DarthHollis

Can I ask why the Helix manual doesn't explain anything about the expression pedal? It doesn't talk abou the resistor pot or the difference between TS and TRS. My response was based on how many problems I have seen other users have with using various volume pedals with the Helix.

All of the Line 6 devices work with an external expression pedal with a 10K pot. Anything else will not work properly. The Dunlop Volume X pedal is 250K. The Ernie Ball volume pedal is also 250K. I have found that many of the places that sell volume pedals do not list the pot value so I understand it can be a little confusing, this may also be the fault of the manufacturer. I do wish the Helix was able to calibrate manually. I think the sweep of the built in expression pedal is too long and I would like to put something under the heel so my toes don't touch my shin when I use it heel down.

I use the script phaser and it's perfect. It's a very slow rate. Make sure you put it before the pre-amp. My band covers Atomic Punk and a bunch of Van Halen tunes. The phaser and flanger are key and I have found them to be amazing in the Helix.

I understand the confusion now. It may not be "traditional" but it is still 4 Cable Method. In my opinion, there is no difference in tone or functionality and no advantage to doing it the way he is doing it. But if he wants to do it that way, GREAT!!! It works for him.

Sheehanje, I created a tone just for you with all the FX you mentioned above. It is using the 4CM. Hope this helps get you started. http://line6.com/customtone/tone/2140122/

Sorry, OP, you may not be thinking of it backwards, but what I described is exactly what you want to do. The 4 cable method does exactly what you want. Pedal are not "pre-amps". It doesn't work that way. Either you are using a pre-amp in the Helix or you are using the pre-amp in you Mark V. So lets go over your thoughts: I get that this can be accomplished with the 4CM that most people use nowadays. But I don't need to do this seeing I don't need/want to use my Helix as a preamp. - The 4CM allows you to use the FX in the Helix before and after the pre-amp in your amp. You cannot do that any other way. You must have a loop in the Helix that goes to the amp to pick up the signal of the pre-amp. There are a couple reasons I want to do this - first off it's easier to isolate problems by simply switching off the loop from my amp. - If you have it set up correctly there won't be any problems. You still need to use the loop in your amp or you can't have post FX. That's just a fact. Second, I save a block. Not a big advantage - but it's one. - There are plenty of block in the Helix, more than enough. Finally - I use a lot of my footswiches to control functions on my amp via a mini-amp gizmo. So I'd rather have one less footswitch (for the send/return block) to assign for helix functions and control my amp with - You don't need a switch to control the FX loop in the Helix. Just leave it on all the time. I suggest that you look at some artist patches I have created and you can see that there are ways of doing things you may not have considered. These are both set up for 4CM. On the Green Mama tone it will be a clean pre-amp in the Helix. If you hit FS8 (bottom left) it will switch to the FX loop and you will hear the pre-amp in your Mark V. http://line6.com/customtone/tone/2140071/ http://line6.com/customtone/tone/2140072/

Your specific power amp is unique. I read the manual and in the very begining (page 4) it clearly states: In other words, this is an amp without an opinion; it amplifies but does not alter the character of the sound. If it was a Marshall, Mesa/Boogie, or other power amp with EL34s or something (or going into the FX return of a tube head), that would add another level of sound/EQ and you would only use the Pre-amps in the Helix. For your particular power amp I would suggest using full amps because you want the color that the power amp modelling on the Helix adds.

OP - you are deffinitely thinking of this backwards. 4CM is what allows you to use the Pre-amp in your real amp. That is the FX send signal in the Helix, so if you turn off the FX send (loop) then you are bypassing the pre-amp on the amp and going directly to the FX loop. I will try to simplify: Guitar -> input to the Helix - allows you to use FX before the amp like wah, phaser, distortion/boost, etc. Helix - Having a Send/Return FX Loop allows the signal to go to the front end of your amp. Send 1 out goes to the amp input and then the FX send on the amp goes back to the Helix Return. The loop must be on or you are bypassing the amp.... which you can do and use a pre-amp in the Helix. I do this with a clean pre-amp and don't use the clean channel in my amp. I also set a footswitch in every patch so that I can turn off the loop and turn on the clean pre-amp. Much easier to change channels and go from clean to dirty or vice versa. After the Send/Return FX Loop in Helix you place your delays and reverbs and whatever else you want there, then the main output of the Helix goes back to the FX return of the amp. That is signal complete. Hope this helps.

Can you show us a picture of your screen on the Helix or in the editor? Maybe a before and after? Also, are you using it before or after the amp? I always like to use the Whammy before the amp and when it is engaged but at Minimum setting (not effecting the pitch) there is a tiny delay but no change in the tone. I also use FS11 to turn on the whammy and I keep the exp pedal set at minimum. That way I am always starting from the regular pitch rather than from the maximum pitch. Try using a footswitch instead of the toe switch and also set the pedal at minimum when you save the patch. The Helix actually remembers where the exp pedal starts and when you turn the whammy on it will start there.

I would bet that you are also activating the wah when you activate the whammy.

Anyone else get an email with the subject "Edit Helix Tones on a Computer". The last editor I could find was released 5/11/2016. Are they just now sending the email about the update?

+1 PeterHamm I have given away patches to people to help with 4cm stuff but I find it rediculous that people would buy patches rather than create their own. As in life, there are no short cuts. At some point, you're going to have to pay your dues. I've been using Line6 stuff since the begining and I am constantly learning new ways of doing things. Evolve or die.

It's Road Cases USA 32x16. I sometimes wonder if the extra $40 for wheels and suitcase handle would have been worth it. It weighs about 50lbs. That's not a wah pedal, it's the Mission expression pedal that is built specifically for Line 6 stuff. It has a much more real feel for whammy and wah effects. I can't use it for wah, just because of having to switch it on with the other switches but it works great.

Here is what my pedalboard looks like.

I was considereing having the wireless at my amp and running a 30 foot cable to the Helix as part of my 4CM. I'm glad I didn't use that option. I have a G50 wireless, a Digitech Drop and a Mission Engineering Exp pedal on my board with the Helix. The cables going to the amp are longer than they need to be but I don't notice any loss of signal with 30 feet on each of the 3 cables.

willsmythe37 - My only suggestion other that what you have above is to not use the cab sims. You already have a cab and speakers. At least try it first before adding them. Also, You can still use the 4CM. I use 4CM for my main crunch and metal sounds because I have a 5150 III but for Clean sounds I bypass the loop on the Helix and use a Fender Clean preamp in the Helix. One button switches off the loop and on the amp sim. Like I mentioned before, if you like any of the sounds you get from the amp that is what 4CM is for. Also, I keep my amp volume knobs on 4 (11 o'clock) which is very loud and I turn the master volume on the Helix to about 12 o'clock. That gives me plenty of room to go louder if I need to. The only reason for the Master Vol dimed is to reduce extra noise, but with the Helix it's not something I worry about. I set the amp sim level for my clean sounds based on the volume of my amp. That way they are always equaled out when changing from clean to crunch etc. and the Master volume on the Helix is my overall volume. Hope that makes sense.

What you are calling "tone stacking" does not make sense to me as proven by having to use EQ to correct problems. I'm not knocking you for trying but what you are basically doing is like plugging into an ENGL head and taking the FX send our of that head and directly into the input of your Fender combo. Do you like any of the sounds you get out of your Fender combo all by itself? If yes, then use the 4CM when you want to use those sounds. Otherwise go straight into the FX return and use the Helix for the Pre-amp models. Your Combo already has a power amp and speakers. There is no reason to duplicate that sound in the Helix and have to use EQ to correct problems. I am a big proponent of not using EQ unless it's an absolute must and then, using only as sparely as possible. You should be able to correct the problems somewhere else. Most engineers would change speakers, mic placement, etc first and only use EQ when all else has failed or for a very specific application. In the end if what you are doing is not working you may need a different amp or FRFR to power your Helix. Fender combos are normally open back cabinets and for metal tones most people prefer closed back. The speakers are also most likely intended to produce clean tones, not the kinds of tones you are trying to create. Just my two cents. If what you are doing works, more power to you.

Road Cases USA 32x16 case. It was a great deal. I kind of wish I got the luggage casters to make it easier to transport With everything in it the weight is about 50lbs. I added rubber feat on the bottom and took out the carpet. Using 3M Dual Lock to hold down everything. https://www.instagram.com/p/BDyV4mMNzKe/?taken-by=hollis1003

I use a Pedal Python and it works great. I have 30' of cable for the 3 audio cables, a 30' midi cable that switches channels, and a 30' power cable extention cord with another 6' (3 input) that goes to my board. This is a very long run and I'm sure some people are worried about signal loss and noise from the power cable. My experience is that if you use decent cables there will not be desernable signal loss. Also, I am assuming that the outputs on the HELIX are buffered. I have not seen any proof of this, however. Also, as long as the power cable is shielded there is no noise transfered to the audio cables. If you use the cheap extension cords that are flat and feel like two small wires next to each other, you may have issues. I was using the set up before with my POD HD500 and now with the Helix and I am not hearing any extra noise or signal loss. The great thing about the Helix is that you can actually add 6dB of signal in your send if you think you are getting signal loss. Also, the Helix itself is much quiter than the POD was. My amp is a 5150 III 50watt and with the amount of gain I have I need to use a noise gate. I'm finding with the Helix I don't have to use as harsh of a setting on the gate. Anyway, hope this is helpful. https://www.instagram.com/p/BDQh3kqtzI3/?taken-by=hollis1003

Just got my Helix last night and it does do Drop and more. There is a new Pitch shift called Simple Pitch that was not in the original firmware. It works great for drop tuning, or even fixing to tuning with something that is just a few cents off. I will be using it live. Awesome!!!!

I mean the last 12% of heal down is uncomfortable. I put dual lock (which is like velcro) over a half inch thick under the heal to make it more comfortable. For certain FX, like Tom Morello fast Whammy bends it's too far to travel. You have to be really fast. Shortening the length of the sweep by calibrating the heal to start at 12-15% would make it much easier. Also, it would feel more like a real wah pedal. From the research I have done, it looks like I need a Mission expression pedal.

Hello. I have not seen this here yet so pardon if this is a repeat. The search did not find anything. How do you calibrate the Expression Pedal on the Helix. I don't see it in the manual. The sweep is way to far in the heal and I am putting dual lock under the heal so that it doesn't go all the way down. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

So what is the brand of case you are using and what are the dimensions? Also, does it have rubber or PVC feet under so that it does not slip? Thanks!

I am looking for a case much like the one by RoadCases or Thon (they are in Germany and it doesn't look like they ship to USA). I want the Helix to be able to stay in the bottom part of the case so that it is protected from drunk people and my singer (who dropped an entire drink in a glass container right next to my POD HD 500 at our last show). The only other thing I would like is to have room for my Relay G50 wireless receiver either at the top or side. Any ideas? Here's what I have found, most options seem to be just a few inches short one way or the other. http://www.amazon.com/Rockcase-Warwick-Aluminum-Large-Pedalboard/dp/B000960KU0/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1457455362&sr=8-14&keywords=pedalboard+cases