Line 6 Helix

guitargeek62

I ordered a set of those linked ones today. Once they arrive I’ll give it a try and pop some pics up - betcha can’t wait to see!

Heartfeltdawn

guitargeek62 said:

Spotted a nice trick online earlier for anyone wanting to protect the screens on their Helix a little better without paying a chunk for those thick acrylic ones.

Get a couple of these and cut them (with a scalpel/stanley) to fit:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233337744536

Just make sure they’re the plastic ones, not tempered glass!

But the thick acrylic ones have better mids!

neilg

Heartfeltdawn said:

guitargeek62 said:

Spotted a nice trick online earlier for anyone wanting to protect the screens on their Helix a little better without paying a chunk for those thick acrylic ones.

Get a couple of these and cut them (with a scalpel/stanley) to fit:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233337744536

Just make sure they’re the plastic ones, not tempered glass!

But the thick acrylic ones have better mids!

 I heard Eric Johnson can tell the thickness of the acrylic just from playing.

guitargeek62

neilg said:

Heartfeltdawn said:

guitargeek62 said:

Spotted a nice trick online earlier for anyone wanting to protect the screens on their Helix a little better without paying a chunk for those thick acrylic ones.

Get a couple of these and cut them (with a scalpel/stanley) to fit:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233337744536

Just make sure they’re the plastic ones, not tempered glass!

But the thick acrylic ones have better mids!

 I heard Eric Johnson can tell the thickness of the acrylic just from playing.

I thought that was 1-ply vs 3-ply pickguards?

jellybelly

Apologies if I've missed bit somewhere, but has anyone had any indication as to when Helix v3.0 might drop? I know 2.92 was pretty recent but it's been talked about quite a bit, albeit mainly my stomp users who want extra blocks. 

Personally really looking forward to the favourites functionality!

sgosden

jellybelly said:

Apologies if I've missed bit somewhere, but has anyone had any indication as to when Helix v3.0 might drop? I know 2.92 was pretty recent but it's been talked about quite a bit, albeit mainly my stomp users who want extra blocks. 

Personally really looking forward to the favourites functionality!

Answer is usually "soon"

Digital_Igloo

sgosden said:

jellybelly said:

Apologies if I've missed bit somewhere, but has anyone had any indication as to when Helix v3.0 might drop? I know 2.92 was pretty recent but it's been talked about quite a bit, albeit mainly my stomp users who want extra blocks. 

Personally really looking forward to the favourites functionality!

Answer is usually "soon"

The only timeframe we've given was at the NAMM Show party where we said it might be as late as NAMM 2021.

guitargeek62

^  

firepaulmusic

What’s the general opinion of the difference using third party IRS such as Ownhammer makes to the Helix. Session player Adam Goldsmith from Guitarist mag says they really changed the whole game for him...

Jota

firepaulmusic said:

What’s the general opinion of the difference using third party IRS such as Ownhammer makes to the Helix. Session player Adam Goldsmith from Guitarist mag says they really changed the whole game for him...

For me, Celestion IRs were a game changer.

My first IRs where the Oh free pack and they were a real improvement after the stock cabs but, when I first got the Celestion V30 pack I found them much better. Since then I bought a few more and like them all.

paul_xt

firepaulmusic said:

What’s the general opinion of the difference using third party IRS such as Ownhammer makes to the Helix. Session player Adam Goldsmith from Guitarist mag says they really changed the whole game for him...

I really like the Michael Britt ones, but must take a look at the ownhammer ones too... They are a game changer though as @jota said, breathes new life into it

TTBZ

I think you can get the stock cabs sounding pretty close with a lot of EQ and faff whereas IRs are a much quicker way to happiness. I didn't really like the Ownhammer free Mesa cab with mine, my favourite IRs I tried are the Redwirez greenback 4x12. The Celestion ones sound too thin and gritty for me, they're alright with some EQ and stuff I guess. I never got round to trying out the Ownhammer GNR pack which is meant to be the best for Marshally tones. Also Leon Todd sometimes posts his IRs on TGP, his TV Greenback Mix ones sound great to me. I don't really like Greenbacks in real life but I think on Helix they give the British amps more of that upper middy bite they lack.

jellybelly

The quickest way to get a useable tone for me was just pick whichever of the free Allure IR pack worked for me - very versatile and realistic. Some of the others I tried including redwirez and MBritt were REALLY specific to a particular sound. - felt to me like playing a recording rather than a guitar amp. 

Before I sold it I developed a few dual cab setups that were better than any IR I tried - but I used my favourite IRs to help dial them in! I also summed the signal to mono for headphone use (stereo effects went in afterwards). Generally speaking a ribbon mic with a 2x12 plus a 4x12 with the sm57 worked nicely. Mic distance over 3" and some early reflections too - THAT sounded like a guitar amp. 

siremoon

Plenty of people eulogise over IRs so I assume there's something to be said for them.  However I've tried some of the well known free ones and they all sounded absolutely hideous compared to the tweaked stock cabs I find acceptable so I'm clearly missing something somewhere.  At the very least my experience suggests that they are not guaranteed to be plug and play improvements in every situation.  I should perhaps caveat this by saying I have the same experience of other peoples presets too.  They sound good on you tube then truly awful when I download them.

sgosden

Would agree that you can get decent sounds out of the stock cabs (use of the tilt EQ, dual cabs, bit of compression) , but IRs are an easier way. 
Also less block consuming on stomp. 

TTBZ

I think the problem with IRs is the same problem you'll find with mic'ing a real amp in that mic choice and position can have a dramatic effect on the tone with small adjustments. I tend to use the IRs that correspond to how I'd mic a real cab and it works pretty well. So that's typically a 57 and 421 on the cap edge, or swap the 421 with a ribbon for more fatness. If just using a single mic I seem to like the  M160 the best as it's a bit brighter to my ear than a 121.

colourofsound

So Mbritt/Ownhammer/Celestion are mentioned quite a bit. I was very kindly given a bunch of Ownhammer IRs with my Stomp by @stevemurphy82 but was overwhelmed with choice....and so have just been using the stock cabs for now.

I might delve deeper this weekend though. I find the naming conventions Ownhammer use very irritating - it requires effort to figure out what you're applying.

Any other good sources? Particularly interested in Fender/Mesa Amps

JohnCordy

working on an Andy timmons tone!

Jetfire

That first tone for the first minute or so is lovely!!

Additional: Its all awesome. 

welshboyo

I’ve got lost with all the different HX stuff now - so @JohnCordy what are you using in that Timmons Clip? It’s bloody lovely by the way - not sure if it’s the sounds or just the phenomenal playing!!

How does it compare to perhaps an AX8 or the newer FM3?

Dont want to derail the whole thread with the vs thing but essentially my eye is starting to wander towards a small footprint device that will primarily operate in 4CM with the Boogie with a smattering of direct FOH stuff (and also a permanent feed to FOH instead of a mic - whether that is via a Nux Studio or Mooer Radar type thing)

Outside of the full fat Helix which I’ve owned, loved (and hated at the same time) or the LT what do the smaller units actually offer me in this scenario.

As an FYI, I currently use an AX8..