Is There Deep Firehawk 1500/FBV 3 Documentation Somewhere?

[treyrhodes27]

This is a sort of open question, with perhaps many (or no) answers, but here goes: where is the detailed Firehawk 1500 documentation? The manual appears to save as much paper as possible and is helpful to get started. But only that. However, I have questions about my Firehawk amp that simply cannot be answered with it and a couple that come from reading it in the first place. For example, what are the various speakers used for? Can you change the way the signal is routed to the speaker array? The amp has five, or maybe six, volume controls! How and why do I use them all? What is "Live Tweak" mode? Is it the same as "Live Edit?" What purposes do the "Hum" and "Sag" parameters practically serve (I find no use for them)? The amp volume knob is stated in the Pilot Manual to have only two functional modes, but there appear to be three; what does the third do? There are lots more puzzles and I have only begun to use the gear this week; I am sure there will be many more.

Someone please tell me that there is a detailed manual online somewhere. I can't find one. Or perhaps a series of videos, even. There is no way something this complex could only have eight small pages of instructions online or elsewhere. In the absence of documentation, I think it is time to start a wiki or something.

[treyrhodes27]

Found one answer among the forum, here: press tap tempo button once to exit live edit mode. Would have been nice to read that one in the manual...

[martintielli]

I agree, the lack of instructions and description is perplexing and frustrating.

[sceickhoff]

For live tweak, look at the Firehawk FX manual.

 

Essentially you can assign one parameter to be dynamically controlled via expression pedal or FX knob. For example you can use the expression pedal to control the mix parameter of a reverb. The manual explains how to select the parameter using the remote app. This information was omitted from the Firehawk 1500 manual.

 

Agreed that the Firehawk 1500 manual is too light on detailed content.

[sceickhoff]

Regarding the aspects of volume, the answers are on the Firehawk Knowledgebase:

 

http://line6.com/support/page/kb/_/effects-controllers/firehawk/different-firehawk-volume-controls-r736

[Bradburn1]

In response to Treyrhodes query re documentation for the Firehawk 1500, I have had exactly the same problem since buying my Firehawk 1500.

He is absolutely right when he queries why there is no additional documentation giving detailed operations on the Firehawk. The Users Guide is ok as far as it goes but there is so much more that the user needs to know. There are little or no videos available telling you how to do things and nothing on You Tube either to help- quite a few on the Firehawk but nothing on the 1500 amp.

Line 6 seem to assume that you don't need anything other than the supplied User Guide and if you do then find it out for yourself.

However Line 6 are not alone with this thinking. I recently bought an American made motorcycle helmet comms and had exactly the same problem-i.e. the User guide was ok as far as it went but there were many questions that were not covered. This seems to be the way things are going.

So please Line 6, lets have a Piots  Guide that explains everything including examples of how to do things.

We are not all computer or Line 6 experts.

Derek B.

 

[canyoncruiser]

With an amp, a floorboard (FBV3), and apps that have such high degrees of complexity, it is astounding that there is not much documentation support here.  For an example of how to do it right, and sell more product by the way, look at what Korg does with their synthesizers etc. Very detailed models to get in depth how to kind of information.  Surely Line 6, if you are looking at this thread, must have some of the stuff written down?

[radatats]

not a substitute for proper manuals but the FB group has a lot of good info and can answer most of your questions.

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/line6firehawk1500/

[Muso_1000]

Hi treyrhodes27, you posted your question regarding detailed documentation in July 2016. Here we are in May, 2017 and I am posting and writing to Support asking the exact same questions.

 

 

 

Sadly, it looks like this is the Line 6 way and they have learned nothing from their loyal users over the past 12 months.

 

 

 

I have asked for detailed documentation AND Computer-based Training (CBT) modules to be put on-line at their Web site. Perhaps you could all log on to my post at Line 6 Idea Scale page: https://line6.ideasc...ng/896186-23508 and support the request.

 

 

 

Good luck!

[ADBrown]

I have asked for detailed documentation AND Computer-based Training (CBT) modules to be put on-line at their Web site. Perhaps you could all log on to my post at Line 6 Idea Scale page: https://line6.ideasc...ng/896186-23508 and support the request.

 

Can you repost the link, doesn't seem like it is working.

[Muso_1000]

Hi ADBrown,

Sorry for the late reply. I hope this link will get you to my post: https://line6.ideascale.com/a/ideas/recent/campaign-filter/byids/campaigns/47743

 

You can also find it under "Amps" and then "Recent"

[daggie]

this will give you a pretty good overview. if you,re line6 savy, should translate well, otherwise there is a learning curve.

 

www.fullcompass.com/common/files/23736-Line6FirehawkFXAmpModels.pdf

 

[jaygalligher]

Line 6 creates great product! I saw this demo (

) and was excited to be getting the Firehawk 1500 and FBV3. Such incredible potential. But I have the same problem. I work tech all day long so I am good at finding answers. But I have searched the net extensively and can't find enough content to get me to proficiency in using the gear.

 

The product should come with enough documentation, written or step by step computer tutorials, to get the average user to the demo presenter's level of proficiency in using the gear if the user wants to reach that level.

 

This thread started 2 years ago. There are 12 posts. One is from a power user. Thank you! And one post by a Line 6 product specialist which was a question... don't we get answers? Is Line 6 doing anything about this issue?

 

I'm trading the gear in tomorrow.

[Kilrahi]

On ‎7‎/‎24‎/‎2016 at 12:17 PM, treyrhodes27 said:

. . .What purposes do the "Hum" and "Sag" parameters practically serve (I find no use for them)?

 

This was challenging to me too, and I do wish there were more official sources.

 

At least in regards to questions like "hum" and "sag," some of the dilemma is that the makers of the modeler assume that you are familiar with those concepts on a regular amp, so they do not make an attempt to explain them.

 

I found it very useful to google concepts such as "hum," "sag," "presence," "bias," "bias excursion," "early reflections" etc.. Sweetwater's site in particular had a lot of useful reference information. 

 

I have to admit, for Line 6 to clearly outline this information for all of their products would require a massive manual.  A better approach would probably be to have the manual refer to an encyclopedic entry on their site that explains all of the parameters they try to model. Not every modeler would have the applicable setting, but if yours did you'd look it up, find it, and get what it did.

 

It would take a lot of time on their part but it would probably be worth it long term rather than have their customers, who are often new to the guitar world, try to figure it all out on their owns through hours of research.

[jacek69]

I have Firehawk 1500 Pilot's Guide but WHERE IS THE USER MANUAL?

 

On May 11, 2021 it was announced that Firehawk 1500  is no longer being developed, meaning they (line 6) will not release any new firmware or software for  On May 6, 2022. Firehawk 1500 was EOL'ed.

The IOS App will no longer be updated. It still works on IOS 16.5, but will the next iOS kill it?

Is it possible to edit on the unit without the App. Is there a How to Guide?