all singing / dancing the timeline / timefactit / DD500 still seem to be the default options. I've never personally owned any of them because they have evil menus.

stickyfiddle

siraxeman said:

Try the awesome  "no man ever went to the moon" reverb pedal and the unbelievable Flat Earth pitch shifter. Well worth flogging the helix to find. And even though you like some of the drives you kept you gotta go try the Edge of Earth od/dist pedal. They're not cheap but they're "the truth" range of amazeballs pedals. Check 'em! ;-)I 

I see what you did there

stickyfiddle

dindude said:

Hhhmmm, for the all singing / dancing the timeline / timefactit / DD500 still seem to be the default options. I've never personally owned any of them because they have evil menus.

I think that's why I like the TF - because it has so many knobs you spend virtually no time menu-diving. Every model gets 2 delay paths and standalone party trick (modulation or tape decay or whatever). It helps that I've been using them for 10 years now, on and off.

stickyfiddle

The Empress Echosystem looks fun. Need to see some videos...

Drew_TNBD

I'd keep it and add extra pedals to the FX loops.

I'm in the opposite boat - really wondering if I should flog all my other pedals!

stickyfiddle

Drew_TNBD said:

I'd keep it and add extra pedals to the FX loops.

I'm in the opposite boat - really wondering if I should flog all my other pedals!

I did wonder about that, but all those loops would mean a) even more money and b) even more space needed, which defeats the point for me a bit. 

If I was gigging I'm pretty sure I'd be all-in with the Helix for ease of use and sheer capability, or just 2 dirts and a delay, depending on the band! But for home use I've realised I really am a tinkerer and I'm ok with that. I like the "thing-ness" of real pedals.

Drew_TNBD

stickyfiddle said:

Drew_TNBD said:

I'd keep it and add extra pedals to the FX loops.

I'm in the opposite boat - really wondering if I should flog all my other pedals!

I did wonder about that, but all those loops would mean a) even more money and b) even more space needed, which defeats the point for me a bit. 

If I was gigging I'm pretty sure I'd be all-in with the Helix for ease of use and sheer capability, or just 2 dirts and a delay, depending on the band! But for home use I've realised I really am a tinkerer and I'm ok with that. I like the "thing-ness" of real pedals.

Yeah that's kind of why I suggested it. You're not beholden to weight, or moving the setup around every week... you can just work on a nice setup for home and use the Helix as the central command unit and audio interface for recording.

stickyfiddle

Drew_TNBD said:

stickyfiddle said:

Drew_TNBD said:

I'd keep it and add extra pedals to the FX loops.

I'm in the opposite boat - really wondering if I should flog all my other pedals!

I did wonder about that, but all those loops would mean a) even more money and b) even more space needed, which defeats the point for me a bit. 

If I was gigging I'm pretty sure I'd be all-in with the Helix for ease of use and sheer capability, or just 2 dirts and a delay, depending on the band! But for home use I've realised I really am a tinkerer and I'm ok with that. I like the "thing-ness" of real pedals.

Yeah that's kind of why I suggested it. You're not beholden to weight, or moving the setup around every week... you can just work on a nice setup for home and use the Helix as the central command unit and audio interface for recording.

True, it just feels like overkill. when 2/3 of the pedals I want to use will be in loops. Also, I have a specific bit of cupboard I want it all to fit in, and it won't if I put the Helix onto an even bigger board!

Teetonetal

The joy of helix for me is as a home studio hub or as a compact fx board.

Just playing at home with volume and not wanting to experiment I think I'd stick with pedsls and amp.

menamestom

Not trying to change your mind but it might be worth waiting for the next firmware update, no idea what the 7 new effects are but they could include exactly what you are after.