bloodychoir

I appreciate all that Eric and your pretty personal take on things, but I feel like you didn't read my post very carefully. Which is fine, I'm not saying anything new. What I am reiterating then is that the recent sound clips are, especially if you listen with decent headphones, swaddled in digital delay. Like every store demo ever. Why, well only the makers can tell you. Perhaps we should be using the word "dry" instead of clean. I also said I fully expect the kinds of useful and revealing demos that lots of people need before they make a decision to come from the company. After all what's to hide? A simple run through of core tones with application of fx one at a time in real time. Bam, a million units sold because it sounds so damn good! And right with you on the IO, awesome implementation. Means lollipop if the tones aren't true. The HD500 sounds pretty good, and I agree better than any Boss fx unit (certainly not pedal though), but while it may cut it for soloists in certain kinds of acts, it just isn't there for a lot of players and purposes. And for the price point I don't expect it to be. It's not the unit we're discussing anyway. All I'll say is I'm not the only one thinking like this and it's with high hopes that I await that definitive demo. Justified skepticism is healthy, doesn't mean I'm suddenly, what do the kidz call it? a hater? Love my JTV59, genius thing, it wants a real box to plug in to.

That's well and good Eric, and I suppose it would be nice to drop the skeptical bit for a while, but this is not a toy, it's over two thousand dollars where I live and in that case I don't want to hear processed, multi-delayed cover band tones by Dudebro at my local chain store, or what sounds pretty much like the 500 plexi over and over. I want to know that base tones are honest, good and move the air (or at least create the illusion!), and that when I'm playing to a real audience they're not distracted by how brittle the sound is and that briefest of delays in switching. That is in no way too much to ask and it's owed to a loyal user group who desperately want this tool to be what it should be. And if you tell me a company doesn't owe me anything well I guess we're at an ethical impasse. I reckon Line 6 people appreciate that it's a mutual and reciprocal relationship, their literature says so. That couldn't just be fertiliser for a dumb crop could it? Anyway, I have faith that such demonstrations will appear once the company feels the product is ready. But no pre order from me until then. Those sound clips could be replicated by a DI and Guitar Rig. Delay obfuscates in demos as in politics.

can't get excited by that RRP, that's gross

Not to state the obvious, which everybody is already stating under their breath, but the thing is cleared for pre order - where are the official videos? Need tones, need real time re amping, need, um, tones! Edit : Sorry Phil, just realised I'd assumed the Line 6 insignia denoted employment at the company, still if you have any insight on the dearth of vids and an incipient end to that dearth, most welcome.

Hi, still waiting on more raw tones and a decisive illustration of preset lag but the reamping bit has me 70% sold on its own - as long as those fx are as good as it sounds like they are. I know of a couple of exporters but wondering if there's any recommended route for Oz preorders? Or any dealers other folks from the distant, scary, spider, snake and koala infested continent have used in the past that they'd suggest? Many thanks in advance

Wow, just starting to read up on this unit as, being in Australia, the usual electronics mark up combined with a weak dollar have put the Helix in the 2k range which is kind of silly. Sounds like this is a pretty piece of crap at the moment. Latency in a board designed for live use is an instant no. I like my JTV but if this is what the boards are about then I may just stick with a combo and a slew of pedals. I'd love to hear that this has been rectified, but your experience scares me away from the Firehawk and gives me grave doubts regarding the Helix at near four times the prices. Concerning also is the lack of Line 6 presence on this Hot topic.

If we're talking Boss, VB2 vibrato, discontinued, crazy prices. Dedicate the expression pedal or a switch to the "unlatch" mode. Really wonderful sounding pedal.

It's just you, I can hear big differences. I really appreciate that they're using two classic amps without auto wah, awful studio verb and excessive overdrive (not referring to your vid btw). Most vids for these kinds of units seem to cater for modern metal, boutique soloists or teenagers. I know there's a hell of a lot of people in bands starting to get interested in not lugging enormous rigs about, purely from a financial pov, who want to know how close these things can get to behaving like a valve amp. I mean, I can hear the difference when a compressor is added to yet another flavour of HiGain but I really, really don't learn anything from it. That said, love to hear more dry amps and then very transparently added effects, one at a time, not stacked in a pre made patch called Vaitheevon or some such.

Nice vids, and almost entirely free of showroom fx which is unheard of! Helix sounding very nice. What I really want to know is why that colour in the 69 isn't available? Or in the Standard? I would've bought it in a heartbeat. Bizarre they went for Lake Placid - pretty but too "look at me" - and not this, it actually diminishes the ungainly warped strat look of the 69 and makes it seem more compact and elegant. Assume it's his own custom?

Excellent Phil, thanks, I was up on the other lovely Variax integration just needed assurance on the powering. Not a small thing to my mind. It's looking the goods

I have to assume the Helix will power a Variax, like the Firehawk does? I know there's reference to the VDI but I think that's the Ethernet in right? I won't use battery live but I don't want to have to use my Line 6 DI with a Helix. So, does the guitar jack, with the right lead, power my Variax? Thanks, much like the preset lag question there seems to be little info on this. But I'm guessing both areas will be taken care of given the price and the obvious attention to quality

Fantastic Elwyn, really appreciate it. It sounds like what I'm after, not expecting the best axe in the world but good quality and playability. I've had the 59 for a couple of years now and despite my issues its been a warrior. I hear you on the acoustic models, I was vainly hoping I could get away with not lugging a real one along, but apart from the odd solo gig it just doesn't feel or sound right. That said, great effort Line 6, if ever there was an uphill battle! I'm also not a fan of the Spank sounds, could be the models they chose, so I end up using Workbench to craft something out of the Les Paul and Ricky banks which have genuine character and life. Above all else it's the tuning capability that won me over, I've gone from 7 guitars to 2 on the road which is simply enormous. Hope you enjoy the guitar and start to get a bit more out of it, thanks again.

Thanks for both replies. I'm not interested in any workarounds, just a review of the Standard that isn't restricted to the Variax guts, which have been reviewed a million times. It's an instrument and I'd love to know how it feels and plays. The 69 was kind of appealing though I don't like the look much and I read a lot about that high E slippage, sounded like a fraught purchase. I like the 59 but as I said, too heavy and the neck is too Les Paul for my tastes. I've contacted a couple of distributors and they talk like they have it in stock but clam up when I ask about the specs and how soon they can ship. It's a very weird rollout folks.

Hi, I'm in Hobart, Tasmania and I really doubt I'm going to get a chance to try one of these out. I've been using a 59 for live shows for the last two years and while I love it I'd prefer something lighter and with a slimmer neck - a strat, obviously. I know there's a topic on the neck already but the only answer compares the Standard to the 69 which apparently has a weird chunky neck, so not very helpful. If anyone has managed to get hands on one of these things your impressions would be so helpful. I can't believe there are promo vids out there that focus entirely on the modelling (which is already documented millions of times over) and not the feel of the damn thing. Many thanks

I'm used to this kind of nonsense but really, can anyone shine a light on the specific instance of nonsense? I'm ordering the unit, it's what I've been waiting for, why hamstring us and yourselves guys? If it's an Apple thing then all is forgiven, if not...