Musicmannetje

I have been testing with a few leds but it did not seem to work. Also shining a bright led torch on the Q200 did not make any difference. So, I ordered a couple of bright white SMD leds and some SFH320 optotransistors. Following the image on the PCB I mounted the led, which did not lit up. It seems it has to go the other way. Installing the SFH320 did pass the torch-test so it reacted. The setup needed some adjustment, perhaps due to the different characteristics of the Q200 optotransistor but I did get it to work.

I just started using the headrush frfr (112) with my helix (floor). I only use my own tones and I didn't have to adjust much on them. I am used to play stereo (via a separate amp and stereo cabinet) and tend to include 'stereo enhancement' settings in the tone (two separate IRs in parallel with a slight 10ms delay on one channel). I have connected the Headrush via two XLR cables, so although being mono, the 'stereo wideness' sound is still there. On some amps (Twin reverb) the sound is somewhat bassy, so I had to adjust the EQ a bit, but otherwise the sound comes out crystal clear without any (unwanted) distortion. So, apart from the surface of the Headrush being 'scratchy', I am a happy headrush user.

Thanks!!

I just recently started playing the helix, and have set up the whole setlist for my band in one of the user playlists. All my patches have a similar start and end, being a compressor at the start, and a volume pedal at the end. I use the volume pedal very often for I have not 'normalized' the patches. When switching from one patch to another, the volume pedal level is set to the value it had when it was last saved, which makes swithing from one patch to another somewhat more work than just hit the right (foot)switch. Is there a way to assign the volume pedal to the overall level, regardless of what patch has been chosen? Cheers, Patrick.

I had put a standard strat-replacement neck on mine, finished with tru-oil. It plays excellent!

Good to hear you have made some progress. The FBV longboard (i guess you are talking about that one) is using a kind of midi as well to control the POD's and Vetta amps (at least, that is what I have been told), so I think that will be a good start. Translate the midi messages from the FBV into AX-ready messages. Having the pedal change more than just the wah-value can be done, but needs some additional switches, I think, in order to select the function one wants to control. I have used a JLCooper fadermaster (programmable midi fader controller) and programmed the sysex messages in there to control the various settings of the AX via faders. That helps a lot to create the patches.

Just follow the instructions in the KaZoom1618 thread, a few posts earlier. His one is mono but do twice and you have stereo.

If you have a handy DIY-er at hand, or you may be one yourself, it is quite easy to mod the AX2 with a stereo effects-return/power-amp input. I have done it myself and I am using the AX2 live as a power-amp for my HD500.

The setup is actually quite straightforward, if you finally get it (as is with everything, I guess). The issue is that the AX does react to normal program changes and cc values (for volume and wah pedal, for instance), but in order to switch on the various stomp boxes, one needs to send a sysex string instead of just a cc value. Although I have an FCB with UNO chip (top row can be defined as stomp box switches) the cannot send out a complete sysex. So I have to 'translate' a cc value to a sysex one using the arduino. I have built a common midi interface for arduino (which is described in various forms all over the arduino forum), with the midi-in going from the floorboard to the arduino and midi-out is connected to the AX2. The code: As described in the midi implementation chart, there is a way to control the stomps by sending the sysex. After the init string, the data part is expected. The data values of the sysex are three bytes: opcode (0x4 for parameter edit), Parameter number and parameter value. Toggling the value of a stomp parameter between 0 and 1 switches it off or on. The parameter numbers are stated in the sysex chart of the ax212: 09H Distortion Box On/Off0/1 19H Drive On/Off 0/1 29H EQ On/Off 0/1 39H Trem/Chorus On/Off 0/1 49H Delay On/Off 0/1 59H Reverb On/Off 0/1 With this, the complete string for (let's say) switching on the delay stomp: F0 Sysex command 00 Line 6 ID msb 01 Line 6 ID mid 0C Line 6 ID lsb 00 AX2 212 ID 04 Opcode for parameter edit 49 Delay switch 01 Switch on 00 LSB value 0F End of sysex command. Within the code, I have assigned a range of CC numbers that I use to control the stomp boxes. I have defined CCs 32 through 37 to control the stompboxes, and an extra 38 value which controls the parameter 0x32 (50 decimal) to control the WAH switch. In the FCB1010 config I have defined switches 1 through 5 for Distortion, Drive, Modulation, Delay and Wah. The FCB does not have a toe switch on the pedals so I 'lose' one of the stomp switches for wah. All other midi messages from the FCB (cc, pc) are going straight through, without translation. The rest of the arduino code is to drive the display showing patch (program) numbers, and commands that are received (cc, stomp switch, pedal values, etc.). This is more because I have a display attached to it, but it works as well without. I am still busy configuring a JLcooper fadermaster device, so I can use real faders to control the various other settings. This can be handy when building patches.

The arduino midi translator device in action:

Thanks for the info on this. I have build a stereo fx-return in my AX2, to be able to connect my POD HD to it.

I got hold of a very road-worn version of the AX2 amp, and after fixing it up i thought it would be ideal for the rehearsals on tuesday night with the band.. but what about using the stomp boxes and patches in there. I have a Behringer FCB1010 floorboard with UNO chip (where the top row buttons are assigned as stomp box switches) and want to use that. The PC (program changes) work well via the Midi interface, but what about the box switches. Having read the sysex manual I understand the AX2 needs sysex messages to turn the boxes on or off. The FCB cannot send these out (they skipped that in the last version) and so it came down to using normal CC's (Continuous control messages) as triggers for the stomps. I have build a midi interface on a arduino device I had lying around, waiting for a good project. I build a piece of code that does two things: Send out PC and regular CC commands like they come in, but when a CC is received that is in a specific range, it translates them into a sysex message. Volume and Wah pedals are working just normal (wah is switched on by the 10 button), and using the bottom row of buttons, 90 presets can be selected (18 banks of 5 buttons). Anyone interested in building this can find my code on github

I have ordered a different grill cloth from a dutch webshop and build a grill myself.. It is not the original cloth but I will settle with it.

its in dutch, but i made a rather extensive report (up to my standards, at least) of how I transplanted the guts of a variax 300 into a strat: http://gtrworks.nl/frankenstein-variax-transplant-strat/ it has pictures..:)

I have recently purchased a (very) used ax212 from an online dealer and I am currently restoring it to its original state. The former owner had a cat which had its way with the speaker cloth and grill. It therefor became completely useless and they threw it away. Is there some way to get hold of a grill, with or without cloth, or do I have to completely make it myself? Or perhaps line6 has got a few cm's of the original cloth lying around in stock somewhere, which they are willing to sell?

In order to control the variax patches via a wireless link, one needs a two-way connection. The 'receiver' must be able to send patch information to the 'transmitter', which is beyond the current relay functionality, i guess. And when there is an 'uplink' available, why not add an audio signal too, so you have just one beltpack for guitar and in-ears.

That is clear answer, thanks! I have been using rechargeables for a long time now, and know that they tend to give lower output voltage, so I just have to change them more often en keep them fully charged.

It says in the G30 pilot's handbook that the TBP should not be used with rechargeable batteries.. Why not? what goes wrong/broken when I use them.

No, afaik there is no app for osx.. only ios or android. The mac sees the amplifi as a sound device.

I have been using an AMPLIFI 75 since it was released here in holland (nearly 2 years ago). It is still the most used one at home (i have a marshall stack but my neighbors do not like that one very much). I really missed the android app in the early days, but that one has been taken care of last year. In order to know if that one is useable for you, it is good to know what you will be using it for. If it is meant to be at home, in the room, it is the best thing. Its insides are sufficient to create stunning sounds and effects, and because of the many speakers, it gives a very clear sound. Using it on stage, for somewhat heavier music in my case, is not the best option, at least not the 75 model. In short: it lags body in the sound. On the other hand, it is a very compact setup, having amp and effects in one. No dragging around tons (kilo's) of amps and cabinets, but a handy box. Creating sounds using the android/ipad app is very easy and (still after 2 years of use) a fun thing to do. One major flaw with the last FW upgrade, which went very smoothly btw, is that the complete list of patches was replaced with stock ones. I had about 40 presets loaded in the device itself and they were all gone. As a bonus, my stored sounds were all duplicated, so there are now two versions of the same sound in the list. I still have to clean that up. I have used it with the FBV MKII board, which is very useful. Hope this helps.

Oh okay.. the ones on there felt a little thin, and they had irregular windings on the tuner, so I assume that they were not the stock ones..

I changed the string on my new 69 just this morning. I expect the factory default is 09, where I tend to fit all my guitars with Ernie Ball 010, including this one. I had to change the action, due to a number of things: 1) the default action is a little to high for me, 2) with heavier strings a lower action is possible, 3) while changing the strings, the two pivot screws were somehow pulled somewhat higher out of the body, so I had to solve that by fastening them again. I did not replace them one after the other, but I usually remove all the old strings at once and then put the new ones on. With the sequential replacement (one at a time) I think the pivot screws stay in place as well. So, without the clumsiness and personal preference on my side, there is nothing tricky on changing the strings. In fact, with the locking tuners, is a real piece of cake. Changing from 009 to 010 causes the tremolo to be more 'sensitive' to bends (so lower E detunes if you bend the B or high E string). I still have to solve this by getting somewhat more tension on the tremolo springs.

Yes, I know, but thanks for mentioning it. I have build a variax transplant (a homebrew strat with the insides of a Variax 300 in it), and there I have used the switch in the same way. The 300 has a dual switch, with only one side connected.

It turned out to be a grumpy switch. I reflashed the firmware but without any effect. Then (because it needed new strings anyway) took the scratchplate of and measured the resistance bridge. This proved to be good so I inspected the contacts of the switch, which were bad. Because it is a dual 5way switch, mostly used to switch the two tone signals (neck/middle) in a strat, the analog part does not have problems. It is somewhat disappointing that in such a guitar, a rather cheapy switch is used. I'm just going to replace the switch with a real one, see if that solves it.

Hello, I have recently purchased a JTV69 which came without any sound in the modeling part. I have fixed that by upgrading the firmware. The problem is now that the positions 1 and 2 of the 5way selector switch are not working. In the 'analog' part, the switch is working fine. What should I do? reflash the firmware or have a look inside to see of there is a bad connection on the resistor-bridge of the pickup selector? Thanks! patrick.