Helix users: a simple survey

[bjnette]

What I'd like to know is how many of the FX loops you use and any innovative uses for any of the ways you use your Helix? 

How you use any routing possibility that includes the FX loops I am especially interested?

Thanks in advance!

[Bangha]

I use all of them. Nothing groundbreaking though:

FX LOOP 1 King of Tone

FX LOOP 2 Pete Cornish P2 Fuzz

FX LOOP 3-4 Stereo EHX Super Pulsar (my favorite trem) I use the CV send to control different trem parameters on it. Depending on the situation I might control term depth and or rate.

I double Fx loop 3 as a mono send to an MXR univibe. I love the one on Helix, but this one was a gift from my wife and I always use it when in vibe need.

[Verne-Bunsen]

I'm currently putting a new board together and so things are in flux somewhat, but currently I'm using three FX loops with a Devi Ever Shoe Gazer, an Earthquaker Devices Bit Commander and a ZVex Fuzz Factory.

As for "innovative" ways of using stuff, I've taken to using both external expression pedal jacks and a home-brew expression pedal to allow for a single toe-switchable external expression pedal. I outlined the process for achieving it in this thread:

http://line6.com/support/topic/26725-toe-switching-with-an-external-exp-pedal/

This ought to be an interesting thread!

[PeterHamm]

I use return 1 for my acoustic signal and FX 3 and 4 for mel9 and POG 2

[Ka5par]

Returns 1 and 2 as a stereo input.

[zooey]

None, Helix only. Coming from a CyberTwin, ID 60 TVP, Amplitube and Scuffham, I haven't used standalone pedals in years.

[Flotsam71]

I use send/return 1, 4 cable with a Marshall DSL 50. And send/return 3 to a Laney IRT-X. Dry tone through the Marshall 2x12 and wet effects through the IRT.

[jbuhajla]

None. Helix only. 

[Joepeggio]

None.  I use a "utility" board in front of Helix.  

 

G50 wireless -> Polytune mini -> Drop -> Crybaby Mini Wah -> Helix -> PA

[nippyjun]

none of them currently.

[BlueViolince]

FX1 is used for a Whammy 5. I run ny Helix in the fx loop of my acoustic preamp/DI. My snapshots are mostly used to call up various custom presets on the Whammy.

[brue58ski]

None. Wanted to have a minimum of setup.

[bjnette]

Thanks for your replies so far. Excellent!

How you use or not use the FX loops is of interest to me with the LT version now available.

How you use any routing possibility that includes the FX loops, I am especially interested?

[mkornell]

I use 3 loops for an Eventide H9, an EHX Mel9 and and EHX POG2.

 

I use the 4th loop as a loopback. I.e., straight cable from Out to In. That gives me some more routing flexibility in terms of the signal flow between paths. Note that I could probably accomplish the same thing by loading a null preset to the H9 or POG2 and using that FX loop.

[spikey]

FX-1 uses my Bogner Lagrange.

FX-2 uses my H&K Grand Meister deluxe 40 in a 4 cable method. I have a patch assigned for this amp using wah, distortion (if needed) before and Comp, Vol, Mod, delay and Reverb after. The H&K is set to 5 watts out running to a 2x12 cab with V-30's.

 

Since I'm going into Helix with my guitars 1st, I can use the H&K patch for the GM-40 (and leave everything plugged in place), or I can switch to regular patches in Helix and still use the Lagrange pedal when and where needed. The Helix main left (mono) 1/4" out is part of the 4 cm, and the Helix XLR L&R outs go to my mixer board. I also run the built in redbox out from the H&K to the mixer as well, and mixer outs are going into my audio interface where I can mix and match as desired. 

[Turpentine]

Fx1 - TH500's preamp

Fx2-4 - TBD

[davidb7170]

Helix floor unit, no external pedals... I get what I need with the Helix alone, like a simple set up, tear down... Though went away from discreet pedals in the late 80's to MFX, so haven't had any killer single pedals for a long time....

 

Dave

[JLondon]

I'm very happy to have the option, but if I wanted to hook up a bunch of normal external effects pedals to the Helix, I'd just use my pedal board. I purchased the Helix for it's simplicity and convenience. That said, since I play through stereo Stagesource speakers rather than an amp, am investigating the idea of incorporating my RC300 loop station and/or Roland GR-55 midi with the Helix.

[MusicLaw]

Nothing fancy. Often use Two for Analog Stereo pre-recorded material in. The other Two (sometimes) to compare how external FX pedals sound vs. what's in Helix, running an external Looper, or, when running 4CM.

[GDan]

I used send 1 as an output that went direct to my guitar amp for monitoring before it hit the IR slot to PA.

 

Then I found a more effiecient way of doing it using the stereo paths. So now I use the R 1/4 out for that.

 

Considering putting a whammy in the loop. 

[bjnette]

Good to know

[DirtFarmer]

I use a send out to a tuner... that's it though.

[lulu_m]

I use returns 1&2 for a stereo out from my GR-55.

Return 3, for my accoustic piezo signal.

 

(but only in the studio, too much cables for me to play live ;-))

[ricstudioc]

Currently all 4 - Pog/C9/Mel9/Synth9

[PeterHamm]

Currently all 4 - Pog/C9/Mel9/Synth9

 

B) very cool indeed.

[ricstudioc]

B) very cool indeed.

:) Thanks - I've also got a Key9 on the shelf, seemed the least effective to me, just not a lot of articulation/clarity.

 

As memory serves, don't you have a Mel in your lineup?  If so - do you find the fixed vibrato to be a tad annoying?  My only gripe about it, there's some very useful stuff in there, but that vibrato starts to wear after a while.  I find myself either mixing it a bit lower than I'd like, or running it thru delays to blend it together.  Other than that, each of the 9 boxes has their uses....

[PeterHamm]

:) Thanks - I've also got a Key9 on the shelf, seemed the least effective to me, just not a lot of articulation/clarity.

 

As memory serves, don't you have a Mel in your lineup?  If so - do you find the fixed vibrato to be a tad annoying?  My only gripe about it, there's some very useful stuff in there, but that vibrato starts to wear after a while.  I find myself either mixing it a bit lower than I'd like, or running it thru delays to blend it together.  Other than that, each of the 9 boxes has their uses....

 

I'm virtually always using it in a verb-ey pad underneath or with other things, so the constant vibrato is always a help to the way I do things. But yes, if I was using it straight, it would probably get kinda old fast.

[bjnette]

okay cool, seems using the loops to incorporate fav hardware FX trumps other uses so far.

[TheDaveDaveDave]

At home for my "amp in the room", I use send 1 at instrument level to a Mesa Boogie Triaxis, with return 2 at line level back to the Helix before a Randall or Boogie power amp into a stereo 2x12 cab. I almost always use separate reverbs and delays before the cab. On a few patches I have alternate preamps instead of the "real deal", and sometimes one channel from the Triaxis and the other from the Helix. It sounds DEEEEEEEP!

 

Here's the cool part. Sometimes I use the mic input, track my miced up 2x12 and tweak the Helix signal to the DAW, adjusting the modeled cabs to "tone match" my "amp in the room" sound, Y'all have to try this,

 

For gigs these days, I almost always use the Helix as a pedalboard in front of an old Traynor combo these days, with no loops.

 

The most amazing part of the Helix is that I can "roughly" cop the same tone regardless of whether I'm using it as a pedalboard, a 4cm controller with inserts or as a standalone modeler to the DAW. It's only because I can A/B the preamps and compare the real mics and cabs to the modeled versions. I've never had a single piece of gear that makes it this easy.

 

I only wish there were two mic inputs.

 

 

 

All that said, always be mindful of the Fletcher-Munson curve and you'll be fine ;-)

[HonestOpinion]

For better or worse I am one of the Helix minimalists who prefer as simple a setup as possible to minimize complexity and possible points of failure. I use the Helix's onboard effects whenever possible so I rarely use a loop for external pedals. I do however use one of the sends all the time as an output for my acoustic guitar. The XLR and 1/4 outputs are already dedicated to my electric so I use a Send to feed the acoustic guitar to a different input on the mixing board from the one I use for my electric.

[captainnemo70]

None, 

 

the whole point of me going to Helix was to get rid of complication and have everything in one box

[bjnette]

Thanks everyone for your responses to how you use your FX loops. 

[DarrellM5]

I use 3 of them.

 

• Amp in 4 cable method
• Digitech Trio +
• Beatbuddy

[amsdenj]

I my acoustic band I play mandolin, acoustic guitar and some electric guitar. The mandolin goes into return 3 (since it has a higher impedance than Aux and matches the K&K pickup better), my Strat Deluxe uses the guitar input and I use a Variax 700 Acoustic through VDI.

 

I have also created setups with a Martin 00CEA for acoustic using Acoustic body IRs I captured from my Fishman Aura. I have also used the Fishman Aura as an insert device, but found it simpler to just capture the IR I use most of the time and use it in a Helix IR block.

 

I've used a Jamman too, for longer loops.

 

But basically Helix has everything I really need and its very convenient to have everything in one unit, especially one that can easily handle three very different instruments with no problem at all.