ozbadman

Maybe the PC Edit program will allow touchscreen, which would solve at least your problem.

There are 4 analog control inputs. EXP Toe Switch and EXP1 - EXP3. Could any or all of these be used directly as HELIX control switches (that is, plug a switch in instead of an expression pedal)?

Really? I have never had a problem with USPS. UPS, big problems. USPS, no problems whatsoever. Usually an excellent service. FedEx is also excellent, but pricey.

There's enough clean amps and effects in the AxeFX2. I just can't get them to sound good. I know it's a cliche, but they always sounds like they have digital artifacts to my ears. I always found the same thing with Boss pedals for some reason. YMMV. I've been overseas for the last year, so I haven't tried the latest Axe firmware. Maybe it's all there for me now when I get back home. :) I hope the Helix is more for me, but not quite yet. Needs a few more effects in particular in there before I'll be buying. Looking forward to hearing what people have to say though once they get their hands on it.

Not really true. The AxeFX is no longer supported. Fractal upgraded their hardware to the AxeFX2 in May 2011. They have since released the XL and XL+, but who knows how long they will support the AxeFX2. So far, 4.5 years. However, your point about not charging for updates during the life of the hardware platform is valid. I own an AxeFX2. Good for metal. Not so good for non-metal. A lot of their amps sound very similar, and I struggle to get a non-metal tone that blows my mind. I also hate both the physical interface on the unit, and the AxeFX Editor. Not at all intuitive, and reminiscent of 1980s designs. I want to play guitar, not battle interfaces. HELIX looks modern by comparison. I will be buying a HELIX at some point, but it seems a little under-cooked right now for me. I have no doubt L6 will be adding more effects and amps, and will be looking at it again once they do that. Personally, I buy for what they have at the time, not for what they might have. I am OK with them charging for new amps/effects (but not bug-fixes). Whether they do or not, I will base my purchase on what is currently on offer, and at what cost-price, and whether I want it for that price now. I would prefer they charge me for upgrades, than make me buy a whole new unit just to cover their development costs. They are a business after all.

Editor is now available at: http://line6.com/software/ Sadly, Line6 has taken the AxeFX route and the editor only works with a Helix connected. :(

Dragging their heels on what? Nothing has changed.

The AxeFX2 replaced the old AxeFX/Ultra. The AxeFX/Ultra no longer receive updates. Only AxeFX2-based models receive updates due to the processing power required. So yeah, for modelling based processors, every 5 years or so you will have to replace your hardware as processing power increases. Additionally, when it's time to update, just sell the old one on eBay. You usually get at least 50% of the cost back, so think of it as renting your gear for 5 years at a very good price. I don't see how charging $1500 for the Helix, plus $99 for the Friedman pack could be a deal breaker, considering a new Friedman is $3700. $99 seems like a pretty good deal, and the Helix can do other amps as well!!!

And a bit of a curve-ball, Tommy Emmanuel does this well.

While I agree that in the past, Line 6 has been really bad at expectation management, I think they are much better at it now. I don't see the problem. I would not expect the manual to be ready until the product is released. You can read the manual before you buy the product, it just means you may not be able to buy the product on day 1 if that is what you want. Yes, we all want to read the manual now the product is announced, but I don't see how you can say Line 6 is doing a bad job, just because they are going to release the manual at the same time as the product. From the buyers point of view, no, they don't expect you to outlay $1500 without knowing what something can do. Wait until you've read the manual. Line 6 will not mind if they get their cash 1 month later. Also be aware that early adopters often have to deal with things not working 100% as intended, including physical faults, so if you're really keen to get it day 1, just be aware that you may have some additional frustrations coming.

Maybe you would be more tempted to power it on everyday if it had a switch to do so. :)

Surely it would be a Double Helix, no?

Duuuude. I really think you overreacted to what I wrote. That's why the "if" was there. I understand you're probably sick of defending your position. Happy to hear both sides of a discussion/debate. Didn't mean to cause you such consternation. More importantly, this thread is pretty pointless anyway given that no-one has an official date outside Line 6, so hijacking in this case is also pretty meaningless. But, it fills in some time while we're jonesing for the Helix.

My question would be: Why do you believe it is 5000-10000 years old? If the answer is that one book, written by mankind, ~3000 years ago (old testament) said so, then I'd have to say your evidence is thin. What I believe is that no one outside of Line 6 has any more evidence for the delivery date of Helix than I do. But false prophets will claim they speak of the one true release date. I look forward to the day when the Helix rises up and takes over the world. I will be helping it do that, hopefully sometime later this year.

http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/aluminium.htm Apparently, it's the Englishman, Sir Humphry Davy's fault.

Not a problem for me. Hijack away and save the planet from these sandpaper-tongued feral lion wannabes. :) But harm a puppy and there'll be hell to pay.

Thanks for the reply Cipher. Just wanted to get a quick initial overall impression, and not derail the thread, so thanks for replying. Now, back to Variax HX speculation...

Not to derail the thread, but just quickly, how do you find the Variax Standard as a guitar? I'm considering getting one, and want to get a feel for how people are feeling about the guitar itself, not the electronics (which I already have in my JTV59).

lol. No problem.

Just to clarify, I didn't post that so you can't really use it as an argument for what I might be including. :)

It may not help, but Mark Knopfler mostly played with bridge-middle (position 2, not neck-middle) for his classic Sultans of Swing sound, so you could try that.

Nothing to do with envy at all, I just don't agree with you. I am talking about emotional impact as a listener. I don't care what emotion they put into it, I care what emotion I get out of it. Fast runs are technically amazing, but it leaves me emotionally cold. If it does something for others, great.

Charlie Parker, absolutely showing off. Dizzy Gillespie, less so. And I never said they weren't influential. I just don't feel anything out of the music they made (although I like some of Dizzy's stuff). As I said, YMMV. Opinions vary. For me, these musicians do nothing for me emotionally. If it does something for others, that's great.

I know what he's talking about. For me, most monster players do not impart soul into their solos. They are too busy showing their chops. Steve Vai, Joe Satriani. mehh. Brian May is an exception. I hadn't heard of Alex Hutchings, but the video above definitely has soul, so that's a new guitarist to hear for me. Miles Davis was much more interesting playing cool jazz than bebop though. YMMV.

Yes I know. Some people on this thread may 'have not' already heard the tones linked to; that was my only intent, so that they (1) could hear the best variety of tones demoed so far and (2) not request similar tones on this thread.