Helix LT expression pedal broken show coming up

[gunnzshow]

Hey everyone, hoping the community can help. I have a Helix LT and the expression pedal is broken. It was always kind of clicky but now it wobbles on the left side and I can't click down to turn off effects like wah. I have a show next Friday.

 

I borrowed a Crybaby pedal. My current setup is the following: I have presets for each song and then a few snapshots for each. I use a lot of wah. Is it possible to use the crybaby as the expression pedal? If not, how would I chain the crybaby to replace the wah that is currently on expression pedal 1 (the broken one)

 

Thanks for any help you can give me!

[rd2rk]

Known issue. Contact support and they'll fix you up!

[rd2rk]

On 3/25/2022 at 1:32 PM, gunnzshow said:

I borrowed a Crybaby pedal. My current setup is the following: I have presets for each song and then a few snapshots for each. I use a lot of wah. Is it possible to use the crybaby as the expression pedal? If not, how would I chain the crybaby to replace the wah that is currently on expression pedal 1 (the broken one)

 

Doesn't work that way. Just put the Crybaby between the guitar and Helix, same as with any normal pedal board.

[gunnzshow]

On 3/25/2022 at 3:35 PM, rd2rk said:

 

Doesn't work that way. Just put the Crybaby between the guitar and Helix, same as with any normal pedal board.

Thanks. So there's an instrument 1/4 and an amp quarter inch. I would plug the guitar into the 1/4 instrument on the crybaby then out to the guitar input on the Helix? Is there a pedal I can get that I can use to replace the broken expression pedal?

 

Thanks!

[rd2rk]

On 3/25/2022 at 1:59 PM, gunnzshow said:

Thanks. So there's an instrument 1/4 and an amp quarter inch. I would plug the guitar into the 1/4 instrument on the crybaby then out to the guitar input on the Helix? Is there a pedal I can get that I can use to replace the broken expression pedal?

 

Thanks!

 

Yep, that's the way.

 

You can use any number of expression pedals, and some volume pedals will do double duty.

I got the Mission Engineering SP1-L6H to use with my HX Stomp. High end of the price range but excellent build quality.

Is there some reason you don't want to contact support for a repair? Even if it's out of warranty they'll fix it as it's a known issue.

[gunnzshow]

On 3/25/2022 at 4:07 PM, rd2rk said:

 

Yep, that's the way.

 

You can use any number of expression pedals, and some volume pedals will do double duty.

I got the Mission Engineering SP1-L6H to use with my HX Stomp. High end of the price range but excellent build quality.

Is there some reason you don't want to contact support for a repair? Even if it's out of warranty they'll fix it as it's a known issue.

I bought it second hand but the person never used it. Sat on a shelf for two years. Then it got daily use from me. I managed to register it. I am in Canada so I have to go through a Yamaha authorized service centre. The service centre said to bring the pedal in and any communication I had with line 6. I did raise the pedal issue with line 6 and quoted the alleged statement regarding replacing such units due to faulty pedal, but it will have to wait until after the show. I'll update you after. Thanks for your help.

[theElevators]

Because the expression pedal is so flimsy on the LT, I decided to set up all my presets to only use exp 2… so they could work with an external pedal as needed.  Plus I always found switching the pedal too difficult.  And I’ve always used an automatic wah like Bad Horsie in the past. 
 

If anything should happen to the pedal, I can simply plug in the 20-dollar external pedal, and everything will work the same way.  External pedal always becomes exp 2 on the Helix LT/Floor. 
 

I basically don’t ever use the switch. I’m always on expression pedal 2. I have my wah engaged based on percentage of the pedal’s position. I also have the wah on/off in specific snapshots. If the wah is frequently turned on/off, I have it auto-engage in the entire preset. If it’s only needed in the solo, then I have it in one snapshot only.

 

 I also have a stereo wah (panning left/right) effect in some presets, that I turn on only in specific snapshots. 
 

If for example I want to have both wah and freeze in the same preset controlled by the expression pedal, I simply “dial out” the effect in respective snapshots. In other words I set the “mix” parameter at 0%—this means the effect cannot me heard. 
 

I have a big preset where I control 5 things by the same expression pedal 2: wah, delay, freeze, synth filter, vibrato. So it is possible to work out a way to not use the toe switch and get all those sounds.  

[gunnzshow]

On 3/25/2022 at 6:46 PM, theElevators said:

Because the expression pedal is so flimsy on the LT, I decided to set up all my presets to only use exp 2… so they could work with an external pedal as needed.  Plus I always found switching the pedal too difficult.  And I’ve always used an automatic wah like Bad Horsie in the past. 
 

If anything should happen to the pedal, I can simply plug in the 20-dollar external pedal, and everything will work the same way.  External pedal always becomes exp 2 on the Helix LT/Floor. 
 

I basically don’t ever use the switch. I’m always on expression pedal 2. I have my wah engaged based on percentage of the pedal’s position. I also have the wah on/off in specific snapshots. If the wah is frequently turned on/off, I have it auto-engage in the entire preset. If it’s only needed in the solo, then I have it in one snapshot only.

 

 I also have a stereo wah (panning left/right) effect in some presets, that I turn on only in specific snapshots. 
 

If for example I want to have both wah and freeze in the same preset controlled by the expression pedal, I simply “dial out” the effect in respective snapshots. In other words I set the “mix” parameter at 0%—this means the effect cannot me heard. 
 

I have a big preset where I control 5 things by the same expression pedal 2: wah, delay, freeze, synth filter, vibrato. So it is possible to work out a way to not use the toe switch and get all those sounds.  

I went out and bought the mission. I want a pedal I can use live if the LT expression pedal breaks again. The mission is super rugged. I only use it for wah. I love the fact that it is powered by the Helix too. So I just go into all my presets and change the exp pedal to express 2? How do I do that?

[theElevators]

On 3/25/2022 at 8:45 PM, gunnzshow said:

I went out and bought the mission. I want a pedal I can use live if the LT expression pedal breaks again. The mission is super rugged. I only use it for wah. I love the fact that it is powered by the Helix too. So I just go into all my presets and change the exp pedal to express 2? How do I do that?

Easiest to do it in hx edit. Go to control bypass. Delete everything for the wah left over for exp 1. 
 

Back to the block view. Then right click on wah percentage, right click on it and assign to exp 2. Same for bypass. You have all the parameters that can be controlled by whatever you want, in our case exp 2. Lots of videos how to do that.  I’m not home now, so these are the general instructions. 
 

I like the wah to turn off when it’s less than 5 percent — the default setting you get when you assign the bypass function to the exp 2. Same for the time—I think it’s 300ms. 
 

One thing to note—there is a bug. Do not change anything I described above with the external pedal plugged in. Unplug it while you do this. Otherwise your internal pedal can get “stuck” in exp 1 or exp 2 mode between snapshots if you press the toe switch accidentally. You will get into exp 1 and your wah won’t work.