erniedenov

Well thanks for this advice; I'll give it a try when I get a chance! One problem is that I'm using the 4 cable method and I don't own any amps with an effects loop. Let me explain so I don't sound crazy: In the band I work with most frequently, they backline me a Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier half stack; I've been using the M13 (4 cable method) with that (and now I'm using the HX Effects). In the other band that I work with with some regularity, the leader didn't want any amps on stage. For that one, I use the Helix Floor; it goes direct to the FOH and we're all using in-ear monitors (and a mixer on our phones). I have owned some great tube amps that I regret selling (most notably a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC and a Bogner Ecstasy), but my fate has been that in the past 15 or so years, I rarely need to bring my own amplifier to a gig anymore and I sold all of my amps. Once in a while I'll sub for another guitar player in some band that I'm not a regular member of; in that situation I need to bring an amp and that's why I bought a Spider V. It generally only happens 2 or 3 times a year. Anyway, I have a buddy who has a zillion guitars and amps... some with an effects loop. I programmed my HX Effects over at his house and I'll have another opportunity to do so in about a week; that's when I'll try your suggestion. BTW, I haven't paid much attention to comparing the Legacy effects between the M13 and HX Effects but I will check that out! And thanks again!

Hey all! I used to be somewhat of a regular on this forum but I've been absent from it for the last few years. Anyway, my latest Line 6 product (and I've been through many of them) is the HX Effects. I bought it to retire my M13, which has been a reliable workhorse for well over a decade. Anyway, when I plugged my foot pedal (the cheaper Line 6 one) into HX Effects, it would be at full volume in the heel position, then drop to low volume about halfway through it's travel and from that point it would function like a normal volume pedal, achieving full volume in the toe position. I've had this pedal for a good while, so I thought maybe it was broken and I bought a new one. Unfortunately, that one is doing the same thing. So... how do I fix this? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

About half of my gigs are on tour and the other half are in town (Chicago). I took the Helix Floor on tour when it was brand new and our soundman didn't like it because it was noisy. That was my fault; I hadn't started using the noise gate yet (duh!) I've been planning on taking it on tour again sometime in the near future (been using rented Mesa Triple Rectifier half stacks with my Line 6 M13). I do use it on all of my local gigs; direct to FOH (while using in-ear monitors) in my wedding/corporate party band and with my Alto FRFR speaker at jazz and rock clubs. Been doing that for over 2 years and the only issues I've had were again, me being stupid; stuff like tweaking on the fly and pressing "save" while the pedal was in the heel position. Helix is built like a tank and I've found it to be completely reliable so far.

Have you tested the Recto's effects loop with another device; say a delay pedal? In the band I tour with, I use Mesa Triple Recto half stacks; rented from backline rental companies and I bring my Line 6 M13, using the 4 cable method. About a 1/4th of the time, the effects loop isn't working in one of the Rectos. Luckily, these companies usually have another backup Recto and usually that one's effects loop works. But it seems to be an issue with those amps. Sometimes it's as simple as a bad preamp tube, but not always. For what it's worth, I'm thinking of eventually just using my Helix instead. Right now my luggage isn't big enough for HX floor; planning on getting a 28" suitcase soon.

I have six setlists for three different guitars; each has a live and a direct setlist. When I started out with Helix, I made patches using in-ear monitors through the headphone jack. Then when I got an FRFR speaker, i modified those patches (at gig volume) to work with it and transferred them to the "live" setlists... and that took some time. I rarely need hi and low cuts on the in-ear patches, but I had to use them a lot with the speaker. In one of the bands I play with, the Helix goes straight to the board and we all have in-ear monitors; I use my direct setlists in that band and just hope the soundguy tweaks them decently with hi and/or low filters to sound good through the FOH. The problem is that patches that were made for the FRFR speaker sound bad when going direct and using the in-ears and it's hard to play well when you're not digging your tones.

Yeah, just a regular random power strip. It's just in case I'm also using my FRFR speaker and there aren't enough outlets on the stage, which rarely happens. In one band I play with, the leader doesn't want amps on stage (volume paranoia) and I just bring my Helix and go direct to FOH (and we all use in-ear monitors). It's the first time in my long career that I've been able to pack up faster than the horn players.

In my Helix backpack (which is great, btw): Helix floor (duh!) Guitar stand Power strip XLR cable (should carry two but usually don't have the opportunity to go stereo) Power chord for Helix

I have Windows 7 and it was looking like a bad idea to try and update. Fortunately for me, I have a friend (and bandmate in one of the bands I play in) who lives a half hour away and she has a Helix and a Mac. I went over to her place yesterday and updated my Helix from 2.70 to 2.81. I didn't actually check out more than two of my patches yet but everything looks fine and those 2 sounded fine; yay! By the time we have the next major update, I'll probably have switched to a Mac. It's kind of silly to have Windows 7 at this point (it won't be supported by January of next year) and my desktop is getting pretty old anyway. The one thing weird about the update is when it temporarily says "boot failure." At the very least it was a poor choice of words and I'd imagine it scared the crap out of a few people. Luckily I knew about that beforehand.

My desktop has Windows 7. I'm not even going to try and update, since this seems to be a problem for so many who have that as their OS on their computer. I'm glad I waited and will continue to wait and see if this issue gets resolved.

Agreed! The guitar I use most is a Suhr Pro Series; it's an HSS Strat. John Suhr worked for the Fender Custom Shop for a few years before starting his own company and I think he learned as much about what not to do as what to do. For example, he moved the volume knob about an inch away from the bridge pu. On Fenders, I always accidentally turn the volume down because I tend to pick around that area and the knob is practically touching the pu. Mine has their Silent Single Coil Backplate System; the only "noiseless" single coil I've heard that has all of the tone of a great normal single coil pu. I can use a single coil with hi gain amps without the buzz! I got mine about 15 years ago and the price has gone up significantly since then; it's a couple hundred more now, but well worth the price. I also put a Lindy Fralin "Unbucker" in the neck position of my recently acquired Epiphone Les Paul. It's a 'bucker with mismatched coils and when you coil tap it, it's got more volume and tone than other 'buckers when coil tapped. I guess I'm always looking for the perfect "Stratopaul;" gotta have a 'bucker and a single coil. But the Suhr is still my favorite. Happy hunting!

Same here. When I first got my Alto TS212, I put it on the floor and it sounded pretty bad because of coupling. Mounting it on a stand was a huge help; didn't have to use an excessive amount of low cut after that.

I use Shure SE535 in-ear monitors through the headphone jack and they sound great; no mixer necessary! I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 595 headphones and they don't sound nearly as good, but of course they were half the price of the Shures. As cruisenon2 said, going through an FRFR (or any) speaker is a whole different thing. I have separate setlists for the speaker and the in-ears (and of course tweaking for the speaker should be done at the approximate volume you'd be playing at a live gig). I hardly ever need to use high or low cuts for the in-ears, but I certainly have to for the speaker. Oh, and congratulations on getting a Helix!

Jakko Jakszyk (King Crimson) is using Helix. And speaking of King Crimson, some friends recently saw Adrian Belew's new quartet and he was using a Helix. Just for the record, it doesn't matter to me whether or not "big name" artists are using it; that has no bearing on how I feel about it, or any piece of gear I choose to use. But it is nice to know that several of these artists are coming around to Helix.

Also, putting it on the floor (standing on it's side or upright) will cause coupling with the stage and the bass will get overwhelmingly boomy. I did that on my first gig with Helix and my TS212 (about a week after I got it) and it sounded pretty bad (and not something I could adequately fix on the fly). I now have a pole mount and an amp stand. The stand does take up room on the stage, but the pole; not much at all. But the speaker on the floor is not something I'd recommend.

My Suhr Strat uses the Suhr Silent Single Coil System. It works remarkably well; the only "noiseless" single coil solution I've heard that doesn't mess with that classic single coil sound. You can put it in any guitar that uses two single coil pickups.