Toe Switch Expression pedal for HX?

[highline-2004]

Loving my HX Effects unit so much.

 

It would be even better if I could use a toe switch expression pedal with the unit, so I could naturally turn a wah on and off with that like the real pedal. Why is this not compatible, and could it be made compatible with a future firmware update? Fingers crossed. 

 

[HonestOpinion]

Loving my HX Effects unit so much.

 

It would be even better if I could use a toe switch expression pedal with the unit, so I could naturally turn a wah on and off with that like the real pedal. Why is this not compatible, and could it be made compatible with a future firmware update? Fingers crossed. 

 

You can use the Auto-Engage feature to have the wah engage automatically when it is moved past the heel-down positon. See page 29 of the brand new HX Effects 2.50 manual.

[highline-2004]

You can use the Auto-Engage feature to have the wah engage automatically when it is moved past the heel-down positon. See page 29 of the brand new HX Effects 2.50 manual.

 

Thanks - I read the manual, and that's not what I'm after -  please refer to my post above. Sometimes I like to leave my wah in either Heel down or all the way for extended periods of time. Would be nice if you could use a toe switch expression pedal with this unit. 

[HonestOpinion]

Thanks - I read the manual, and that's not what I'm after -  please refer to my post above. Sometimes I like to leave my wah in either Heel down or all the way for extended periods of time. Would be nice if you could use a toe switch expression pedal with this unit. 

 

I did read your original post and there was no way for me to know whether you were aware of the auto-engage functionality so I pointed you in that direction. No need for a snarky response. I understand what you are requesting and I happen to agree that it would be nice to have toe switch functionality and I hope it does get added to at some point although there may be some sort of hardware limitation on the expression pedal jacks or in the overall architecture of the device that prevents it. Couldn't say for sure? This is a feature that has been requested for the Helix many times over the last couple of years. Someone did quite ingeniously figure out how to make their own pedal for the Helix that allows the use of a toe switch but it requires some hardware modification and uses both EXP jacks. Perhaps not an ideal solution and I don't know whether or not it would work on the HX Effects but you can find their instructions here. http://line6.com/support/topic/26725-toe-switching-with-an-external-exp-pedal/?p=206912

 

Btw, downvoting people who are just trying to help out is not a great way to encourage assistance or advance your cause and not generally the way people on this forum treat each other.

[regalpierot]

@highline, I'm pretty sure @HonestOpinion was giving you a suggestion not a misunderstanding of what you were asking. 

 

Cannot be done at present. The Helix Rack is the only product in the family that has a dedicate Exp input that can interpret pedals with that function (and most likely you'd want the Mission Line 6 pedal made with that additional feature, think it's about $10 more than the one without). May be in a firmware release down the road, but I somewhat doubt it. For now your choice is

 

1 - Dedicating a button to Engage\Disengage for the Wah etc (my current choice of workflow). 

2 - The auto-engage at a point (can be heel down or a custom position of your choice) which is tricky if you keep hitting that spot during playing and haven't the timing set right

3 - A conventional wah in the chain

 

That's about it. 

[Epoxydog]

Newb question here.  Can the unit be set up to toggle between Wah and Volume on the fly?   (like telling it to switch assignments between pedal 1 and 2?)

[regalpierot]

That's actually a fairly good question. Would love to know myself. You can set the same Pedal to map to volume versus Wah etc per preset but not sure if there's an easy foot control to switch in same preset.

 

Will say this. I tried during practice session with band to unplug from Exp 2 to Exp 1 mid song. Don't do that. It sets the volume block to zero immediately and on HXFX you have to go into signal flow and increase vol unless your clever enough (which I wasn't) to just plug Pedal back into Exp input 2. So glad I didn't try that on stage.

[highline-2004]

I did read your original post and there was no way for me to know whether you were aware of the auto-engage functionality so I pointed you in that direction. No need for a snarky response. I understand what you are requesting and I happen to agree that it would be nice to have toe switch functionality and I hope it does get added to at some point although there may be some sort of hardware limitation on the expression pedal jacks or in the overall architecture of the device that prevents it. Couldn't say for sure? This is a feature that has been requested many times over the last couple of years. Someone did quite ingeniously figure out how to make their own pedal for the Helix that allows the use of a toe switch but it requires some hardware modification and uses both EXP jacks. Perhaps not an ideal solution and I don't know whether or not it would work on the HX Effects but you can find their instructions here. http://line6.com/support/topic/26725-toe-switching-with-an-external-exp-pedal/?p=206912

 

Btw, downvoting people who are just trying to help out is not a great way to encourage assistance or advance your cause and not generally the way people on this forum treat each other.

 

Wasn't trying to be Snarky, so thanks for your thoughtful follow up. 

[highline-2004]

3 - A conventional wah in the chain

 

That's about it. 

 

Thanks for the info. Is there anything to be said about putting the wah before the HX. So Guitar > Wah > HX, and not using a block for your wah? I tried this, and my wah sounded terrible. Is the HX not meant to have pedals before it on the board? I put my wah first in my chain always. 

[HonestOpinion]

Wasn't trying to be Snarky, so thanks for your thoughtful follow up. 

 

Cheers, now back to the fun stuff and here's to hoping they can figure out a way to implement toe-switch capability.

[regalpierot]

@highline, if you ever find out the magic equation let me know. I've had Wah pedals at different spots on different boards and can sonically range the 'never want to switch it on' awful tone to the 'never want to switch it off' awesomeness. I'll find that different overdrives will react differently to it and God knows no two Wah manufacturers or even models act the same.

 

I will say that I settled on a Crybaby GCB95Q because the ability to control the range of filter makes a massive difference. But still, it can sound like crap before my JHS moonshine or like crap after my Strymon Riverside so a dark art. I would say if you can use a send/return block do it (assuming Wah is a big part of your sound) because you have the flexibility per preset to move the thing around and then lock in what works with that combo.

 

Seriously though. Another option would just to set toe position to

Engage on an expression. Have the exp in heel when you don't want the sound and then it's almost like a toe click to engage minus the tactile click. Or like me, just use the too right foot switch to engage or Disengage Wah. It's just slightly different muscle memory to learn.