Line 6 Helix

guitarfishbay

digitalscream said:

Yep - that's the price I bought mine at (on HP, ended up about £33/month). It's probably the best value I've ever had in buying a new bit of gear.

This afternoon has demonstrated why...the other guitarist, the bassist and I got together at a local rehearsal studio with fairly flat-sounding acoustic treatment to sort out our recording tones through laptop and monitors.

Other guitarist (Blackstar HT-100 -> dummy load -> interface) - loads of tweaking and mucking around, took about 45 minutes.
Bassist (Darkglass-based board -> Helix cabs -> interface) - less tweaking, took about 15 minutes.
Me (Helix) - copied live patch, adjusted bass on rhythm snapshot, done. Took approximately 3 minutes.

This thing is like witchcraft, only real.

I really think Digital is the way to go for self recording these days. Drew sent me some reamped parts through his valve amp and while I did think it had some really nice qualities to it I didn't feel I needed to rush out and buy a valve amp for recording again. Especially when I think of all the noise and cabling involved, killing my ears on headphones trying to place a mic etc 

Clarky

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Clarky said:

FarleyUK said:

Clarky said:

guitarfishbay said:

John_A said:

FarleyUK said:

I'm looking to try an AX8 in comparison to my Helix, and possibly replace it. Anyone else here done that? From everything I've read and heard, the tones and the 'feel' of the AX8 seem better than the Helix.

Had the two side-by side and it's really too close to call.  An Axe-8 that's been well programmed in the hands of a good player will sounds great, so will a Helix and Vice-Versa.  By all means give it a go, but if you're not getting anything that pleases you out of he Helix I wouldn't expect miracles out of the Axe-8

Yeah it's subjective.

For some people there'll be nothing much in it and for others there'll be plenty, and potentially in either direction. 

As far as I'm concerned there are a bunch of amps I can pull up on the Fractal and get the sound and dynamics I want really fast.  With Native I'd spend several minutes trying to work out why I couldn't, and I just found it frustrating and extremely slow - part of that is the plugin interface (which won't apply here), which needs scrolling to reach all the amp controls I want to use.  But for the sounds I want there was more than enough in it for me.  .

For other sounds I like but don't use as much, less so - the Helix Vox models are pretty nice I thought and I've owned an AC30 before.  And for bass, currently I'd take a Helix over a Fractal (though it looks like Fractal might be starting to look at bass gear).  There are a load of good sounds in it. 

Just for higher gained modern rock sounds I think that's pretty much the Fractal's forte, there are 8 5150 channels, 7 Rectifier channels, 11 Boogie Mark, 7 Friedman, and 35+ Marshall models in there.  It probably is OTT, but the idea is if one doesn't work another will.  Realistically you only need a couple of models that work, but it can be faster trying different shades of that than trying to tweak advanced settings, or at least that's what I find anyway.

the other thing with the Axe-FX [don't know if it's the same with the AX-8] is the customisation..
I have a JCM800 and set the Phase Inverter post master volume
it goes nuts.. turns into this mental hi-gain beast..
you have to do a few other things to keep the low in under control [like emulate a TS-808 set clean]..
but it's awesome.. 

That's another big reason as to why I'd like an AX8 as well - the amp tweaking options are much more fleshed out. I'm always tweaking with my tube amps (modded my JVMHJS and AFD100), so the ability to do it 'virtually' is very very appealing.

Plus - they have a crap-ton more amps (including Silver Jubilee!).

and.... if the JCM800 is too harsh in the highs, swap out the EL34's with KT88's

Well, the timing of that was absolutely perfect!!! Thanks for that. I've been struggling with the highs on the JCM model. @Clarky where are you doing the phase inversion stuff? Where's the setting?

in Axe-Edit: Amp / Power Amp / Power Tube Type drop menu on the bottom left
front panel: Layout / select the amp block / edit / PWR tab / Tube Type

Clarky

Sporky said:

gearaddict said:

Is there a sustainer type effect in the helix? Kind of like the sustainiac sort of thing?

I'm not sure how you'd do that. They could do something like the Boss DF2 or EHX Freeze (nothing currently) but the Sustainiac works directly on the strings. No pedal sounds or behaves the same way.

or just get an e-bow

Jonathanthomas83

Clarky said:

Sporky said:

gearaddict said:

Is there a sustainer type effect in the helix? Kind of like the sustainiac sort of thing?

I'm not sure how you'd do that. They could do something like the Boss DF2 or EHX Freeze (nothing currently) but the Sustainiac works directly on the strings. No pedal sounds or behaves the same way.

or just get an e-bow

This.

There are two types of sustain we're talking about here. The Freeze and Superego can be (sort of achieved) with a hold function on a reverb (or delay). But the sustainiac is pretty much mimicking what the ebow does...I don't think any pedal really does that well (not sure any has attempted to either).

Jonathanthomas83

Clarky said:

in Axe-Edit: Amp / Power Amp / Power Tube Type drop menu on the bottom left
front panel: Layout / select the amp block / edit / PWR tab / Tube Type

Superb, thank you! :-)

Sporky

Clarky said: 

Sporky said:

gearaddict said:

Is there a sustainer type effect in the helix? Kind of like the sustainiac sort of thing?

I'm not sure how you'd do that. They could do something like the Boss DF2 or EHX Freeze (nothing currently) but the Sustainiac works directly on the strings. No pedal sounds or behaves the same way.

or just get an e-bow

I don't feel the ebow and the Sustainiac are that similar. I know the same profile is used in both, but the ebow is more like using a violin bow out similar, the Sustainiac is like standing in front of the biggest amp in the world with the gain right up. The Sustainiac feels like part of the instrument to me, the ebow is like a different story of plectrum.

BintyTwanger77

Wazmeister said:

@BintyTwanger77 - Id jump on that pretty quick if I was you mate, as they will go up in price.

I'm sorely tempted to bag one now, but I've spent a wad of £ recently on the Gretsch, the Mobius, a few other things today, it's not something I really need to think about for practicing for another 6 months. Better to wait and try and find a used one nearer the time? Or...?

FarleyUK

Ok, selling my Helix now.... It's in the for sale area if anyone is interested!

Teetonetal

BintyTwanger77 said:

Looks like I'll be needing a quiet playing solution come Feb, as my housemates in the basement flat in our house are having a baby, and the favourite looks to be a Helix LT. How much do used LTs tend to go for?

Also, added bonus, was feeling left out on here, every bleeder on FB seems to have a Helix now, even @Wazmeister.

If the baby is not use, you might well need was of drowning it out!! But yup it was a big reason why I got mine (though due to my own kids) and it's really ace. Just get it.

BintyTwanger77

Teetonetal said:

BintyTwanger77 said:

Looks like I'll be needing a quiet playing solution come Feb, as my housemates in the basement flat in our house are having a baby, and the favourite looks to be a Helix LT. How much do used LTs tend to go for?

Also, added bonus, was feeling left out on here, every bleeder on FB seems to have a Helix now, even @Wazmeister.

If the baby is not use, you might well need was of drowning it out!! But yup it was a big reason why I got mine (though due to my own kids) and it's really ace. Just get it.

It's likely it will be got, but I've forked out about £3k on a Gretsch, a Mobius and various other thing over the past couple of months, so I won't be getting anything else til early next year.

Teetonetal

BintyTwanger77 said:

Teetonetal said:

BintyTwanger77 said:

Looks like I'll be needing a quiet playing solution come Feb, as my housemates in the basement flat in our house are having a baby, and the favourite looks to be a Helix LT. How much do used LTs tend to go for?

Also, added bonus, was feeling left out on here, every bleeder on FB seems to have a Helix now, even @Wazmeister.

If the baby is not use, you might well need was of drowning it out!! But yup it was a big reason why I got mine (though due to my own kids) and it's really ace. Just get it.

It's likely it will be got, but I've forked out about £3k on a Gretsch, a Mobius and various other thing over the past couple of months, so I won't be getting anything else til early next year.

The turn it up loud and drown out the wailing.

BintyTwanger77

Teetonetal said:

BintyTwanger77 said:

Teetonetal said:

BintyTwanger77 said:

Looks like I'll be needing a quiet playing solution come Feb, as my housemates in the basement flat in our house are having a baby, and the favourite looks to be a Helix LT. How much do used LTs tend to go for?

Also, added bonus, was feeling left out on here, every bleeder on FB seems to have a Helix now, even @Wazmeister.

If the baby is not use, you might well need was of drowning it out!! But yup it was a big reason why I got mine (though due to my own kids) and it's really ace. Just get it.

It's likely it will be got, but I've forked out about £3k on a Gretsch, a Mobius and various other thing over the past couple of months, so I won't be getting anything else til early next year.

The turn it up loud and drown out the wailing.

Teetonetal said:

BintyTwanger77 said:

Teetonetal said:

BintyTwanger77 said:

Looks like I'll be needing a quiet playing solution come Feb, as my housemates in the basement flat in our house are having a baby, and the favourite looks to be a Helix LT. How much do used LTs tend to go for?

Also, added bonus, was feeling left out on here, every bleeder on FB seems to have a Helix now, even @Wazmeister.

If the baby is not use, you might well need was of drowning it out!! But yup it was a big reason why I got mine (though due to my own kids) and it's really ace. Just get it.

It's likely it will be got, but I've forked out about £3k on a Gretsch, a Mobius and various other thing over the past couple of months, so I won't be getting anything else til early next year.

The turn it up loud and drown out the wailing.

That's perfect, dude, I totally wail!

ChuckManual

Sporky said:

Yes - just assign multiple parameters to the expression pedal.

Cheers Sporky!

jellybelly

If anyone is interested, I saw Bon Iver last night and (I'm pretty sure) Justin Vernon was rocking a Helix, though he still had a real amp (4x10 bassman, would guess a 59RI). Could see the strips from my seat. Awesome set. 

Jonathanthomas83

Awesome, love Bon Iver!

Clarky

jellybelly said:

If anyone is interested, I saw Bon Iver last night and (I'm pretty sure) Justin Vernon was rocking a Helix, though he still had a real amp (4x10 bassman, would guess a 59RI). Could see the strips from my seat. Awesome set. 

could you see if he was cabled in-line or 4CM?

Clarky

Clarky said:

jellybelly said:

If anyone is interested, I saw Bon Iver last night and (I'm pretty sure) Justin Vernon was rocking a Helix, though he still had a real amp (4x10 bassman, would guess a 59RI). Could see the strips from my seat. Awesome set. 

could you see if he was cabled in-line or 4CM?

actually, thinking on it, I'm not sure if an old amp like that will have an fx-loop
passes my stupid question over to fellas that know this amp for real... lol..

jellybelly

Clarky said:

jellybelly said:

If anyone is interested, I saw Bon Iver last night and (I'm pretty sure) Justin Vernon was rocking a Helix, though he still had a real amp (4x10 bassman, would guess a 59RI). Could see the strips from my seat. Awesome set. 

could you see if he was cabled in-line or 4CM?

Couldn't see from where I was but I don't think it would have one. I'd also guess he was using the Helix for vocals as much as guitar though there was definitely some crazy filter stuff going on. Considering the tone he got, I'd guess he was dual amping, one real, one to the PA.

Clarky

jellybelly said:

Clarky said:

jellybelly said:

If anyone is interested, I saw Bon Iver last night and (I'm pretty sure) Justin Vernon was rocking a Helix, though he still had a real amp (4x10 bassman, would guess a 59RI). Could see the strips from my seat. Awesome set. 

could you see if he was cabled in-line or 4CM?

Couldn't see from where I was but I don't think it would have one. I'd also guess he was using the Helix for vocals as much as guitar though there was definitely some crazy filter stuff going on. Considering the tone he got, I'd guess he was dual amping, one real, one to the PA.

a lot of Axe users do that out1 to the amp / out2 to the PA thing..

personally I just take out1 to a big power amp
if I used out2 it'd be to another big power amp lol..

simonk

Question for LT users: you're rocking out in performance mode and then engage the tuner... is there a way to force it to exit the tuner back into performance mode? I can't seem to find it, and its a pain having to bend down to press the home key each time.