davidb7170

Would be cool, but the USB port on the POD pedals and the Helix is the little square one, not the rectangular one, like on your computer. Most (actually all) USB sticks I've seen are the rectangular form factor. Some sort of adapter cord would be necessary for this to possible.... The other thing is the USB memory sticks are just that - memory chips, not an active computer that needs to be able to deal with communication and managing the files in memory, etc., etc. It'd be very cool if the Helix's processing could do all that as well as what it does, but I kind of doubt it.... If it could, I'd think they'd be promoting the $#!+ out of it.... Dave

As with everything, finding the right person is crucial. The luthier I take my guitars to is in Texas now (I'm in Iowa). His elderly parents live here, so he is back a couple or more times a year. He has a very good reputation, so when he is here, local guitar players get wind of it and pile on. Luckily, he always makes time for us. I had heard of him for years He used to live here, but some years ago moved to TX, as I said. When he retires, or his parents pass away and he's not back here regularly, I (and a lot of folks) will have to find someone else, but will need to be very careful in finding one. When he looks at the guitar, the first thing he does is plays it -- from that little bit of action, and what I heard him play, I knew he knew what he was doing to see what was wrong, or how it could be improved. Then when I got my first one back from him the first time, I saw he had the touch with them. He set them a touch lower than I liked for my picking style, and he now adjusts them to my liking, now that he knows my preference... To me the critical items are good personality, good ear, musicianship, and skill. He has them all. Dave

Yup - sounds like a ground loop. Your connection from your output of the HD500 establishes a ground from your amp, and your pedals(s) external to the HD500 are introducing a separate ground path at a slightly different potential - doesn't take much actual voltage to make a loud buzz at the low level of an instrument output. Can I assume you have wall power to your external stomp boxes or are they on batteries? Try headphones and disconnect from your power amplification -- when hooked to your external stomps. If the noise goes away in that circumstance, you have a ground loop between your stomps and your amp meeting up in the HD500.... I built myself a 1:1 isolation audio transformer for when I hook my HD500(X) to my desktop pc. I place the isolation transformer between my HD500(X) and my amp for when I use it hooked up to both. Otherwise, I get the ground loop buzz in that condition. The Ebtech device above is simply a commercial iso transformer. It would probably also work between your HD500 and you amplification. There are others out there. If you use the XLR outputs instead of the 1/4" outs, try using the XLR Ground/Lift Switch in the "Lift" position.... Some things to try... Dave

Sounds like you found your 1st problem's solution. Your second major problem is exactly what I would expect if you shut down or disconnect your POD HD before exiting the POD HD Edit program. The program is communicating with your hardware (the POD HD) and it is suddenly missing -- the USB communications is disrupted and your PC is waiting for an answer from the missing hardware. ALWAYS shut down your software before turning off your hardware.... It keeps trying to communicate with something that is not there... It's like if some one on the other end of the phone hangs up on you, and you keep saying "hello? hello? hello?...." Your 3rd problem with Ableton, I don't know, as I've never had that software, but.... Are you running Ableton along with POD HD Edit up at the same time? I know that POD HD Edit doesn't "like" when you make a button change on the connected POD when the software is connected (such as the tuner, or changing a patch, or turning on of off an effect) on the hardware, and will freeze up the hardware and software (POD & Edit). If it freezes your POD and/or Edit SW, the USB communications will get frozen as well, screwing the pooch for any other SW using that communication path (Ableton). Old saying, "If it hurts when you do that -- don't do that..." Just some thoughts.... Dave

"If you think you hate it now, just wait 'til you drive it" - Eugene Levy "Vacation"

If you think it's too high level compared to the others, you should at least try adjusting the global string level for the hot one in HD Workbench, reduce the offending string. If it's only on one model, you can adjust them on each model, also. If it turns out to be a bad piezo, you can try this place for a replacement: http://www.fullcompass.com/product/445135.html I've gotten replacement parts here before. They're kind of pokey about shipping, but they do come through. Dave

I replaced my 69S's single coils with DiMarzio noiseless single coils over 3 years ago. I followed the wiring diagrams found here: http://line6.com/support/page/kb/_/guitars/james-tyler-variax-guitars/jtv-pickup-wiring-diagrams-r64 It was pretty straight forward. I did not want to get into soldering on the 5-way switch connections, so I snipped the wires and soldered mine to the leads from the switch. I placed some heat shrink on the leads prior to soldering, then slid it down and shrank it. I have both the 59 & the 69S, but use my 69S the most -- been a Strat guy for many years. Never felt the need to swap out the 59 pups, but to each their own... Check your documentation on your color codes for the new one against the wiring diagram to be sure. You don't want to flip the polarity of the hot & ground. As far as the when the models are engaged, they are independent of the magnetic pups. You may want to level your models (using HD Workbench) up to or in the same ball park of the levels of you new pup so you don't have huge increases when switching from models to mags. I did this on both my 59 & 69S. On both of my JTV's, I use the mags probably 80 - 90% of the time when gigging. The models are very useful for specialty instruments and alternate tunings. I use them for drop D, drop Db, 1/2 and full step down, etc. When I up tune, I tend to just use a capo -- old habits and familiarity comes into play... Again, everyone to their own comfort zone. Dave

I had/have this issue with my 300 B string. On really hot humid days it would be dead, then come back after a while. My JTV-59 developed that problem in the first summer I had it - 2011. The issue was that the electrical connection of the piezo is 1 hot lead, and the piezo case is ground. The bridge of my 59 started corroding right away. I discussed it with Rich Renken, and he sent me a new bridge. It had been redesigned (I could tell when I compared the casting marks on the new versus the old), and the World plant in Korea apparently changed their vendor for sourcing them and their design slightly. It was a plating problem in that initial bunch. I installed the new bridge (with piezo's), and have not had the issue since then. I feel the issue is the same with my 300, but since I got my 59, and later my 69S, I don't gig out with the 300 anymore. The solder pads on both the first generation Variaxes and the JTV's have 2 connection points -- 1 for hot and 1 for ground, but the piezo leads are only one per piezo - the hot, so the ground is provided by the case of the piezo connect through the grounded bridge assembly. If it gets salt corroded from sweat, the friction ground connection gets resistance in it, killing the signal return path. I would much prefer if they would use a 2 - lead piezo instead of depending on a case ground. One guy (can't remember who) on the forums gingerly soldered leads to the piezo cases and then to the ground pads on the connection PC board under the bridge and took care of his problem. When I was having the issue with the 59, I would take along my wife's hand-held hair dryer. When it acted up, I would dry it out with the dryer, and it would start working again.Worked one night when the dew came on an outside job... Don't know if the Ghost's have 1 lead or 2, but if they don't have a metal case, I'd guess 2. As I said, I have not remedied my 300, as it does go gigging anymore. Dave

I've got one -- how about a simulation of the input Z adjustment of the guitar input for the Variax VDI input. I use my JTV's always hooked up via the VDI input, but when I mess with my regular guitars via the guitar input, I find the adjustable Z - impedance quite handy for taming a guitar that is way too trebly by reducing the input impedance -- it also knocks down the hum. It would be very helpful with the JTV mags specifically to warm up the sound. On my 69S, I usually roll my tone control way past half to get out of the tinny brittle area of the mags, and the 59 mags are sometimes too brittle sounding as well. I have to set my models to save their tone control positions, as the necessary tone control adjustments for the mags is always different than the needed tone control settings for the models.... Just a thought.

I do my tweaking at home on my 500X with the unit sitting on a chair in front of me. I pretty much do all the tweaking on the unit itself, as opposed to the PC via USB. If I was tweaking at a gig, it would be for very minor things like the global EQ. I can't really imagine messing with a setting in he middle of a song, or even between songs, as we keep our sets moving as much as possible -- we work very hard to not have dead space between our songs.... I know from the forums, there are folks that use their 500(x)'s hooked to a mac or PC while performing, but that just seems like a problem just waiting to happen -- the USB on the HD floor units are notorious for breaking, then you are SOL for future PC use, or updates. I'm very nervous and therefore very careful with the USB connector, so I hesitate to use it much hooked to the PC.... I've seen the 500X get totally screwed up when using HD Edit and touching a control on the unit... Things get out of sorts pretty easily... I move around patches, and backup patches and set lists with the Edit, but for most patch creation, I do it right on the unit -- don't have to send it to the unit and reboot before it stays put with the tweak.... If I royally screw up a patch, I fire up Edit and reload it from the backups.... My experience with smart phones is little, by choice, but I did buy an android tablet to mess with, and it's connectivity is on again off again -- can't really see it as reliable for an interface. I watch how often the thing drops and picks up connection with my WiFi - seems constantly.... My opinion of them is not high. I also wonder how secure it is, and well it rejects spurious signals and interference... I am curious to see the usability of the foot editing capabilities of the Helix. One hope is it can't be easily triggered by a simple misstep -- I had my 500X's looper kick in by a misstep, talk about embarrassing in the middle of a song... I'm an engineer, and I deal with a lot of tech, so I think about things like that... I think in terms of contingencies. It's amazing to me how much has to go right for all these things to work well together. I'm a big believer in Murphy's Law -- what ever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible moment.... I'm GAS-ing for this thing, too.... Dave

Went over to Sweetwater's site -- they have a black Standard in their gallery, so I could get a closer view of some of the details to see the differences between this and the 69S, the closest JTV for comparison. The things I noticed: 1) Not made in the World Plant in Korea -- made in Indonesia -- the SN on this one begins with a "Y" instead of "W" as JTV's do. 2) The neck heel is not contoured like a 69 / 89, but more like a traditional Strat, so the neck bolts are in a rectangular pattern through a chrome plate - don't know if they are Strat spacing. 3) The strings are a through-bridge design, again like a Strat, where they are inserted from the back of the guitar. 4) The bridge is a 6 - screw tremolo design, like traditional Strats -- I actually like that a bit better than the 2 point pins of the 69 bridge -- it was a surprise to me when I took all my strings off the 1st time.... Bang, the bridge popped off the pins - I was concerned I hurt the finish... This could be seen from the regular single pictures in their normal PR releases. 5) The tuning machines are non-locking. 6) 2 string trees on the head stock opposed to none on the 69 -- again seen before. Guessing the tuners are not staggered heights due to this. 7) At 7 lbs 8 Oz, a few ounces lighter than a black 69S (7 lbs 11 Oz) in their gallery - not much of a difference, though. I've seen variances in weight between "identical" models in their gallery before... 8) Alt Tune knob down with the others like a 59, but again that's been discussed elsewhere. That's what I saw in a quick look. Dave

Cool -- thanks! Contact them through an issue ticket, or would I need to call them? Dave

I have the full set of model packs on both my HD500X and my backup 500. Like hurghanico said, up to 4 devices. There were no issues, except for the total number of authorized devices is limited to 10, I think. I had to de-authorize something else to authorize my HD500, as I recall. That was a bit of a limitation. Dave

One difference I saw in the video of podman01 unpacking his, was that it did not include the gig bag that the JTV's do... They're nice gig bags, but I buy hard shell cases for my guitars that I gig with. I do keep my 2 gig bags from my 59 & 69S for my other guitars, though. Like I said, they are good quality gig bags. It might not be a big deal, but, I'd think that would be part of the lower price of the standard -- how much, I don't know... My first Variax 300 didn't come with a case or gig bag, either, so I bought one at the store I bought the 300 at. It's a Gator black plastic "universal" hard shell suitable for Strat's or LP's. My 59 took it over, now my 69S uses it, and I have an SKB LP style for the 59.... Dave

I changed my 69S SC's with DeMarzio noiseless SC's and use my mags probably 80 -90% of the time - quiet as a church... My 59 humbuckers actually have a touch more hum than my 69S, now. Your problem on your 69 sounds like it's mostly on you HB pickup -- does sound like a grounding issue. My HB's in my 59 have only minimal hum, but no major buzz. Almost sounds like you had a ground connection actually lift, and now your hand contact is injecting noise into your signal path -- could also be a bit hazardous. Any tingles when it happens? One other thing to check is if you have any ground looping going on. The DC power of your (I assume) 500(X) is isolated from ground (or "earth" if you're in Europe). It actually gets it's ground reference from the amp it's connected to -- which is why there's a ground lift switch on the XLR outs to the mixing board -- avoids ground loops between FOH and stage amps. Unfortunately, USB connectors can't be isolated, so since I use my 1/4" outs at line level to my amp, I made a little 1/4" in and out 1:1 isolation transformer to my amp for when I tweak with the PC hooked up to the USB... Some thoughts... Dave

I took a look through the only place I've found Line 6 replacement parts: http://www.fullcompass.com/brand/LN6/Replacement-Service-Parts.html?&query=&categoryOrder=Bestselling&view=&ipp=24 I did not find any alt tuning knobs in there at all. I have seen their selection change -- mostly with additional parts as time has gone by. The 59 Alt tune and model knobs are a totally different look than your 89. I've bought numerous parts from there and they are not the speediest in the world in fulfilling orders, but the do come through. I'm guessing the Standard will have an Alt tune knob more like your 89 (style-wise), except with a chrome top. The 69 has the "top-hat" alt tune wheel. Anyway, you could keep an eye out for those knobs and they may show up in the future. I've bought replacement model knobs for both my 59 & 69S, a 3-way switch for my 59 that I just keep on hand for spares, just in case. I also bought a pearloid faceplate for my 69S that looks great -- that was just recently. It was nearly a month before they shipped it. It really dressed up the looks of my shoreline gold 69S... The parts they have are surprising. Worth a look.... Dave

One thing that putting either a tail piece or a Bigsby tremolo unit on a 59 is removes the forward pull of the strings on the 59 bridge assembly, that normally locks the bridge to the bridge studs. You now have only downward force on the threaded bridge studs that you really didn't have before. The screws at the back of the bridge adjust the bridge position on the studs, an provide for some additional backward/forward adjustment for intonation if you run out of the individual string bridge adjustments. Anyway, the physics of the bridge have changed by the having the added tail piece or Bigsby now handle the string tension. Not good or bad, but different, and should be accounted for, so you can make sure the bridge assembly is in its proper forward/backward and height positions when you have it all together. Just a thought. Dave

Best to let the Line 6 shop fix it - 1) It's still in warranty 2) it's definitely a JTV innards problem 3) you said you were within driving distance of a service center. I do think you'll need to go through the support ticket route to get L6's authorization as warranty work. I went through this with my 59 switch issue in 2011 -- got their attention with a support ticket, then they sent an RMA (Return Material(?) Authorization) to send it back to California, at that point they thought they had the initial switch issue fixed, so wanted to look it over. That one turned out to be a problem with the soldering of the 3 - way switch that they had re-designed and replaced en-masse, which really delayed the fist bunch of guitars from being delivered. Then in their rush to get them out the doors, they had a certain number of units with bad soldering jobs on the replacement switches. Mine was the first of those they uncovered.... I'll bet the service center won't mess with a bunch of diagnostics, and will just replace the model rotary encoder, then if that doesn't do it, work their way back towards the processor. The hard part will be the intermittent nature of your problems with it. My gut instinct is there's some loose material in the rotary pot that changes the resistance (shorts or possibly reduces proper contact increasing the resistance) that the processor reads to choose the correct model bank. My 69S has been solid as a rock (knock wood) since day 1, in 2012 - 3 years. I had an issue with my 59 later in 2011 -- the plating on the bridge was corroding off, and causing my low E piezo to lose its ground connection in humid conditions, and drop that signal out. On that one, Rich R. sent me a new bridge and I installed it myself. They had redesigned the bridge and the Korean plant changed to a different supplier of that part. It's been solid since then, 4 years, (again, knock wood). Hang in there. Dave

rd2rk -- Try zipping the file you want to upload -- seems that's worked for others, and me, if I remember right, though I haven't uploaded anything but a couple jpg pictures, lately... Dave

Don't know which you're looking for, but I've found parts at fullcompass.com in the past.... Charger: http://www.fullcompass.com/product/443390.html Battery: http://www.fullcompass.com/product/482497.html They're not the speediest in the world, but they do come through... I have seen these at other on-line retailers, about the same prices, or straight from Line 6. Good luck, Dave

I got my white pearloid faceplate from Full Compass last Tuesday. My luthier was still in town, and had a touch up on the tail lock-strap pin to take care of, so I weenied out and had him install the faceplate while he had it.... Got it back yesterday. I like it A LOT better than the minty color that it came with... A pic is attached -- thanks crusinon2 for the nudge... ;) Luckily, when I changed out the stock SC pup's with DiMarzio's, I bought 3 different sets of pup covers -- one was white, so I had them on hand for him. I think it dresses the guitar up nicely. Dave

When you do it this way, it's only temporary. Save the setting when you get it like you want it -- if on HD Edit, send it to the 500X, or if just editing on the 500X, do a save. Any changes you make are temporary until you save them. When you call up another patch then back to this one, it brings it up as it was last saved. Dave

Another fine video, Peter! I look forward to trying the patches when you post them! Dave

Edstar -- I'm curious.... I thought we lost the "F" and "U" options a few firmware versions ago. My 500X FW 2.62 & 2 JTV's 59 & 69S FW 2.21 only shows "U:" and the model names, except for "Custom 1:" and "Custom 2:" banks.... I thought that was a casualty of the HD modeling upgrades.... I rolled through all of the models using the parameter knob #2 in the Variax control on the 500X, never got to any "F:" models. It would be cool to have that back, but think it's gone.... Am I missing some other setting somewhere? I just looked in my POD HD500X Edit - most recent version 2.26, and at the Variax controls there as well. The JTV listings do not have the User and Factory listings, but the first generation Variax 300/500 600/700 and the other first gen Variaxes do still have the U/F options. I'm wondering if the OP has chosen model setting from the first gen Variax pull down menu, and is confusing his JTV's with control first gen Vax signals it doesn't read correctly anymore. Seems we lost that U/F option at about the 1.8 FW for the JTV, or so. Wonder if this a root cause of his problems? It seems to me if the OP is using the 1.7x JTV FW, he wouldn't be able to use the latest HD WB or HD 500X Edit versions - they kind of go hand in hand. There is nothing to keep you from selecting the pull downs for the older VAX's even with a JTV hooked up. I still have my old 300, so it's nice to know I could have double the number of models on that. I'd have to download and reload it's Workbench version though to make use of it.... Wouldn't be able to do that with my 500X, but my backup 500 would work with it. Or I may be missing something fairly basic, here.... Dave

I keep my 69S & 59 on the same firmware -- when I upgrade the firmware, I do them both at the same time (assuming there's no issues with the FW). Both are currently on the latest -- 2.21. Dave