Device cleaning

[lazar0s]

Hi there fellow forum lurkers and line6 team. 

I happily own stomp XL and is the main focus of my sound.

 

While the device is wonderful, I would greatly, amongst many other users I suspect, appreciate line6 releasing a video of how to safely open a stomp , stompXL and do basic maintenance (cleaning) and even a schematic for basic repairs.

Of course this could come with a warranty void but since the devices are not getting any younger most people would benefit greatly by it.

 

Not all of us are close to a service center and this task should be able to be handled by most users that have some experience with maintaining electronics or even setting up a guitar, without the need to send it to a repair center far far away when all your troubles is some dodgy footswitches that are kinda unreliable and double click for example(my case).

 

Line6 has sold thousands of units of helixes and stomps / stompXL, it would be nice if you could help us maintain our units. 

[Schmalle]

There is no need for maintenance or inside cleaning in a Stomp. If something breaks either send it to Service Center. If you open it on your own risk loosing warranty.

 

If that doesn't bother you (like me) you can't really repair stuff in it without special equipment because it's tiny SMD parts for the most part.

If manage to find a part that is broken you can ask Line6's Support for the parts name and order it from an electronics seller. And you can order a circuit boards via a Service Center and replace them.

 

Line6 doesn't answer in this forum. If you want to address them directly contact their support.

[datacommando]

On 11/12/2023 at 4:28 PM, lazar0s said:

Hi there fellow forum lurkers and line6 team. 

I happily own stomp XL and is the main focus of my sound.

Hi,

 

First up - Sadly, there are no Line 6 staff here and only very occasionally do they visit these forums - (See the “sticky comment” in the black banner stripe at the top of this page entitled “Welcome to the Line 6 forums”).

 

Secondly - keep on being happy with your HX Stomp XL, and don’t go poking around inside the thing. Generally the term used is “There are no user serviceable parts inside”. There is a good reason for that - you may cause unnecessary and permanent damage. You might find it easy to set up a floating trem on a guitar, but this is complex electronic equipment. It’s not like cleaning cookie crumbs out of you computer keyboard. 

 

Focus on your sound.

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

[theElevators]

What I do from time to time is vacuum all the buttons.  Just take a vacuum cleaner hose and suck all the dust out of each button.  Then take window cleaning product of your choice and a paper towel, and just clean it so it's nice and shiny.  Make sure to cover the unit when not in use, otherwise dust can get into the holes. 

[cruisinon2]

This is a solution desperately in search of a problem...

 

I've owned my Helix for at least  6 years now, and I've had numerous similar floorboards, midi controllers, and pedals of just about every conceivable variety over the years/decades prior... and not once have I ever had the need to open one up to clean anything.

 

I suppose if one regularly performs out in a wind-swept desert, then you might have some issues eventually... but that aside, this simply isn't something that most people will ever need to do. And not for nothing, but we live in a society where it's necessary to put warnings on plastic bags, so Joe Average doesn't stick his head in it....encouraging folks to start poking around under the hood of these things looking for a problem that isn't likely to exist, is a recipe for disaster. It's the very LAST thing that L6 themselves will ever encourage, and they're certainly never going to  provide you with something that for many, would end up being a "How To Destroy Your Helix in 3 Easy Steps" manual...

 

[theElevators]

On 11/14/2023 at 10:30 AM, cruisinon2 said:

This is a solution desperately in search of a problem...

 

I've owned my Helix for at least  6 years now, and I've had numerous similar floorboards, midi controllers, and pedals of just about every conceivable variety over the years/decades prior... and not once have I ever had the need to open one up to clean anything.

 

I suppose if one regularly performs out in a wind-swept desert, then you might have some issues eventually... but that aside, this simply isn't something that most people will ever need to do. And not for nothing, but we live in a society where it's necessary to put warnings on plastic bags, so Joe Average doesn't stick his head in it....encouraging the folks to start poking around under the hood of these things looking for a problem that isn't likely to exist, is a recipe for disaster. It's the very LAST thing that L6 themselves will ever encourage. and they're certainly never going to  provide you with what for many would end up being a "How To Destroy Your Helix in 3 Easy Steps" manual...

 

I own two Helixes: LT and Floor.  The Floor had 2 foot-switches that stopped working properly after about 1.5 years of occasional rehearsals and playing 2.5 hour shows.  I think I played about 20 shows in total. 

 

These 2 foot-switches were for my solo boost snapshots.  And there was no abuse, excessive stomping... simply pressing the buttons to change my sounds throughout my set.  After cleaning the micro-switches, I went on the road for 4 weeks, so that's around 35 shows, and the buttons were absolutely fine.  They still are fine a year and a half later.  I always test every single foot-switch before playing any gig. 

 

 

 

The LT(which I had bought used a year prior to getting the Floor) got way more use.  I use the LT pretty much exclusively to practice at home, plus all the questionable outdoor jams.  The LT did not have the same issue as the Floor!  Yet still the same 2 foot-switches were not as reliable as when I first got it.  Still a lot better than what the Floor had.  I opened it up and cleaned the micro-switches and a year and half later everything works just fine. 

 

If your Helix sits on your desk and does not go on the road, it's one thing.  If you play 2.5 hours where you frequently switch sounds, that's something else.   The Helix is not something that gigging bands can use without a backup.  I bring 2 Helixes, because I cannot wing it if my sounds do not switch properly, absolutely no way.  Every song has very specific sounds, tempos, etc. 

 

Plus it's pretty clear that Helix build quality varies.  How else can you explain that my LT was more intact than the Floor, that was more babied? 

 

 

[cruisinon2]

On 11/14/2023 at 11:14 AM, theElevators said:

I own two Helixes: LT and Floor.  The Floor had 2 foot-switches that stopped working properly after about 1.5 years of occasional rehearsals and playing 2.5 hour shows.  I think I played about 20 shows in total. 

 

These 2 foot-switches were for my solo boost snapshots.  And there was no abuse, excessive stomping... simply pressing the buttons to change my sounds throughout my set.  After cleaning the micro-switches, I went on the road for 4 weeks, so that's around 35 shows, and the buttons were absolutely fine.  They still are fine a year and a half later.  I always test every single foot-switch before playing any gig. 

 

 

 

The LT(which I had bought used a year prior to getting the Floor) got way more use.  I use the LT pretty much exclusively to practice at home, plus all the questionable outdoor jams.  The LT did not have the same issue as the Floor!  Yet still the same 2 foot-switches were not as reliable as when I first got it.  Still a lot better than what the Floor had.  I opened it up and cleaned the micro-switches and a year and half later everything works just fine. 

 

If your Helix sits on your desk and does not go on the road, it's one thing.  If you play 2.5 hours where you frequently switch sounds, that's something else.   The Helix is not something that gigging bands can use without a backup.  I bring 2 Helixes, because I cannot wing it if my sounds do not switch properly, absolutely no way.  Every song has very specific sounds, tempos, etc. 

 

Plus it's pretty clear that Helix build quality varies.  How else can you explain that my LT was more intact than the Floor, that was more babied? 

 

 

 

Like anything else in life, your mileage may vary. There are always lemons, and somebody gets stuck with them.

 

Nevertheless, I stand by what I said. The overwhelming majority of users are not touring pros, and their gear will not be subject to the ravages of life on the road. If they gig at all, it's every third Friday down at Walt's Trout Hut, and they have far more to fear from spilled beer than anything else. Not to mention the fact that half of the guitar playing world is still afraid to give a truss rod a 1/4 turn... they're not gonna confidently go futzing around with the Helix's inards, and especially not when there isn't a compelling reason to do so in the first place.

 

And even if I'm completely wrong about all of that, appealing to L6 for some interior preventative maintenance cleansing protocol is a compete waste of time. In a million years, they'll never openly encourage customers to tinker around inside their products, because too many would f*ck it up beyond recognition.