Why People Are Selling Their Line 6 Helix...

Use the code JNC40 for a 40% discount off all courses, or JNC100 for $100 off all access membership!

only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!

only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!

[sioboy]

Youtubers already putting out videos about moving on from Helix and how old it is while I'm here still saving up to buy myself one. 🤣🤣🤣

[simonpyza]

Because it's never ending pursuit for the perfect tone. You don't need to sell your Helix, but rather spend more time practicing, instead of always tweaking your tone.

[bigthey]

Just bought a helix last night, have had an HX stomp for years and realized a while ago that I had started building my pedalboard into a backdoor version of a full helix, so decided I’m going to sell off my other pedals just for the sake of having an all in one unit.

I managed to get a lot of functionality out of my board but it occurred to me that if ever I want to change my patches or how they’re controlled, it involves editing like 3-4 devices because I have them all connected via midi to communicate with eachother.

Helix hasn’t been the “new kid on the block” for quite a while so to speak, so I’m not too worried about it being the latest and greatest. There would have to be some seriously outside-the-box creative upgrades, were there ever to come a “helix 2”, for me to consider ditching it.

I’m sure there are tone snobs that have a million things they’d ask for, but for me it sounds good enough as is. It’s kind of funny how as guitarists we put a premium on both the latest cutting edge things, and the oldest most vintage things.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to put more of a premium on things that just let me play without a fuss. Traveling between practice spaces and gigs and stuff, I don’t like having to set up 800 pieces of equipment to get a slightly better tone that just ends up getting lost in the mix anyway 😂

That’s my lukewarm take anyway.

[cenok]

The amount of future proofing line 6 put into the helix is unparalleled. Just a genius design executed perfectly, then followed up on with constant updates. Line 6 made me a customer for life with the helix.

[christopher.hallissy]

Recently picked up an HX Stomp from Sweetwater and it’s the best music purchase I’ve ever made. Hands down. Late to the party, for sure, but I just love L6 as a company and the community is second to none.

[jlmsatx]

I’ve been a helix floor user for years. Great device for so many reasons :
1- Great for practice at home. Reasonable volume via FRFR or via headset.
2- great for recording via its usb interface to your computer.
3- HX EDIT great for creating tones and organizing presets, scenes, and banks.
4 - very functional setup for playing live. All purpose and highly customizable pedalboard. Plug into PA and leave the amp at home.
Note - I use the L6 powercab as my monitor or as amp if PA isn’t possible.
5 - last but not least, as JNC noted in the video the firmware upgrades are great !L6 has really proven they’re committed to their users by constantly improving the product
I do wish they had included bluetooth / wireless connectivity.

[SN.LurkinG]

I was just looking at my phone while listening to the intro, I look up and suddenly a baby's hand... and my heart just melts

[snakesson]

Might be a longer post (perhaps no one will read it).

What you said in the video is true, players are asking for smaller and smaller units - however, I've had both flagship Helix and Quad Cortex below my feet, and I felt comfortable stepping on only one of them. Not because of the small QC button-spacing, but moreso because I felt like if I lose my balance and step on it too hard (I'm 196cm or 6'5 in freedom units, so I'm a big bloke) I'd literally crush the QC. Helix is built like a tank. I love that. Makes me feel secure, and it IS below your feet on a gig and it is all-in-one pedalboard. QC, I believe, is more of a big pedal for an already existing pedalboard, it just feels like a smartphone below someone's feet.

The only negative I can say about the Helix is that to get a tone you want, you will REALLY need to do your research and look for tips and tricks online, mess with EQ, Bias, Sag all of that. While on QC, getting a decent tone is much easier. QC also has some amp models that Helix does not, for me, as a metal player, Line6 does miss the EVH 5153 and it sorely does so (5150 does not do it justice, but Peavey Vitriol is pretty damn close). Getting tones out of a Helix can be a real pain.

In terms of DSP, the only reason I give a small nudge to QC is because, again, as a metal player, I really do need the drop pedal (if you're playing at home and jamming to your songs, metal bands are just all over the place with their tunings). Poly pitch shifter is a very processor-demanding feature on both units.

In regards to the future, I'd literally like the same-size big tank unit from Line6 whenever they decide to make a new Line6 hardware flagship. It is supposed to be a all-in-one unit, they could only do away with the expression pedal (and just include it as a cheaper optional extra). The reason people are still using Helix today is because it IS built like a tank, it sounds great and it endures the hardships of gigging.

One of my favorite youtube channels (Chilled Guitar Reviews) mentioned a something about NDSP and its plugin capability. You just bought an expensive unit, a really expensive unit - you shouldn't really need to spend MORE money (usually around $100) for a plugin to fit into your QC. To me, that is just bullshit.

Line6 will always take the edge in comparison because of two things: they maintain their firmware updates, and most importantly, Line6 community.

[etherboy]

I have Helix Native and an HX Stomp and love that both are still well-supported by Line 6. These guys are playing the long game which is good to see.

[garrysimmons]

I love everything about my Helix LT. Yes it's large-ish but the footswitches have reasonable space between them and it includes the volume/expression pedal which gets some use. A guitar in each hand and my Helix backpack means one trip from the car. I typically only use one preset for most of a gig, but I use different presets (amps) for different guitars. And there are few songs that call for a special sound. Easy to use, flexible, sounds great, regular updates. Works for me. YMMV...

[ggman]

Aw Bro…I love to see baby’s hands reaching while Daddy plays. 🥲❤
Love your playing. Love your channel.

[grahamcoxon]

I’m more excited by the helix now than ever- it’s still a tonne smaller than my massive mike hill pedal board I use with the big band….and it’s the convenience too as always for me, I use the line 6 link into a power cab plus 212 and pan the speakers to get a nice wide stereo sound- just one lead. That’s great. And I love auditioning different drive pedals and trying out amps I would never be in the same room with. I think I worry about the smaller modellers buttons being too close together- feels cramped, my feet are more a shot gun than a precision sniper rifle so I need space.hehe
I am using it pretty old school though- I’m still nervous of snapshots - although I can see how helpful they would be for me but I do use expression pedals for increasing gain and volume on drive pedals or speed on modulations etc.
I will never use it to full capability..I’m just not that complicated but more and more I see (thanks to you mostly) just how much it can do- it sort of goes so beyond the normal guitar world of sounds into something else..something that’s always fun and interesting. I suppose other modellers have this too but I don’t feel the neeed to learn another modeller or it’s edit software.
I’m sure line 6 will come out with replacement soon…they must be thinking about it and discussing it, right? It’ll be really interesting to see what they come up with…if anything—-nice one, john.

[ilovedbroccolionce]

I was literally about to sell my Helix LT and the dude that I was talking with just ask so many questions, it made me research the helix, and then I took it off the market. Because honestly ... If I sell it what am I going to buy, I'd probably buy one of the board you just mentioned and then I'd be missing the helix. Plus I would love to get into the amp/cab game, but the good gear is so expensive... I was just like .... I got what I've got!

[bigglesoftltd]

I just completed a pretty thorough market analysis. I looked at everything JNH mentions in this video, and more besides. I ordered a Helix Floor.

Reasons:
I have the (stable-mate) Catalyst CX, and like the interface, especially via PC/USB. I love how it sounds.
I will be able to put Line 6 Effects before my Catalyst; after the Catalyst pre-amp, or (in a limited set of cases) inside the Catalyst. It's very flexible.
Line 6 have a good record for supporting their gear. Helix has had a recent update, and even if that turns out to be the last, the Helix is mature, capable and stable.
I like to experiment a lot, so foot-editing is an attractive option.
I want the device on the floor, not my desk, so the scribble strips are a big factor.
I wanted an expression pedal built in, not hanging off a patch cable.
I saw a deal where it was on offer, new with gig bag, for under British £1100.

[BernardGuy]

The question is also what are one's needs. Leaving aside its versatility, I enjoy my Helix for what it offers in terms of rooting, which allows me to use it as a mixer too. I use both electric and acoustic guitars in my setup and I have them all plugged in simultaneously and ready to play, which includes using the XLR input for internal mics that I have in my acoustic and nylon guitars. Plus, I have a guitar-synth and a looper plugged in.

Maybe another piece of gear would allow me the same, yet I'm not looking since that works well for me. Leaving the guitars aside, it pretty much all fits in the Helix gig bag I got with it, so it's a good and handy all-in-one solution for me.

[MichaTulik]

I just did the oposite and Helix has recently joined in my gear list. Coming from a big pedalboard with Strymon pedals, lots of effects, Boss ES5 controller... it's so easy to dial in and is so much more flexible that I now only regret that I haven't made this transition earlier. I think the only rational argument against the Helix is that the amp modeling may not be quite on par with the rest of the competition. I really love the UAD modelers for just the amp tones and when I compared them with Tonex, Helix, Fractal FM3..I liked the sound and feeling of UAD better.
The fact that now I can stick my 3 UAD modelers (ruby, lion, dream) into the FX loops of the Helix and there is pretty much no tone suck ( those modelers sounded much worse when I sticked them into the Boss ES5 fx loops ) just blows my mind and I'm so happy with my tone right now. Also I love that I can dial the amp tone on the UAD pedals without any menu diving.
If you have a Tonex pedal you could do the same with the additional benefit of having MIDI capabilities. So many great gear and options these days...

[imacmadman]

I started using Line 6 products in 2003 when I purchased a used POD 2.0 replacing a Digitech RP-100, my first multi-effects processor. I first experienced a POD in a shop trying out a guitar and I quickly understood the significance of the technology. The POD 2.0 was such a huge step forward in comparison to the RP-100 in terms of versatility, functionality and usability. I still have my POD and have no plans to let go of it. I also have a HXStomp I use it most of the time and I really like it, but I occasionally find myself wanting to be able to do more with it, three foot switches are a bit limiting at times. I originally wanted to get a POD Go, but the retailer didn't have any at the time, so I bought the HXStomp. I have thought of buying a Helix Floor at times and may still do it. I think the engineers at Line 6 thought long about what they were doing and worked hard to put out a product that holds up to this day.

[fivefingerfullprice]

I was thinking about it, and now after being a Helix user for a good chunk of years, using the Helix as my audio interface, midi controller, modeller, brains of the operation, etc. If my Helix broke I would actually buy another Helix, not another modeler. It's amazing and does everything I want it to and I'm very impressed with Line 6 as a company.

[deschwann]

Just food for thought. Every item sold is 1 purchased.

[maplechill]

Being familiar with the software is definitely a big factor. Learning all new software kind of like learning to wipe with your off hand.. The age factor is a major thing, too. If two products are pretty much the same price, you are far more likely to choose the newer one.