So - will I regret it if I buy a Helix?

John_A

Not really - 90% of the time we use our own PA and I have a DXR120 that I use for monitors, or backline at really small gigs. We did an outdoor gig at a festival last weekend and I just went direct and got some guitar back through my monitor and it sounded great

Musicman20

Yes, I'm finding there is room in music for all sorts of tones, including Helix generated, amp generated, and standalone effects generated.

gearaddict

Ah shit. Don't know what to do. Packed up Helix has been sitting in my car all day but I can't quite bring myself to post it. I really am a useless human being.

gearaddict

Ah. Just discovered that I mis-read my tax return and instead of owing HMRC money, they in fact owe me money! Has that ever happened in the history of the universe? I think this is God telling me to keep the Helix.

digitalscream

gearaddict said:

Ah shit. Don't know what to do. Packed up Helix has been sitting in my car all day but I can't quite bring myself to post it. I really am a useless human being.

gearaddict said:

Ah. Just discovered that I mis-read my tax return and instead of owing HMRC money, they in fact owe me money! Has that ever happened in the history of the universe? I think this is God telling me to keep the Helix.

So...you're a useless human being, but god/HMRC loves you?

Yep. Keep the Helix.

gearaddict

Jesus loves us all.

gearaddict

n'shit

Jonathanthomas83

Haha, great news indeed!

997Hz

Looks like L6 have been busy bees...so its soft but its another choice of how to go or between both.

http://line6.com/helix/helixnative.html

John_A

997Hz said:

Looks like L6 have been busy bees...so its soft but its another choice of how to go or between both.

http://line6.com/helix/helixnative.html

There's a 13 page thread here

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/110124/helix-native#latest

gearaddict

Mixed messages from God tonight. On the way home my clutch cable snapped.

What can it mean?

digitalscream

gearaddict said:

Mixed messages from God tonight. On the way home my clutch cable snapped.

What can it mean?

Mood swings.

gearaddict

I'm thinking he's trying to stop me drive the helix to the post office.

siraxeman

did you notice that charidee shop close by when your clutch cable went? ;-)

gearaddict

Well, it's packed up again to be returned. I know - I need psychological help 

I think I'm never going to be 100% happy with the modelling and I just don't have the time to dedicate to do the tweaking I need to do to get the best out of it. I'm just getting frustrated with the whole thing and the window for me to return it is closing.

I guess I can always pick another one up later if I want to try again.

I don't really regret it - it was good to give it a go.

guitarfishbay

Fair enough

Digital isn't for everyone.  If you need a consistent sound through a PA, and a silent home recording option, you could consider a reactive loadbox/impulse loader thing, and then use your normal amp and pedals

siraxeman

gearaddict said:

Well, it's packed up again to be returned. I know - I need psychological help 

I think I'm never going to be 100% happy with the modelling and I just don't have the time to dedicate to do the tweaking I need to do to get the best out of it. I'm just getting frustrated with the whole thing and the window for me to return it is closing.

I guess I can always pick another one up later if I want to try again.

I don't really regret it - it was good to give it a go.

Did you ever watch the fremen patch demo's on youtube? They sound amazing (well some do at least) and they're definitely on my shopping list! Wowa wowa woo'eee!

gearaddict

Yeah they do sound good. It's really easy to get good sounds out of the Helix. I suppose my problem is I only need a basic guitar tone, a boost/overdrive, a wah, some delay, some chorus, maybe some phaser and reverb if I'm feeling adventurous. So I find that having millions of options is an irritation rather than an advantage. I can't settle on anything - I just want one good amp sound...and what I find is, no matter which one I choose I end up preferring my real amp. So then I wonder - what's the point?

I would like to be able to replace 3-4 stomps with a single stomp and that's easily done with the helix...but it requires having a patch based approach (or snapshot based) and for that you need to have your basic sounds baked in. And I never get to that point...I'm always tweaking. That's true of my real amp / pedalboard setup too but it's much easier to do - I don't have to go through all my patches changing one parameter in each patch.

I dunno - I think you either enjoy tweaking setting on these units or you don't. I just find it hard work.

robinbowes

gearaddict said:

I dunno - I think you either enjoy tweaking setting on these units or you don't. I just find it hard work.

I just play mine. *shrug*

menamestom

I'm currently putting together a nano plus board for times when the Helix might not be suitable (like yesterday at a beer festival where rain was blowing in on the stage).    So i'm back looking at effects and it is proving a bit of a head ache choosing what to have and what fits, power requirements etc.  Also the price is spiralling.  In contrast, I find just using the Helix so much easier.    Tweaking is limited to the basic changes any venue would need and i'm pretty much living with one or 2 pedalboards I set up when I got the thing months ago.  So i'm the opposite, I really should tweak more, because I could probably get more out of it, but I don't feel I need to just because the options are there.

But anyway, good luck with your pedals, at least you gave the Helix a go!