ricstudioc

The bottom label on the Helix clearly states 60w max. Not even the draw of a decent living room light bulb. Rough it out to about half an amp....

Just another thumbs up for Glenn's protector - very nice, installed in a jif, basically invisible in place. Hard to beat for the price.....

Hey, thanks for the response - I started off by running it straight into the console, just guitar>C9>board. SIngle coils & humbuckers, same artifact. Also ran it thru various amps - clean and dirty - with and without compression in front. The nature of the beast would imply some sort of envelope follower in the front end of it, just seems like it's hitting pretty hard. As I noted, even the Mello Flute has a fairly hard attack. I'll keep dickin' with it - and I think I'll contact EHX and see what they say. Even with the attack, I'd be tempted to keep it - but if you don't experience this then it may be worth a trade. Thanks again!!! Ric

Question for you guys - I only just acquired my C9, seems like it'll add some neat things without resorting to all the 13 pin stuff I have. BUT - it seems to have a fairly abrupt - "clicky" sort of attack, even on the flute patch. Never heard/noticed this in the various demos I had checked out. (And yes, with the keyclick control all the way down). Do you guys experience this, is it normal for this thing?? Appreciate any insights.... Ric btw - this sounds like an awesome way to route it, way cool.....

FX loop is fine - remember on the Helix you can place the loop where ever you want. The EHX comment assumes a standard amp loop, which will be after all the preamping. On Helix you can catch the raw guitar signal coming in. Btw - I'd go "send/return" as opposed to "fx loop". That way you can return the signal any where in the chain you want. Before the amp, post amp/pre fx, or just before the out for a totally clean signal. Your choice depending on how you want to mangle the sound....

I held off ordering thru the first several firmware revs, honestly the reported bugs were fairly heinous and in the category of "really, how did they miss that...?", But with each rev the fixes were confirmed, and the bug reports started getting fewer and farther in between. At 1.0.6 it seemed like the unit was ready for the stage, so I jumped in. Haven't had a single problem in use in the first few weeks.... I'm not USBing or reamping or using it as an interface, so can't speak to those areas - but it's been rock solid on stage.....

After my first gig with the Helix, just by itself on the floor, I've since dug into the closet and pulled out an old pedalboard I made some years back. Lower shelf fits the Helix and 2 EX-1 pedals - the upper tier currently has my G50 receiver and my POG2. As said above it just has a vibe to it (and poly!) that nothing else comes close to. Did some measuring on the top tier, and I think there's a Mel9. C9, and Key9 in my immediate future. They'd provide an enormous addition to my available palette without having to go the whole 13 pin route - I've got whole racks on wheels dedicated to earlier such setups. Gimme a Variax, Helix, and some EHX pedals and I'm 80% of the way there - close enough, and utterly portable....

Son of a gun - that had never occurred to me. Interesting point.....

...and works quite well. I already had one, and after dicking around with an EV-5 I also have (actually lots of them...) I ordered another. Are they "high end" pedals? No - kinda lightweight and a tad cheesy. But I've had the one for years (no changes in the new one) and it's still working just fine, and the Helix sees the correct throw, I get a nice volume taper from it. Price-to-performance they're just fine.... Ric

Whereas I find the UI to be positively brilliant - but the sound sucks...... ....Ok, the last bit was a lie. I've had mine just over a week, dialed in some basics for a gig I had (with that brilliant UI), and certainly it sounds as good as I had hoped. Enough so that I'm certain that tonal nirvana is in there just waiting to be found. The UI - here's the thing, the 500x proved to be a disappointment to me. Between having to wrestle every amp into sounding decent (typically with one or more EQs which of course ate up available slots), an on-board UI that was obtuse, and an editor that wouldn't even update the visible positions of the blocks as you changed them on the unit, my enthusiasm to even explore the unit was damped fairly quickly. Fast forward to the Helix - the amp models are well within the ballpark when you call them up, basic tweaks can be made with amp tone & cab rolloffs, and the UI is so damn obvious that it's literally FUN to sit down and start twisting knobs. Unlike most of the clamor around these parts, I could care less about the editor - don't need it. The app handles librarian functions and I'm good. (Although - tell me the Helix editor will rearrange blocks to match the current layout and I may give it a try...) And of course the massive increase in DSP..... well. This looks to be what I've been waiting for for a l-o-o-ong time. Gonna go twist me some knobs! Ric

So - was typing a whole different post, about to ask a function/procedural question regarding an issue I was having. Literally while tapping away, a thought occurred to me. Went into the other room and fired'er up, went into the menus and scratched my head for a second - and there was my answer. Came back and deleted that post, for this one. What a stellar UI this thing has - I've honestly never seen a front end so easy to suss out. As I mentioned elsewhere I've got some upcoming gigs so I've kept myself focused on getting the basics ready for the shows - but I'm really looking forward to spending some quality time with this box, haven't felt this much potential in years. Hell, I might have to start smoking weed again...... :wacko: Brilliant work, L6 dudes - when's the neural interface comin' out? Buttons and knobs are so.....2015......

SUH-WEET!! You am be da man, thanks!! (Updated the first time I powered up - I'm disciplined, I am...) Ric

Howdy all - So OK - got my Helix in a couple days back - nice work L6. It ain't bragging if you can back it up, and this is pretty much what I'd hoped it would be. Gotta LOT of stuff to get on Craigslist now...... Question 1 - is there a way to move existing footswitch assignment(s) to another switch, or does one just have to slog thru and do it manually? Some sort of copy/paste that I'm missing? Just trying to rearrange layouts and wonder if there's a time-saver here... Question 2 - maybe comment more than question - the edit knobs under the display seem a tad "wobbly", and on the unit I got one in particular is notably more so. First time I touched it I noticed that it had way more lateral "play" in it. It's NOT like I think it's gonna fall off or such (at least in the near future) - but I wonder if others notice this. If so - any idea how these controls are mounted? I'm resisting the temptation to yank up on the knob (for now), but if it's as simple as tightening a small nut under the knob I wouldn't blink. But if they're board mounted and just sticking up thru the chassis that's a different can o'beans. Any thoughts? All in all I'm way happy - this is what I had hoped the 500x would be. I'm sticking to the basics right now - my band gigs a lot and I want to get this thing ready for upcoming shows - but I'm looking forward to deep-diving when I've got the food groups settled in. Initial impression - worth every penny! Ric

Ok - done and done. No problems on my Win7 machine. Also pulled down 1.06.5 - pretty much do that before anything else after I wipe the drool offa my chin. (One of the rare nice things about gettin' old - you learn patience....) So - the app functions as librarian? Let's me back up/restore my files, yes? Thanks!! Ric

So - I found/ordered Helix today, it should be here tomorrow. Is the above the recommended procedure, then, for next steps? What's the deal, hierarchy-wise, with App/Updater? I've seen a lot of confusion on this - even above you say "download the app", which then installs.... the app? Huh? Any plans to integrate this stuff thru Monkey? Never had any issues with that.... Looking forward to it!!! Ric

Egggcellent! Thx for the info…

Hey all - Picked up a Standard the other day, largely as a backup for my JTV. Got it for a good price at Guitar Center - but, being GC (duh) they couldn't find the trem arm for it. Others they tried would fit the threading, but wouldn't clear the modeling knob. They're getting one in - but I'm curious now - the stock arm IS sized to clear all the knobs when fully threaded in, yes? Thanks for any info... Ric

A couple of truly thoughtful - to the point of brilliant - responses, PG. Oddly, I'm in a somewhat similar situation, if perhaps a notch down - tho you wouldn't know my name (I'd be shocked if anyone did) thru the late 70's/early 80's I sided with, and contributed to, some names I guarantee folks would know. I've no need nor interest in being pestered for stories or "can ya get me into the show" stuff - my close friends know where I've been, that's enough. So if your name recognition is several notches higher, I can see your point. To your observations on "the show" - yeah, you've been there, no doubt. It amazed me back then, and even to now, that the audience doesn't seem to see beyond the illusion. But then, the entire film industry is based on the "willing suspension of disbelief", so why should the music biz be any different? They come to be impressed - so impress'em.... One of the nicer things about my 'lil biz band is we don't feel the need to present that kind of visual shenanigan, so I fly my modeler, and little monitors, just as they are. It's actually very refreshing to have an extremely clean stage look - and as noted above, the engineer has much greater control over the audience mix. And at the end of the gig, making the audience happy is the bottom line. So you'll pry my HD/GT/GNX/ToneLab/etc (perhaps Helix when they get it stable) outta my cold fingers before I go lugging around even a half stack any more. (GREAT picture, btw!) Oh, and for the record - I WAS one of those guys mic'ing up a Pignose! Per Zappa's advice, always with a large diaphragm condenser. Sounded HUGE out in the house.... Best o' luck in your ventures, my friend. Enjoy the ride...

LOL - y'know, back in the 80's the band Asia popped up and sold a zillion records. It was considered a "supergroup" with Steve Howe, Geoff Downes, Carl Palmer - and John Wetton, who made his name in the Prog movement of the time with King Crimson and U.K.. In an interview during that time, he was asked about the criticism he was taking for "selling out" from his prog roots. His response was basically- "Hey, do y'all mind if I make a few bucks doing this?" In the music biz more than almost any other, this is the dichotomy - the mainstream audience, to be polite, is anything but discerning. The most popular stuff is.... well, pablum is the first word that comes to mind. And many of us still would prefer to fly the "artists" flag, take the road less traveled, and more interesting. Early on with my biz band (yes, the almighty dollar. But it's also turned into a really good band..) the "boss" (drummer) forgot his Iphone at a gig, where he played break music from. He asked if he could use mine, I handed it to him laughing and said "if you can find anything you'd play to this crowd, go right ahead." He thumbed down the list for a couple minutes, then handed it back to me with a strange look. Not surprising - Dregs, Genesis, Yes, Zappa, Crimson, PFM - there ain't nothing mainstream on my player. Why should there be, when I can turn on a radio and hear that stuff anytime? So as long as that "almighty dollar" buys you the stuff & time to pursue the things your artistic side needs, never apologize. It's a tough biz, and we all do what we can... "And while I am more talented than any of the songs you may hear me play on, I have definitely given up on 'musical integrity' in favor of the almighty dollar. So, no, Bonamassa I ain't. "

Pushin' 60, here - started gigging at 13. Tho I don't "make my living" playing, I work with a business band that doesn't go out the door for less than $2500 a pop, so I certainly augment my income quite nicely. (Holiday season is here - kaching!) Over the years I owned pretty much every amp out there, name it. O'course in the day that's what we HAD - amps. I for one am firmly in the "pragmatic" camp - modelers provide me with a quite-to-extremely acceptable source for my tones, at a fraction of the weight and hassle. These days it's the 500x (which I had pretty much abandoned until hurghanico's "achilles heel" post - night and day difference) thru a pair of Alto TS10's positioned as floor monitors in front of me. I get the sounds I want right in my face, the sound guy doesn't have to deal with the direct stage sound, so the audience gets a better mix - everyone wins. Do I miss having my pants wave in the breeze from that full stack roaring? VIscerally, yes - don't think anyone ever forgets the first time they plugged into a full 100 watt Marshall and bashed out that big "G" - yowza! But I can get that same sound minus the insane volume with the technology - and my whole rig barely weighs what that Marshall head did. Still have a buncha amps, and from time to time break one out for the feel - but day in, day out the tech solves so many problems that it's a no brainer for me...

Nope - the POG is unique in function, and not modeled. I run mine via the fx loop...

This. Are you gigging regularly in a situation where being able to switch from acoustic to electric, and call special tunings quickly matters? If so then the variax is hard to beat - where I used to carry 4 to 6 guitars to a gig I now carry 2, a JTV and a Steinberger GM Pro. FWIW I swapped the stock neck on my 69 for a Fender Strat neck from a John Mayer model - night and day for me, made the instrument a "go to" for me....

Oh dude - it's "little French maid outfit with fishnet stockings" shmexy! With all my pragmatism about sound quality and flexibility, the "wow factor" counts for something. Yeah it's pricey, and I wouldn't even be considering it if I weren't gigging regularly - but I AM gigging, DO declare the income (unavoidable with corporate/city gigs), and WILL write it off the top if I end up buying. So it's not the money per se, strictly the reliability factor as of now. ps - add a garter to the above outfit........ :rolleyes:

Well for the moment I've settled in on my GT-10 - I have an HD500x which I rage-quit on after about a year, too damn finicky to get good sounds out of - although Hurghanico's recent "achilles heel" post over on that board has me ready to give it another go. Also in the collection is a GNX3 (my good-to for many years), a Tonelab SE, Pod 1, Pod 2, a GP-10 (which has a few surprisingly good amp/cab models. Not all, but a few...), and numerous amps. But in the current gig I really want/need to go direct, with all the flexibility that a modeler can provide. I have hopes (approaching certainty) that they'll get the bugs worked out - like I said, I'll see how things are doing 'round the beginning of the year. The Helix SEEMS to be what I've be looking for for years - but as I said above, my band doesn't go out the door for less than $2500 a nite, typically high profile corporate/city type gigs, and for that kinda money I don't take anything on stage that isn't up to it. Nota Bene - ANY piece of gear can fail, we had a problem with the FOH just last night that had us scrambling up to the first count-off. But it has to be the exception, 99% reliability - and it's fairly obvious the Helix is still suffering birth pangs. Even if Hurghanico's recent findings encourage me to bring the HD out again, the Helix still looks promising to me. But I ain't hurting for stuff - I can wait.

Hmmm - careful here, often that type of grease can attract/retain grit and such. My understanding is the pedal mech on the Helix is a sort of "blade" affair, yes? As opposed to a geared plunger? First thing I'd probably try is to get some TriFlow (hardware stores and such), a teflon based spray - rock the pedal back, spray some on your finger, and wipe on the blade (thus avoiding excess and dripping). Just a thought....