Has Anyone Replaced Their Pedalboards with Helix?

[Unicorn Warrior]

I don’t think I’ll never not want an actual amp. The irony of these, for me, is that you still need a powered cab (an amp) if you want to do anything outside of interface recording. Then you have to carry an amp and a floor unit. I still do anyway because of pedals, but for the amp only guys, this wouldn’t be a positive thing. This is the nicest unit I think I’ve seen aesthetically. I’ll give it that. If I was a simple effects user, I might go at it. But I’m still of the persuasion that certain analog effects just sound better. Namely modulation and delays. Don’t get me wrong, I use my fair share of digital pedals, but I’m very specific to which effects I like. I don’t think the menu diving to try to find what I want to use would be for me.

[Embenny]

I don’t think I’ll never not want an actual amp. The irony of these, for me, is that you still need a powered cab (an amp) if you want to do anything outside of interface recording. Then you have to carry an amp and a floor unit. I still do anyway because of pedals, but for the amp only guys, this wouldn’t be a positive thing. This is the nicest unit I think I’ve seen aesthetically. I’ll give it that. If I was a simple effects user, I might go at it. But I’m still of the persuasion that certain analog effects just sound better. Namely modulation and delays. Don’t get me wrong, I use my fair share of digital pedals, but I’m very specific to which effects I like. I don’t think the menu diving to try to find what I want to use would be for me.

How many people only use a combo amp with no pedalboard?

Carrying this and a powered cab is easier and lighter than carrying a head and cab or pedalboard and combo amp.

It's literally only people who gig with a combo amp and no board who would find this solution more difficult to set up or transport.

Also, FYI, lots of touring acts and gigging guitarists forego having powered cabs on stage, so you don't need one "if you want to do anything outside of interface recording."

The only scenario you ever need your own powered monitor or guitar amp is when your rehearsal space or venue has inadequate sound reinforcement and monitoring. If you use IEMs, you don't need or even want a directional cab hitting you or other band members. If your PA and FOH engineer are good, your audience shouldn't need it, either.

I was front row at a Dinosaur Jr. concert on J's side, and much of the time, all I could hear were his backwards-facing Twin Reverb and Marshall stack. Murph's drums were completely swallowed up outside of the kick.

[eggwheat]

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.

Agree...the full blown Helix Floor is a monster, and offers so much more than this. Like you I think the Helix 2 is where its going to be. I'm expecting very great things.

[Telliot]

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/

Hopefully it won't cause too much confusion, but I thought it would be good to combine these threads into a larger conversation.

[Telliot]

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.

Agree...the full blown Helix Floor is a monster, and offers so much more than this. Like you I think the Helix 2 is where its going to be. I'm expecting very great things.

I'm only a few days into owning the Helix Floor, and I have to say...it's pretty damn incredible. Regarding a Helix II, from what I've read there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of movement there, but I'm sure it's being kept well under wraps. From the Line 6 forum it seems they are looking to expand the Helix universe, rather than making things obsolete, but you never know. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before it'll be replaced.

[eggwheat]

Yeh, i'm in no hurry for the "helix II' since the helix is so good already..just the mind boggles at how far it could go what with Moore's law etc in computing power and how much better plug-ins have got in the last 5 years.

[burpgun]

I had an HX Stomp and sold it because I was disappointed with the hardware interface and having to plug it into a computer to program it smoothly. I was able to get Native for $100 and have been kind of underwhelmed by that too. I'm curious if anyone has a sense whether Native delivers the same experience as a high-end Helix Floor unit. Would assume the computer, because of its more powerful processor, would sound the same while allowing more processing, but I'm no longer able to test that.

[BTL]

[...] This is the nicest unit I think I’ve seen aesthetically. I’ll give it that. If I was a simple effects user, I might go at it. [...]

This is what has gotten my attention...the Fender Tone Master looks so simple and clean. I suspect I could find plenty of options within it that I'd be very happy with.

[cestlamort]

I'm not familiar with where the modeling / all-in-one boxes have achieved recently, but I could the attraction to this one. (Note: I'm a bit uncomfortable with the (admittedly clever) footswitch-dial combos on germaphobe and durability levels (the same goes for the Eventide H90 btw). )

$1699 is a serious investment... How to justify it? Some back of the napkin math by liquidating redundancies: selling an iridium would be maybe $300, some other unused pedals maybe 3-400 more... but that's still over $1k.

I know it's against the spirit of the thing, but can I get a discount by "selling back" the EVH and other amp models I won't ever want?

[Telliot]

I know it's against the spirit of the thing, but can I get a discount by "selling back" the EVH and other amp models I won't ever want?

I find the presets on almost anything unusable (this heavily applies to synths as well). In this particular case it's nice to see how the signal chain is built and which settings are being used just to get a better idea of how the thing works (especially when it comes to non-linear routing), but I agree that there's a lot on these things that I'll simply never use.

[fuzzjunkie]

I'm not familiar with where the modeling / all-in-one boxes have achieved recently, but I could the attraction to this one. (Note: I'm a bit uncomfortable with the (admittedly clever) footswitch-dial combos on germaphobe and durability levels (the same goes for the Eventide H90 btw). )

$1699 is a serious investment... How to justify it? Some back of the napkin math by liquidating redundancies: selling an iridium would be maybe $300, some other unused pedals maybe 3-400 more... but that's still over $1k.

I know it's against the spirit of the thing, but can I get a discount by "selling back" the EVH and other amp models I won't ever want?

I would be interested if these boxes worked like a Toneprint or convolution reverb model. You could then pay for the 3-4 amps you would want to use instead of all those you don’t. You could then test them out for a week or two for free by downloading them before having to pay. A studio might want most, or all the amp models, but most individuals will be happy with just the ones they use.

Same for effects. These are the dirt options, these are the modulations, and here are the time based effects. Load them up, try ‘em out and then pay. Of course in today’s markets that model will be a subscription purchase and not a one-time-you-but-it-you-own-it. I really hate that aspect of modern technology. Oh, but you get updates! Sigh…I usually prefer the original and hate the updated versions.

[cestlamort]

Eventide tried that model with the H9 (a set number of effects came with it, additional ones were $20. You could try them out for a set amount of time (minutes, rather than days) before buying. I'm glad that they went to a different model, even though I still haven't scratched the surface of some (most) of the algorithms, I've had fun spending a day or two exploring something I'd ignored before.

A la carte still might be nice for the Fender Tonemaster Pro --- maybe the Fender Tonemaster Semi-pro (tm)?

[burpgun]

I got a feeling if you went with the "in app purchase" mode and paid only for what you want a lot of folks would end up paying more than they expected and would be bummed by having to buy various software extensions. That said, if you were trying to replicate an exact real world set up maybe it would be appealing. I just fear you'd end up getting nicked and dimed on extending the system to where you want it to rest.

Anyway, I wonder if Fender will make this bass friendly over time as well.

[Embenny]

It's important to realize that Fender's hardware cost is fixed, and the software development has been paid for.

Selling the unit cheaper with fewer models simply means less profit, unless they price it such that a fully-unlocked unit would be much more expensive than the current price.

All that would mean is that people would be getting less for their money, and more importantly, their unit would be massively outcompeted by alternatives on the market.

If you want a less fully-featured modeler to run as a digital brain for simpler rigs, get a ToneX. They're less than 1/3rd the price, and have fewer effects, but are more compact and the profiling on them is great.

[BTL]

[...] Anyway, I wonder if Fender will make this bass friendly over time as well.

This may be what tips me towards the Helix...I need to dig a little deeper.