Are any artists ACTUALLY using the Helix?

[elsvoboda]

Greetings,
Like the title asks, are any artists using the Helix? Don't get me wrong, this is a great unit. Sitting in a bedroom with all these sounds is awesome. However, I am curious of who is using it?

I know that line 6 did all the invites and asked people to listen to the Helix and they have posted what they have said. I am curious if any of the "tone guys", "the players" are actually using it. Maybe the drop D guys with 1 finger chords use it (maybe, have not seen any but not really looking for those guys).
Take Pete Thorn. His recent live rig does not have the Helix. He says he uses one at home, (well, "keeps" one at home - with Ownhammer IR's) but it appears at home he really uses the Kemper. Studio and live it is his amp and other pedals. I looked up Oz Noy and Josh Smith (even saw Josh Smith) and they record without the Helix and it is NOT part of their Live rig. The Vertical Horizon guy did not have it at his last gig and on and on. Are there any actual pics of the tone monsters really using it? Not getting paid to say something nice or getting a free Relay to say something nice but REALLY using it.
Please don't start freaking out. For the bedroom guy, or this bedroom guy, this thing is a beast. I am NOT knocking the Helix. I am not going to knock the Helix to others and I will NEVER sell the Helix.
I am just curious. I have just happened to see a couple of folks that Line 6 makes it appear that they use the Helix (after looking further they just gave a comment) do not actually use the Helix. Then I went looking for others. The closest thing I have found was one of their own.....and he used the Helix for everything but amps/cabs live ..... which is cool. But, are there any artists that find the amps/cabs/tones, are good enough to record or tour with? Again, I bet with some research the low tuned 1 finger guys might tour with one but I really just want to know if anyone knows of any great player/known for tone guy uses a Helix. 
Any pics or articles would be great because I am sure there are a ton of I know a guy that knows a guy that saw so and so.
My apologies to anyone that feels I am trashing the Helix. As you can tell, I know someone is going to take it that way. This is innocent and simply began bouncing in my head when I saw that a few artists listed for Helix do not actually use the Helix. 
Thank you to anyone that can point me to someone....... 

[Bangha]

As far as I know, and although they are not considered "tone guys", Garbage is using Helix's live. With Butch Vig on board, I guess that counts as respected pro's using it(even if he's not on guitar).

 

Slightly off topic, when speaking of gear selection you can never forget the bias most people have towards vintage gear. Even if you could scientifically prove that at some point digital emulations have fully cloned their analog counterparts in all ways, many people will prefer an original fuzz face for the validation, hip, realness, organic, better than thou, ears of gold, rock god qualities that are tied in with it. I'm not saying technology is quite there yet, but I feel it's getting close.

 

The other point worth mentioning is thatI find way too many musicians; guitarists being the worst offenders, blaming gear for their own technical and/or artistic deficiencies. The don't suck multi effects box still doesn't exist, and even if you could afford David Gilmour's full setup, with Eric Johnson's guitars, Ry Cooders Magic slide, and Jimi's wah, if you suck, it's best to spend time wood shedding on the guitar and not browsing through sweetwater for your next purchase that is bound to turn you into Buckethead.

[rvroberts]

Hi, I understand what you are saying.  I believe Pete Thorn is using the Helix on certain gigs.

I use the Helix on my gigs, but I'm not that famous.

So lets talk a bit about the obvious.  

In most original band situations the range of sounds you need is not huge - partly due to history and the advantage that it gives the band a "sound".  That narrows toy range of sounds you need to make.

Now if you are at the top of your game doing huge arenas, you don't need to compromise on anything - so you might not chose to emulate a Marshall stack, a Vox and 2x tweeds in stereo - you can enjoy finding the best examples of the real thing.  And at those high volumes, you can run them at just the perfect level to get "that" sound.

You also don't need to carry anything - there's a road crew and a tech or 2 to keep it all working perfectly.

So no, you probably are not going to use the Helix, even if no one can tell the difference except you (maybe).

But its kind of like asking do they change their own strings. 

And then there's all their endorsements to consider.

The Helix is not going to be on those stages.  My name on a few pedals is worth $$$$$?????

Only a few gods are really using Fractal too, and they've been working that territory for quiet some time.

But just move one step down the food chain and you will start to see Helix appearing more and more. (Someone cited Barry Gibb's guitarist on another thread) 

The minute you got to get your own gear to a gig/and or you play smaller venues at controlled levels, (even some setups with no amps on stage), the Helix comes into its own.

This is exactly what Pete Thorn is saying he is doing - no I have no proof  - but he's still a gun for hire, not a god, so I suspect he really does have to work different types of shows. 

But I know the Helix is a live monster - I'm getting compliments form top players on my tone (wouldn't be complaining if it was on my playing actually.....).

And a few have said, "you're direct into the PA aren't you?".  So they are hearing it and thinking about it even though they can have exactly what they want on stage.

You will see more Helix's on big stages over the next year - I guarantee it!

[laxtlo]

Until Line 6 brings new product and forget helix users  :ph34r:  :P I Think line 6 should come to public and tell that they will support this product to the end of the days ! 

Meaby they have done that already ?  :o

[Guitarmaniac64]

Hard competition against Fractal and Kemper and since Helix doesnt sound any better why would the "Pro,s" switch especially those who uses Fractal as they use AXE FX have a guitar tech that dial in all the sounds and is familiar with the product.

 

Vai and Petrucci & The Edge only use Fractal for effects they use real amps because they can and dont need to carry the amps themself i would to if i had that option

Guthrie left Fractal and got back to amps and pedalboard again

Vernon Reid uses Kemper AND real amps but his pedalboard is hugh and he have tons of gear on tour.

Read that Paul Gilbert also uses Kemper havent seen any pics from a stage where he uses Kemper so i guess its in studio only.

 

Some metal bands are using modelers only Kemper or Fractal AXE FX live not many metal bands uses Helix a.s.f.a.k

[laxtlo]

Amorphis and Testament use Kemper and only for logistical reasons. 

[DunedinDragon]

Quite honestly I could care less what the major guys are using.  It has little to do with me.  I'm a working musician that plays every week and has to move, maintain, and setup my own rig.  Personally I think all the hub bub about who's playing what is nothing more than hero worship and is simply a distraction from doing and using what makes sense for you to produce the best live or recorded music you can in the most efficient and effective way you can.

 

As far as having "your" tone, I might remind you that some of the bigger acts you probably grew up listening to produced "their" sound various different ways in the studio.  Although Joe Walsh sounds similar throughout his career, he's used a multitude of different setups on different songs with a mixture of amps, cabinets, and mic'ing techniques.  Many times on different cuts on the same album.  Same with Pete Townsend  and Keith Richards.  Granted most of these guys weren't that meticulous with their traveling rigs...but some have historically been such as Joe Perry with Aerosmith.

 

Personally I feel you have nothing to lose by being that meticulous in your setups nowdays because of technology like the Helix.  The way I look at it not all cleans, crunchy, or overdriven tones are the same.  Otherwise we wouldn't have all the amps and cabinets we have on the market.  For most of us working musicians we had "our" sound historically due to the single amp we had.  That's really no longer the case.

[gbakerjr]

I'm going to take a little bit different angle on this question.  I don't really care who else is using the Helix, or any other gear that I use for that matter.  I'm not interested in sounding like someone else, and I didn't buy the Helix (or any of my other modelers) because it sounds like a Marshall, or a Boogie, or "fill in the blank".  I keep a reasonably busy gig schedule....60-80 gigs per year on a regular basis.  I also do a fair amount of session work.  What I care about, is can I get sounds out of the Helix (or any other piece of gear) that I like, and that fit the song or the show that I'm playing; and does the Helix (or any other piece of gear) provide the features (I/O connectivity, control, etc.) that I need.  For my money, the Helix does the trick...As did the HD500X, HD500, and XTLive I used before them.  Look....Kemper, Fractal, Line6, etc....They're all making quality boxes.  You can get great sounds out of all of them.  "Better" is simply a personal preference, and thus will be subjective. 

[Lachdanan0121]

Hard competition against Fractal and Kemper and since Helix doesnt sound any better why would the "Pro,s" switch especially those who uses Fractal as they use AXE FX have a guitar tech that dial in all the sounds and is familiar with the product.

 

Vai and Petrucci & The Edge only use Fractal for effects they use real amps because they can and dont need to carry the amps themself i would to if i had that option

Guthrie left Fractal and got back to amps and pedalboard again

Vernon Reid uses Kemper AND real amps but his pedalboard is hugh and he have tons of gear on tour.

Read that Paul Gilbert also uses Kemper havent seen any pics from a stage where he uses Kemper so i guess its in studio only.

 

Some metal bands are using modelers only Kemper or Fractal AXE FX live not many metal bands uses Helix a.s.f.a.k

I recently saw Fallujah, Between the Burried and Me, and Devin Townsend Project live.

 

There were literally 7 Axe FX on stage between the 3 bands. I saw 2, or 3 Kemper Profilers.

Some of these were used for FX only, but some of these were using them for Amp/cab modelling as well! I saw minimal actual amps/cabs between the 3 bands... I was actually kinda shocked about that.  Now granted Fallujah isn't that well known.  However Between the Burried & Me is, and Devin Townsend sure as  hell is.

 

My GF asked me why there were no Helix there. I told her its still a relatively new unit compared to these, and people still view Line 6 as the "pod" company. Plus the AXE FX, and Kemper are already established as being top tier modelling and such. Helix still has heads to turn. I say this as a happy Helix Rack + Controller owner.

[phil_m]

Hey, I'm an artist... :)

 

Personally, I've used my Helix live and at rehearsals a lot more than I have at home. I don't really need a guitar hero to tell me it's good.

 

I imagine that for many touring players, there is quite a lot of inertia when it comes to their rigs. If they have something that's working, why mess with it?

[d0stenning]

Lets face it - it looks cool and is fantastic to have real amps to play on stage - a real Hammond, a real Steinway grand on stage - if you can afford the roadies and touring expenses. And the hassle. Since others are taking care of the hassle - the lugging !

The top notch guys can do this - and afford to - mostly.

 

Cos they have ROADIES and a tour budget.

 

 The rest ?   Nord, Korg, Yamaha,

and more and more .... modellers. 

 

Given time. 

 

But I take the question in the spirit meant.  He's just curious.  Nothing wrong with that. 

 

Lets face it - since the beginning of time electric - museo's have always been curious about what gear the stars and legends use.

 

So no need to shoot him down with "don't care" type posts.

 

FWIW  I saw one  being used at Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees recent tour stuff.

 

But early days !  Tide hasn't turned yet.   

[elsvoboda]

Quite honestly I could care less what the major guys are using.  It has little to do with me.  I'm a working musician that plays every week and has to move, maintain, and setup my own rig.  Personally I think all the hub bub about who's playing what is nothing more than hero worship and is simply a distraction from doing and using what makes sense for you to produce the best live or recorded music you can in the most efficient and effective way you can.

 

As far as having "your" tone, I might remind you that some of the bigger acts you probably grew up listening to produced "their" sound various different ways in the studio.  Although Joe Walsh sounds similar throughout his career, he's used a multitude of different setups on different songs with a mixture of amps, cabinets, and mic'ing techniques.  Many times on different cuts on the same album.  Same with Pete Townsend  and Keith Richards.  Granted most of these guys weren't that meticulous with their traveling rigs...but some have historically been such as Joe Perry with Aerosmith.

 

Personally I feel you have nothing to lose by being that meticulous in your setups nowdays because of technology like the Helix.  The way I look at it not all cleans, crunchy, or overdriven tones are the same.  Otherwise we wouldn't have all the amps and cabinets we have on the market.  For most of us working musicians we had "our" sound historically due to the single amp we had.  That's really no longer the case.

Umm Thanks????? lol. I think you may have meant to respond to a different post. For what it's worth, whatever the question, I agree 100%. Especially that not all cleans, crunchy and overdriven tones are the same. Spot on Gump, SPOT ON!!! 

[elsvoboda]

I'm going to take a little bit different angle on this question.  I don't really care who else is using the Helix, or any other gear that I use for that matter.  I'm not interested in sounding like someone else, and I didn't buy the Helix (or any of my other modelers) because it sounds like a Marshall, or a Boogie, or "fill in the blank".  I keep a reasonably busy gig schedule....60-80 gigs per year on a regular basis.  I also do a fair amount of session work.  What I care about, is can I get sounds out of the Helix (or any other piece of gear) that I like, and that fit the song or the show that I'm playing; and does the Helix (or any other piece of gear) provide the features (I/O connectivity, control, etc.) that I need.  For my money, the Helix does the trick...As did the HD500X, HD500, and XTLive I used before them.  Look....Kemper, Fractal, Line6, etc....They're all making quality boxes.  You can get great sounds out of all of them.  "Better" is simply a personal preference, and thus will be subjective. 

Cool. Great! Thank you for that random tidbit. 

[elsvoboda]

Lets face it - it looks cool and is fantastic to have real amps to play on stage - a real Hammond, a real Steinway grand on stage - if you can afford the roadies and touring expenses. And the hassle. Since others are taking care of the hassle - the lugging !

 

The top notch guys can do this - and afford to - mostly.

 

Cos they have ROADIES and a tour budget.

 

 The rest ?   Nord, Korg, Yamaha,

and more and more .... modellers. 

 

Given time. 

 

But I take the question in the spirit meant.  He's just curious.  Nothing wrong with that. 

 

Lets face it - since the beginning of time electric - museo's have always been curious about what gear the stars and legends use.

 

So no need to shoot him down with "don't care" type posts.

 

FWIW  I saw one  being used at Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees recent tour stuff.

 

But early days !  Tide hasn't turned yet.   

Thank You. I tried my best but knew it was coming. Yes, saw that about Gibb. Very cool. 

[VIIyears]

John Browne of Monuments uses the Helix live. 

you can see it in this video here in the background with their amps.

[elsvoboda]

Hey, I'm an artist... :)

 

Personally, I've used my Helix live and at rehearsals a lot more than I have at home. I don't really need a guitar hero to tell me it's good.

 

I imagine that for many touring players, there is quite a lot of inertia when it comes to their rigs. If they have something that's working, why mess with it?

So, if all the vids on youtube with guitarist coming over to line 6 to try the Helix all said this is the worst thing I have ever heard, would you have tried one out? Hmm, I wonder? Kind the same thing of when people say it is good, right? You get interested. Anyway, none of that matters as I do not care who thinks it is good. I tell ya, this forum thing (all forums), it always sucks. lol I am not sure which is worse, getting all the silly responses that have nothing to do with the question or seeing another long thread that makes it take hours to find answers to questions. No wonder people ask the same questions over and over. If you find your topic and start reading, you spend hours filtering through responses from people that are 3ft tall in life so they need to become 10ft tall in forums. 

Sorry I asked folks. Was just curious to see who were really using this thing. I sure hope I never need to ask about a glitch, you guys are brutal.

Stay Happy.

[Djwiens]

Yo. Don't get bent out of shape about it. The fact of the matter is that there are (for a number of reasons) not a ton of working pros out there in high profile gigs using the Helix yet, and the question carries with it an implication for some people that if the pros aren't using it, is it really worth $1500? I get what you're asking and understand that you're not implying that question, but it's reasonable to think that someone would, thus the 'who cares what the pros do' responses. The question can come off as someone being asked to validate their investment, even if that's not what you intended. Expect some pushback. 

[cruisinon2]

Yo. Don't get bent out of shape about it.

Feelings have largely replaced reason, and getting bent out of shape is now the new national pastime. Mandatory apologies and court-ordered sensitivity training every time someone doesn't like the way you looked at them. "Progress", I think it's called..

;)

[gunpointmetal]

Who cares?

[FlyingsCool]

Yo. Don't get bent out of shape about it. ....

 

 

Feelings have largely replaced reason, and getting bent out of shape is now the new national pastime. Mandatory apologies and court-ordered sensitivity training every time someone doesn't like the way you looked at them. "Progress", I think it's called..

;)

 

so true....

kinda sad

 

[cruisinon2]

Who cares?

Our entire economy is based on paying fancy people obscene sums of money to be seen endorsing everything from toenail clippers to erectile dysfunction medication.

 

Personally I won't buy anything unless at least one Hollywood A-lister is using it too...can't wait for the Brangelina divorce commemorative toilet paper...;)

[HonestOpinion]

I recently saw Fallujah, Between the Burried and Me, and Devin Townsend Project live.

 

There were literally 7 Axe FX on stage between the 3 bands. I saw 2, or 3 Kemper Profilers.

Some of these were used for FX only, but some of these were using them for Amp/cab modelling as well! I saw minimal actual amps/cabs between the 3 bands... I was actually kinda shocked about that.  Now granted Fallujah isn't that well known.  However Between the Burried & Me is, and Devin Townsend sure as  hell is.

 

My GF asked me why there were no Helix there. I told her its still a relatively new unit compared to these, and people still view Line 6 as the "pod" company. Plus the AXE FX, and Kemper are already established as being top tier modelling and such. Helix still has heads to turn. I say this as a happy Helix Rack + Controller owner.

 

I think Helix is also going to need to accrue a track record of being hardy and "road-worthy". Will the switches, knobs, and joystick tolerate the abuse of constant touring? This is really Line6's first foray into an MFX of this caliber and musicians' and roadies' perceptions have to catch up with the fact that the construction on the Helix is far superior to L6's previous offerings. Besides, as someone else alluded to, what touring amp tech wants to be put out of work by a "robot", although, there are some bands who have made that move and there will probably be many more to come in the future.

[phil_m]

So, if all the vids on youtube with guitarist coming over to line 6 to try the Helix all said this is the worst thing I have ever heard, would you have tried one out? Hmm, I wonder? Kind the same thing of when people say it is good, right? You get interested. Anyway, none of that matters as I do not care who thinks it is good. I tell ya, this forum thing (all forums), it always sucks. lol I am not sure which is worse, getting all the silly responses that have nothing to do with the question or seeing another long thread that makes it take hours to find answers to questions. No wonder people ask the same questions over and over. If you find your topic and start reading, you spend hours filtering through responses from people that are 3ft tall in life so they need to become 10ft tall in forums.

Sorry I asked folks. Was just curious to see who were really using this thing. I sure hope I never need to ask about a glitch, you guys are brutal.

Stay Happy.

The Internet is what it is... I actually think this forum is rather tame compared to most others. People are generally respectful, I think.

 

Personally, I can't really think of a piece of guitar gear that I've bought based on a YouTube video or because a guitarist I liked was using it. I understand why people give those things weight, but I guess I am old enough that I didn't have those sorts of resources available to me when I was getting my into effects. I just had to learn what I liked and what I thought I needed based on trial and error more than anything.

[soundog]

Interesting debate. Coincidentally, I just read that Donald Trump has officially endorsed an erectile dysfunction medication, so there ya go. Not sure about toenail clippers.

[mileskb]

"are any artists using the Helix?"  That is a WIDE range of people.  While there are some "well known" artists using Helix, it's a product geared toward cover bands and studio artists that need a plethora of sounds at their fingertips.  Also as someone mentioned, most established acts already have a sound, they probably couldn't change if they wanted to.

 

There is also a logistic issue with touring bands.  They generally want to "gear" their tour in a way that they are never more than a few hours from a replacement piece from a local music store, or they only carry their pedal board and guitar, and everything else is rented or supplied via the rider.  

 

Lets remember helix was only showcased at NAMM this past January.  There are still plenty of people waiting.  Plenty of people who have no idea what it is/never heard of it.    I know one artist of a rather legendary touring band, who has done demo stuff for Line6 as recently as last year, is still waiting for his Helix to arrive.  Line6 apparently don't play favorites.  

 

If you are looking for "endorsements" scour the blogs of YouTube for Helix.  While it's getting buried with demos and such now, a few months ago, you could still find hard working musicians, mostly studio guys, using a Helix.  

 

If you know anything about the people involved, this garbage endorsement from Billy Bush is all you need to know.  It's also clear that neither AxFX or Kemper would work for them because of their needs for a solution for routing and switching as much as the sounds.

 

 

 

 

[steevo1977]

In short who cares? We should care about this as much as the comparison videos.

 

I didn't buy Helix based on what artists use it or whether stock cabs are as stock tuned as on other modelers.

 

There seems to be this preoccupation with what other people and companies are doing or offering.

 

Don't buy Helix if you don't like it. If you own one and don't like it sell it and move on.

 

These forums are really for people with product queries and those who wish to share ideas/tips.

 

---

 

"I DEMAND THE MOON ON A STICK!!! GIVE ME IT NOW!!!"

 

'OK OK here is the moon on a stick'

 

"WHAT?? WHERE IS THE SPACE SAUCE??? THIS MOON HAS NO SPACE SAUCE!!!!!!"

 

'OK sorry here is some space sauce'

 

"THAT IS NOT VERY MUCH SAUCE!! GIVE ME ALL THE SAUCE!! I WANT ALL FLAVOURS AND NOW!"

[cruisinon2]

In short who cares? We should care about this as much as the comparison videos.

 

I didn't buy Helix based on what artists use it or whether stock cabs are as stock tuned as on other modelers.

 

There seems to be this preoccupation with what other people and companies are doing or offering.

 

Don't buy Helix if you don't like it. If you own one and don't like it sell it and move on.

 

These forums are really for people with product queries and those who wish to share ideas/tips.

 

---

 

"I DEMAND THE MOON ON A STICK!!! GIVE ME IT NOW!!!"

 

'OK OK here is the moon on a stick'

 

"WHAT?? WHERE IS THE SPACE SAUCE??? THIS MOON HAS NO SPACE SAUCE!!!!!!"

 

'OK sorry here is some space sauce'

 

"THAT IS NOT VERY MUCH SAUCE!! GIVE ME ALL THE SAUCE!! I WANT ALL FLAVOURS AND NOW!"

Lmao...

 

Clearly you don't understand what the internet is for, though. It's a place for anyone with an opinion and an axe to grind to feel important about their otherwise insignificant existence, by casting themselves as the smartest person in the room. Click, click, "like", "like"...look at all my "followers", hanging on my every word. 😤😉

[mdmayfield]

"I DEMAND THE MOON ON A STICK!!! GIVE ME IT NOW!!!"

 

'OK OK here is the moon on a stick'

 

"WHAT?? WHERE IS THE SPACE SAUCE??? THIS MOON HAS NO SPACE SAUCE!!!!!!"

 

'OK sorry here is some space sauce'

 

"THAT IS NOT VERY MUCH SAUCE!! GIVE ME ALL THE SAUCE!! I WANT ALL FLAVOURS AND NOW!"

 

 

Spot on, 100%.

 

Mmmmm, space sauce.

[datacommando]

In short who cares? We should care about this as much as the comparison videos.

 

I didn't buy Helix based on what artists use it or whether stock cabs are as stock tuned as on other modelers.

 

There seems to be this preoccupation with what other people and companies are doing or offering.

 

Don't buy Helix if you don't like it. If you own one and don't like it sell it and move on.

 

These forums are really for people with product queries and those who wish to share ideas/tips.

 

---

 

"I DEMAND THE MOON ON A STICK!!! GIVE ME IT NOW!!!"

 

'OK OK here is the moon on a stick'

 

"WHAT?? WHERE IS THE SPACE SAUCE??? THIS MOON HAS NO SPACE SAUCE!!!!!!"

 

'OK sorry here is some space sauce'

 

"THAT IS NOT VERY MUCH SAUCE!! GIVE ME ALL THE SAUCE!! I WANT ALL FLAVOURS AND NOW!"

 

steevo1977,

 

What an excellent observation and I've got to agree wholeheartedly.

That's just the sort of comment that also should really be added to the "Just for fun: What do you think is coming in the next update?" dreamers thread on here.

Why did anyone bother to buy the Helix in it's original form if they think it needs continual and endless fantasy updates, forever and for free?

 

Ridiculous demands from people who can never be truly happy! Dream on!

[cruisinon2]

steevo1977,

 

What an excellent observation and I've got to agree wholeheartedly.

That's just the sort of comment that also should really be added to the "Just for fun: What do you think is coming in the next update?" dreamers thread on here.

Why did anyone bother to buy the Helix in it's original form if they think it needs continual and endless fantasy updates, forever and for free?

 

Ridiculous demands from people who can never be truly happy! Dream on!

Why should I have to pay for another tank of gas? I already bought one...I mean really, there's free refills on the coffee inside. ;)

[datacommando]

Why should I have to pay for another tank of gas? I already bought one...I mean really, there's free refills on the coffee inside. ;)

 

Damn, I should have realised when I couldn't get a decent sound out of this Helix thing - it's a bottomless coffee pot!  :)

[zooey]

Guys, I know you're just goofing around, but it appears from his earlier reply that the OP already has a Helix, and was just asking the question. He doesn't need to be lampooned for it. Which I know isn't anyone's intent, but he seems to have taken it that way at least a little.

 

This forum in general is super helpful and friendly, hoping we don't put him off too much.

[cruisinon2]

...but he seems to have taken it that way at least a little.

Precisely. It's become fashionable to get one's underwear in a knot every time the sun moves behind a cloud....you can't go through life analyzing/sanitizing every utterance, on the off chance that what you've said might be taken the wrong way. It makes conversation dull and pointless.

 

I swear there are people out there who seem to enjoy being perpetually offended. Life is short. Laugh a little...especially at yourself when it's your turn to be the drama queen. We all do it sooner or later. 😛

[steevo1977]

I went a little off topic and a lot of the general malcontent rhetoric was the basis for my fun poking and not the OP really.

 

My initial response of who cares stands...

 

It's like you invest in 2000 rolls of toilet paper and then you start to wonder....are any of the tone guys using this paper? Even though there is evidence they tried your paper choice are they in fact wiping their cheeks with a different brand? Maybe they are using patterned/quilted? What if they are using the aloe infused stuff that your brand doesn't do?!!!!!

 

;)

[d0stenning]

FWIW I predict that we will *first*  see the HELIX being used by the big name pro's and bands merely as replacements for huge pedal boards - not amp replacements. 

 

That bit will be the last to fall "resistance" and tube-bias ( pun ) wise.   But there are so many benefits from using the HELIX merely to replace pedals - and once Line 6 starts to include a much wider and high quality range of effects - for example matching what the Eventides and Strymons can do ( since they - delay and reverb wise - are simply DSP chips inside for the most part anyway ) then more and more big-names will be seen with the HELIX. 

 

Once people start buying the HELIX because **ONLY** the HELIX has a  so-and-so "Must-have" great sounding effect - the tide will turn. 

 

And theres no reason why not.  Because there are TWO high end DSPs in there - and if a guitarist is *NOT* using the HELIX as an amp sim at all then all the spare DSP power can be harnessed to produce - for example a top-notch reverb algorithm with all the spare horsepower ! 

 

Or of course L6 could choose to either licence algorithms from Strymon etc  or allow Strymon and Eventide to make money by starting a 3rd party effect "Shop". 

 

I think many guitarists would be willing even to pay a high premium - maybe even 2/3 of the cost of an actual hardware H9 or Big Sky - simply because of the enormous advantage of having it inside a HELIX. 

 

 

Then once big names get hooked on the HELIX as a pedal board replacement then gradually some will start to consider no longer using their real amps and cabs too !!   - the practicalities of this are for all to see - once the doubt about sound and tone is removed. 

[datacommando]

What if they are using the aloe infused stuff that your brand doesn't do?!!!!!

 

;)

 

Double damn. An aloe infused Helix - that's what we are all waiting for - soften up those metal guys a treat!  ;)

 

Or of course L6 could choose to either licence algorithms from Strymon etc  or allow Strymon and Eventide to make money by starting a 3rd party effect "Shop". 

 

I think many guitarists would be willing even to pay a high premium - maybe even 2/3 of the cost of an actual hardware H9 or Big Sky - simply because of the enormous advantage of having it inside a HELIX. 

 

Erm! I reckon this is wishful thinking.

Why would Line 6 bother with third party involvement!

Did no-one read the blurb about Helix when it was first released.

You remember.

The stuff about having all those in and out options to allow you to connect all your favourite pedals to the Helix without tying up the main unit.

You want Strymon, Eventide, Electro Harmonix FX - simple - buy them and stick them in the Helix loops like many other user on this forum have already done.

[d0stenning]

<You want Strymon, Eventide, Electro Harmonix FX - simple - buy them and stick them in the Helix loops like many other user on this forum have already done.> 

 

Not so simple if you're looking for the simplest least hassle setup for gigging, concerning setup and teardown. 

 

For practical purposes the less pedals and cables the better.   Simplicity.  Less clutter. Les to go wrong. Less to lug around. 

 

Point made ? 

 

< Why would Line 6 bother with third party involvement!> 

 

​clearly if it can be helped all the better.  But HELIX is premium high-end product and one with so much potential.  The main one clearly being convenience and simplicity - and versatility.  

 

​Put simply if it can be done in the HELIX without plugging in a box externally - all the better. 

[zooey]

Connectivity is great, but so is third party content, like for hardware samplers and synths for instance. I'd love to see Eventide or Strymon add-ons for Helix, and IK or Scuffham ones from the VST side.

 

Seems really unlikely to happen though, because Helix is unique and proprietary hardware running a unique and proprietary OS. L6 would have to take the risk of opening up a lot of internal info that's currently a huge competitive advantage to third party devs, and those devs would have to invest in tools and learning to be able to port stuff to this platform.

 

There is some precedent, Kontakt for instance, but that at least runs on standard PC and Mac hardware, in the industry standard VST environment.

[Cerrucho]

Hey y'all!

 

I tour with a national act and I recently committed to a Helix/Variax rig. Most of our touring these days consists of fly dates, usually about 3-4 shows per week, and then everyone flies home. I rarely see our own backline, which lives in a trailer that is pulled by our tour bus. Gone are the days of going out for 6-8 weeks on the bus, since everyone has families. A lot of our shows now are 3 piece acoustic as well.

 

For me, checking a suitcase, guitar, and pedalboard is the only way to go. I've hated playing thru at least half of the rented backline amps that we get when we do a band show, and long ago I made the commitment to go direct when we do acoustic shows (I always play electric with either lineup) I'm relatively new to Helix, but not to multiprocessors. I've generally been a Boss GTx guy, but when I heard the Helix, I was in. I had been thinking about a Variax for a while (one of our crew guys had a 700) so now I can replicate all the guitars, tunings, and even have some acoustic instruments. 

 

I've only done a half dozen acoustic shows with the Helix so far, but I'm loving it. No problems so far with checking the Helix on the plane. It appears to be tour grade, but a good case is a must. We had some band shows booked this week in Florida but yesterday everything got cancelled because of the hurricane. I've been feverishly programming for the last few days and the Helix/Variax combination does almost everything I need it to do. Hoping for some eventual firmware updates that will complete the picture for me. I was really looking forward to using the Variax for the first time also.

 

And anyone who has toured a lot knows that as nice as it is to play the cool vintage guitars onstage, I sleep a lot better knowing that they're safe at home and not subject to baggage handlers. Plus, if anything happens to the Helix/Variax, there's usually a GC nearby.

 

Hope that helps!

[mileskb]

"Are any artists ACTUALLY using the Helix?"

I'm not sure if he's asking.. "famous people we've all heard of" or just "professional artists"

 

"In short who cares? We should care about this as much as the comparison videos."

 

In my opinion there is a big difference between a comparison video from someone you know nothing about to someone who is relying on a product to continue to put a roof over their head and food on their table.  Just a recognized artist doesn't necessarily lend credibility, but there are pros whose opinion is worth taking into consideration.  

 

For nearly every purchase I make, once I've narrowed it down on my own favorite, I research to see those who are really putting the item through it's paces.  Be it a car, boat, microphone, guitar, or effects unit.....    It's always worth a 2nd opinion.   The LAST place I look for information about a product is the seller of the product. I do always go there, but it's generally last on the list.