Helix Floor/LT/HX/Stomp/PodGo owners' Club - Tips, Ideas & Patches

[PatrickJ]

3 hours ago, CameronJ said:

Check out Gator mixer cases. They do all sorts of sizes and shapes so I’m sure there’s something that’ll work nicely with HXFX. 

Cheers Cameron.  Looks like Gator have a good solution with the Multi-FX 1110 Bag.  It's listed as fitting the HX FX.

[Creeper]

20 hours ago, PJ-Bassist said:

Cheers Cameron.  Looks like Gator have a good solution with the Multi-FX 1110 Bag.  It's listed as fitting the HX FX.

I bought this, it’s a good fit and there’s also enough room for my wireless system and a small foot pedal

https://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Gator-G-MIXERBAG-0909-Padded-Mixer-And-Equipment-Bag/2AAJ?origin=product-ads&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvc_xBRCYARIsAC5QT9nW3R9BWVtUudakN9WaEHrzRO_RBUo3hM9m6VR1Y8CmVNrJfVWbAlQaAn19EALw_wcB

[tandark]

I just levelled up this weekend and went from HX Effects to Helix LT.

Initial impressions: Wow.

Firstly the unit is actually slightly more compact than I was expecting, and I've immediately lost several hours over the last weekend working on tones, but found one of the 'SVT bright' factory presets (which had a LA comp and EQ block after) was a great starting point as I was initially a little daunted.

I then loaded a quick loop at the start of the chain to test various drive pedal options and surprisingly landed on Kinky Boost, Teemah and Vermin to deliver the 3 gain stages I was after. I expected to land on the Obsidian, Scrambler or BDDI but none of them did it for me. I was a little disappointed with the Muff sound.

I plan to run it into the effects return of my Rumble 500 combo for rehearsal and stage monitoring and DI the Helix to FOH for live.

Are there any simple quick tips a full modeler-noob will appreciate?

[Creeper]

6 hours ago, tandark said:

I just levelled up this weekend and went from HX Effects to Helix LT.

Initial impressions: Wow.

Firstly the unit is actually slightly more compact than I was expecting, and I've immediately lost several hours over the last weekend working on tones, but found one of the 'SVT bright' factory presets (which had a LA comp and EQ block after) was a great starting point as I was initially a little daunted.

I then loaded a quick loop at the start of the chain to test various drive pedal options and surprisingly landed on Kinky Boost, Teemah and Vermin to deliver the 3 gain stages I was after. I expected to land on the Obsidian, Scrambler or BDDI but none of them did it for me. I was a little disappointed with the Muff sound.

I plan to run it into the effects return of my Rumble 500 combo for rehearsal and stage monitoring and DI the Helix to FOH for live.

Are there any simple quick tips a full modeler-noob will appreciate?

I find Teemah the best option for most kinds of dirt, awesome effect.

[Higgie]

The Teemah is also what I settled on for my overdrive sounds. Don’t know how similar it sounds to what it’s based on, but it’s a great sound in it’s own right!

[dave_bass5]

31 minutes ago, Higgie said:

The Teemah is also what I settled on for my overdrive sounds. Don’t know how similar it sounds to what it’s based on, but it’s a great sound in it’s own right!

I use that for the intro bits on Lonely Boy. 

[LukeFRC]

6 hours ago, tandark said:

I just levelled up this weekend and went from HX Effects to Helix LT.

Initial impressions: Wow.

Firstly the unit is actually slightly more compact than I was expecting, and I've immediately lost several hours over the last weekend working on tones, but found one of the 'SVT bright' factory presets (which had a LA comp and EQ block after) was a great starting point as I was initially a little daunted.

I then loaded a quick loop at the start of the chain to test various drive pedal options and surprisingly landed on Kinky Boost, Teemah and Vermin to deliver the 3 gain stages I was after. I expected to land on the Obsidian, Scrambler or BDDI but none of them did it for me. I was a little disappointed with the Muff sound.

I plan to run it into the effects return of my Rumble 500 combo for rehearsal and stage monitoring and DI the Helix to FOH for live.

Are there any simple quick tips a full modeler-noob will appreciate?

https://m.facebook.com/groups/669957523419623?ref=bookmarks
jon Willis Facebook group and website is worth joining. His “flat” settings for the amps are great starting points

[krispn]

@Al Krow

How does your recent Zoom/BossLS2 rat patch compare to the HX version running a parallel signal path with the rat type drive?

I ask as I’m considering going back to a Stomp for iem/direct to desk duties. You may have seen I’ve all my pedals currently up for sale but not ruling out a low cost zoom as a buddy is selling one and has sung its praises frequently as being good enough for live. My earlier query on the specific zoom thread was re-directed to here🙄

You’re in the unique position to have tried both A/B and I know you’ve used the zoom live. If this is the wrong thread I’m happy to be directed to a more suitable one. 

[LukeFRC]

This weeks findings on the HX stomp

1) dual cabs... you can choose which two cabs by changing the second cab! some odd sounds available there. Not sure when or why I would use that but it's cool.

2) You can assign the foot switches to turn on/off different blocks, simple.... just touch them  to set it up. We all knew that - What I found is I can asign the switch to do one or more things in an block, so for instance the switch boosts the drive or treble of an amp, I figure you could set it to do a few things with one push too but not got that far in!

[Higgie]

26 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

2) You can assign the foot switches to turn on/off different blocks, simple.... just touch them  to set it up. We all knew that - What I found is I can asign the switch to do one or more things in an block, so for instance the switch boosts the drive or treble of an amp, I figure you could set it to do a few things with one push too but not got that far in!

This is what I’ve done to save a block. I use the DB751 amp, and i’ve assigned a switch to turn the bass up a bit, a small increase in drive and mids, and turns the bright switch on. It also turns the master volume down a touch so there isn’t such a big volume jump from the EQ changes. Essentially gives me a 2 channel DB751 without sacrificing a block!

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, krispn said:

@Al Krow

How does your recent Zoom/BossLS2 rat patch compare to the HX version running a parallel signal path with the rat type drive?

Sure - I'd be happy to have a crack at this. My gut feel is the HX should win hands down - it's just simply a more capable chip set with a ton more tweakable parameters. 

The equally interesting question, from my perspective, to other HX users is what drive patches have they got set up that they're using for live work and has this allowed them to dispense with their dirt pedals?

1 hour ago, krispn said:

I ask as I’m considering going back to a Stomp for iem/direct to desk duties. You may have seen I’ve all my pedals currently up for sale but not ruling out a low cost zoom as a buddy is selling one and has sung its praises frequently as being good enough for live. 

The workflow on the Zoom particularly with ToneLib software is great and super easy to use (as was discussed at length elsewhere) and appeals to the "I can't be bothered to derrière about on a PC editing patches" person at my core; and the B1-4 also slips very comfortably into a gig bag pouch. But the Helix is a step up, no question. @LukeFRC has recently made the move from Zoom --> Stomp and, from the sounds of it, has not had any regrets!

If you've got a choice but can only have one, Gav, seriously you know the answer already - it's a no-brainer. Get a Helix.

Edited February 10, 2020 by Al Krow

[krispn]

Cheers I was hoping as a low cost option it might do the trick. Good enough for live and all that. 
It was your zoom I was looking at 😀

[Al Krow]

Haha - you know my views, despite my having a bunch of gear I really enjoy, most things are good enough for live - it's all in the fingers: that's the cake. Nice gear is just icing - the sugar rush that makes us bass players happy (and btw that's not a bad thing at all!) 

Your fingers, mate, I know will make any gear work and there are plenty of other excellent bass players for whom a Zoom is perfectly adequate (as is their Squier basses). And rightly so!

 

[Woodinblack]

I have a Helix HX but I also (since I got that) bought a Zoom B3n, which is perfect for some things. My Helix is on my gigging pedalboard (well, it isn't at the moment, no gigs for a month so got a chance to use it with the stick), my zoom comes with me to practices with the other group as a stand alone pedal, and it is fine for everything.

I probably wouldn't use it for recording, but I am not currently doing much of that, and if I do I have helix native, which beats both of them, but it is good enough for every other situation.

I had been weighing up whether having 2 B1Fours on one pedalboard was an option, and some kind of mixer and maybe some kind of midi control to synchronize them. Haven't decided yet - its either that or a custom teensy board.

[krispn]

Well I was considering something more affordable than a stomp. I’ll go with a mooer radar and maybe hang on to one or two of my current gigging pedals. Might be enough the I can consider the upgrade if I hear any reason to. 

As you were!

[41Hz]

On 03/02/2020 at 17:51, Higgie said:

The Teemah is also what I settled on for my overdrive sounds. Don’t know how similar it sounds to what it’s based on, but it’s a great sound in it’s own right!

Just started playing with the Teemah and I like it!

Curious what the "clipping" setting is for /does i.e. Up, Center, Down

[LukeFRC]

15 hours ago, Al Krow said:

But the Helix is a step up, no question. @LukeFRC has recently made the move from Zoom --> Stomp and, from the sounds of it, has not had any regrets!

Hx stomp is so much better. 
zoom quicker to set up (as focused on bass), simpler 

and more bass specific models. Esp solid state bass amps. 

[LukeFRC]

That said if I could only afford the B3n it would be super capable in most cases. 

[PatrickJ]

On 03/02/2020 at 17:51, Higgie said:

The Teemah is also what I settled on for my overdrive sounds. Don’t know how similar it sounds to what it’s based on, but it’s a great sound in it’s own right!

How have you set the parameters?  I've not looked at the drive pedals in much depth but it was going to be my next thing to look into now I've had a bit of a play with compressors and the parametric EQ modules.

[Higgie]

46 minutes ago, PJ-Bassist said:

How have you set the parameters?  I've not looked at the drive pedals in much depth but it was going to be my next thing to look into now I've had a bit of a play with compressors and the parametric EQ modules.

Gain - 2.5

Bass cut - 1.8

Treb Cut - 5

Clipping - Down

Level - 5.1

And I have it running parallel to a clean path. Rather unintuitive, but I have my Amp model (DB751) first in the chain, as the EQ and tonal characteristics give me the clean sound I want to send into the other effects.

[OzMike]

13 hours ago, 41Hz said:

Curious what the "clipping" setting is for /does i.e. Up, Center, Down

I found this info on TGP:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/timmy-toggle-switch-what-does-what.1006178/
" Asymmetrical (up) leaves 1 diode in for clipping, as opposed to none in the middle, and 2 in the down position (most compressed). "

[Al Krow]

If you prefer the form factor of the HX Effects for live use but are missing the amp & cab sims of the Stomp, then it seems like the Mooer Radar will, to coin a Bon Jovi phrase, get you half way there in a very compact package.

16 minutes ago, krispn said:

Mooer [Radar] bought! Very handy and impressive for it's size. I've been tweaking this morning and it sounds good just comp>mooer>hpf/lpf into headphones.

I'll likely go to a local studio and try it into a PA to fine tune and hopefully it should be a straight forward side step to the gigging environment.

[krispn]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

If you prefer the form factor of the HX Effects for live use but are missing the amp & cab sims of the Stomp, then it seems like the Mooer Radar will, to coin a Bon Jovi phrase, get you half way there in a very compact package.

I don't. I never struggled with the form factor/U.I of the Stomp while I had one, found it pretty straight forward to use both on the fly and via the PC editor. I found Line 6 did a good job but I digress...

Just bought a flat so my savings are well and truly depleted and any 'disposable income' for the foreseeable future will be spent on things like flooring and power tools! I was gonna sell off the pedal board then maybe nab something small and good enough to make the FOH/IEM sound a bit more authentic for the band mates, me and the punters hence my question earlier about the Zoom and comparing the Stomp. I don't wanna be spending £300+ on a pedal which I'm gonna use 3% off. It may well be unlikely that my 'high ticket' pedal board items will sell so...

the Mooer seems like a decent way to have a 'better' FOH and IEM sound for little money and can pair nicely with what's unlikely to sell (the Cali76 and at least one of the pre-amps is my guess). If the pedals don't sell I'm not gonna be upset as they sound great but the additional cash would be handy of course.

@Al Krow knows well I'm quite practical with my gear and see it as functional, tools to get the job done so my gear (not all at the same time I should add) gets some gig time and judged on it's merits in that context. It's why I like to poke fun at him for never really gigging his gear even though he does quite enjoy opining about it. Oh BTW How's the HXFX working out for you live? 

Banter aside the Mooer does sound promising and will be gigged with my remaining pedals at the end of Feb as an IEM/D.I. rig with my main band at our regular venue. I've got some other gigs before then but they're all with the amp and cab, no D.I. used.

[Al Krow]

28 minutes ago, krispn said:

@Al Krow knows well I'm quite practical with my gear and see it as functional, tools to get the job done so my gear (not all at the same time I should add) gets some gig time and judged on it's merits in that context. It's why I like to poke fun at him for never really gigging his gear even though he does quite enjoy opining about it.

Oh BTW How's the HXFX working out for you live? 

Haha it's not getting much use live currently, although I'm not guaranteeing that will always be the case! Nor are several of my basses nor my 25 lbs Mesa M6 amp. In my case the HX Effects is being pipped to the post by the simpler and easier to use Zoom B14 which, as it happens, does have amp and cab sims.

But you know that I don't share the utilitarian (aka "practical") philosophy to gear that you have (and tbf many share with you) dear chap, and I also value my back when it comes to heavier gear with otherwise great tonal ability (obviously referring to the M6 rather than the HX Effects in relation to this!). I'm a firm believer that if my gear gives me pleasure even if that be "only" at home, it's repaying my investment. It doesn't have to be gigged / taken out on the road or earn me money to be something I enjoy having. I'm also a believer that I hear and enjoy nuances of bass tone a LOT better at home without a rock band alongside and ear plugs in! And that's also partly because I'm fortunate with family and neighbours in being able to play at volume in my 'bass-ment'. But hey - that's where I've landed in my thinking and circs and it works for me.

IMO it's certainly possible to have a very valid opinion about gear without gigging it - or are you seeking to censor comments from anyone about their own gear unless they're in a band? 

Banter aside - if you're going straight to DI  (with no amp or cab) conceptually will a cab sim suffice or is there still going to be 'gap' left by not having an amp sim? I'm kinda thinking that a cab sim should largely get you there, because unless you're playing a tube amp most D class power modules aren't particularly coloured and the tone you're getting from the preamp section you could potentially get from your pedalboard. So that just really leaves the tone shaping provided by your cab.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Al Krow

[krispn]

Thank you for synonym of utilitarian and the exposure of my post-Brexit right wing BC agenda

These type of (music) forums are all about the community and banter as well as learning something along the way. If any person wishes to spend their money on gear they don't use (yet), can't lift or struggle to program that's their prerogative and sometimes being in the club or part of the discussion is more rewarding than the gear itself irrespective of the price of admission or if they use the gear frequently or not - we are social creatures and BC is a great platform to share experience and opinions.

I love music gear. I love testing and trying out pedals and amps and basses and my feedback pages will testify to that but I do love to do so within a band context as much as on my own. Like most BC'ers I do most of my bass playing at home with headphones normally with Logic running, maybe a drum pattern. I hear a lotof nuance and love using different preamps, EQ's and plugin of many tpye of gear in my DAW/Apollo to recreate and experiment with sounds and tones. I think in the past I've shared different eq screen grabs of my different basses explaining where one P pick up might be more mid forward at 500Hz on the graphic and other more prominent at 220Hz, frequency charts for that most utilitarian use of EQ and other gems. You know very well I love a bit of nuance and geek chat and somewhere in a few hundred pages of DM you'll find those screen grabs, opinions and all the other nonsense we've discussed

Anyhow derail aside I have a couple of pre amps to use with the Mooer which also has the option to models power amps so conceptually or dare I say practically the pre amp on my pedal board should suffice and I have both solid state and valve based units to try out both in isolation and in a room with the band. Exciting times ahead!