Line 6 Helix // Thoughts/Review After 3 Years of Heavy Gigging

I’ve been up and down and around and around all pedal mojos and my feel is it’s just overkill and what and how you play it is much more relevant. -

I can get buy with a nice AMP - a tight distortion, fat distortion, booster pedal, Wah Wah and Digital Delay. Maybe the Amp Vibrato and 1 easy to use reverb pedal.

That can give so many options of sound.

I hate the digital sound very harsh went back to tube amps and anolog pedals so glad I did what a difference

Being a Line6 user since 2009 (still have the old POD X3 Live) I find this feedback from a gigging musician very important. Actually, I faced the same problem with the switches and had to open the unit to fix it by myself. Helix is definitely not perfect, but it opens a lot of doors for people who like to experiment with different sounds. Just like you, I wouldn't have learned what I know about effects if I hadn't had the Line6. And yes, the optimal scenario is to have the best of both worlds, an analog pedal board with a HX Stomp next to it. Thank you for your honest feedback.

This is interesting as my experience has been the opposite. I have a pedalboard with a switcher that was my main gigging rig for about 5 years. After a spilt beer incident my pedal board exhibited a significant volume increase after about 1.5 hours use. Impossible to trace the problem due to the time lag. This forced me to go down the digital route and I decided on a rack plus MIDI controller rather than a floor modeller to avoid further beer incidents. Honestly I am so happy I did. I much prefer the sounds I am getting with my Axe FX and due to the advanced parameters I can really dial in what I hear in my head. Best of luck with your future gigging.

The Dream 65 made me get rid of my Kemper, Line6 and Axe FX III, its THAT good and takes pedals extremely well. The money saved covered any needed pedals with plenty of change left over lol.

Pedalboard + Iridium gets many of the same benefits:)

Great comments, well done. I appreciate the way you presented a well-balanced and objective viewpoint. As a Helix user for three months, performing gigs four days a week, I understand and share your concern about the potential failure of a single integrated effects unit. However, I have yet to encounter any issues thus far. Personally, I've decided to keep my original #1 pedalboard (solo acoustic) as a backup. I also find using individual pedals more enjoyable and allows for a more carefully selected range of specific tones. Like you, the form factor and convenience compel me to run the Helix, so I continue to rely on it. Given that I perform covers spanning various genres, including current Top-40 hits, Rock, Pop Rock, Country, Motown, EDM, Contemporary instrumentals, Ambient, and Classic favorites, it would be challenging to cover such a diverse repertoire in venues ranging from fine dining and corporate events to more casual Tex-Mex restaurants solely with a pedalboard. Hence, until my Helix fails, I'll remain a dedicated user, keeping a small analog pedalboard as a backup, much like I always bring two guitars. Getting 95% of the tone I desire from the Helix is good enough for me, and certainly good enough for a casual listener.

Buying the Helix LT back in 2015 and sticking to it was the best decision I've made in my life.
But one thing that keeps coming up is the footswitches failing. And funnily, they are the same switches every time.
I've sent my LT off to the repair shops a few times but the same switches fail after some time of use.
I paid $500 for the first repair, but the same thing came up again after about 3 months of use, and the second time I was able to request a ticket for the free repair, but the same switches are starting to fail again or double trigger or both and I'm so frustrated.
Rest of the unit is perfect, but I think they should've done better with the switches. I might just sell my LT and get the Stomp XL instead, cover up all the switches with a tape so nothing can ever get in there.

After using a Boss ME50 multi pedal for many years and only having to replace the input jack when the original one became loose and noisy being soldered directly into the circuit board, I replaced it, there was room to mount a new one to the metal frame instead, eliminating the problem. But recently I spent a bunch of time and money putting together a pedal board which sounded great but was much bigger and more involved to set up since I was using the effects loop for some pedals as well as running stereo to two different amps. Well, then at a jam I didn't want to set that all up so I just bought a small amp and the multi pedal and it was so easy and sounded so good that I've been using it again since.

Love the Helix. Just my two cents here regarding the whole digital/analogue debate while playing live for many years of using the Helix....even if you are playing through a traditional Amp/Cab along with a traditional pedalboard situation that sound you hear on stage through the stage monitors is not what the crowd/audience is actually hearing. If it is a relatively big venue they are going to mic up the guitar Amp/Cab, then that sound is going to go through the PA system, then the sound engineer at FOH is going to tweak the sound as he or she feels is fit (if they are doing their jobs that is...). Basically what I am trying to establish is that it's always a guessing game as to how you actually truly sound to the crowd. I have had a sound I thought was great on stage only to hear later from friends that turned out for that particular show that they couldn't hear me at all through the PA with the full band. Also the Helix isn't meant to sound like a real amp, it's meant to sound like an amp mic'd up going through studio monitors...that's why all the A/B blind tests sound so similar between a real amp and the helix.

I went direct in 2007 with a Line-6 Pod XT Live. Plugged into two Fender Champion clean channels. I took the time to work the sounds comparing them to some of my favorite players and tones. I received tons of compliments on my sounds from other players who saw us live thinking it was the Fenders. They were shocked to learn it was the POD... In 2012 I upgraded to an Axe FX MKII directly into our PA and used a Yamaha monitor for my stage volume. I love the convenience and repeatability of sounds from gig to gig. I'm considering a Helix for my next project. Newer tech, more convenience.

If a knob gets turned why wouldn't you just switch sounds, then return back to the sound needed? Everything is stored. two quick stomps of the footswitches would override any know tweaks other than master volume which you can lock!

I am looking forward to the pedalboard video. Best wishes on a sell and a build.

I totally agree with the 95% tone thing. I had a helix lt and downgraded to the stomp because for there was so much extra involvement in the lt that i was not using it to its full potential. I ended up keeping all my pedals and my old pedalboard and still plug it in to try and match that sound on the stomp but its never quite the same sound.

I’m not moving on. I love using it. Plus I just deal with what I got, I don’t gas. It’s not worth throw continuous money at guitar gear

I’m like 100% the opposite of this. The Helix has been an absolute beast, and I’ve found I’m spending a ton more time just experimenting with different effects. It’s unbelievably easy to swap around the order of the pedals and flip back and forth to see how things fit.

Sounds to me like you just don’t take care of your stuff because my Helix has been used and lugged around everyday, hours a day, for years, and it’s as good as the day I bought it.

I suspect you were also thinking you were at 95% of the tone you wanted when you had pedals, and you thus kept buying pedals to get that extra 5%. I think it’s just in your head and you’re blaming your equipment for your own shortcomings as a player.

Agree brother. Great at Church and perhaps some inside venues but after dragging this thing around for about a year doing some outside festivals and other shows it became obvious this wasn't going to last. Get a decent pedal board, set it up and rock on......

i don't gig anymore but i used the line6 floorpod. we needed to achieve a very small footprint for many gigs and our variety of music really required something like a floor pod. But... one gig something broke on my floor pod at a very important gig. because i was the only guitar player it shut down the gig right there since we were all direct and i didn't run an amp. it ment buying and extra one and making sure it was programmed identical to the main one they are affordable so no big deal but the helix....holy crap 3200 for 2 just so i have a backup. Nothing i will be doing unless i win the lotto.

I went back to amps. Inside my head I felt like like I was in the Hells Angels riding a Honda with the modeler. Sounded good but didn't have that inspiring feeling to it. Even if it's just a mental thing it still hinders the inspired artist in me.

I just made the switch to helix. I got tired of lugging my mesa boogie fillmore to gigs running my pedalboard, mic it up....plus I setup the pa & run the FOH sound....helix I can setup in 5 minutes and it helps cut our stage volume.... I really love a tube amp but most gigs I play are small/medium sized and volume control is an issue....we actually get a ton of gigs because we don't play super loud

When you digitize your tone it's going to remove your natural tone with your fingers, attack, dynamics everything. Analog pedals with either solid state or tube amps pulls more of of your natural ability into your playing. Basically to point digital is a crutch in the fact it can make a mediocre player sound more advanced if you will. Pro players just shine no matter what they play through, Joe Satriani sounds like Satriani wither he plays on a AXE FXIII or a little $50 solid state room amp. I've been playing guitar since 1979 toured professionally and hung out with many a cool musicians, yea I know I'm an old fart boomer. Live music is always going to sound better to the human ear with pedals, analog, solid state and tube. This goes back to the debate I've had with some musicians who don't want to mic amps and use large front monitors, they want ear monitors and have moved studio digital to a "live" play setting. I've always maintained why would fans and audience want to hear the music like you're in the studio? It's not natural old school "live" play where you feel the pressure of the sonic waves pushing into you on stage and projecting that power outwards.

You sound like a car guy who enjoys points and carbs with a manual vs a tesla. The tesla blows the doors off of any old carb car in every way, but it lacks soul and HMI that really connects you with the machine.
Ive always enjoyed multifx unit, back in the late 90s. Those were so hard to program, omg you wanna invest time to tweak, try those.
Good introspection. Nice to hear your subjective view and actually know why you may feel that way.
Ive gone back and forth thru the decades with all tube and analog to digital. The helix is like getting a smart phone after carrying an old slr, flip phone, audio recorder, etc.

I'd prefer the portability but the issue is most multi effects processors aren't as robust as the old pedals. Honestly, I'd bare with processors

No lock setting to keep a sound? Hmm, that would suck, like fighting your computer when you have a project due. Great vid, very informative! I think the “modeling”, since synthetic, just doesn’t have to unknown, the ghost notes, the “magic notes, tones or sounds” that come out magically…I wonder?

I understand exactly what you’re talking about. I keep mine for the practicality mostly. My biggest complaint is about the footswitches, I have mine for 5 years now and I had several switches replaced twice, and I need to have done it again. I spoke with Line 6 over the phone and they are aware of the problem, but nothing has changed….I’ll keep my for now, but my eyes and ears are open for something more reliable.

Wow. Awesome! Thank you!

Super helpful review. Thanks!

I went hybrid. Got an HX Stomp to go onto my board. I have a lot of amp-less gigs (worship mainly) and a few not ampless gigs (cover band stuff) so I still needed some core functions with amps/cabs/IR’s and if I needed a specific effect I could add it. If the effect didn’t sound great then I would look to pedals. I’ve had essentially the same configuration for years minus a few swaps. A few good OD pedals and comp in the front, dedicated tuner, delay/reverb in the loop. I have settings for playing with my amp, settings for going amp-less and anything in between.

If something drops on the Helix and turns a knob, all you need to do is change the preset and back again, the accidental change is gone. On the contrary, the traditional pedalboard is a nightmare for accidental changes. Even if you write down all your settings, or even take pictures, it seems like you never can get back to where you were

My amazing wife found what was probably the very last one in the US for sale the week before Christmas in 2016, and put it under the tree for me. So I’ve been an amazed Helix user for many years now. It is hands down the best piece of gear I’ve ever used and I’ve not touched my pedalboard since. Each update has made it better and better, and every single one has been FREE. How ridiculous is that? Every time they update the firmware it’s like Christmas again as you get all these new features and sounds to test and incorporate into your rig.

Can your pedalboard do snapshots, where you can alter the settings of all your pedals several times in the course of one song all without having to take your hands off your guitar? No, it can’t, only the Helix can. Can you control any aspect of any pedal on your board with your expression pedal? No, but you can with a Helix.

If you use a large and complex pedalboard you know the issues that can create (mystery hum, capacitance buildup that can cause tone suck, pedal failure causing your whole rig to go silent until you find and fix the problem, etc) the Helix fixes or eliminates all these issues. In the rare event that you have a problem with your Helix, as a backup, you can easily deploy a laptop running Helix native with all your patches and sounds loaded and ready to go. That’s for a very casual gigging musician. If, like this gentleman, playing music is your main way of making a living, then investing in a backup Helix rig is a VERY LOW COST way of making sure that your rig doesn’t cause a problem during a gig. Compare the cost of a used Helix with the cost of a backup amp and pedalboard. It’s not even close. And if you think you can hear a difference in your tone in a live setting, you’re lying to yourself.

One day (maybe soon) they will announce a replacement for the Helix, but until that day there’s nothing better for a gigging guitarist than owning and playing a Helix.

Really enjoyed this video. I am old now, so have seen the evolution. Amazing times to be a guitar player. I still have a bunch of tube amps, but also a few cheapo digital boxes of magic. Never settle for less than what you hear in your head :)

PS. Ofc you have your own sound. Stand tall and kick more ass. Thinking too much regarding certain things is contra productive. Merry Christmas!

Great video

Very thoughtful advice from a gigging musician on the Line 6 Helix. I am surprised to hear of the durability issues--gives me a LOT of pause. Thank you for sharing.

Both tube and solid state amps +real guitar cabs beat modeling all day long

I bought boss gt1000 as soon as it came to India. The Indian version has no Bluetooth and I did not like any preset. I have to make my patch. Should I buy helix

Thanks for the honest review they're hard to come by

I had have a Helix Floor and played with L2 wedges. I'm really understanding the function and all that stuff around, the routing, midi and so on. I've got never a really satisfying sound near to my miced amp sound in my head. For the knob things and the danger of fluid issues on a gig, I've changed to the rack version with the foot controller and gave the Helix a new chance. I've used the Helix only for effects and as switcher in my rack with rack preamps and a stereo power amp. After a while I've changed only to rack preamps plus power amps and the UAD Stomp for direct to the FOH. My thoughts about the Helix: A very good idea, some good stuff inside but for me not really practicable or not necessary... I'm back to my old stuff.

I have a helix and gigged with it and I’m in the same boat. I’m rebuying traditional pedals, and I’m obsessed with my toneking amp. I won’t get rid of my helix though.

Your comment reminds me about

Matthew 13:44
ESV
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

GOD BLESS You brother

Had mine for 6 years now and still love it. I use it 4CM with my custom Anderson 20/45 amp and it replaced a $3000 pedalboard. 4CM is the only way to go live. And the newest 3.70 update sounds as good as anything ever released.

This was a great video ,very truthful and hit on some important points, I don’t think any of these modelers , Helix , Fractal FM 9 Quad Cortex , Fender Mustang Pro can really hold up to heavy gigging , but I think they have their place , and I don’t think pedals / pedalboards will ever go out of style , There’s just something nerdy cool about pedals and finding your own sound, it’s very personal,and although I think modelers have come a long way,I still find the overdrives a little fizzy like you mentioned their 95% there, but I can hear the 5% difference , anyway I love Helix but i also have always had a minimalistic pedalboard 5 pedals at the moment, it’s all I need , so anyway thanks again for a wonderful review , and subscribed ! 👍

Move on, dude. No on cares. Line 6 Helix is a fantastic modeler. Would I rather have a 100 pedals at the average price of $50 a pedal? Fuck no. Also your comments on reliability sound pretty sketchy, since you are not showing us where the malfunctioning is. Please move on....

Sure accidents happen; gear takes a beating; but some musicians don't take good care of their gear, some even abuse their gear. No wonder it doesn't last.

I had a Helix LT for years, sold it and got the HX-Effects using it with small combo amps in 4CM (Marshall Origin 50C, Line 6 Catalyst 100; just did the CX firmware upgrade), and my Mesa JP-2C rig. I recently got another Helix, this time the Floor. I also use Helix Native.

Helix may be getting old, but it sounds good, and works well for me; I've learned how to use it, what works for me, etc. over time; it's second nature. In a live setting, recording, in a mix, practicing alone, etc., I can get what I need; and if I need something, it's usually in there.

I still have my 100W tube amps, full and half stacks, I use and enjoy at home, nothing like that experience, but just not practical for me.

If I was in a top touring band, with a tech and road crew, that would be a different story....I'd probably have two Engl Artist Edition 100 E651 full stacks (I have a half stack now)...and use my HX-Effects or Helix Floor for effects.

Would love to see your pedalboard 1 year on.

The first thing that I encountered using my helix was the feel of the amp models, it felt digital and still feels digital and lacks with dynamic response,

Second thing is that even if it’s easy to use it, to shape the tone is one hell of a time consumer. It was just soo bad out of the box.

Tried the fractal audio system once and I knew that this was my thing

I think if you are using modelers you will always be at that 95% rate of satisfaction if you come from the "Real Amp World" I have been using a Mooer GE300 for 3 years and while I love the amp model I use and have really learned to tweak it to the believability that it sounds like a real amp, The effects are sub-par with-i the Mooer. I will be buying the helix and most probably will be in heaven because the effects are going to be a world apart from the GE300. But if I cant match my tone, I will be selling it and going right back to the Mooer. I will put a good Reverb and Delay in the loop and just be happy ( ish)

This sounds like an AA testimonial 🙇🏽

Tip- if you have knobs on pretty much any piece of gear- including a modeler- that turn to easily- there's a relatively easy fix. Take the knob off, take a rubber band and wrap it around the post- keep wrapping it until it's tight and push it down as far as it will go- put the knob back on. The rubber will create a back pressure on the knob that holds it in place.

A neater way to go about it is to find a piece of rubber thick enough you can cut circles out of it the same size or slightly larger than the knob, punch out a center hole for the post- and slide the rubber washer you just made over the post, put the knob back on. Leather also works- that's what I use because I work leather, I have it around, and I have punches to punch out a perfect circle the size I want. Plus, leather comes in varying thicknesses that coincide with the ounce or weight of the leather- I use 6-7 ounce for making these washers, it's the perfect thickness. Anything that you can get around that post that will push back up on the knob and hold it in place will work.