Should I buy an HX Stomp?

matt_sefton

Thanks to the generosity of my mother and in-laws at Christmas I have some money burning a hole in my pocket and have been thinking about getting an HX Stomp.
Some context - my gigging days (and frankly my days of contact with the outside world) are long gone so all my playing is to amuse myself. I’ve never used modellers other than an original Pod many years ago. Over the last couple of years I’ve built up a pretty decent pedalboard with most of the basics covered and use the 4 cable method into a Marshall head and 4x12. I enjoy experimenting with different sounds and playing over loops etc. But my board is getting too big for new pedals I want to try, which are getting very expensive and need more power supplies, etc, etc. I’m sure I’m not the first to have this dilemma! Anyway, that's what led me to consider an HX Stomp.
The reason I'm so hesitant is that I have a real aversion to menus and fiddling with tech these days. I worked for 35 years in a very stressful job where I constantly had to be up to speed with lots of different software and I can't deal with all that anymore because of my health. I like reaching down and turning a knob! I'm also a bit confused how it's going to integrate with my current gear as I use the effects loop of my amp for delays and reverb. Another reason for the considering the HX Stomp is that it could potentially replace my delay and reverb pedals, possibly univibe, phaser and chorus and fit on my board alongside my various drive/distortion/fuzz pedals?
I've watched loads of videos online, particularly a number of John Cordy's, but I'm still hesitant to pull the plug. Feel free to tell me I'm an idiot, suggest something else I should look at or convince me to stay with pedals and just buy the bloody Keeley Dark Side I've been wanting for ages!
Here's my board at the moment if it helps. Any help much appreciated.

John_P

If you aren't looking to use the amp modelling on the stomp and want it for effects then you might be better with the hx effects or the if you don't need more than one effect at a time the hx one is more compact and has all the effects you might want to try.

Line 6 | HX Effects

Line 6 | HX One

matt_sefton

John_P said:

If you aren't looking to use the amp modelling on the stomp and want it for effects then you might be better with the hx effects or the if you don't need more than one effect at a time the hx one is more compact and has all the effects you might want to try.

Line 6 | HX Effects

Line 6 | HX One

Yes, I had considered the HX One but it seems limited to one effect at a time and not chaining stuff together? The HX Effects is a bit big size-wise 

NPP

I'm a happy HX Stomp user and haven't bought any pedal or amp since I got the Stomp a couple of years ago. In the meantime, the Stomp has been significantly improved in terms of both functionality and sound quality through various free updates. It has an enormous amount of good-sounding amps and effects and I'd definitely say it's worth the money.

However, as you mention an aversion to menus, fiddling with software or remembering complex combinations of knobs to press I'd be reluctant to recommend it in your situation. I have mine continuously hooked up to the computer because I find editing on the unit itself too fiddly, and because I use it as an all-in-one practice solution (with backing tracks from the computer and Garageband just a click away). It would be much more difficult, though certainly not impossible, to integrate it into an existing complex amp plus pedalboard setup. 

If you're only playing at home why is space on the pedalboard a consideration? 

matt_sefton

NPP said:

I'm a happy HX Stomp user and haven't bought any pedal or amp since I got the Stomp a couple of years ago. In the meantime, the Stomp has been significantly improved in terms of both functionality and sound quality through various free updates. It has an enormous amount of good-sounding amps and effects and I'd definitely say it's worth the money.

However, as you mention an aversion to menus, fiddling with software or remembering complex combinations of knobs to press I'd be reluctant to recommend it in your situation. I have mine continuously hooked up to the computer because I find editing on the unit itself too fiddly, and because I use it as an all-in-one practice solution (with backing tracks from the computer and Garageband just a click away). It would be much more difficult, though certainly not impossible, to integrate it into an existing complex amp plus pedalboard setup. 

If you're only playing at home why is space on the pedalboard a consideration? 

Thanks - that’s really useful info. Space is a consideration as my music room is pretty small and there’s only about a square metre of floor space left!

DrCornelius

Not a dig at the stomp as I’ve never had one but the Keeley Darkside is fantastic . Buy used and it’s an easy flip if you don’t get on with it 

Grangousier

Another alternative - if you want a medium-sized box to replace multiple pedals - is a TC Plethora, which would contain reverbs and delays and modulation as well as compression and other effects (up to a maximum of three or five depending on the model).  

paulcaye

The stomp is the most useful bit of kit I have bought in the last few years.  

I mainly (99%) run through headphones as my 40 watt amp doesn’t do well at home volumes, before getting it I had 4cm board with delays etc in the loop.  The original idea was to replace my amp with the stomp for home use only,  but it has become much more than that.  

The effects loop on the stomp is now used for an external looper (boss rc 500) run in stereo, with some drive pedals before the stomp.  Having an expression pedal and an external switch also helps with flexibility.  I have a patch where the expression controls the left / right pan into the looper, which is rather fun.   

Once I got over running through the presets and created my own I settled down into a few different patches and only stray away from them when new features are released.

John Cordys video are well worth watching especially ones where he builds patches etc.  This gives you a quick insight into how to setup and do more advanced things.   He isn’t a bad player either. 

If you can pick one up for a good price and don’t like it then as @DrCornelius says just flip it.  ( I should really do that we some gear I am getting on with).

The stomp is much easier to use than the boss GT core 1000 though - in my opinion. 

matt_sefton

Thanks @paulcaye  - that’s sort of what I was thinking. Once I’ve gone through the initial pain of learning to create my own groups of effects I would use them rather than constantly fiddling with it.

LionAquaLooper

Just beware of the non standard power input socket and the high current draw of the Stomp. Ain't exactly plug and play into your pedalboard without giving it some thought first, and has probably caught a lot of people out when they bought theirs.
The included AC adapter is also a bit of a joke. Google it and you'll see threads about the things I mentioned above. 

noisepolluter

Might also be worth considering the boss GX100 as it has a built in touch screen, plus if you get the Bluetooth adaptor you can control it wirelessly via phone/tablet etc, as well as stream audio to play along to. 

I found the touch screen interface very easy to use after about half an hour of familiarisation with the basics - editing the effects chain is basically drag and drop. I use it both on its own with headphones using built in amp and cab sims etc, and via 4CM with my Marshall DSL. 

Very happy with the sounds - some may prefer Line6. @JohnCordy has done some very helpful videos on the GX100, as have the Studio Rats.  

mudslide73

The Stomp is incredibly versatile but I'll echo what @NPP says about the menus. Also your pedalboard looks pretty decent as it is

Creed_Clicks

What about one of the Headrush pedals? These have a touch screen menu which may (or may not) be easier? I have often thought of putting a HX stomp after my drive pedals to do "everything else". I most likely will. The technology is so good these days...

UnclePsychosis

Do you have the means to plug your guitar into a PC?

You can get a 15 day free trial of Helix Native and try out all the functionality, features etc. The sounds are identical to the hardware units. 

I think you can even set Native to emulate the limits of a Stomp, but I'm not sure on that front. 

FWIW, given what you've said about tech aversion and liking simplicity I'm not sure the Stomp will be for you. I got rid of mine for exactly the same reasons. It sounded good but I just couldn't be arsed. 

matt_sefton

FWIW, given what you've said about tech aversion and liking simplicity I'm not sure the Stomp will be for you. I got rid of mine for exactly the same reasons. It sounded good but I just couldn't be arsed. 

Yes, I have a Mac and a Scarlett interface so I’ll investigate the trial. But the para of yours I quoted sums up how I think things will go with me too!

matt_sefton

mudslide73 said:

The Stomp is incredibly versatile but I'll echo what @NPP says about the menus. Also your pedalboard looks pretty decent as it is

Thanks - it would be better with a Keeley Dark Side though, wouldn’t it? :-)

markv

I was in a similar position to you about a year ago, bought a Stomp secondhand and haven't bought a pedal since (I have bought 2 amps though ...) It's a fantastic way of having hundreds of pedals available to try. I don't use the amps as much as I prefer a real amp and cab.

For me, by far the easiest way of using it is to connect it to a computer and use the HX Edit software. I totally understand not wanting to learn yet more software, but once you've got presets you're happy with you could probably leave it (although the temptation to carry on fiddling is hard to resist!)

Here's a good video about integrating it into a setup (it says "for live use" but it's general):

guitarcookie1

I’m on my third Stomp. 

One week it can be fx with my AC15, the next it can be an amp & fx into a frfr. It’s versatile and can adapt to how you feel at any one time. 

Wazmeister

Yes, they are brilliant and simple to use, and sound very good indeed.

Telejester

I had once considered buying a Helix LT as a backup for my pedalboard. Like the OP I run a mile from scrolling through menus and all that kind of thing. I just couldn't be bothered if I am being honest. An issue with an old style pedal board is usually a turn of a knob to sort out as opposed to wading through menus and sub menus, factor in options paralysis and never ending tweaking and you can guess which team I want to play in. OP choose wisely, I say enjoy the pedals you already have.

matt_sefton

markv said:

Here's a good video about integrating it into a setup (it says "for live use" but it's general):

That was a fantastic video - thanks so much for posting it. It perfectly explained the setup concerns I was having.

Damn - just when I thought I was out they pull me back in!