Has Anyone Replaced Their Pedalboards with Helix?

[andy_tchp]

It makes me feel much better, reading your experiences with the Line 6 stuff. You’re confirming everything I was hoping to get out of it, and it’s only making me more excited. I’d love to hear your music when you’re ready to share!

I should point out - the standard amp+cab models did need some attention/tuning, particularly taming of the highs with the 'Hi Cut'; I found some sounded a little... 'hard' (almost that 'direct guitar' feel) around the pick attack whereas I like it fairly mellow (particularly with a Jazzmaster).

So many variables to tweak and I am still wrapping my head around them.

[burpgun]

Looks like Fender's taking direct aim at the Line 6, Fractal and the other modeler folks with a floor unit Tone Master. https://www.gearnews.com/fender-tone-ma ... ix-killer/

[Embenny]

I wondered what took them so long. I owned the excellent Mustang Floor about 8-9 years ago, after being impressed with their Mustang III amp. Its Fender models were great. The high gain models sucked though.

By licensing the 5150, it sounds like they're trying to improve their high gain reputation this time.

Will have to see how it performs. The TM amps won people over by having analog simplicity to them and being 1:1 amp replacements. Once you step into the floor modeler/multiFX arena, people no longer want simplicity. They want accuracy and flexibility. Not sure if Fender will be able to deliver.

I do like the large screen and scribble strips, so at least they appear to have UI at the forefront of their design. My AxeFX is superlative in terms of tone and feel but it's not designed to be edited away from a computer unless you're feeling partocularly masochistic.

[burpgun]

I had one of those early Mustang amps--I think i paid $99 for it--and was surprised at how good it was all things considered. I now have a Super Champ X or whatever it's called and again, the modeling options on it are pretty good for the price. The nice thing about this floor unit is the big screen which I assume makes it easier to program without resorting to plugging it into a computer. I had an HX Stomp for a while and just could not deal with the programming part of the puzzle -- trying to do it on the hardware was no fun at all. I got Native for cheap because I owned that unit and even there I struggle to get decent sounds. We need to see a price on this Fender unit and I wonder how it handles bass stuff.

[N0_Camping4U]

So this is what they were talking about back in January. Interesting. Not sure how I feel, I was hoping for some Brownface Tone Masters! I'm not out on this, seems like it has a lot of potential if the sound is good.

[simonhpieman]

My assessment as a dyed-in-the-wool Helix power user:

Amps: Nearly all Fender (no great surprise) but seriously lacking in variety vs Helix.

Effects: A really good, usable selection. Missing the synth-y generating stuff of the Helix but a really good selection of stomps IMHO

Compressors: No studio compressors like the Helix has, which are really useful as a "mastering effect" at the end of a chain.

Screen: looks really nice but some beer spilled on it and an errant stilleto heel landing on it make me nervous!


As it stands, it's way too expensive for me with not enough variety in amps. Double the number of amp models, with none of the new lot being Fenders, and we might be talking.

Holding out for Helix 2 here, tbh.

[Embenny]

My assessment as a dyed-in-the-wool Helix power user:

Amps: Nearly all Fender (no great surprise) but seriously lacking in variety vs Helix.

Effects: A really good, usable selection. Missing the synth-y generating stuff of the Helix but a really good selection of stomps IMHO

Compressors: No studio compressors like the Helix has, which are really useful as a "mastering effect" at the end of a chain.

Screen: looks really nice but some beer spilled on it and an errant stilleto heel landing on it make me nervous!


As it stands, it's way too expensive for me with not enough variety in amps. Double the number of amp models, with none of the new lot being Fenders, and we might be talking.

Holding out for Helix 2 here, tbh.

Where did you find the list of specific amps and effects? I don't see it in the review or on their web site. Edit: Oh, just noticed the user manual is up on their web site. Yikes. A paltry selection of Mesa/Marshall/others.

I think the Fender combo-looking FRFR speakers are a smart idea, I definitely bought my Mission Engineering Gemini 1 8 years ago because I wanted something traditional-looking.

I just noticed the price. Yeah, that's a hard sell. The Fractal FM9 is the exact same price, includes 3x as many amp models, and has almost as many types of effects blocks as the Fender has of actual effects. I think my list of Chorus options on my AxeFX is similar in number to the Fender unit's total number of effects.

I don't see how that's worth the price vs their competitors. I think they're going to be relying on brand recognition to sell these units. Maybe some people who have been afraid of modelers will be willing to buy it after playing a Tone Master amp. That'll probably be their demographic.

For people wanting a simple but great sounding modeler, they can get a ToneX for like 1/4 of the price. For people wanting a flexible amp and effects platform, Helix and Fractal offer much more for their money.

I think this really needed to be $500 or so cheaper to find its place in the marketplace.

[JSett]

Full list of amps and effetcs

[burpgun]

List price $1,699.99. I'm tapping out but interested to see where Fender takes this over time.

[marqueemoon]

Fender does a good job with video demos and artist relations, so I wouldn’t totally count them out. There’s also something to be said for fewer options if they are good.

This is not appealing to me personally though.

[GreenKnee]

Just watched the Fender release video:

https://youtu.be/oDAknaJ9Kpo?si=BFC-uyKFUQc_DIQF

Whilst I am impressed by all the modellers and what can be done with technology, I can't see myself swapping over any time soon.

If I were to get a midi foot controller for my MacBook I could do all this at a fraction of the cost couldn't I? Plus more with all the plugins you can get.

I'm probably missing the point though

[GreenKnee]

**by a fraction of the cost I mean I already have a MacBook with Logic and hundreds of plugins and so I would just be purchasing the foot controller. Of course I didn't already have that then it would cost more to start from scratch...

[burpgun]

**by a fraction of the cost I mean I already have a MacBook with Logic and hundreds of plugins and so I would just be purchasing the foot controller. Of course I didn't already have that then it would cost more to start from scratch...

Funny I was thinking the same way. If you could stomach having the laptop on stage plus audio interface, you could do what this machine does and more, and for a fairly similar price. Isn't this kind of what Mainstage is for?

[gishuk]

I'm sure this will sound great if my few years using a ToneMaster Deluxe is anything to go by, but I cant see myself going back to an all in one modeller type platform again. Too much option paralysis!

[simonhpieman]

List price $1,699.99. I'm tapping out but interested to see where Fender takes this over time.

Count yourself lucky. $1699 is £1405 but we'll be paying £1649 if we want one today. Double no.