Greg Edwards69

For me it was a simple as having a good representation of what was coming out of my Helix in every situation. Whether it's home practice with headphones, frfr speaker at rehearsal or backline at a gig, or sending the signal from helix straight to FOH. If I've got a sound dialled in that sounds great through my frfr speaker (at gig volume, of course) then I know it's going to sound great in every other scenario.

True. I lost sight of the original question. Guilty as charged!

The Fishman Fission works very similarly and is worth looking up. Personally, I’ve got a patch set up in my helix that does something similar and sounds quite convincing in a band mix. I based it on this patch and tweaked it for my needs:

Andertons made a video especially for your predicament. Sound like Royal Blood without busting the bank.

I have a soft spot for zoom, I've used a number of their units over the years, going back to my bothers 9001 unit! However, I can't help but feel they've missed something with the design and features of this new B6, especially considering the price tag A cursory glance tells me that you're stuck with a single signal path, yes? It doesn't seem possible to split the signal with a clean and dirty path, or clean lows, dirty highs with a crossover. I'd love to be proven wrong here. Personally, I feel the DI modelling is a bit of a gimmick and rather redundant if you're using the amp modelling. If you don't use amps at all and prefer the sound of a DI, then I'm not sure you'd be buying a zoom multifx device anyway and would invest in a high quality DI box. Perhaps they sound better now with a new processor, but a quick look through the effects list PDF, it appears that a lot of the models and effects are the same algorithms they've been using for many years but in a new box and interface. They certainly seem mostly the same, with the same parameters as in my old MS60B. I think my Helix LT is safe for the time being. That said, I wish Line 6 would beef up the helix synth engine and make it competitive with the C4 and Future Impact et al.

Not necessarily, multiple compressors is quite a common studio technique. Gentle, stacked compressors can get more squish whilst sounding natural compared to a single heavily set compressor. Alternatively, it’s quite common to run a compressor into a limiter. One to squash and one to catch the peaks. That said, I think Javi_bassist may be over doing it, running heavy compression into the LA2A limiter. Don’t forget, the SVT amp block also compress as it simulates the natural tube compression that the real amp will do. I’d dial the Rochester back to around 4:1, maybe 6:1 if you like the squish, mind how you set the threshold and take care with the LA2A at the end. I’d also question whether this patch has been created at gig volume or bedroom volume. Compression can sound very different at high volume. A heavily compressed studio tone doesn’t necessarily translate that well in a live environment.

Following. I mentioned this in your BB2 for sale post, but I’m very, very interested is this combo, or maybe it’s less powerful 500w sibling. You mention it’s very clean sounding and deep. Would you say it’s transparent? Perhaps as transparent as the BB2 it’s replaced. I’m after a much lighter alternative to my headrush frfr-112. As I understand it, the BB2 is highly regarded as an frfr option for basses. If the GR AT combos perform similarly as transparent it will be on my shopping list. even my wife thinks I need to replace the headrush for something lighter, so the price doesn’t seem quite so painful!

apologies for double post. Browser fail

Indeed. This is one of the reasons that I bought the Helix. It's worth the admission fee for the global eq section alone IMO. Okay, I might be exaggerating a little, but it's a 3 band fully parametric eq that includes hpf and lpf (labelled as low/high cut). There's also a myriad of different eq block to use in presets, including a parametric that is the same as the global eq, graphic eq, shelving, tilting an a simple low/high cut block that I use in nearly every patch.. No longer do I fear dodgy room acoustics!

Indeed. This is one of the reasons that I bought the Helix. It's worth the admission fee for the global eq section alone IMO. Okay, I might be exaggerating a little, but it's a 3 band fully parametric eq that includes hpf and lpf (labelled as low/high cut). There's also a myriad of different eq block to use in presets, including a parametric that is the same as the global eq, graphic eq, shelving, tilting an a simple low/high cut block that I use in nearly every patch.. No longer do I fear dodgy room acoustics!

Thanks, but that wouldn’t work for me. I need global eq to compensate for room acoustics. However, Stoo kindly solved this for me, it appears that global eq doesn’t affect send outputs. One last question. Are the send outputs independent of the master volume? The manual show how you can hook up the stomp xl to both a bass amp via sends and mixer via master outputs, but I currently have my LT setup so the master volume only affects the 1/4” output and not the xlr. I’d like to do a similar thing with the stomp xl FWIW I note the manual mentions the master volume can be set to control both master output and/or headphones. But there’s no mention of the sends.

Aha. I missed that when I scanned through the manual. That is promising.

It depends where the global eq sits in the signal path. If the fx send it before global eq it may be possible. My main patch also revolves around a crossover split, so I think only the stomp xl is an option if the above is possible.

Damn. That's crucial to how I set my signal path up. I'll have to have a rethink. I did check the pdf manuals online and couldn't see anything confirming if it was possible. Perhaps I'll submit is as a request in ideascale.

Question. With the stomp and stomp xl, can you send the 2 outputs signals with different settings? E.g. left, to stage monitor with global eq, line level, and right output to FOH no global eq, instrument level. I do this with my helix LT via 1/4” and xlr, but I’m seriously considering downsizing.

If you can cut hold your own with a 1x12 bass cab and 500w amp, the QSC will perform similarly. It does depend somewhat on what the guitarist is using however. A single speaker bass amp will always struggle up against a large guitar cab with multiple speakers no matter how many watts each of you have. If they are using a single speaker combo then it should be no problem at all.

The stock pickup on my 2020 50s P is relatively quiet, but it’s not an issue for me as I run a helix as my live “rig”. However, it’s quite a lively and bright pickup as you would expect for a single coil. After a brief dalliance with flats (which I enjoyed, but just don’t work for me and my band’s mix - I have kept them for future use though) I’ve gone with a set of fender nickel plated steel strings. I usually play stainless strings, so these nickels bring the brittleness down to a pleasing level. I’ve lined the cavities with shielding tape that has considerable helped reduce the expected single coil noise. I have looked at alternative pickups, even though I don’t need to at the moment, and the Fralin Split 51 definitely appeals - the hum cancelling properties of the traditional split p design in a single coils form, albeit expensive. Only other mods I want to do is to get a gold anodised pickguard made, I think it’ll look the poodles plums against the white blonde and beautiful tinted maple neck. I also need to install a Hipshot xtender, however, fender have used a nonstandard tuner design, so there’s not a drop in Hipshot replacement. So I’ll likely install the ultra lite xtender and replace the other runners with ultralites too.

I have to agree. I prefer beefy necks (my number 1 is a Yamaha Attitude and I used to play a Warwick thumb), but the neck on my 2020 CV 50s P feels quite fat and comfortable, even if Fender call it “slim”.

Oh that is sad news. I remember briefly chatting to him with my brother at a guitar show in London IIRC. He came across as a lovely, knowledgeable and humble guy. Music journalism has lost a great talent.

I too wear glasses but I’m not as optically challenged as your good self. That said, there are occasions that I find the helix screen near impossible to see, mainly outdoors in daylight. I’ve been considering it a while, but as I use BandHelper, I really ought to play with its midi features. This way, choosing a song on my easier to read tablet would automatically load the correct preset and/or snapshot.

This. I don't enjoy the cab blocks at all. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but I find a simple eq block works much better for bass IMHO. Just a simple high and low cut around 5khz and 55hz respectively bring an frfr speaker into typical bass cab territory. It's also more representative of sending a traditional DI to the FOH from an amp head.

Expensive yes. But If I had the spare income, they would certainly be on my shopping list.

I've said it before, but as long as your expectations fall within the realms of reality, you'll be fine. If you're used to using a 1x12 or 2x10 combo without pa support, a high powered 1x12 frfr will perform similarly. I've used my headrush 112 without PA in an average pub without PA support and it was fine. Same here. I sometimes wish I was the sort of bassist who is happy with just a P bass > cable > amp. It would be a lot easier. But I'm not that person.

Yes, this is a key question. Personally I went from a single markbass 1x12 (121h traveller) cab (with a Carvin head and a Markbass LMII before that) and in terms of volume and low end, I find my headrush 112 performs similarly. But it will perform very differently if you are used to anything bigger.