Line 6 HX effects for acoustic? Anybody tried one?

[Groberts]

I heard a friend play in his band last week using a Line 6 HX Effects. *Electric guitar. The unit looks super cool and has a ton of effects features that can be used simultaneously or individually.

I know some acoustic guitars are using the Line 6 Helix. But I was wondering if anyone has tried the smaller Line 6 HX effects? There aren't any of these locally that I have seen so I can't evaluate for myself if it would make sense?

I already have a nice acoustic pedal board and I do use Reverb at times, shimmer reverb other times, Chorus (on a couple songs at most), Delay, with a little modulation for a nice sound. The cost of those three pedals is about the same as the Line 6 HX effects ...which offers a lot more options in one box, hence my question.

[rschultz]

I use a Helix on my acoustics, exactly the same stuff on the HX... just without the amps/cabs, which you don’t need on acoustic.

You are exactly right on the economics. You’ll get a LOT more with an HX or Helix for a lot less money than individual pedals.

Quality wise you won’t get anything close to a Timeline or Ventris, but enough good options to fine something pretty good, at least I’ve found.

If you play electric, hold out for the Helix. Besides amps and cabs, it has the big screen, DIs and tons of other I/O.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by rschultz

I use a Helix on my acoustics, exactly the same stuff on the HX... just without the amps/cabs, which you don’t need on acoustic.

You are exactly right on the economics. You’ll get a LOT more with an HX or Helix for a lot less money than individual pedals.

Quality wise you won’t get anything close to a Timeline or Ventris, but enough good options to fine something pretty good, at least I’ve found.

If you play electric, hold out for the Helix. Besides amps and cabs, it has the big screen, DIs and tons of other I/O.

I don't gig electric but I have a killer Fender CS Tele and Danocaster. But now live in an apartment. So the full Helix with the Headphone output is rather desirable. Yet I don't fancy spending that kind of coin for a 'luxury' to noodle at home.

I gig acoustic weekly so the HX FX might be a super cool tool for an alternate pedal board.

[rschultz]

Originally Posted by Groberts

I don't gig electric but I have a killer Fender CS Tele and Danocaster. But now live in an apartment. So the full Helix with the Headphone output is rather desirable. Yet I don't fancy spending that kind of coin for a 'luxury' to noodle at home.

I gig acoustic weekly so the HX FX might be a super cool tool for an alternate pedal board.

I had the same dilemma last fall. I found a Helix Floor for $1000 used, bought it, then sold $1000 worth of pedals to "pay back my savings account". No regrets, never looked back. So much simpler, so much more powerful than pedals.

Remember the HX doesn't have a DI, and only 1 processor (Helix has 2, so like guitar + mic). And of course the screen is nice too. You can get an LT for $700-800 used. 3 different options, all great!

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by rschultz

I had the same dilemma last fall. I found a Helix Floor for $1000 used, bought it, then sold $1000 worth of pedals to "pay back my savings account". No regrets, never looked back. So much simpler, so much more powerful than pedals.

Remember the HX doesn't have a DI, and only 1 processor (Helix has 2, so like guitar + mic). And of course the screen is nice too. You can get an LT for $700-800 used. 3 different options, all great!

Does the LT have the headphone jack? Do you miss the display windows that the Full Helix has? You make a good point about selling off other pedals to fund one of those. I have never found some pedals that rival a few of my favorites however. (Jam Waterfall Chorus, Analogman King of Tone) But who knows? Maybe the Helix would make a believer out of me. ...and if I can use it for acoustic guitar too ....then it has even greater value.

[rschultz]

Originally Posted by Groberts

Does the LT have the headphone jack? Do you miss the display windows that the Full Helix has? You make a good point about selling off other pedals to fund one of those. I have never found some pedals that rival a few of my favorites however. (Jam Waterfall Chorus, Analogman King of Tone) But who knows? Maybe the Helix would make a believer out of me. ...and if I can use it for acoustic guitar too ....then it has even greater value.

LT does have a separate headphone jack, but not a separate headphone volume... the Volume knob controls output and headphone jack. But it does have a pair of DI's and a pair of FX loops along with a guitar input. The main thing it's missing from the Helix Floor is the scribble strips and a bunch of I/O on the back. Is that worth a $250 used price difference? Up to you.

I understand the allure of the HX - built for people who want to use their AMP! But for me the Floor (or LT) is worth the price difference. If you have the money and can be patient, watch Reverb and scour nation-wide CL. I once saw a Helix Floor with gig bag go for $1000 on Reverb. Crazy price.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by Groberts

I heard a friend play in his band last week using a Line 6 HX Effects. *Electric guitar. The unit looks super cool and has a ton of effects features that can be used simultaneously or individually.



I know some acoustic guitars are using the Line 6 Helix. But I was wondering if anyone has tried the smaller Line 6 HX effects? There aren't any of these locally that I have seen so I can't evaluate for myself if it would make sense?



I already have a nice acoustic pedal board and I do use Reverb at times, shimmer reverb other times, Chorus (on a couple songs at most), Delay, with a little modulation for a nice sound. The cost of those three pedals is about the same as the Line 6 HX effects ...which offers a lot more options in one box, hence my question.

I use a Helix for electric and the HXFX for acoustic. It replaced a mess of pedals and works and sounds great. I highly recommend it and you may be able to get 15% off somewhere for a July 4th sale.

[rschultz]

Originally Posted by DavidE

I use a Helix for electric and the HXFX for acoustic. It replaced a mess of pedals and works and sounds great. I highly recommend it and you may be able to get 15% off somewhere for a July 4th sale.

Wait, you have both a Helix, AND the HXFX? Why not just use the Helix for acoustic?

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by rschultz

Wait, you have both a Helix, AND the HXFX? Why not just use the Helix for acoustic?

Also a good question. But there are those who have alternate pedal boards and set ups. I have a separate pedal board for my Electric and another for my Acoustic that is more 'acoustic' specific.

But with all the flexibility in the Helix, I think the question is highly valid? You could set up a bank of scenes for Acoustic on the Helix ...no?

[rschultz]

Originally Posted by Groberts

But with all the flexibility in the Helix, I think the question is highly valid? You could set up a bank of scenes for Acoustic on the Helix ...no?

Yes, this is what I did. Rows 31-32 are acoustic, 8 presets. And when you get into snapshots, wow, the possibilities are endless. Pretty easy to setup a different snapshot for different sections of a song, etc.

The HX is limited in this way somehow, not sure the details.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by rschultz

Wait, you have both a Helix, AND the HXFX? Why not just use the Helix for acoustic?

The Helix is too big for my acoustic board. The looper doesn’t work for me (no stop button) so I use a Ditto x2. I also have a vocal pedal.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by DavidE

The Helix is too big for my acoustic board. The looper doesn’t work for me (no stop button) so I use a Ditto x2. I also have a vocal pedal.

GREAT answer! That is exactly why I started looking the HX FX. I use a looper with recording/playback time sufficient to play entire songs, V/V/Chorus/Verse/Bridge etc. The Helix Looper is way too short.

I also use a TC Harmony Singer for Vocal harmonies. If I used the Helix, my floor real estate would be huge because I would need the Harmony pedal and Looper as well. Perfect answer and it makes sense.

I would forego a vocal harmonizer if the Helix Loop time was the equal of most loopers. But its just 30 - 60 secs at most I think? Even 90 sec's would be too short at times.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by Groberts

Also a good question. But there are those who have alternate pedal boards and set ups. I have a separate pedal board for my Electric and another for my Acoustic that is more 'acoustic' specific.



But with all the flexibility in the Helix, I think the question is highly valid? You could set up a bank of scenes for Acoustic on the Helix ...no?

Absolutely. I have several electrics equipped with piezo pickups and run dual paths so the piezo goes through its own virtual acoustic pedalboard.

[rschultz]

Originally Posted by DavidE

The Helix is too big for my acoustic board. The looper doesn’t work for me (no stop button) so I use a Ditto x2. I also have a vocal pedal.

Yes, the size of the HX is attractive. If they made a Helix withOUT the expression pedal, I'd consider it. I don't use a harmonizer or looper, but if I did one-man-band type shows I can see how the Helix wouldn't cut it for either. The harmonizers are pretty crude, especially for vocals.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by rschultz

Yes, the size of the HX is attractive. If they made a Helix withOUT the expression pedal, I'd consider it. I don't use a harmonizer or looper, but if I did one-man-band type shows I can see how the Helix wouldn't cut it for either. The harmonizers are pretty crude, especially for vocals.

They hired a team to work on polyphonic Effects like the pitch/harmonizer. I think we’ll see something in 2019. Not sure there will be a vocal harmonizer that reads the guitar chords though. More like the Drop pedal, EH organ pedals etc...