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The cabinet an IR blocks both have low-pass/high-cut filters you can use for that. You can incorporate changes in high-cut with a drive switch, or link increases in drive with increases in high-cut on a pedal. I would note that S-Gear has Hi Cut in the power amp section that works similarly to sag. The harder you push the power amp, the more hi cut you get. With this you can set the drive into the amp to get the level of clipping you want. Turn the guitar volume down and the hi cut goes away giving you a nice clean shimmer. Turn the guitar volume up and you get more hi cut with nice warm clipping in the power amp. I hope some future amp model provides this feature in Helix. Now I'm thinking about adding a pedal controller that increases gain and high-cut at the same time to simulate this manually. I'd use the pedal instead of the guitar volume control to get pretty much the same effect. Hummm....

I love it that music is so situational. Unfortunately its really difficult to mind shift into patch tweak mode when your in the playing zone. Consider having someone else "mix" your Helix patches while you're at rehearsal. You focus on playing, they focus on getting your tone. Its two very different mind sets. Hard to do them both at the same time and in context.

I still have the Fender Showman amp I bought in 1968. Its been heavily modified over the years, but right now the Normal channel is pretty stock. I just put in a new output transformer, new tubes, news tremolo Optocoupler and two new Celestion G12-65 speakers in the 2x12 Bassman cabinet I used with that amp for many years. I can't get rid of an amp my friend Doug and I worked on so much. Doug's dead now, but I still have the old notes we took designing clipping units for that amp. I created front of the amp Helix patches for it, and have an old Lexicon MPXG2 hooked up to it out in the garage. I've experimented with a lot of stuff over the years. I'd love to gig with that amp and My Les Paul that I bought in 1969, just for old times sake. But I can't bring myself to do it, its too inflexible compared to a JTV-69S and Helix. How would I get those open tunings and acoustic tones? Frankly the band has moved beyond that old setup for me. That's too bad, but progress. Odd that the Variax and helix go to a lot of effort to reproduce what that old setup does. What's really different is that its a lot more than just one of those setups.

There's a simple way to gainstage something like Helix or HD500. Simply bypass all blocks in the patch. Then enable/bypass each one, one at a time and make sure they are more or less unity gain - the overal volume doesn't change that much between block on/off. If you need a block to do a boost, start by cutting the output level of the block and get the boost by removing the cut. Then uses the meters on your PA/FRFR to gainstage its input for no clipping, and adjust the master volume for how much sound you need in the room. Use the DAW metering (or simpler a SPL meter in your phone) to balance the levels between patches as needed.

I use the Masonic plank body model for Strat and Tele sounds. It gives more bite and sustain, and makes them sound more natural to me. You do need to set the global string levels so that the output from each string is pretty consistent. I use a DAW and accurate metering to do this.

I find stage monitors and drums are way too loud for my ears to manage. I have a lot of tinnitus, and a lot of hearing loss around 4K - probably like most guitar players. I can't tolerate a stage monitor in front of me, even with 15dB cut ear plugs. IEMs (Goralla Ears) are a must. I do still use a couple of EON610s for backline to give the guitar something the hear and to provide some stage fill for the audience and a couple of band members who haven't yet gone IEM. This seems to work pretty well, but is certainly a somewhat complex compromise. Without the IEMs I'd probably have to stop playing live.

An IR could capture the response of the Leslie horn and speaker, but not the rotational effect. That requires separate algorithms. We may find that adding those algorithms to traditional guitar speaker IRs could open up possibilities for new Leslie tones.

What we really need is dynamic EQ. S-Gear Wayfarer (and other amps) have a Hi Cut control in the power amp section. You can turn the Amp Drive up, and the preamp gain down to the point that you get nice warm clipping from the power amp. Then back off the volume control on your guitar. That high cut disappears when the power amp stops clipping, just like the sag disappears. The guitar becomes bright, sparkly and clean. But turn the guitar volume up, and as the power amp distorts, it sags more and gets more hi cut. This is the perfect solution as it lets you completely control the drive and tone with just your guitar volume.

I got a Mag-Lok for my new JTV-69S as I liked how the hipshot tremsetter works on my Strat Deluxe. However when I went to install it, I noticed the JTV-69S claw is somewhat narrow and the springs are too close together. The Mag-Lok U-bracket can be pushed in-between the springs, but the springs are rubbing on the side of the U-bracket near the claw. I'm afraid this rubbing will cause noise in the springs that will end up in the piezo pickups. Anyone have any experience with this? Is it really an issue? Do I need to get a wider claw for more spring spacing? Or is this not really a problem?

I use the Mode switch a lot. Helix is usually in stomp mode where the footswitches are used to control 10 effects. I press Mode to get four snapshots in the current patch and four patches. I'd like to see the Mode switch used more. For example, it could be used to switch to looper mode which would free up one more effect footswitch. Tap is useful for time syncing effects, and for quick access to the tuner. Seems like a pretty good design to me.

I have a Variax Standard and a JTV-69S. The Standard is ok, but not a great instrument. I liked enough to get the JTV which is a much nicer instrument in every way. I also have a 700 Acoustic that I use a lot. I too hope the Variax line continues to be offered and evolve. Having more physical guitar choices is great, but I would also like to see some evolution in the models, maybe even the ability to load new models from WorkbenchHD. I would also very much like to have access to the raw piezo outputs, no pickup or body model, so that I can use instrument IR models in Helix with my Variax.

Variax individual string volumes are controlled in two places, both of which can be accessed using WorkbenchHD through Helix. The first is the global settings. Use these to adjust for different levels coming off the piezo pickups. Global string volumes let you adjust for variation in the piezo pickup outputs in one place and apply to all Variax patches. The second place is in the patch/model itself. Use these to adjust string volumes to address variations in the modeled pickups, personal taste, or for some unique song requirement. Helix snapshots can change the Variax models, and you can use the two sets of custom models for these potentially unusual string volume setups.

If you ever want to consider a Variax guitar, Helix would be the logical choice.

Use two JBL EON610s for gigging and a Roland AC-90 when I need a small rehearsal amp. I had the AC-90 for a while and used it for acoustic guitar and mandolin gigs. Its actually pretty nice with Helix for electric guitar, and even bass if the volume isn't too loud.

This is exactly what I do. I tend to play most of the night on one patch that's configured to do what I need. I use amp drive, and two distortion blocks to setup clean, drive, overdrive and distortion tones, just like you would with a pedalboard got gain stage into a clean amp. I use four snapshots in the patch, one for standard guitar, another for Open-G tuning (slide), another for acoustic guitar, and the last for a Leslie in a parallel path. The acoustic snapshot turns off the amp and IR blocks, and changes the EQ setting in the block at the end of my signal chain. Works great with a Variax JTV-69S. I have another built for purpose acoustic patch, and use this for songs that focus on acoustic or use a different open tuning. However, my normal guitar patch works great with my Variax for switching between acoustic and electric within a song.

My gigging setup is pretty simple - don't have a photo. I use two JBL EON610's placed behind me where a traditional backline would be. I run the Helix 1/4" outputs into the 610's and run full stereo. I use a Variax JTV-69S most of the time and a Strat Deluxe and my Les Paul as backup (never thought it would come to that, but I like that Variax in a lot of ways - go figure). For FOH, I take the Helix XLR outputs directly into two channels of an SD16 digital snake head into an X32-Core. The X32-Core is in a four-rack space that sits on top of my two 610s, with the computer on top of that. So my guitar and the whole PA takes up the same space as a relatively small traditional guitar amp. I have nothing going into Helix except an A/B switch to switch between the Strat and Les Paul, the Variax goes in through VDI. My backup rig is MainStage with S-Gear and a bunch of plugins from various sources for front of the amp effects. I drive this with an Apogee GiO and use pretty much the same effects and amp setup as with Helix. Frankly S-Gear is the real deal. I'd be tempted to gig with this all the time, but Helix has a lot more options, especially with a Variax. I didn't want to use a computer based solution because of complexity and reliability. But since we've been using an X32-Core and an old 2011 MacBook Pro 13" (my son's old college computer) to run the PA, I've become less concerned about computer reliability. A good MacBook Pro with X32Edit wirelessly into X32-Core is a very nice PA option. I use IEMs (GorillaEars) out of two SD16 outputs into a headphone amp. My mix is pretty specific because I have problems with my ears and need to keep levels very low. I mostly rely on bleed for drums and bass, and feed just a bit of keys, vocals and my guitar into the IEMs. Takes some getting use to, but my ears won't tolerate anything else. All that great tone potential and I don't get to hear it! Take care of your ears, you'll really regret it if you don't. Don't be in denial. That never works.

Interesting article, but I think it misses a lot of key points. A great example of missing the point is Gibson's attempt at automated tuners. Making the easy problem easier with a complex, expensive, battery powered and difficult to maintain solution isn't going to result in improved revenues. Not sure how the executives missed that. But I think there's much more to this than guitar heros, better products and more marketing. I think the root is based in culture. When I was in college and BB King, Mike Bloomfield, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix were just starting (late 60's), there was also a lot going on culturally - sexual revolution, Viet Nam, women's rights/liberation, civil rights, the draft lottery, computers, etc. There was a lot happening to write music about, and music brought people together to promote and adapt to some much needed social change. I'm not putting a value judgment on this, but the Trump era is certainly different. A lot happened to get us where we are. Today's generation has to be a lot more focused on how to make a living and start a family - because its getting harder than it was. It now takes two incomes to achieve a standard of living that use to be possible with one. And we have the perfect storm of globalization (i.e., cheap labor), women in the workforce (i.e., doubling the workforce) and increased productivity through automation that has eliminated many good job opportunities. The middle class is diminishing as the class structure bifricates into a relatively small number of rich people and everyone else. Again, I'm not putting a value judgment on that - it just is what it is. Also there's the Internet, with an overwhelming amount of content. Is there that much room for more? Watching YouTube videos of 7 year olds playing Pink Floyd can be a bit intimidating. The guitar is physically a difficult instrument to play well, especially cheap guitars setup poorly, something many beginners experience. Watching a few YouTube videos of BandGeek can easily convenience a beginner that this is unattainable and something only for the experts. Then there's the evolution of Rock - it use to be simple, but it isn't anymore. Even home recordings are pretty complex mixes of content played by a very large number of talented people. The level of effort required to rise up above the noise floor is overwhelming. In order to be noticed, young people have to find something else, there's just no room for them in the guitar world anymore. And finally, its nearly impossible to make enough money as a guitarist to sustain yourself, let alone a family. I use to gig a lot during and right after college. Then I took many years off to raise a family and peruse a career in software development. I'm now nearing retirement age and have enough free time and money that I'm not back to gigging regularly again. The odd thing is, I don't make that much more per gig today than I did 40 years ago. While everything else when up, gigging income struggled to stay aligned. Clubs don't want to pay for bands. Private parties don't want to pay any attention to in-house musicians. This is a reflection of what society values, and is perhaps the result of an oversupply of increasingly complex content that is harder to connect with than the music of the past. Anyway, some stuff to think about.

Wonderful response, thanks. For a good explanation of Clang Tone, see: https://l6test.wordpress.com/tag/clang-tone/.

I'd certainly expect the piezo pickups to pickup lots of things with really high gain settings. But I haven't noticed anything unusual with clean or mid-gain settings. I'd suggest making sure there's no rocking in the tremolo arm by tightening the set screw. This should limit the noise introduced by the bar. Then use a noise gate to take care of the rest.

The more I use this instrument, them more I like it. I did a good setup and got the action just where I like it. James Tyler has designed a nice playable and reasonable looking instrument. The bridge is well designed and functions very well. The nut on mine is cut too wide on the high E and its causing some problems. I'll probably have to replace that nut eventually. But that's not unusual on any production guitar. The models are kind of growing on me. At first I thought they lacked the richness of the real instruments. But now I'm thinking they're just different, like any instrument would be different. And differences are great. Who want's everything to sound the same?! Anyway, my JVT-69S has become my main gigging instrument, my very nice Strat Deluxe sits on the stand unused, and I don't take my 50 year old Les Paul to gigs anymore.

I've used the same Line6 VDI cable for many years. I do have a spare, but don't carry it with me. If it failed, I'd just use a regular 1/4" cable.

One more option, take the stage monitor offered by the sound provider and turn it around and place it behind you to act as a stage amp. This will blend better with the other stage amps at the front of the stage, and will have no effect on FOH sound. To compensate for lack of IEM,s I'd use professional ear plugs to protect your ears and keep the stage volume at a level you are use to and won't be overly loud and confusing. My band has a mix of IEM for me (guitar), keys and bass. But we also have acoustic drums (loud!) and the other guitar player uses a traditional stage amp and vocal monitor. So its a hybrid presentation. What we did to work around this is take the add a bass amp for stage fill, and I turn my monitor cabinet around and put it behind me as a stage fill/backing amp. I would prefer to eliminate the stage amps altogether, but everyone has to agree with that and be willing to use the IEMs. That can be a lot to ask, especially of front men in close club situations where they need to interact with the audience. But even if we could eliminate all the stage amps, we'd still have the drums to deal with. Then you end up having to use floor monitors pointing out to provide a stage presence for people close to the band - the dancers. Life is full of compromises.

Keep in mind that our perception is that louder is better even when it isn't - its an evolution thing. That's why you don't mix at loud levels (as well as to protect your ears). Something that sounds good at low levels will almost always sound better at higher levels. But the reverse is not true: something that sounds good loud won't necessarily sound good at low levels. Something similar happens with headphones. Something that sounds good on speakers will likely sound good in headphones. But something that sounds good in headphones won't necessarily sound good on speakers. This is why its risky to mix with headphones without a lot of good references and post-mix verification on other systems.

Agreed. But just because something is common doesn't make it right (Argumentum ad Populum I think). Protect your ears, and do what you can to avoid contributing to negative outcomes for those around you. That doesn't mean you have to solve it, just try to do your part. Helix helps here because we can get the tones we need without being quite so loud. Yes we need to be loud, that's part of the power of music and is built into our evolution. But we can be smart too and exercise reasonable limits when we can.

Perception isn't the only thing that matters. So does the health of your ears. Sustained exposure to loud sounds definitely permanently damages your ears and those of your audience. A dB meter is useful for understanding the sound pressure levels you and your audience are being exposed to. That's useful and valuable information, and isn't subjective.