Are any artists ACTUALLY using the Helix?

[cgar18]

My Buttocks hurts from all the hours I spent sitting down playing with the helix.Is that a good enough endorsement?

[spikey]

My Buttocks hurts from all the hours I spent sitting down playing with the helix.Is that a good enough endorsement?

 

 

 

One of the best!

[cruisinon2]

I won't go so far as to say that artist endorsements are completely worthless, but they're close. I couldn't care less what some famous player uses...even if it's somebody I like. It's just advertising drivel. End of story. Wouldn't matter to me if The Almighty Himself was using a particular piece of gear...if it's not the right fit for me, then I'm not spending money on it.

[spikey]

Wouldn't matter to me if The Almighty Himself was using a particular piece of gear.

 

 

Doesn't matter, He makes his own gear and doesn't allow others to touch...  ;)

[duncann]

Doesn't matter, He makes his own gear and doesn't allow others to touch...  ;)

 

I don't think that's right. The Almighty let Bob Ross use all kinds of almighty tools.

[spikey]

I don't think that's right. The Almighty let Bob Ross use all kinds of almighty tools.

 

Wrong Almighty and yours can't fly without an airplane.  :P

[MonkeyXT]

Billy Sheehan posted about needing something to allow him to do his Talas reunion show as a fly gig in the midst of the Mr. Big tour; he had wanted something relatively portable, and he's had a long-time relationship with Line 6 (he routinely uses a pair of Relay wireless units for his live signal).

So he brought a Helix LT with a setup based around his personal #1 Pearce BC-1 preamp which Line 6 modelled and added into the Helix firmware a couple of revisions back.

There's a video of him quickly going through that setup which can be found on YouTube.

Soon after, I noted that he had begun using that setup on Mr. Big shows after that - apparently the Talas show was pretty convincing for Billy.

He's quite specific about his gear and how it responds to what he's doing; I consider that a strong endorsement in the pool of artists using Helix in various capacities.

[uburoibob]

I bought a Helix just to see what it can do. I am 1.5 weeks into my 30 days, if I want to return it. So far I've gone back and forth a few times. The deeper I dig, though, the more I like it.

 

I've still got my pedalboard - TC Small Polytune > JRockett Small Blue Note > Strymon Riverside > EHX Soul Food > Barber Tone Press > Source Audio Gemini Chorus > Source Audio Nemesis Delay > Strymon Flint > Strymon TimeLine > Strymon Deco.

 

The first order of business was to try and simulate my effects. The Helix falls a little short when it comes to things the TimeLine, Deco and Nemesis can do, so I hope they really beef up the delays in it. It's also a little flat in the reverbs department. Halls are kinda not up to snuff compared with Halls on other platforms. The drives in the Helix though are wonderful. I am not a FUZZ user, but do like overdrives and distortions occasionally. I primarily play clean, though.

 

I am not as concerned about modeling amps as I am about finding something that sounds good to me. I now play through a Quilter MicroPro200 Mach2 8" combo which is great. That's the right side of my stereo setup. A Carr Raleigh is the other side.

 

I have found that simply playing with amps, cabs, IRs, and room Reverbs can get me several amp sounds I like that are different enough from each other as to merit using them.

 

I've not used Helix live yet, having just moved to the Chicago area. I don't really have a situation that would work. But I plan on programming the Helix and taking a thumb drive with me to my old home city to sit in with my old band, renting a Helix and a pair of FRFRs, and using that wherever I play. That way, I just have to carry a guitar.

 

Hopefully, that plan will work!

 

Bob

[uburoibob]

Billy Sheehan posted about needing something to allow him to do his Talas reunion show as a fly gig in the midst of the Mr. Big tour; he had wanted something relatively portable, and he's had a long-time relationship with Line 6 (he routinely uses a pair of Relay wireless units for his live signal).

So he brought a Helix LT with a setup based around his personal #1 Pearce BC-1 preamp which Line 6 modelled and added into the Helix firmware a couple of revisions back.

There's a video of him quickly going through that setup which can be found on YouTube.

Soon after, I noted that he had begun using that setup on Mr. Big shows after that - apparently the Talas show was pretty convincing for Billy.

He's quite specific about his gear and how it responds to what he's doing; I consider that a strong endorsement in the pool of artists using Helix in various capacities.

 

Billy was a western NY legend back in the 70s, with Talas. Yep, that's a great endorsement. I worked at a guitar store in Rochester, NY back then and he's always been very hands-on with his gear.

 

Bob

[cruisinon2]

...I worked at a guitar store in Rochester, NY back then...

 

Bob

The HOG? ;)

[jbuhajla]

[jbuhajla]

Isaiah Sharky with John Mayer

 

http://www.planetz.com/john-mayers-crazy-stage-rig-and-the-helix/

[MonkeyXT]

Billy was a western NY legend back in the 70s, with Talas. Yep, that's a great endorsement. I worked at a guitar store in Rochester, NY back then and he's always been very hands-on with his gear.

 

Bob

 

Interesting.

It seems the same remains true today.

He describes that he does just about everything for himself on his basses except for hard-core fretwork, and he's definitely very aware of what's going on in his signal path and why.

 

As a musician in general he's been a strong influence for me.

[MonkeyXT]

 

That's the one - thanks for linking this here.

[jbuhajla]

John McFee

 

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/26003-rig-rundown-the-doobie-brothers

[jbuhajla]

http://www.guitar-sphere.com/2016/06/rig-rundown-charly-sahona-sahona-venturia/

[uburoibob]

The HOG? ;)

 

Nope. House of Guitars was one I didn't work at. Back then, it was Six String Sales, followed by T. Rizzo Music (which is now Northfield Music.) But I love all the folks at the HOG!

[Moncroix]

I was pretty unsatisfied with the Helix at first also. But after literally about a year of tweaking, researching, downloading, experimenting and playing through it exhaustively, I've come around to digging it quite a bit. I still think that it has many more secrets to give up.

 

Here's a couple records I made with it:

 

https://searchdivision.bandcamp.com/album/gr-venomicon

 

https://searchdivision.bandcamp.com/album/born-yesterday

 

More on the way.

 

BTW, Steve Howe used a Helix floor unit into a L6 DT50 for his live rig on the most recent Yestival tour. Sounded fantastic from the front row in LA.

[HonestOpinion]

I just saw this- LOL! 

 

:D

[willjrock]

Not picking, but 26 is a "few" more than a "few" isn't it?... I mean Since we are being "fair" and all.

 

I think what the OP is asking and what most want to believe is that whether or not they are using Helix the same way we are.

Hell, 24 of those 26 may be just using the tuner for all we know, or stepping on it once a night for a particular delay they like.

 

When we see a modeling rig behind those players then maybe that list will have some merit. Otherwise, i think you are putting a little too much faith in that list and which pro artists are actually USING Helix.

[Rebel420]

What makes a lot of touring musicians different than the rest of us, is that they only have their own signature tone to reproduce. Most of us are doing the cover thing where we have dozens of tones to recreate. They also have techs to change settings and do switching for them, while we need to manage ourself. So their needs are different than us in many ways.

Isn't Steve Howe fro Yes using a Helix now?

[bobthedog]

If I was a megastar artist I would have many different amps, many different pedal board setups, many guitars on stage (one for each song). I would have guys that carried all this around for me, set it all up, changed stuff remotely so I don't need to fluff around too much with switches, tuned my guitars, changed the strings and wiped my sweating brow with Egyptian cotton hankies.

 

Unfortunately as I am a p.i,s,s Artist that does this for fun and beer money I'll just chuck a couple of guitars and a Helix in the van and drink beer.

[BigRalphN]

Do some searching. One of the guitar players in the Doobie. Brothers uses a Helix and Variax Standard live. You can see both in a few videos. King Crimson also uses one.

[Roberttheprole]

my band Seven Circles just dropped our new album Retrograde Parade, helix was used to record all guitars, and bass

 

[th365thli]

Huh.

 

I thought OP posted a fair question and some people got overly defensive.

 

I just ordered a Helix rack unit, coming in Friday. It was between than and the AxeFx II but I couldn't justify $2.5k+ for the Fractal. Can't wait to play with it, I've been doing a ton of research in preparation. This forum seems pretty chill for the most part. Much better than the snobs at Fractal. I guess if you pay that much for something you have to put other products down.

 

 

[jbuhajla]

Huh.

 

I thought OP posted a fair question and some people got overly defensive.

 

I just ordered a Helix rack unit, coming in Friday. It was between than and the AxeFx II but I couldn't justify $2.5k+ for the Fractal. Can't wait to play with it, I've been doing a ton of research in preparation. This forum seems pretty chill for the most part. Much better than the snobs at Fractal. I guess if you pay that much for something you have to put other products down.

The post is almost a year old, and they tend to transform over time. 

[th365thli]

The post is almost a year old, and they tend to transform over time. 

 

*Checks thread post dates*

*Sees "2016"*

*Face palm*

 

d'oh

[zooey]

Post before yours was from today though...

[bjnette]

MonkeyXT, on 13 Sept 2017 - 12:23 AM, said:

Billy Sheehan posted about needing something to allow him to do his Talas reunion show as a fly gig in the midst of the Mr. Big tour; he had wanted something relatively portable, and he's had a long-time relationship with Line 6 (he routinely uses a pair of Relay wireless units for his live signal).

So he brought a Helix LT with a setup based around his personal #1 Pearce BC-1 preamp which Line 6 modelled and added into the Helix firmware a couple of revisions back.

There's a video of him quickly going through that setup which can be found on YouTube.

Soon after, I noted that he had begun using that setup on Mr. Big shows after that - apparently the Talas show was pretty convincing for Billy.

He's quite specific about his gear and how it responds to what he's doing; I consider that a strong endorsement in the pool of artists using Helix in various capacities.

If it is good enough for Billy it is good enough for me

 

Here is one from Premier Guitar https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/26264-the-big-score-cutting-guitar-tracks-for-tv?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PGN091917&utm_term=PG+Weekly

[klangmaler]

https://line6.com/artists/

[jbuhajla]

*Checks thread post dates*

*Sees "2016"*

*Face palm*

 

d'oh

No biggie, there is still a lot of good stuff you can find going through the older ones. 

[bigolsparky]

Pat Travers has used one.  Not sure if he still does.

 

https://www.facebook.com/monica.s.travers/posts/10155562421331029

[jaminjimlp]

I strap my helix on my Back and base jump with it!!! Makes me feel alive!  :lol:

[guitar1969]

Great question. I think it's good to know who is using it to see if you think it'll fit stylistically and functionally. I don't see the question as a slight to the product, but as a way of saying "who do I know that's using it, and how can I use it like they might?"

 

We were looking at a lot of options for our electric guitars at the church I work at. We set up one amp in a sound enclosure with a Radial SGI Interface, but after looking up some of the amp modelers and profilers, we started looking at the Helix as an option. Brian Wahl from worshiptutorials.com did some great demos on YouTube and uses it along with another rig that has a standard amp and pedal setup. 

 

Then I started digging more, and I found out Lincoln Brewster uses one in his live setup. He always has amazing tone and I thought that was a good vote of confidence moving forward. The more digging I did I found some other artists from bands I love use the Helix. One of the guitarists from Thursday uses it, as does Minus the Bear and the newer Smashing Pumpkins guitarist (not Iha, but that's ok). 

 

If you're ever interested, equipboard.com is a great resource to find out who is playing with what gear. They have pretty much everything listed, and you can search by gear or artist. Hope this helps!

 

http://equipboard.com/items/line-6-helix-guitar-multi-effects-floor-processor

Have you been over to the Facebook Helix Worship Users group?  We got tons of great presets being posted - Even better than the stuff WT is posting and selling, and some of the players are at some pretty large churches.

[spikey]

Who cares that you don't care that I don't care??

 

 

 

 

:P

 

Frankly (and don't call me frank), if you have played for a while and are savvy on the tone you're after, why give a s#it about who plays Helix? I mean, it'll sell itself tone wise or it won't.

[jbuhajla]

Great question. I think it's good to know who is using it to see if you think it'll fit stylistically and functionally. I don't see the question as a slight to the product, but as a way of saying "who do I know that's using it, and how can I use it like they might?"

 

We were looking at a lot of options for our electric guitars at the church I work at. We set up one amp in a sound enclosure with a Radial SGI Interface, but after looking up some of the amp modelers and profilers, we started looking at the Helix as an option. Brian Wahl from worshiptutorials.com did some great demos on YouTube and uses it along with another rig that has a standard amp and pedal setup. 

 

Then I started digging more, and I found out Lincoln Brewster uses one in his live setup. He always has amazing tone and I thought that was a good vote of confidence moving forward. The more digging I did I found some other artists from bands I love use the Helix. One of the guitarists from Thursday uses it, as does Minus the Bear and the newer Smashing Pumpkins guitarist (not Iha, but that's ok). 

 

If you're ever interested, equipboard.com is a great resource to find out who is playing with what gear. They have pretty much everything listed, and you can search by gear or artist. Hope this helps!

 

http://equipboard.com/items/line-6-helix-guitar-multi-effects-floor-processor

I use Helix exclusively at church, and it is PERFECT for the diversity that it offers. I set up a preset per song for about 50%, and use some "generic" presets based around particular amp models for the other 50%. I also route some pads through it played from my iPhone (sometimes we don't have keys). You can't go wrong with the Helix in the P&W setting. 

[cruisinon2]

I strap my helix on my Back and base jump with it!!! Makes me feel alive! :lol:

I still think the parachute add-on was way overpriced...and no reserve chute?!? Dirt torpedoes don't buy much new gear. Sheesh...;)

[guitar1969]

If I was a megastar artist I would have many different amps, many different pedal board setups, many guitars on stage (one for each song). I would have guys that carried all this around for me, set it all up, changed stuff remotely so I don't need to fluff around too much with switches, tuned my guitars, changed the strings and wiped my sweating brow with Egyptian cotton hankies.

 

Unfortunately as I am a p.i,s,s Artist that does this for fun and beer money I'll just chuck a couple of guitars and a Helix in the van and drink beer.

And most importantly, they have roadies to move, setup and tear down all that analog gear. This is enough of a reason for me to have an all in one modeler.

[guitar1969]

I use Helix exclusively at church, and it is PERFECT for the diversity that it offers. I set up a preset per song for about 50%, and use some "generic" presets based around particular amp models for the other 50%. I also route some pads through it played from my iPhone (sometimes we don't have keys). You can't go wrong with the Helix in the P&W setting. 

Totally.  We just need some better Reverbs, and more Strymon like delays.  I use a Boss RV-6 in the loop, as well as a Digitech JAmMan Solo XT looper in a loop that allows my to play Root key pads along with it.

[spikey]

 

We just need some better Reverbs, and more Strymon like delays.

 

 

There may not be enough horses in the coral for that...  ;)