jerseyboy

I was gung ho with excitement about the possibilities of VDI connection to Helix but the more I use it the less useful it is for my use. In no particular order: The battery pack doesn’t play nicely when using VDI. So, no battery pack in guitar with VDI connection. Alrighty then… No matter what I do saving presets and Variax options in Helix, the damn thing still pulls up random models at the most inopportune times. I work a professional show and cannot afford to switch to a preset expecting acoustic guitar but blast a Dobro, Chime or some random model/tuning out. Eggy! Lately, the guitar cuts in/out between mags/models or it just locks up? Different Helix and different VDI cables so it’s not those items. Does not appear to be the model switch on the guitar either but something to do with the guitar VDI connection. My instincts tell me perhaps DC voltage drop through 25’ of small gauge wire? How much DC current designers expected to draw through 25’ of light gauge cable? And speaking of 25’ of light gauge wire. Mag pups suffer through that much wire length. Yes, even JTV59 hum buckers. The rock solid workaround for these issues - I run the guitar on battery, simply use the audio output jack and ignore the VDI connection except for computer editing. Pre-program tunings/models saved in locations on the guitar and happily do my gig. Now I can use any amp modeler or just regular amp and pedalboard if desired. I’m actually tempted to go back to Fractal since Helix volume pedal sweep is killing my pedal steel emulation fun… So, the “James Bond†feature of pulling up models/tunings with VDI/floorboard is alluring but with all the areas it can and will go wrong, simply not ready for prime time, IMO.

Not Firehawk user but I’ve been using an old 500 w/VDI to Helix for backup and it works fine for selecting models but any tunings NOT saved to guitar models will not function. Floor pedal unit tuning feature is only supported when using JTV guitars. And yes, gotta use legacy Workbench to edit the old Variax guitars. HD is only for JTV guitars.

FRFR can be too much range for electric guitar, IMO. I tend to use an EQ roll off 80Hz or so for many patches to tighten the sound. Also might roll-off high end if it gets ice picks since that energy can really travel with little power applied.

300, 500, 600. 700 Variax be legacy products. It's never been any secret they won't work with WBHD. I still use old Workbench on Yosemite. It's a little buggy (mainly won't shut down without force quit) but I do all sorts of tunings on trusty old 500.

I love Helix tone but I do a lot of pedal steel emulation and the volume pedal sweep curve is not much fun. Even using Log taper and pedal at end of blocks, it still comes on way too quickly for my old brain. I'm just "getting by" with it and having no fun with material I used to not even think about. I've been told Fractals are piling up at my synth guru shop since everyone's moving to Helix. Thanks for the tip, I might have to borrow one and see if it will fit my direct amp bill and lemme tailor a sweep curve more in line with old Ernie Ball VP? Hell, even the old POD XT live/Pro had a very useable volume pedal taper for this stuff. Not so much Helix but I'm probably a minority and L6 surely has bigger fish to fry...

More update. It seems some presets insist on calling up odd Vax models even when I've saved the preset with "Don't force" under Vax block? One particular preset pulls up a Reso model. I goto to the Vax block, see it's on "Reso 2" change that to "Don't Force", save preset. But whenever I go back to that preset (even with Vax model switch OFF) it pulls up "Reso 2" again. What the heck am I missing here? I guess I need to keep playing with all those Vax block settings?

This made me laugh because when I fly and check my Pelican guitar case I'm constantly asked if it's a firearm....

It's not so much the bending of strings but volume swells which can bring on more realistic Gnashville Cat Steel guitar. Certain chord inversion's very important too. To be effective you must always pluck the notes slightly ahead of the beat and bring 'em in time using the volume swell. Start with Tele bridge pups (very similar to Fender lap steels) the Special can be good too, IMO. Mild compression and wet reverb usually rounds out the amp setup. But working the volume pedal is where it lives for me. TBH, I don't care for the Helix LT volume pedal taper. It comes on much too quickly for my tastes even using Log settings. Workaround helpful to put the volume pedal after the amp so you're not cranking amp channel gain which tends to speed up the swell rate. Old XT live did a pretty good volume swell but Helix LT still not much fun yet... Give the intro to "teach your children" a listen. That one helped wrap my head around this technique. Jerry Donahue, Will Ray have this stuff down in their respective wheelhouses too...

As you've discovered the light gauge strings tend to skew results. Getting the most from the JTV acoustic sounds I find playing very light may help? But even then, the modeling isn’t gonna be quite as “perfect†using a plain 3rd (G) string compared to the wound 3rd found on Acoustic 700. Is it passable? In many contexts and cases, yes. But it isn’t ideal. I suspect if you setup a JTV with same light acoustic strings the 700 uses, it would sound practically the same when played with the same physical touch. But of course, good luck playing many "bending" electric style licks/riffs.

Right on, very helpful, thanks! I recall running across discussions about some battery/VDI weirdness? Probably months ago but it does seem to have been an “issue†in some situations. As you explained, that’s how I expected “Don’t Force†to work. But more times than I care to remember, when I go to a “Don’t Force†preset I expect to be able to switch to a different model via the “pickup/model selector†switches? But on a couple of occasions, it would revert to whatever the previous model/tuning was selected, before arriving at the “Don’t Force†preset? If that makes any sense? It does not seem to be consistent behavior so maybe if/when I ditch the battery pack w/VDI combo this issue may resolve itself? Ok, I’l spend more time and keep better track of the behavior. Thanks again for your helpful insight!

Been using JTV59, VDI, Helix LT running Ver 2.21 For some presets, I’ve enabled guitar model changes and/or tunings. Trouble is, sometimes when I leave those presets and go back to non-Variax enabled (forced) presets the Variax sticks to whatever guitar model or tuning was being used in the previous preset? I understand the Variax may still have a previous model but I made sure “Don’t force†all Variax stuff is enabled on these presets and even if I manually switch the Variax knobs the former models/tunings persist? Power cycle Helix the problem seems to go away? Another thing that I’ve never seen before is that I unplugged VDI cable (with battery installed and cable in audio jack) and the model selector switch turned green in color? What does that indicate? Later on, while playing with models ON the sound output stopped and the switch wouldn't turn off the modeling and revert to mags until I removed the battery pack. Basically, the system crashed and I dunno why? I think in future when using VDI I'll leave battery out and just use the mags for my "roving" wireless moments?

No bare feet but I'm probably inadvertently pressing both buttons at the same time. It's new to me so getting used to these ergonomics will take some time. And maybe I'll figure out the point of snapshots and it will be my friend? I wouldn't want to turn off capacitance at this point because I'm still often assigning buttons to effects for Stomp mode. Some point in the future when things are more set I might disable that feature because it wouldn't be used as frequently as it is now? The power and capabilities of this unit do seem incredible.

For fixed patch runs I often prefer George L's. But, you gotta get up to par with clean assembly or chase a lot of Gremlins. But the sonic quality of hard RF stuff like that is generally top drawer for unbalanced connections. Guitar to input bay? No particular brand as they can all suffer defects but I've learned to simply audition reasonably priced guitar cables that have the look/feel I like (Planet Waves, etc) and simply return any that sound worse, by comparison. Old vintage wound single coils should probably never use cable much over 12-14' length. Even then, 16ga or larger center conductor is often better than 18ga or smaller line level single conductor 1/4" phono, IMO.

As of now I’m looking to change the parameter for all instances of a preset. Thank you all for explaining what I’m seeing whenever I press the button of the knob. I’ll try to avoid pushing the parameter button although now I won’t worry too much if I do. Man, I’m much too old and slow to even begin to wrap my head around snapshots and how to use them for my performance situations? I just wished I could quit seeing that pop up when I get lazy and touch both up/down buttons with my foot? My requirement is a very specific set of presets that I sometimes use in preset mode or stomp mode. Very basic sounds but quite specific to areas of our production. Thanks again for the good help!

I haven’t found the answer in the manual yet but while recently editing Reverb decay (although this applies to any block parameter) the font number was in color (red) and often stays in color. A couple times I inadvertently pressed the parameter button and the font changed to white. I saved the preset but the number remained white and all the rest still in the effect color. That parameter would only revert back to the usual color after rebooting? Can someone please tell me what’s going here? Also, the “save snapshot†screen pops up often because I’m probably touching both up/down buttons at the same time. But it’s very unsettling in the heat of battle and I would really prefer to never, ever see “save snapshot†during a set again? Any words of wisdom regarding that behavior?

Did you try 1/4" cable plugged into the Variax? I'm not familiar using X3 POD's with Gen 1 Vax but I've learned to always connect 1/4" cable to Vax output when doing programming.

Much like antique cars/motorcycles, I still enjoy my Fender/Matchless amps and sometimes find it useful to revisit their "character" to remind myself what's what. But when it comes to gigging, Helix has reached a level of tone & feel coupled with convenience that simply makes my dear old amps obsolete, IMO. Few years ago I owned 1924 Ford Model T and while I loved the unique and educational experience, I certainly wouldn't want to drive it on a daily basis.

I could've wrote this...

Stereo's ideal IMO. At least ALL the reverbs become more useable and if looking for truly deep chorus, ping-pong delays or mind altering wobbly tremolo, stereo FTW. It's one of those things while editing presets I pay attention to. As mentioned, I'll make duplicate "stomp" (no amp modeling) presets for use with guitar amps as well as "mono effects" presets for mono FRFR situations. And of course, the "Cadillac setup" of stereo presets for those Gucci gigs with stereo inputs to FOH/MON. Basically 3 versions of presets covers majority of output situations that come my way.

I prefer FRFR for majority of my use although I do tend to edit a bank of patches with all the same and familiar stomp pedals but no amp/cab modeling for those situations when I arrive on a gig and there's guitar amp backline. Majority of FRFR "amps" reproduce most of what is heard through headphones. However, the main drawback using any "single channel" mono FRFR system is that the reverbs in Helix will never sound exactly as intended. The Spring isn't too bad mono but all the Helix reverbs being stereo kinda leaves something to be desired, IMO...

I would suggest Line6 consider similar modification to future versions? I too find it difficult to reach back row buttons and capacitance feature on my LT being inadvertently activated is another annoyance for my use. I often use capacitance feature for assigning buttons to functions but I would prefer to touch something on the side of the button (metal ring, screws) to activate the feature rather than the top of the button which I tend to inadvertently brush up against?

Is it just my unit or do other users notice the pedal friction adjustment to be very stiff out of the box? Mine was so tight/stiff I was afraid something might break down inside? I loosened it up a bit and everything seems to be smooth and functioning well. Curious if others have received HLT’s with seemingly tight pedal friction tension? ty ty

Hmm? G&L MFD and Z Coil pups might be kinda fun to model? Depends on the guitar body and winding counts sometimes changed through the years but G&L (Leo Fender) probably deserve some place in Variax capabilities?

Obviously, you're unaware of "counterfeit" 18650 Li-ion cells. Chinese print all sorts of specs on dangerously cheap battery cells and pawn them off to the vaping and flashlight crowd. I've opened so called 3200mAh cells only to find a baby 200mAh pouch cell soldered inside along with sand to mimic the weight of a legitimate Panasonic/Sanyo GA 18650 cell. There is NO 8800mAh 18650 Li-ion cell anywhere in the world. It's a total lie and fabrication. Some of the highest energy density 18650 cells reach about 3500mAh. Since the JTV uses 2qty cells wired in series the mAh capacity will not double. It will simply be whatever the single cell happens to be. In most cases JTV uses 2200mAh cells - my guess is LG or maybe Samsung? I haven't dug into one yet. 2200mAh (8Wh) cell wired in series (2S) remains 2200mAh but 16Wh total capacity. The Wh (Watt Hours) will go up in series strings but not the Ah (Amp hour)

I moonlight as a battery and power systems engineer for EV’s and I can tell you that the most important thing is to not leave the cells sitting at full SOC (state of charge) for more than a few days at a time. Full SOC 4.2V/cell of the common 18650 cell used in majority of consumer battery packs is very damaging for the long term. But there’s nothing wrong with full charge and using these cells in a short period of time. As long as you drain some charge from full SOC you’ll reap a significant improvement in longevity and reducing cell degradation. In practical terms, if you can find 50-60% SOC go right ahead. But merely reducing SOC to between 80-90% from 100% makes much more difference for example than 80% down to 50% SOC. I’m describing not being used after full charge for more than a few days, week or longer. If you ever full charge and realize you won’t use the Variax, merely “go play your guitar†for 1/2 hour and your pack will love you for it….