Helix pricing - WTF?

NelsonP · August 2017

£1,211 according to music radar

http://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/line-6-helix-636847

cbellanga · August 2017

Have a LT arriving tomorrow to try against my AX8.. £725 from Bax.

Beexter · August 2017

cbellanga said:

Have a LT arriving tomorrow to try against my AX8.. £725 from Bax.

Looking forward to the results of this one. Still loving my AX8. It is s SO flexible and has proved to be really effective for covering a wide variety of tones and I've still barely scratched the surface of what it can do.

Whilst the computer editor is a breeze to use, I'm still getting to grips with the hardware UI which is where the Helix trumps it without question. Sound wise, for ME, the AX8 is my preference so I'm really interested to hear your take once you have compared them.
At the price of the LT, it makes a compelling case for a Multi-fx using Fx only in front of a traditional amp set up.

Sporky · August 2017

I find it odd that people bother with all the comparison stuff. Buy one of 'em and get on with it. They're all up to any reasonable job.

Fretwired · August 2017

Sporky said:

I find it odd that people bother with all the comparison stuff. Buy one of 'em and get on with it. They're all up to any reasonable job.

^^

Wis awarded ....

guitarfishbay · August 2017

Sporky said:

I find it odd that people bother with all the comparison stuff. Buy one of 'em and get on with it. They're all up to any reasonable job.

Because it's expensive and people are picky with certain things, so it's likely they'd have a preference if they could compare.

People generally put plenty of thought in to buying instruments, what's different about gear?

Sporky · August 2017

I should clarify that I don't think ill of people who do do the comparisons, but once you own one...

I've always had a bit of a play with a thing, and if I reckon I'll get on with it I've gone all-in. Less thinking to do that way, less choice anxiety.

Other people may have different and equally valid approaches.

gearaddict · August 2017

Mine cost £725. Ha!

Loving it

Beexter · August 2017

Sporky said:

I find it odd that people bother with all the comparison stuff. Buy one of 'em and get on with it. They're all up to any reasonable job.

I have - I bought my AX8 new and it is the most I have ever spent on a bit of music equipment. I also took ages to make the decision to buy it and did so before the Helix LT was announced. I'm delighted with it. Of course, it could be improved in areas but even as it stands, it's a phenomenal bit of kit.
However, the Helix LT is almost half the price which is a big chunk of cash.

Most of the threads on here are based on opinions and I find other people's opinions interesting, simple as that,

robinbowes · August 2017

Sporky said:

I find it odd that people bother with all the comparison stuff. Buy one of 'em and get on with it. They're all up to any reasonable job.

I reckon gearheads just like trying gear, and sniffing the corks.

R.

guitarfishbay · August 2017

robinbowes said:

Sporky said:

I find it odd that people bother with all the comparison stuff. Buy one of 'em and get on with it. They're all up to any reasonable job.

I reckon gearheads just like trying gear, and sniffing the corks.

R.

I reckon some people have a vision for how they want things to sound or work, some musicians are creatives first and performers second.

In that scenario creation isn't enhanced by the gear - it's limited by it (as in imagination > gear limitations). How you want something to work in your head can override compromising on how the gear actually lets you do it... look at certain posters like Drew and Clarky etc and the lengths they go to in order for their style to be able to be performed.

Being a snob/cork sniffer is a separate thing and I'd wager most creative types are more driven by their want to be able to express what's in their head, or even just learn, than being a snob... but snobs exist too. I find a lot of snobs haven't actually really spent that much time with the gear they bash, whereas I know plenty of creatives who drive themselves mad comparing and it's nothing to do with being a snob and everything to do with how they understand and express their vision for music.

TDLR - most of the people I've met or spoken to who actually do proper comparisons are a lot more open minded and driven by knowledge or self expression than sniffing corks.

phase3 · August 2017

According to my local dealer - Yamaha 're aligned' prices throughout EUROPE on 1st August. Many of the big dealers will have bought considerable volume prior to this and can therefore comfortably hold 'old' pricing. Some dealers may be making a bit of hay - or genuinely having to buy at new prices. The market will be turbulent for a while i expect but it seems certain that the 'good deals' out there will not last for ever.
I've been using Helix rack for quite sometime now and have also had a lot of experience with Axe FX and Kemper. They'll pretty much all get you to the same place. The Helix will be quicker -much quicker, if you know what you're looking for. If you don't - the 'out of the box' sounds on Kemper & Axe may seem a little better or more amp like ... but Helix IS every bit a match for the others, and soooo much easier to dial in. Also Helix has huge momentum in the market place - it out sells the otherby a huge margin - so it ain't going away and with the might of Line6/Yamaha behind it - the future looks exciting.
I always get a bit confused by folk staring at their £1000-2000 ( and more) pedal boards who claim Helix is expensive?. You can actually go out and GIG for £750 (current price) with a Helix LT - straight into a PA. HUGE range of first rate sounds and effects. Surely there's nothing else out there like it?

sweepy · August 2017

I wonder if the price rises are to help cover the costs of Native and the discounts to Helix owners ?

Jonathanthomas83 · August 2017

guitarfishbay said:

robinbowes said:

Sporky said:

I find it odd that people bother with all the comparison stuff. Buy one of 'em and get on with it. They're all up to any reasonable job.

I reckon gearheads just like trying gear, and sniffing the corks.

R.

I reckon some people have a vision for how they want things to sound or work, some musicians are creatives first and performers second.

In that scenario creation isn't enhanced by the gear - it's limited by it (as in imagination > gear limitations). How you want something to work in your head can override compromising on how the gear actually lets you do it... look at certain posters like Drew and Clarky etc and the lengths they go to in order for their style to be able to be performed.

Being a snob/cork sniffer is a separate thing and I'd wager most creative types are more driven by their want to be able to express what's in their head, or even just learn, than being a snob... but snobs exist too. I find a lot of snobs haven't actually really spent that much time with the gear they bash, whereas I know plenty of creatives who drive themselves mad comparing and it's nothing to do with being a snob and everything to do with how they understand and express their vision for music.

TDLR - most of the people I've met or spoken to who actually do proper comparisons are a lot more open minded and driven by knowledge or self expression than sniffing corks.

This x1,000,000! Spot on!

NelsonP · August 2017

phase3 said:

According to my local dealer - Yamaha 're aligned' prices throughout EUROPE on 1st August. Many of the big dealers will have bought considerable volume prior to this and can therefore comfortably hold 'old' pricing. Some dealers may be making a bit of hay - or genuinely having to buy at new prices. The market will be turbulent for a while i expect but it seems certain that the 'good deals' out there will not last for ever.
I've been using Helix rack for quite sometime now and have also had a lot of experience with Axe FX and Kemper. They'll pretty much all get you to the same place. The Helix will be quicker -much quicker, if you know what you're looking for. If you don't - the 'out of the box' sounds on Kemper & Axe may seem a little better or more amp like ... but Helix IS every bit a match for the others, and soooo much easier to dial in. Also Helix has huge momentum in the market place - it out sells the otherby a huge margin - so it ain't going away and with the might of Line6/Yamaha behind it - the future looks exciting.
I always get a bit confused by folk staring at their £1000-2000 ( and more) pedal boards who claim Helix is expensive?. You can actually go out and GIG for £750 (current price) with a Helix LT - straight into a PA. HUGE range of first rate sounds and effects. Surely there's nothing else out there like it?

Its an interesting gamble. Helix LT at £725 is definitely a good buy but at £900+ I'd take the atomic amplifier 12 at £699 over it.

Full fat helix still a relative bargain vs fractal and kemper, but once it's been at near £1000 would anyone be prepared to pay as much as £1400? I'm not sure.

And that big of a price realignment is hard to justify. It's bigger than any post brexit currency movements.

Drew_TNBD · August 2017

£1400 for the Helix is not a bad price. Look at what you get... it's basically an Axe FX level product in a better form factor, with better usability, great build quality, tons of amps and effects, and the sound quality is impeccable.

I paid somewhere around £1080 for mine and don't feel I over spent. £1400 would've given me pause for thought... but then I look at the boards I've assembled over the years.... gotta have spent at least £6000 on single stomps by now! Jesus!!

Drew_TNBD · August 2017

Sporky said:

I find it odd that people bother with all the comparison stuff. Buy one of 'em and get on with it. They're all up to any reasonable job.

guitarfishbay said:

Sporky said:

I find it odd that people bother with all the comparison stuff. Buy one of 'em and get on with it. They're all up to any reasonable job.

Because it's expensive and people are picky with certain things, so it's likely they'd have a preference if they could compare.

People generally put plenty of thought in to buying instruments, what's different about gear?

Nah sometimes it's just fun. We didn't do that Axe VS Helix video to find the holiest of holies.. or for one of them raise gold in the mushroom cup... we were just interested to see what the sonic differences were.

guitarfishbay · August 2017

Drew_TNBD said:

£1400 for the Helix is not a bad price. Look at what you get... it's basically an Axe FX level product in a better form factor, with better usability, great build quality, tons of amps and effects, and the sound quality is impeccable.

I paid somewhere around £1080 for mine and don't feel I over spent. £1400 would've given me pause for thought... but then I look at the boards I've assembled over the years.... gotta have spent at least £6000 on single stomps by now! Jesus!!

£1400 is in line with Kemper and still less than the AX8. It's a fair price for what it is

Wazmeister · August 2017

Im with @guitarfishbay here...

£1400 is great value for the Helix or Fractal; they offer SO much

John_A · August 2017

NelsonP said:

Its an interesting gamble. Helix LT at £725 is definitely a good buy but at £900+ I'd take the atomic amplifier 12 at £699 over it.

Full fat helix still a relative bargain vs fractal and kemper, but once it's been at near £1000 would anyone be prepared to pay as much as £1400? I'm not sure.

And that big of a price realignment is hard to justify. It's bigger than any post brexit currency movements.

I think they are currently underpriced, at £900/£1400 they are excellent value, if mine was stolen I'd pay £1400 for a new one without thinking twice, it's saved me a small fortune in amps and fx made gigging and home recording far easier and better sounding, and the updates have been amazing.

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Helix pricing - WTF?

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