I just find myself thinking this all of a sudden, but perhaps should have done it when I got my Boss MS-3 - that's nice, does a lot, has made my pedal board very user friendly. But really, a few hundred quid more at the time, and I could have done away with all the mess of wires under the board, and got a nice streamlined Helix LT, that I presume would do everything I could need and more.
So have I been a fool and daft to resist doing this as long as I have? Or just having a funny turn?
I'd probably only be using the LT as an FX device to replace the board i.e. guitar into LT into clean amp, although I guess that could change in time, and it would still be good to know I've got the amp modelling and IR capabilities. Anyhow - does this make sense? - I'm thinking I could sell up most of the stuff on the board to raise a bit towards the cost, and it wouldn't be too painful financially as a result, although I'd probably have to get the LT, then sell the pedals and MS-3 in that order. Am I being blind to significant downsides?
Another of those should I/shouldn't I re the Helix threads I know, probably impossible to answer, but I welcome your thoughts all the same, cheers.
Comments
Now if you want to use the amp sims, use it as a recording interface etc... then yup go for it, it's amazing.
A good way in is borrow a unit, or buy second hand so that you can move it on at no loss if it doesn’t work for you.
What would concern me most would be distortion/overdrive. After a lot of experimentation I've got a couple of pedals on my board that satisfy my needs and make me feel good when I play classic rocky stuff: an EHZ English Muff'n and a Rat. I've never quite managed to get what I get from these at gig volume using multi effects units (although I've never had a Helix) and my feeling is that it's probably quite hard to do that (for me). It's quite a subtle thing! I also play jazz and ASB type stuff and I'd probably (I'm guessing) be quite satisfied with a Helix into my valve amp for those genres, but rocky stuff is not so easy in my book.
I wouldn't be so worried about finding satisfying delays and other effects on a good multi effects unit, even for classic rock, but I'd make quite sure I didn't get rid of my fave distortions prematurely.
Secondly, changing pedal settings without bending down, or carrying duplicates. In the example above you might need two reverb pedals. There are times when I’ve wanted different wah voicings for verse and solo, and not wanted to carry two wahs.
Cheers, to be fair, I never got to the stage of buying top line Strymon or Eventide units anyhow, but I like the idea that something such as a Helix or Fractal is capable of getting into that kind of territory. And the operational convenience, if honest, is a biggie for me, with a view to gigging - yes the MS-3 has made my life a lot easier, but I suspect Helix (or indeed Fractal) would make it easier still. The Helix appeals especially because of the nice screen and interface. And yes, I should probably try to try one out, that would tell me a lot.
Like you, I have a couple of drive pedals I'm very attached to: RAT (Turbo version, actually just a cheap clone) and a DopeFX Black Lotus. I'd have to be very convinced the Helix could get those sounds before selling those, and still might not even if it did. So with you there! As to the general gig volume use of multi FX issue, I guess my MS-3 is a multi basically, and it works out fine for me re the sound. I too play jazz as it happens - a lot of those gigs are just guitar into Polytone amp, and that might not change. But I do love using all the kinds of sound I can get with FX.
People will help. Just pick up the phone.
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
If if I was gigging it might be a different story, but I ain’t, so it ain’t.
Understood @stickyfiddle - I've read your threads re going Helix, and then going back to pedals again with interest. At least you tried it, so you know what it is you're turning down. Maybe I need to do that as well, and see where I stand. Has to be an individual call in the end I guess.
So it could be a largely irrational want on my part, and not much of a need - and I've calmed down a bit now, but the itch is still there - I keep watching Helix demos... help!
For ease of workflow, flexibility, convenience, etc, the Helix is very appealing, and the effects are good, but I ended up preferring pedals.
Teetonetal said: @Megii don't get me wrong I love helix a lot, but as an fx only device, I think it's kinda not much of a step up.
Also a very fair observation to make, appreciated @Teetonetal - I guess if I did do it, then I would probably be looking to use with an FRFR setup ultimately, and with an amp would maybe be a staging post on the way to that. What I seem to be getting from this thread is that it's a questionable thing to buy for anyone not interested in that kind o@
BintyTwanger77 said: Megii said: sweepy said: Buy a Line 6 M13, job done Cheers! And forgive me asking, but really? Are the mods/delays/verbs etc. on that up to top line Eventide/Strymon etc. standard. Are the drives indistinguishable from analog pedal equivalents? The ease of use equivalent to a Helix? Without having ever tried an M13 I admit, that does seem to me like a sideways move from my current MS-3 board at best. Only my ears judging it, but I don't think the effects on the Helix are at the same level as Strymon/Eventide, etc. Fractal effects get closer, but even then I still preferred Strymons by a healthy margin.
For ease of workflow, flexibility, convenience, etc, the Helix is very appealing, and the effects are good, but I ended up preferring pedals. Appreciate your saying, cheers @BintyTwanger77
Fwiw helix is very easy to use, is very flexible and line 6 have been releasing great updates. It might be a case of once you have it you get sucked into exploring it's options... but we've seen quite a few threads from people who can't shake off the amp part, be non plussed with the fx and move on.
Just go test one and put your mind at rest.