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Easy access to back row buttons!


TimRobertsBand
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I just discovered Barefoot Buttons. I recently purchased a Firehawk and have difficulty hitting the back row of buttons without accidentally pressing the first row beneath it. After a little research, I found these little guys. Incredibly and artfully manufactured. They cost about $10 each (including shipping). A total lifesaver for live performance. (I ordered the Version 1 "Tallboy Acrylic" ones.

I'll attach some pics of mine in the comments of this post)

 

Although I purchased these for my Firehawk, I bet they'd be very useful to the Helix community.

 

Please note that I am in no way affiliated to the company. Just a very happy customer. I had to share.

 

Barefootbuttons.com

post-337837-0-62271200-1484950893_thumb.jpg

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+Rocco_Crocco - I'm not sure what you mean. The buttons attach on top of the existing button via 3 screws. I haven't had any issues at all.

Capacitance is a feature that the Firehawk doesn't have. It just makes editing patches a bit easier.

 

I agree that they would still be useful, and its a great idea.

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  • 4 months later...

...The only issue would be you'd lose the capacitance feature of the switches...

 

If the screws touch the metal of the button, you might be able to use the capacitance by touching the screws...

 

I just installed a full compliment of the clear acrylic buttons on my Helix and I can confirm that you can indeed use the touch controls by touching the set screws. Excellent! I got the "Tall Boys" for the back row and the shortys up front. They are awesome. And with the colored rings lighting the clear acrylic from below, it really adds to the "spaceship" motif that Helix already has going on. Not cheap, but worth every penny in my book.

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  • 5 months later...

I just installed a full compliment of the clear acrylic buttons on my Helix and I can confirm that you can indeed use the touch controls by touching the set screws. Excellent! I got the "Tall Boys" for the back row and the shortys up front. They are awesome. And with the colored rings lighting the clear acrylic from below, it really adds to the "spaceship" motif that Helix already has going on. Not cheap, but worth every penny in my book

Can you please post some pictures?

I've found another ones, Mooer Candy Foot switch Topper, but they don't attach by screws, so, doubt about preserving capacitive in the buttons.

But they are cheaper. <1€

http://www.mooeraudio.com/?product/201609235251.html

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Can you please post some pictures?

I've found another ones, Mooer Candy Foot switch Topper, but they don't attach by screws, so, doubt about preserving capacitive in the buttons.

But they are cheaper. <1€

http://www.mooeraudio.com/?product/201609235251.html

I'm not near my helix, but I have these pictures on my phone:

 

File%20Nov%2015%2C%203%2048%2041%20AM.jp

 

Photo%20Aug%2001%2C%2011%2013%2017%20AM.

 

Photo%20Jul%2009%2C%2010%2057%2039%20PM.

 

I looked at the Mooer ones, I agree that they would probably not allow for use of Helix's capacitance features. For my part, I must say I remain a big fan of the Barefoot Buttons. For me they have actually improved the capacitive function experience. Before, I was constantly activating it accidentally and messing things up; I had actually turned it off. Now it requires an intentional action and I find it much more functional. Plus, they make button access easy and, in my opinion, look pretty sharp.

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I'm not near my helix, but I have these pictures on my phone:

 

File%20Nov%2015%2C%203%2048%2041%20AM.jp

 

Photo%20Aug%2001%2C%2011%2013%2017%20AM.

 

Photo%20Jul%2009%2C%2010%2057%2039%20PM.

 

I looked at the Mooer ones, I agree that they would probably not allow for use of Helix's capacitance features. For my part, I must say I remain a big fan of the Barefoot Buttons. For me they have actually improved the capacitive function experience. Before, I was constantly activating it accidentally and messing things up; I had actually turned it off. Now it requires an intentional action and I find it much more functional. Plus, they make button access easy and, in my opinion, look pretty sharp.

Thank you!

for sure it is the best option to go! I feel the some "acidentally activation" of capacitance features. And it was a great idea get the taller ones in the Up line and the small in the first row. In that configuration, it is 120$... but...

thanks again in sharing the pics and know how / xp.

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The price seems fair for what they are. Someone had to come up with the specs (for two versions) and manufacture them... they aren't an "off the shelf" item. Seems if I spent $1500 on a Helix and I gig enough to make access to the buttons a priority... then $130 for knobs is worth it.

 

YMMV

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Admittedly they aren't cheap, but for the amount of functionality they have brought to my Helix I'd buy them again in a heartbeat. While I bought them for button access, the refinement of the capacitance function (preventing inadvertent activation while still allowing intentional activation) has probably been the bigger win. While the space ship aesthetic is cool, in a way it was also part of the functionality equation: if they weren't available in the transparent material, I wouldn't have bought them because they would have obscured the LED rings. I'd say that if you don't have a need for them then yes, probably a waste of funds. But if you want/need improved button access without sacrificing the capacitive functions or LED ring visibility, then they are worth every cent.

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I would suggest Line6 consider similar modification to future versions?  I too find it difficult to reach back row buttons and capacitance feature on my LT being inadvertently activated is another annoyance for my use. 

 

I often use capacitance feature for assigning buttons to functions but I would prefer to touch something on the side of the button (metal ring, screws) to activate the feature rather than the top of the button which I tend to inadvertently brush up against?  

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  • 3 weeks later...

Can you please post some pictures?

I've found another ones, Mooer Candy Foot switch Topper, but they don't attach by screws, so, doubt about preserving capacitive in the buttons.

But they are cheaper. <1€

http://www.mooeraudio.com/?product/201609235251.html

 

If anyone is interested, I purchased these for all of the footswtches. So instead of $108 like the ones first mentioned, it was $27. They do NOT have the set screws. They do fit very snuggly. I've put it in the Helix backpack and all of the footswitches stayed in place. I ordered the black ones and you can see the LED rings with them on. I like them. Don't know how long they'll last though. I think as long as I don't take them off and on repeatedly, they should last awhile.

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These are available off Amazon although I can't vouch for them as I have not tried them (I am ordering them now). They do apparently allow you to choose the colors you want. Similar to the Mooers buttons these do not have a set screw so they will not allow capacitance sensing.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Effect-Protection-Effectfor-Colorful/dp/B075WCG4L7/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1512437858&sr=8-2&keywords=Footswitch+topper

 

Another option with set screws which allow capacitance sensing but without a transparent cap. I don't know how visible the LED rings will be with these. Come in sets of three, choose color.

https://www.amazon.com/Footswitch-Topper-Guitar-Protection-Effectfor/dp/B0757FKGB4/ref=sr_1_2?m=A2NDZ3WH9YVUX8&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1512438740&sr=1-2&keywords=effect+topper

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These are available off Amazon although I can't vouch for them as I have not tried them (I am ordering them now). They do apparently allow you to choose the colors you want. Similar to the Mooers buttons these do not have a set screw so they will not allow capacitance sensing.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Effect-Protection-Effectfor-Colorful/dp/B075WCG4L7/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1512437858&sr=8-2&keywords=Footswitch+topper

 

Go here to choose your colors

 

https://www.amazon.com/GETMusic-Plastic-Bumpers-Footswitch-Protector/dp/B075TXX5LQ/ref=pd_sbs_267_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B075TXX5LQ&pd_rd_r=C4CST5TWEVKXTZ9NWNAZ&pd_rd_w=6yfZV&pd_rd_wg=yKoTI&psc=1&refRID=C4CST5TWEVKXTZ9NWNAZ

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Thanks for the clarification brue58ski. You do have to go to the link that is NOT Amazon Prime to be able to choose your colors. I contacted them after making my order with my color choices and they did respond affirming that was how my order would be filled. It looks like these may be coming from China judging by how long the tracking email says they will take to arrive so if you order these you may want to leave yourself a few weeks lead time. I will try and post back when I get them on their usability and how long they took to arrive.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Joepeggio, on 11 Dec 2017 - 11:34 AM, said:

 

Do these have a set screw? They don't seem to. Without a set screw, it will me tough to use the touch feature of the Helix. HonestOpinion please review when you receive them. Thanks.

10 caps for $9.90

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075WCG4L7/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

So I just received these and put them on my Helix. These are the ones at the link above. Not sure exactly how or if I ordered them from "LikeIt Music" as the instructions in the item description indicate. I did send an email to "LikeIt Music" after my order with my color preferences and they sent me back a confirmation email for my color selection. I did receive my selected colors as ordered. They took about two & a half weeks to arrive from China to the U.S. although that is through the Christmas mail. I don't know if they would have arrived sooner if I had just received them through Amazon Prime with no custom color request and during a non-holiday season.

 

They fit quite snugly on the Helix switches, no problem there. The LED ring lights are visible through the plastic. As you would expect the lighter colors allow the most LED ring light through but they all worked to my satisfaction. The orange and red caps will look similar when selected if the LED ring shining through is set to red color. The LED ring is least visible through the dark purple but still usable. The black caps do NOT allow any light from the LED ring through at all. If you ask for black buttons I would reserve those for other pedals, not the Helix unless you want to totally obscure your LED ring.

 

Remember that these do not have a set screw so you will NOT have capacitance sensitive switching available on a footswitch using these caps! I used them strictly for my row of snapshots on the back row, my front row is currently stomps.

 

Overall I am quite pleased with these. It is much easier to use the switches in the back row now as they are raised up nicely with larger surface area. Can't speak yet to their durability or how well they will maintain their fit, look, etc. over repeated stomps but for now they are working brilliantly. For a set of 10 knobs at under $10 you certainly can't beat the price. If nothing else you will get a good idea of whether or not you like using larger caps and you can invest in nicer ones down the road with set screws to regain the cap-sensitive functionality if need be. Another option would be to mix and match and purchase the more expensive metal set screw caps for your stomp switches and get these on the cheap for your snapshots (depending on how you arrange your Helix switches). The extra caps I did not end up using on the Helix should go nicely on some of my other pedals.

 

Here is the link for some relatively inexpensive metal ones that allow color selection and I believe (I have not personally tried them) should retain the capacitance-sensitivity due to the set screws. For those of you who want and need to retain the capacitance-sensitive functionality you may want to skip the plastic ones and order these instead. Six of these will cost you about $27 and you can order mixed custom colors. See the details in the description. I have not tried these yet however. https://www.amazon.c...s=effect topper

 

And yet another option with five caps with set screws for about $32: https://www.amazon.com/Effects-Footswitch-SONICAKE-Accessories-Protection/dp/B0777J1LQX/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1514146220&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=pedal+cap&psc=1

 

I have only had these plastic caps for one day so I will try to come back and update this review as and if necessary.

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Thanks for the informative and helpful info!

 

I would like to point out that the metal caps you linked seem to have rubber/plastic between the cap and the switch 

 

31BcG8iUlhL._SX425_.jpg

 

 

Depends whether the setscrew goes all the way through to the shaft.

 

I do believe the set screw goes all the way through but if someone gets these please report on how well they work with the Helix. I may upgrade to them at some point. Definitely enjoying having larger caps for the back row.

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I do believe the set screw goes all the way through but if someone gets these please report on how well they work with the Helix. ...

 

Yes, I'd be interested to know as well. I thought about getting some to try, I can always use them on my Liquid Foot pro controller... maybe after the holidays.

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The "Barefoot Buttons" that the OP posted in the clear acrylic with set screws that allow capacitance-sensitive operation are still probably the nicest buttons available for the Helix as they are not only available in clear acrylic which light up nicely while allowing the best view of the LED rings, but also have a set screw which allows the capacitance sensing to work properly. There are some much lower priced alternatives but none I have seen as of now combines these two features so well. They also come in the taller "Tall Boy" version making them even higher in the back row than any other knobs available. As the OP mentions you will want to get the Barefoot "Version 1" as they appear to be the proper size for the Helix switches (I measured). If those Barefoot clear acrylics "tall boys" ever go on significant sale or a good knockoff comes around at a reasonable price I will be all over them.

 

Some cheaper alternatives:

 

As listed previously, inexpensive, custom "see through" colors, no cap-sensitive switching:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075WCG4L7/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Just found these as well on Amazon if you don't mind all of them the same color. I have not tried them. The description is a bit at odds with the title as it seems to indicate you only get one cap although the title indicates this is a set of 10. These come in at a bit under $7.

https://www.amazon.com/Forfar-Electric-Amplifiers-Instruments-Accessories/dp/B077GV9S6W/ref=sr_1_9?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1514144622&sr=1-9&keywords=effect+topper

https://www.amazon.com/Forfar-Electric-Amplifiers-Instruments-Accessories/dp/B077GT43CD/ref=sr_1_10?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1514144622&sr=1-10&keywords=effect+topper

 

Inexpensive and they have set screws so may they work with cap-sensitive switching, but they are colored metal not acrylic or colored plastic so the LED ring will not be as visible:

https://www.amazon.c...s=effect topper 

https://www.amazon.com/Effects-Footswitch-SONICAKE-Accessories-Protection/dp/B0777J1LQX/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1514146220&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=pedal+cap&psc=1

 

Yet another very inexpensive option for under $9 for a set of five in the gold color with set screws that hopefully allow capacitance sensitive switching. These don't have any inner rubber or plastic sleeve although I don't know how conductive they are. Entire set comes in one color although you can get different colored sets. See reviewer comments about the set screws being too long though (might not be an issue on the Helix, or, even though it may not be a functional problem it may bug you ceaselessly from an aesthetic perspective).

https://www.amazon.com/Yibuy-Silver-Aluminum-Guitar-Effects/dp/B074WN1PML/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1514145108&sr=1-1&keywords=effect%2Bcap%2Bset%2Bscrew&th=1

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10 caps for $9.90

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075WCG4L7/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

So I just received these and put them on my Helix. These are the ones at the link above. Not sure exactly how or if I ordered them from "LikeIt Music" as the instructions in the item description indicate. I did send an email to "LikeIt Music" after my order with my color preferences and they sent me back a confirmation email for my color selection. I did receive my selected colors as ordered. They took about two & a half weeks to arrive from China to the U.S. although that is through the Christmas mail. I don't know if they would have arrived sooner if I had just received them through Amazon Prime with no custom color request and during a non-holiday season.

 

They fit quite snugly on the Helix switches, no problem there. The LED ring lights are visible through the plastic. As you would expect the lighter colors allow the most LED ring light through but they all worked to my satisfaction. The orange and red caps will look similar when selected if the LED ring shining through is set to red color. The LED ring is least visible through the dark purple but still usable. The black caps do NOT allow any light from the LED ring through at all. If you ask for black buttons I would reserve those for other pedals, not the Helix unless you want to totally obscure your LED ring.

 

 

I ordered these

 

https://www.amazon.com/GETMusic-Plastic-Bumpers-Footswitch-Protector/dp/B075TXX5LQ/ref=pd_sbs_267_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B075TXX5LQ&pd_rd_r=T9EDSMAKHGP3FWQ838PP&pd_rd_w=Di8C8&pd_rd_wg=6A8Xw&psc=1&refRID=T9EDSMAKHGP3FWQ838PP

 

and the black ones here do let the LED rings show through.

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