geoham

Met @karlbbb on Sunday to take his Helix off his hands. Very smooth process, great communications throughout, no issues whatsoever.

I’ve arranged to buy a used LT tomorrow. Fun times ahead!

Pm'd you

1 hour ago, Musicman20 said:

I'm back in decision mode with this.

Seen the HX Stomp drop to £390....seen the  LT for around £720-740. However the main Helix floor has risen to £1150-1200+ from around £900-950 when I first tried one. 

 

Where are you seeing the LT for this price? Spent some time trawling yesterday and £769 seems to be the best.

3 hours ago, tandark said:

Potential Option 3?

Buy stomp and HX Effects. Gives you a modular set up, smaller footprint, access extra functionality in the stomp by using the HXe as a midi controller. Just add the cheap L6 expression pedal and you're good to go...

Certainly an interesting idea, thanks.

7 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

A helix for the bass is the least of your problems! 

Oh I know! The keyboard player and I just ditched our amps. We will get the guitarist onboard too!

27 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

the LT or the full helix allows two inputs and two separate channels I think? If you're running the desk could one channel on the helix be for you, and the second act as an amp for a guitarist in your band (helping you switch to in ears) 

That's definitely an interesting idea. He's very old school, insists on using a 4x12 stack, refuses to have a mic in front of it - because it 'fills the room' on its own, and to have anything coming back via the monitors will cause feedback. The result is a guitar-heavy sound for those immediately in front of him, whereas others can't barely hear it. Including me. We're all working on trying to enlighten him!

6 hours ago, Muzz said:

I was always happy enough with the Zoom pedal for physical patch switching, and the Stomp's fine: Patch Up, Down and Tuner...all good. I have one set of patches for one band, and also copies of those patches for dropped keys in other bands. If I need more I'll just program them in...

What frustrates me in the Zoom is that you need to have the three switches assigned to three adjacent units. Particularly annoying with two block effects.

I’ve tried using presets, like creating a base sound, then copying this a few times with various effects. The problem is that I start tweaking during rehearsals, and things diverge. (I know, I’m rubbish!)

I actually think I could get on okay with the Stomp, I just get a bit concerned I’ll end up getting frustrated with the lack of switches and end up buying an LT anyway.

So, let me ask another question - does anyone have a Stomp and feel frustrated by its limitations?

George

32 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

https://www.musicradar.com/news/kemper-finally-releases-the-profiler-stage-floorboard

An interesting development!

2 minutes ago, Musicman20 said:

Personally, if you have no amp on stage, I would go all out on a full on Helix and enjoy it! 

 

I have considered it, I honestly don't see any me getting any extra benefit from the full Helix vs the LT. I'd never use all the extra connectivity options, and I can live without the scribble-strips. Unless I'm missing something...

So, I've decided I definitely want to move from my Zoom B3n to one of the Helix offering from Line6. I'm leaning towards the LT, with the Stomp also being considered. I'd appreciate the advice of anyone using either of these.

I reckon the six blocks on the Stomp will probably be enough. I want to run an amp model with a cab (is this one block or two??), drive, chorus and octave. I'd also like to split the signal to keep a clean low end, and possibly even add a high pass filter.

Where I have some concerns is switching between various effects with just two (or possibly three) footswitches. On a similar note, it seems a bit of a pain to switch patches without using an external footswitch. Compared to the Zoom, the Stomp would give a good bit more flexibility for signal routing (like being able to keep the lows clean), but wouldn't really be an improvement from a switching perspective.

This attracts me to the LT, which like it resolves all of these problems - but also seems a bit overkill as well as costing a good bit more. However, if I consider the cost of a Stomp plus an external patch switcher, along with a small board to mount them to - it's a smaller gap.

Final note - I'm not using an amp on stage. Currently just using the monitors to hear myself, but the band are considering in-ears. I double as sound-engineer for the band and we use our own PA, so I have total control of what's going on.

So - to anyone using either of these devices, I'd love to hear about your experiences and feel free to try and convince me either way!

Cheers,

George

28 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

Thought it was the London bass guitar show ...? 

 

It’s being ‘co-located’ with the UK Guitar Show. 

I quite like the idea, means my Guitarist best mate and I can have a wee jolly to London!

in saying that, I do expect it to be a guitar show with a hint of bass now.

I'm a massive Roger Waters fan, so almost selected him by default.

However I think I'll go with JJ Burnel - often favouring a 'bass up front' tone and letting Joe Public know what a bass sounds like. For all the cover songs I've played over the years none have been more fun than 'No More Heroes'.

George

I have one in an identical colour with a maple board. I haven’t seen another in this colour, so had to chime in!

It’s a fine bass without the upgrades, though like you I’ve just upgraded the preamp on mine (still the stock pickups though). It made a huge difference - particularly in the mid control. It cost me £145 just for this - I doubt I could replace the pickups for another £100 - I reckon the upgrades are probably worth closer to £350.

Anyway, in my view this is an extremely versatile bass and one that punches way above its price tag! Good luck with the sale.

I don’t know which Bartolini’s you have installed, but many come with the licences MK1s. If it’s these, you can definitely upgrade to better Bartolinis, assuming you can’t find Nords that fit.

I’ve changed pickups on a few basses, and I’ve always been happy. However, it is definitely much more of a pain to try than other gear upgrades - do your research first.

If your current bass feels right, and you’ve heard the pickups in other basses - then it may be worth the upgrade. But remember, the tone difference could be attributed to many other factors, even something simple like strings.

George

Just a couple of points to clarify from my perspective.

I don’t believe that going ampless is the the best solution in all scenarios, but for the pub band I’m in right now - with a good PA and monitors, and with me in control of it, I reckon it’ll work nicely. I’ve been in situations myself in the past where it wouldn’t be ideal - like a pub with their own PA that only has enough channels for vocals, and a sound engineer who refused to put bass through the monitors because ‘it’d wreck them’, or even my last band whose PA just wasn’t that great.

My own logic for looking at the Helix, is mostly a solution to several limitations with the Zoom B3n. 

- The fact that in stomp mode, the three foot switches are assigned to adjacent blocks, often requiring tap-dancing to get anything done live.

- I’d also that like to be able to split my signal, keeping a (mostly) clean low end.

- I believe I’d be able to use an effects return as a 2nd input, and balance the levels of both basses, making switching between then live easier. (Meaning my fretless could get out more!)

- If my amp falls back in to favour, I could route a speaker-sim to FOH, but not route this to the amp.

On the other hand, I probably wouldn’t use a great deal of the effects - amp/speaker sims, various levels of distortion and boring always on things like a noise gate and high-pass filter used regularly, with chorus, octave and phaser used sparingly.

As impressive as the HX stomp looks, I think I’d still end up frustrated. The LT isn’t that much more really expensive really, and the full blown Helix doesn’t seem to offer anything more that I’d need.

I think I’ve convinced myself by writing this.... I wonder if the wife will agree! 

George

Probably what I should have done in the first place... just downloaded the manual for the mixer. It can take unbalanced inputs from instrument level sources, as long as the run is as short as possible. I’m probably about 6 inches away from the mixer most of the time... shouldn’t be a problem.

I’ll keep the Helix on the back-burner for now, but I’m really interested in giving in-ears a go.

53 minutes ago, Elfrasho said:

Why not just run your b3n direct ? Exactly what I do and sounds immense.

 

Apologies if this has already been covered.

It doesn’t have an XLR out, so I used the one from my amp.

 I don’t mind running it straight to the line-in on the desk if it works. Is that what you do?

4 minutes ago, marleaux62 said:

Hi I'm going to stop over in London for the show can anyone recommend a hotel not the savoy or the ritz 😀

I’ve booked The Hub at Kings X, not too far - one or two tube stops, or a 15 minute walk. Plenty of restaurants in the area, and well connected to the rest of London.

I stay there for work a lot - the rooms are modern and clean, but tiny. I managed to get two nights for £100, though I booked a while ago.

George

9 hours ago, pete.young said:

We ditched the valve amps and put our guitarist onto a TC Electronic G System, plus in-ears.

We’re working on it! He’s got a massive Boss pedal which apparently has good amp sims. He’s agreed to try it through the PA at a rehearsal instead of an amp.

24 minutes ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

The mixer is the trickiest part cost wise, KZ ZS10 Ear plugs can be had for less than £35! 

14 minutes ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

Even our mid range behringer has four aux out mixes plus the headphone jack which should cover most pub bands to give individual in ear mixes. 

What are you plugging the headsets in that allows four separate mixes? 4x separate wireless transmitters/ receivers or something more simple?

Cheers

George

37 minutes ago, paul_c2 said:

Apologies for veering slightly off-topic, but it leads to a further (general) enquiry: For a band with n members, how many monitor mixes are needed/wanted? For example, I'd imagine a vocalist might want something of their own; does everyone else need their own or just want their own (and a 2nd general mix is perfectly adequate)? And does this still apply if certain players go ampless? I am just getting into live sound and maybe buying a mixer soon. The temptation is to buy something with a bit of future expansion in mind. And of course these days, one could "go digital" and benefit from more (pre-fader) aux outs, perhaps. (But I like the simplicity of quickly going up to it and turning something down).

In my experience, vocalists want to hear themselves above all else - but also a bit of everything else too. If that’s a compromise everyone else could live with, then one monitor mix could do the job. If not, everyone could theoretically want their own mix - which is probably beyond many mixers! 

I played a festival once, (with my old originals band), and we each had our own monitor mix and there was a dedicated monitor engineer. The sound was great, but I reckon our monitor mixes were pretty much the same.

Regarding digital vs analogue mixers  - I’ve seen bands use iPad driven mixers. I’ve never tried them, but the idea terrifies me! I’m constantly tweaking both the FOH and monitor mixes - particularly during the first few songs. Can’t imagine quickly doing that on a touchscreen with my left hand while I play an open string with the right! I’m generally not adverse to tech at all (my day job is in IT),  but sometimes simplicity is what is needed.

George

10 hours ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

Time to go wired in ears, ditch all the heavy boxes! 

Our entire stage setup for a four piece function/pub band is two RCF 735 speakers, mixer and two di boxes, guitar pedal board,  drumkit, three mics and stands, kick drum mic, bag of leads and four sets of in ears. 

I've never been able to hear myself so well and the FOH mix is the best it's ever been, I've actually had random people in the pub say they've seen us lots of times and the sound is the best it's ever been by far and better than all the other band's, ha. 

There’s a couple of us wanting to try this out. Cost is a major blocker - we’re mostly playing pubs for buttons. I don’t mind budget gear, but it seems that you need to shell out for decent in-ears.

The other thing is the guitarist - I reckon we’d need him mic’d up to make this work.

George

19 hours ago, paul_c2 said:

Aaaah I see. I was wondering, without the bass amp, whether you'd need your own monitor mix (thus, 2 or more pre-fade aux outputs on the desk). Or in other words, on the one hand you've eliminated the bass amp, on the other hand you're tied to a monitor a bit more. I guess if you had the monitor too anyway.....(because everyone has also eliminated their amp) then you're kinda back full circle to where you started from?

We already have two good quality monitors that were being used for vocals only. I just put the bass and keys through these - sounded great! The guitarist did grumble a bit that he didn’t want keys and bass in the monitor, just vocals - so may be an idea to use both aux channels next time rather than run both monitors for a single aux.

George