jshoenfelt Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 How does everyone handle guitars with Piezo pickups? I was thinking of running it through the aux input into a path of it's own. Is that what everyone else is doing? Thanks for your help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 That would work if you use two cables out of the JP. If you wanted to use just one cable, then you could use a snapshot for the mags and a snapshot for the piezos. But then you would need to step on a Helix switch, and move the JP position switch, at the same time. I mainly play a JTV69 through my Helix as my gigging guitar. That connects with a VDI cable, so the mags and piezos are both connected and programmed into my patches and snapshots. Sad to say that my JP15 Blueberry Burst rarely gets pulled out. I find it ironic that my most expensive and beautiful guitar got replaced by my cheapest and somewhat ugliest guitar. I put a Warmouth Wizard neck on the JTV to try to match the JP neck profile. I'm now a happy camper with the JTV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshoenfelt Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 I have a JTV69 also, thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erklaerbaer Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 If you wanted to use just one cable, then you could use a snapshot for the mags and a snapshot for the piezos. But then you would need to steip on a Helix switch, and move the JP position switch, at the same time. That's exactly what I'm doing normaly, as I don't want to connect more than one cable to the guitar. Maybe I make myself a cable with stereo plug on the JP-side and two mono plugs on the Helix-side, so I coul'd combine the best of both worlds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 As long as you keep the signals separate, that would work. Lava Cable could probably make you one like you describe, or a single cable with two plugs at each end. I might consider that myself, just to give the JP15 some play time with the Helix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 That's exactly what I'm doing normaly, as I don't want to connect more than one cable to the guitar. Maybe I make myself a cable with stereo plug on the JP-side and two mono plugs on the Helix-side, so I coul'd combine the best of both worlds. Parker makes a stereo cable for the TRS on the guitar side, and two TS on the other. https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PARKER20 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 Nice, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmoncebaiz Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 I run my JP15 one cable out and into Helix's guitar input. I still arm multiple paths in Helix with that as the input block and I use volume pedals (to the output block of each path) to switch between different sounds in the preset. This is just because I like to control the mag vs piezo manually on the guitar. Using separate cables could let use two separate input sources. You could then leave the JP with both mags and piezo armed and use footswitches, or snapshots, to choose your pathing. So you wouldn't have to make any adjustments on the guitar for piezo vs mags. I'd recommend plugging the piezo into the FX Loop returns over the aux input in any case. Hope that helps (coming down from a week with the flu, so I might not be making sense). Feel free to message me if you need some help setting up something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug6String Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 How does everyone handle guitars with Piezo pickups? I was thinking of running it through the aux input into a path of it's own. Is that what everyone else is doing? Thanks for your help. I just got a JP15 7 string not more than a month or so ago. It's an amazing guitar. I hadn't tried using both outputs on the guitar yet until your post (just been playing it). I was using the mono output to Helix guitar in and using the guitar to select the piezos, mags, or both. So I tried using the guitar mono out to Helix guitar in and the stereo out to the Helix aux in. This is really cool! In the Helix I have one path for mag pups (a clean tone) and the other is an acoustic IR for the piezos. I haven't spent much time messing with all the variables yet, but panning 100% L and R for each path with both pups selected sounds great, more like two separately recorded guitars played at different times than the exact same playing. I'm surprised! Thanks for enhancing my fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 I got the Parker cable which comes out of the stereo output of the JP15 and into my Helix with two mono plugs. I created a Helix patch that uses the Guitar In for the mags and the Aux In for the piezos. Snapshot 1 has all blocks active so you can switch between the mags and piezo on the guitar. Snapshot 2 is boosted just for the mags, for a crunchy rhythm. Snapshot 3 has an OD for the mags only, for lead and solo work. It works really well and has given me a reason to start playing my JP15 more. Here's a link for anyone that wants to give it a go: https://line6.com/customtone/browse/helix/# Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug6String Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 I got the Parker cable which comes out of the stereo output of the JP15 and into my Helix with two mono plugs. I created a Helix patch that uses the Guitar In for the mags and the Aux In for the piezos. Snapshot 1 has all blocks active so you can switch between the mags and piezo on the guitar. Snapshot 2 is boosted just for the mags, for a crunchy rhythm. Snapshot 3 has an OD for the mags only, for lead and solo work. It works really well and has given me a reason to start playing my JP15 more. Here's a link for anyone that wants to give it a go: https://line6.com/customtone/browse/helix/# Cool - I'll try your preset too. I have a cable from the mono and another from the stereo jacks on the JP going to the Helix guitar in and aux, and I have a preset with a path for each of them. This gives me the piezos and mags on their own Helix paths and this works exactly as I want. I don't think a Y cable gives me more than this, but I thought I'd ask you - any benefit I'm missing? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 I don't think your missing anything tone wise. Since I do gig, dragging two cables for me is a big consideration. I revised my patch a little and uploaded the new version. I moved the LP/HP filters into the cabs to make room for a compressor on the mag path. I like this lead tone a little better. https://line6.com/customtone/browse/helix/# 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug6String Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 I don't think your missing anything tone wise. Since I do gig, dragging two cables for me is a big consideration. I revised my patch a little and uploaded the new version. I moved the LP/HP filters into the cabs to make room for a compressor on the mag path. I like this lead tone a little better. https://line6.com/customtone/browse/helix/# Great - thanks for the reply. I'll try the preset later tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug6String Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Great - thanks for the reply. I'll try the preset later tonight! I see you use an IR for the piezos, like me. I have a couple that are made for acoustics. The best one (most realistic) I have is Taylor 314ce - Sc. If you have a suggestion on good IRs for piezos, please me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Sorry, the IR slipped right by me. I forgot it won't transfer with the patch file. I was using an acoustic IR that I got from a Freeman patch at that spot. I would think any good acoustic IR will get you in the right territory and then adjust EQ from there. The piezo's on the JP15 sound pretty decent, so I would think your Taylor IR will work fine. I'm pretty sure I have that same Taylor IR myself. Trying to keep track of all the IR's I have is getting confusing which is why I'm starting to lean towards using more stock Helix cabs. The stock cabs do sound sound pretty good. I'll have to investigate which one works best for acoustic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterHamm Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Ive been playing two-voice guitars almost exclusively since about 2005, and had been leaning on them before that since about 2000. Helix is the best for this. Videos and sound samples and patches here. https://pietrosquared.wordpress.com/helix-2-voice-guitar/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 So Peter, do you ever use a Helix stock cab in your piezo acoustic path? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug6String Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Sorry, the IR slipped right by me. I forgot it won't transfer with the patch file. I was using an acoustic IR that I got from a Freeman patch at that spot. I would think any good acoustic IR will get you in the right territory and then adjust EQ from there. The piezo's on the JP15 sound pretty decent, so I would think your Taylor IR will work fine. I'm pretty sure I have that same Taylor IR myself. Trying to keep track of all the IR's I have is getting confusing which is why I'm starting to lean towards using more stock Helix cabs. The stock cabs do sound sound pretty good. I'll have to investigate which one works best for acoustic. Thanks! I tweaked it just a little but your preset with my IR sounds great. I can see why you do things the way you do - live playing. The JP and Helix are really versatile. Now I have exactly one preset that uses a cab! But I get why you said what you did about IRs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterHamm Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 So Peter, do you ever use a Helix stock cab in your piezo acoustic path? Never. I don't want any amp/cab coloration. I want something resembling the sound of a miked acoustic guitar, and that doesn't give me that. I only use an IR for the acoustic sound into the studio vocal preamp (on line, set to under 3.5 gain and 10 output) into some EQ (not always, the 3 Sigma don't really require much EQ) and some gentle compression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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