Stomp (and Helix and now POD Go) are just so good. In a strange swing of the pendulum, playing through these modelers for so long has got me looking into the real amps that I enjoy so much in the modelers. Great video, Keith!
Literally looking to sell my Helix to fund a Boogie. I feel the exact same way. The Helix is very nice, but I want the simplicity that a tube amp affords.
@@christopher.hallissyHaha! Me too! I went out an got a Marshall #2204, A Dumble OTS clone and a JTM-45/100 "Experienced clone, and I'm feeling complete. (For now) I just had to have 'em, as they do that magic "Air" from the amp just so well... 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I'll never part with my modelers, and its nice having a few tube rigs & pedals too, so I dont get stale and feeling that I'm missing something... I'm now covered! At least, I hope I'm covered? Thanks again Keith, for doing these videos for us all. They're Much appreciated! Best! ✌🏼
My guitar playing dates back to the early seventies. In my humble opinion the Helix is the greatest single purchase I have ever made. The Marshall 50 watt lead head that I bought new in 1974 for $399.00 sold for $2800.00 recently and paid for much of the gear I now own. Which to me is much more useful. Thanks
Excellent video. I also have the Stormtrooper edition. I had a couple of buddies come over the other day and they wanted to work on a minimal low volume gig. Each of my friends ran into amps set to a very low level, basically the criteria was you had to be able to sing without a mic and be heard properly . I wanted to add an electric element into the mix so I ran my HX stomp into the mixer and used the pa for output. What a fun session it was to take essentially an acoustic gig but have overdrive and effects layering into the mix.
Not really. I have both tube amps and a Helix. Guitar players in general are notorious tweakers, always looking for something. I did plenty of tweaking over the years with my tube amps, adding pedals, taking pedals out etc. Once I got familiar with the Helix and how I wanted to run it I settled in nicely and I focus on playing. When I want to tweak I have lots of fun at my fingertips. I don’t really play my tube amps now. Helix feels just like my tube amps and sounds great.
I agree but there a pros and cons to everything. tubes and analog gear are great but extremely limited especially when it comes to chasing vintage tones. Old tube amps can sound perfect but only sound that great when dialed in perfectly with the volume dimed. whereas modeling gives you the ability to get a great sounds with lots of room to experiment. different strokes for different folks.
Thanks Keith, loved the video - and the ethos - as usual. @Samuel indeed ..I tend to 'suffer' from 'Option Paralysis' aka 'the paradox of choice' . I'm also heading digital and selling almost all of my analog gear . Boss Katana 100 is doing it for me right now. Just using the top panel - avoiding the deep editing where possible. Keeping it simple. With a TS808 in front and a Dispatch Master & RC-1 looper in the FX loop - I'm good, and for now, I think I'm done. (=more time playing).
The cabinet modeler is the more interesting part here...on the "stomp processor/amp" front, personally, I'm a fan of AMP1 from Thomas Blug, so when I can afford something in the 800-1k range that's what I'm going for first.
I definitely felt some option paralysis for a bit while I was learning what all was inside the Stomp and checking out presets posted online. But once I learned the interface, and learned which things worked for me and which didn’t, I just felt like it was the brain of my rig. I can still get sucked into a black hole of tweaking, but I don’t generally. I’ve replaced almost all of the default presets over time, but 80% of the time I’m using maybe 4 presets regularly. The rest are options for situations I don’t OFTEN find myself in, but boy are they useful if any of those situations arise for me or a friend.
I've had an HX Stomp for a couple of years and I love it. They main thing I find it lacks is some basic practice tools like a metronome, drum tracks, bluetooth support to play backing tracks etc. I know you can plug those things in but it's an uneeded barrier to practicing. Great take on the Stomp through the 5WW lense.
Most guitar rigs are pretty terrible for playing backing tracks though… I solved the problem you had with a $20 Bluetooth dongle from Amazon that has 1/4 inch output, then use a phone or cheap tablet to play backing tracks, metronome, have sheet music on ext… that Bluetooth dongle lives on my board connected to looper pedal, but you could add it anywhere… it’s super tiny and so cheap you could glue it or double side tape it anywhere… Add a cheap tablet and you’ve got an ultimate rig that does all that stuff and more… I treat the dongle and cheap tablet as part of the board, I don’t use it for anything else, the total cost is the same or less than one good pedal, so it’s economical to dedicate a tablet to your board, you could even Velcro or double side tape the tablet to the board too…
I think by now I have seen every single one of your videos. Thanks for your amazing content. I'm interested, entertained, intrigued, RELAXED (thanks to extremely professional presentations by Keith) and inspired all at once. From South Africa with lots of love. ❤️ Amateur luthier/pedal-/amp-/cabinet builder here.
Keith - thank you for your channel and the work you do. Thank you for keeping it simple but effectively giving the detail in a logically ordered manner. I also like the way you give credit where credit is due. I purchased your preset pack 1 and look forward to learning more. Many of us dilettantes need to declutter and simplify. Your concept is exactly what is needed.
You put this video out on the Sunday and by Wednesday afternoon I drove 2 hours away from home to the nearest music store that had a line 6 hx stomp in stock and bought it (in lightning blue) and I have to say that It’s my first time going to digital instead of my tube marshall... but now I have all the tones I’ve always wanted and because it’s so light and I have a spinal injury I can carry it with me and play music out of my home without needing someone to lift and carry my gear.... thank you for your time and dedication because it only has your channel given me entertainment and education but it’s also helped give me the most music and inspiration from the least gear thank you from Sou’ West Nova Scotia Canada
Another great day in skool bud, your 100% correct there are a lot of rabbit holes to go down, thanks for helping us stay above ground. Respect and stay healthy all
the addition of the stomp and a guitar with fluence pickups to my collection has completely eliminated my gear anxiety. now the only thing that stops me from making the sound in my head is that I'm not very good at guitar.
I've settled on you as the BEST guitar related channel on youtube. I share your videos on Facebook & Twitter. The 'history ofs' are of particular interest, even though I'm pretty schooled-up as a player of 30 years, I always get some tidbit from you, and you're a good place to send my students who are getting some of this stuff for the first time; I used you to demonstrate the importance of the Beano album on modern lead guitar. You are a good trustworthy place for young players and old; Your humility of character in a previous comment-thread was a source of great contentment. Too many of us 'experts' are so far up our self-important asses... so much so that I've gotten used to it. Bless you and yours & hope y'all keep from the COVID. Regards, UK
- Much like yourself, I found the modelling route was by far the most practical. I have all-tube Champs for purity, a Deluxe 112 for hi-def super-cleans... But live? I'm locked into the COSM system. I think you have to be very hard-hearted these days to not give credit to the modelling sounds. It blows me away how good pretty much ANY modelling rig is now. I remember when Line 6 was a misery of fizz... But now I find most of the interesting tones in live backlines are coming out of Line 6 stuff. Good point about footswitches; ALWAYS maximise your gear! Eric Clapton once said; "Better to be happy with the gear you've got, than get the gear that makes you happy". Love that.
Thank you Keith! I've had a Stomp for a while now and have enjoyed it but found that I've gotten tired of it and have gone back to my tube amps. You sparked some inspiration in me to work on implementing my Stomp into my pedal board (for those amazing lush reverbs and delays) to use in conjunction with my amp and have a built in backup whenever we get to start gigging again.
Love your videos! I'm another type player that has enjoyed modelers. Having only started playing electric and mostly in church over the last 15 years I've never really learned playing real amps. Sure I've had a couple but products from Boss and Line 6 provided all I need over the years. I primarily use a Helix floor but also have an HX Stomp and a few nice pedals. The additional tap dancing with the Stomp and external pedals bring me back to the Helix for the ease of all in one. Over the years I've bought presets and developed my tone. I do love learning about amps and watching five watt world. Thanks Keith!
I have a Stomp I’ve used for about a year and just upgraded to the Helix LT. For a while, I used the Stomp with some analog pedals but I couldn’t get a solo boost from the dirt boxes if I put them in front of the Stomp. Have you noticed this or did you find a work around?
@@jeffkucera2032 Sounds like you are running too much gain/compression in the Stomp. Cranking up the level on the input to your Stomp is not resulting in louder output from the Stomp. You need to leave some headroom in the Stomp blocks for handling boosted inputs.
This is like the Pliny approach. I dig it. I want control and efficiency in a small package. I also want to save my back because I have issues when I carry my Marshall combo. I always pull out my back when I move it. I also like the idea of just going direct in to a PA or mixing board. It makes it easier to get a consistent, good sound live and for recording. Either that, or using a plug-in system in the studio. I love tube amps as much as anyone, but I can't deny how far solid state has come. When playing live it's easier to get a good sound when you don't have excessive noise from an amp on stage. If you go direct-in you get a pure PA sound. You really get to hear what the audience is hearing. What's great about modeling systems is that you can also use many amps in one box. That's just a miracle. You can have an AC 30 for one tune then a Plexi or Deluxe Reverb for the next. We dreamed of this sort of gear in the 80s and now it's here.
I never stop being amazed at the high quality of your videos - they are some of the best out there. I can't add much more, as this represents the most praise I can offer in the least amount of words!!!
Fantastic video, Keith! I love how much you care about each topic to be as thorough and honest as possible. Your channel is definitely therapeutic for me when the GAS starts to take over. I’ve bought 2 new guitars and only 3 pedals in the past year, but also sold 2 guitars, 1 amp, and 7 pedals I no longer use along the way and am much happier for doing that.
Thanks Keith, I was hesitant to try the Stomp/modelers and boy am I glad I picked up the Stomp. It is absolutely amazing. The stereo reverbs and delays sound huge-the best I've ever used. Another thing the Stomp did for me is kill 90% of my GAS. I have everything I need in this little box; it's incredible. Any sound I lust after I can acheive or get extremely close. My peddle board and amp have been collecting dust since I bought this thing. If you're on the fence, just do it (if you can spare the cash), this thing rocks.
Great looking rig… My suggestion after working with the stomp and full helix, is cut the the highs in the global EQ lower than you think, I think I’ve cut the highs at 2k, then put a good analog compressor pedal on the front end… Those 2 things will get you way closer to dialed in for those who try it and immediately hate it… I’ve gone to using only the helix now because I know dang near every tone is in there… I keep a collection of pedals of course (🤓) but I only swap one or two in and out to more easily dial in specific OD or drive tones, mostly in the effect send/return as a patch block that I put in all my presets by default, from a saved favorite… With that I can add or remove other pedals just by turning off that block in the helix… But the two biggest by far things I’ve found, is analog compressor input and setting the global EQ for guitar so it’s not a full range vocal processor, which the helix actually does really well too btw… I use an MXR 10 band EQ, but only to dial in a tone, once I’ve got the sound I’ll transfer that into an EQ block, having real sliders is just way more fun. Nice rig, I love that clean white…
I run an SM57 into my Stomp XL for online meetings. It is way better than using the microphone built into my computer. I bought an impedance transformer to match the low-Z dynamic mic to the high-Z input of the HX Stomp. The impedance transformer also converts from XLR to 1/4 inch plug. Just plug into either the guitar input right channel, or the RETURN L or R channel. There's a studio microphone preamp model within the Preamp > Mic category. I recommend also using an EQ block and perhaps some light reverb. You could also add some compression, to taste.
I'm super happy to see you shout out to John Cordy here! He's an incredible player and deserves a heck of a lot more views than he gets, I'm glad more folks will get to hear him, thanks to your channel!
Over lockdown I only had a HX stomp going into the effects return of an old Blackstar HT-5. Having the EQs really helped me get something decent sounding but it did take ALOT of tweaking. Managed to get myself a new job and now I have a Victory V30 and a Two Notes Captor X. Damn I missed a good valve amp! Also just bought myself a True Fire course with your promo code, can't wait to get stuck into it!
When I started seeing the HX Stomp and the Strymon Iridium being talked about more as amp in a box style gear, I snooped around. People like Emily at Get Offset regularly use the Iridium for her demos, and Rhett had a good video on "Iridium or Stomp?" That more easily divided camps on who the likely users of each would be, and why. I come from a tech background as well, so I can enjoy some of the knob tweaking and preset sculpting, but my paradigm shift hasn't really pulled me into 'off gear computer editing' yet, but I see the value in that. Prior to this video, I would think "The stomp might be more than I need." but it makes me now think "I might never need many additional things after this. How far could I go before outgrowing it?" And I think the answer is a long way. Thanks for your exploration of this, Keith. I always appreciate your take on some gear that others are presenting differently. It makes me re-evaluate the HX stomp as a more viable future upgrade or migration than I thought of it before watching your video.
Hi, Got the Helix Floor 3 years ago and love it , I tried the power cab but was not loud enough on stage for me, I could not find anything that was loud enough, then I ended up with 2 laney ffr112 cabs but now they have gone and im back to Valve (tubes) using a Line 6 DT25 head and cab which works well with the Helix IMO. love the content BTW
I’d like to say Thank you Keith. I added the last piece of my new “do all” pedalboard. Running HX Stomp-RC Booster-Protein-JHS Whitey Tighty and with help of Disaster Area MidiBaby3 and a Two button switch from Simple Switch Effects to add some functions. Couldn’t be happier, keep up the great videos.
This is the reason why i bought an Axe-Fx III, you've got access to all the gear you could hope for and can recreate any tone or create any tone you wish. Another cool video Keith!
Nita Strauss does her solo tours with a Boss GT1000 and AxeFx run straight to house, and there are a LOT of players that do this now. The advantage Roland/Boss offer is a massive tone print and effects intellectual property catalog in their lowest to their highest end amps, you get access to all of it through Boss Tone Studio. Off the top of my head, probably only Zoom comes close in having flexible mature platforms in a lot of form factors with a large userbase and extensive IP catalogs of stuff people have liked using. If you want to go modular, Synergy has licensed most amp cores you'd want to run. I have been debating whether to pull one more engineering project onto my place but the fact that a modular form factor already exists and is shipping is SUPER interesting to a weirdo like me.
One of the ways I have simulated the lack of feedback issue is by using a Digitech Freqout. I use it on momentary mode and it’s been a really nice addition to my board, especially for recording purposes. Additionally, there is a setting to turn off the flashing metronome light if you wanted to keep your tap tempo on one of the first 3 buttons.
Great episode Keith. Using analog gain stages before the HX Stomp solves any of my remaining issues with it as a substitute for analog pedals. Well done!
You just keep answering all my questions. And again, I glean as much about the gear as I do about the approach to selecting that gear. Being forced to decide what gear to leave behind for a wildfire evacuation was transformative. It all survived, but my approach to it has flipped. Thanks, Keith, for the Zen of FWW.
The modeler comes to 5WW and I have to say, you did it with class and fortitude. I also “fell” into this world recently with an Eleven I picked up on Reverb. Be it already a relic, it really started to open doors for me. Thanks man. Very informative
I absolutely adore my stomp. It lives on my pedal board and love how well it covers so many needs in one box. I have a 2 button foots witch as well and affirm that it really open sup the functionality. I think it can add a lot to nearly any type of player's rig.
I used to be a die hard tube amp guy, and then I had one burn out the power tubes before a gig. That was not fun. So I tried solid state amps. I had been resistant to digital tech and emulation until I picked up a Roland Blues Cube. Now? I sold all of my amps and bought an Atomic Amps Amplifire 6. It doesn’t have as many amp models or flavors of effects as a Stomp, but the things it does it performs EXTREMELY well. It answered the question to my desire for more amps/cabs/options. It is a critical piece of my board and is set up to where I can grab and go. I see the beauty of this new golden age of gear, and it has allowed me to minimize as well. This was a fantastic presentation and a really compelling argument both for (and against) this kind of tech. A + work Keith!
Great video as always! I vaguely remember commenting on one of your videos asking what your opinion was of the Stomp - and you said you didn't have it long... I'm also planning to get a Powercab Plus (once it's in stock locally). Since I haven't been going to rehearsals/gigs for a few months - this will let me start playing with amp models again, since I usually turn off the amp blocks at home and plug into a real amp. I probably have too many pedals on my pedalboard - but I also like having "real" gain pedals before the Stomp, and other pedals that can do things the Stomp can't. Instead of the 2 switches - I preferred to add an expression pedal. I usually use it as a volume pedal, but sometimes use it to control parameters of other effects.
I recently ran across a pair of Atomic Reactor 112 Tube powered FR cabinets for $300 bucks. Maybe not perfectly flat, but they are nice & warm and now hooked up to my Mac M1 as tube powered monitors. Makes the Plugins come alive in the room better than anything else I have tried. Your video has convinced me I need to invest in an HX or Helix and see if they could replace my gigging rig, cheers!
One of the best videos on gear I have seen. I have a Helix and absolutely love "trying new things" so it's a good fit for me. The stomp is a much smaller footprint and you overcome some limitations with your pedal board build. It's more than most need. Going to have to check out the power cab. Great video, thank you!
I've had a Helix floor since they first came out and have never regretted the decision to buy. Recently though I wondered if I was missing something by not having a real tube amp. I decided to get a Revv D20 because of its versatility. I wanted to find a way to incorporate it into my Helix and came up with a wet/dry/wet rig by using the 2 notes interface into the Helix by way of a send/return and I simply use the D20 as my amp/cab block. I can put Helix overdrives in front of the D20 but I also have a Zendrive 2 (which sounds wonderful) and a WTF in front of the D20. I put stereo wet effects provided by the Helix after the D20 block and then into a pair of powered FRFR speakers. That's my wet stereo sound. From the D20 speaker output I'm also using a 1x12 Celestion V30 cab. That's my dry. I must say it sounds great and it's really versatile. I'm a hobbyist and only play at home so I don't need to worry about taking this setup out. The great thing about the Line6 stuff is how creative you can get with it.
I so very much agree with the idea of using modelers to preview analog FX and other gear. I learned this lesson with Guitar Rig 4. The whole modeling industry has greatly improved and gets you much closer to understanding what things sound like and how they go together. You offer some great advice here for any modeler based rig. Right on! Regarding feedback, Pete Thorn uses the DigiTech Freqout for feedback on his modeling rig or where he just can't get the volume up.
I highly recommend running the stomp into a powered PA. I feel that the powered guitar speakers are over priced for what they are. You can buy a 12" 1000watt PA full range speaker for your stomp and get much more use out of it than the powered guitar cab. This is especially useful if you like to play with backing tracks.
Great video Keith. I've be following your channel for a few years now. Totally ascribe to your philosophy about playing more with less. I've tried and actually really enjoyed playing with a digital footprint. But truth be told, there is something magical about a tube amp as well as the craftsmanship in a world increasingly geared towards ease of use and options. To me, tube amps are one of the last connections we have to another era.
I can't disagree gentleman, I have my REVV d20 back out here this morning with that same pedalboard (amp models and cabs turned off). Next up is a Short History of the Klon, so this is a solid couple of weeks of analog for me. I'll do more preset packs in the future. I love the "producer" hat thing that brings out in me, but there are also more tube amps to be played in the future.
Welcome to the club Keith! I'm a father of four, active duty military and a singer/ songwriter/music fanatic. Your channel has been BY FAR THE BEST GUIDE for acquiring the most music with the least amount of gear!!!
Very well-thought out video 👌 Shows how well digital emulation is coming along and helping us streamline our gear. Your use of Strandberg is also cool, combining classic tone and modern innovation together.
Been a weekend warrior for about 8 years now. I could never really find "my sound" using Fender, Marshall, Vox...but a Helix LT solved that problem and of course the musician's nightmare of lugging gear (and setting it all up!) Found a combination I love, and created additional blocks for anything I'd ever play, even my acoustics!
Thanks for this one. I own a Fender modelling amp now. Not one of the more refined contemporary ones, but I like it anyway for the office at home and small locations outside. I don't have the vocabulary to describe the sound, except to say "modelling amps sound hollow", there's no punch behind the music. I think this is why your REVV video still appeals to me and why I am still trying to sell a Mesa Boogie .22 caliber and Peavey 30 to get me to "the least gear". I also cannot commit the time required to get me to where I would make up the difference in the hollow versus punch tone in the stomp box. I am waaaayyyy on the north sode of 50 at 60+ and hauling 40+ pounds is just silly. I also never really went nutz with pedals, just a few I really like. Stay safe and well.
Early on, I had a bad experience with a Line 6 amp. It would blow the amp chips of you ever turned the gain up much higher than the volume. Line 6 repaired it the first time, but after that, I was on my own. I had a local shop repair it after another 2 hours of use. (That is when I discovered what was causing the issue.) I started doing the repair myself after that. I even tried replacing the Amp chips with the next bigger ones listed. So, after 6 or 7 times of that. I traded it for a guitar and a Hammond M37. (With full disclosure to the guy who traded me) So I am a bit uneasy about trying a line 6 product even though it sounds as good as this. Thanks Keith for the well done video.
I have an HX Effects, and am considering the HX Stomp; thanks for the informative treatment of it here. A big lure for me, as someone who mainly plays at home, but occasionally needs to bring my sound to a gig, is *Helix Native* (pretty cheap if you have an HX pedal). I can build a tone (with HX Effects for now) just in my computer, and use it for home recording. And when I head to the occasional gig, I can bring that tone with me. By integrating the operation of the pedals and Helix Native, Line 6 has cleverly created a dual-mode system-use it in-the-box or on-the-road, with consistent tone either way. Alas, at the moment I'm really loving S-Gear for in-the-box tone, but I may switch for portability. -Tom
Great video, thank you for making this. I have been waffling back and forth between analog pedals and digital stuff forever. I love the versatility of digital, but I also love the feel of analog gain stages. I already own the power cab plus and I love the speaker models. I’m getting HX stomp to pair it with and adding a Barber Gain Changer in front. I just play in my garage and I play a lot of different styles. This seems like a great solution. Thanks again!
Just ordered an HX Stomp because of this video. Coming from you, as well as Rhett Shull and Rick Beato in the comments, it's much easier to make an informed decision whether to buy a product or not. Thanks for the great content!
Do you want to sound like your favorite rig or 50 different rigs? You can do both! For me, I made a couple Line6 patches that mirrored my actual rig to to replicate "my sound", then sold my actual rig (well, I kept a few pedals, but lost the 100w amp head, cab and huge pedal board)! No crazy rabbit hole of endless tweaking. I knew what I was striving for. Bonus, I have tons of options for creating more when I want to go beyond "my sound" or sound like 50 other tones! I do have one small tube amp for appeasing snooty studio engineers and producers, but it's not necessary! Live, I'd rather take the Line6 gear and everyone always digs the tone!
Keith, another extremely well researched and produced video. Grateful you do the heavy lifting and deliver excellent work. I am 68 and bought so many guitars and amps over the years I could pay cash for a 3 bedroom house in a nice neighborhood. Those days are far in the rear view mirror. These days a single AB-763 based Vintage Sound amp is all I need. I have two pedals. One BOSS RC-1 looper for practice and one electro-harmonix Freeze for practice. Zippo else. I know I exceed the wattage footprint by 17 watts, but I make up for it by using a guitar, guitar chord and amp to play songs. So, in one sense I fly below the 5 watt mantra and in one sense above. Hoping it all average out. All the best.
Finally! I've been wanting to slim my pedalboard/direct rig down for a while. Everybody said "Get a Stomp!" and then Boss came out with the GT1000 Core... so, looks like I know what direction I'm going in. As for the speaker, I use an old Fender solid state stereo Chorus. Just plug the modeler into the FX return, and you have a stereo solution. It's not really FRFR, but it "feels" more like an amp than studio monitors. Keith, keep up the good work! "Just enough" is still enough!
I got a summer job just to get the Stomp, I don't regret it at all, I've been able to use it in many ways, I could play a whole gig with it by itself, at home I pair it with the HD500X in front of it, basically a Helix frankenstein, It sounds insane.
Thanks Keith, great review. I find the key to good sounds from my HX Stomp are some good IRs. They're worth the extra block they take in the signal chain.
Thanks man! Your videos and Rick B's always inspire me to play more. I'm a bassist of almost 30 years and I'm slowly losing function in my hands because of MS, so I've gravitated towards guitar (easier to strum than pluck now). Your vids, Rick's vids, and my teenage son learning guitar help push me to pick up my instruments to continue making noise. Your vids aren't just great history and knowledge, they inspirational to guys like me. Thank you!
You hit right. The HX Stomp without the "amp in the room" is the key. Since I use my Stomp line out to FOH board the amp models with 3rd party IR's has worked fantastic. Unfortunately I too miss that real amp feel on stage. Which I why I am looking into the L6 Powercab 112
This is a fundamentally necessary view for any player beyond the beginner stage. It is capable of: a) teaching you what you will beat your head against for the next 40 years, b) allow you a great chance to understand the impact of choices that you will make before you commit the cash, c) providing you comfort and reassurance while you flail away in the darkness by yourself, and d) point you in reasonable directions for having reliable fun for a good, long time. I chose to avoid numbers because #’s 1-5 were already chosen. Finally, e) it’s an almost guaranteed “Subscription” (five watt world) for access to this cat’s video’s. He is good!
Fantastic work, Keith. Such a cool rig! I am so grateful for the extensive work you (and your collaborators) put into your channel. I always learn so much and feel empowered to do more with less. Thank you!
Those champ pictures brought back memories of my first very simple rig back in 1967. A Harmony electric and a Vibro Champ. Makes me appreciate the elegant simplicity.
Great video Keith, I like your approach to using drives to help with the HX amp feel. I use a combination of 2 amp blocks, 2 dual cab blocks, 2 compressors, and the mic preamp model and blend them all together to make my Helix LT sound and feel good, so your solution seems much easier!
I find the stomp incredibly useful, practice rig, computer interface, recording and matching up for a nice strymon board. Also great for feeding synths through
I’m a total Metal head but still enjoy your videos , I love tube amps myself ,nothing is like a tube amp growl ,Keep making awesome vids !O yeah I love my HX stomp lol
Thanks for another great video. I've been using an Atomic Ampli-Firebox for a while now. I like how the AFB works like an analog pedal/amp but I'm not that happy with the built-in effects so it sits on the end of a pedal board. I similarly found using an analog overdrive in front of the amp modeler greatly improves the sound. Cab simulation is a limitation of the AFB as you have to edit the amp model to change the cab. The Powercab looks like a great solution as you can defeat the cab sim then use the Line 6 unit for cab sims. Great tip. Thanks!
GREAT vid, thanks so much. and I love the rick beato mention and speaker importance. I hope to build a collection of speaker boxes now. 1x10. 1x12/ 2 x 10, 2x12, etc....each paired with dif amps.....
This might be just enough for me to consider finally purchasing one. I've been holding off on it because of the fact that I have a lot of pedals already to make my rig work exactly how I want it, but if this can also do it, I can make a lightweight board with versatility that can be used for various quick response situations. Chris Buck has said recently that it's important to have something like this ready to go when you're invited to show up at a quick sit in session or gig. That way you don't end up looking like the "make way, here comes my board" kind of player.
As a relatively new comer to 5 watt world, your Gretsch history video is what led me here. I own a 2013 Double Anniversary Gretsch G6117T-HT and though I am not a big fan of my HiloTron pickups I find myself not having the courage to swap them out for FilterTrons! Instead I am trying to chase tones to make it sing. I am one of those guys who stopped playing and wanted an inexpensive single cut so I found a Gretsch G5220 in Aleutian Blue for $500 cdn and for a Strat type I found a Godin Session in Vintage Burst for $550 CDN, both in mint condition! Last will be a Telecaster. I like that you have three rigs. A Rev D-20, a Stomp with the Line6 Cab and your old school boutique amp! I have to choose between these three types of solutions. I am probably gravitating for the D-20 with some pedals but the HX stomp is probably the best bang for the buck to experiment with tones.
The truly extended use of something like an HX Stomp, or any of the Line 6 Helix-type gear, is using the 4-cable method, as it's called, to have the unit handle effects both before the amp as well as in the effects loop. Also, with the Revv D20/G20, as their profiles are also MIDI-selectable, using the MIDI out from the HX really can cut down on not just the number of pedals, but the complexity of switching things on and off, like an overdrive before a channel change, or adding in reverb when going to clean, etc. And as much as it does most effects great, I don't think I'm ditching my overdrives, either; they really do add that extra something.
I have been playing just under 2 years. I started out with a Blackstar 20w amp with built-in effects. When I wanted better effects and something a little more versatile, I bought a HX Stomp and Bose SP1. I am very happy with this setup. I don’t think I’ll ever buy another amp.
I just found you. I've been watching Rhett for a while now. You guys make it easy to understand. I am just now beginning to dip my toes into the DSP guitar world. I have been intimidated, but I'm starting to feel pretty good about it. I decided I wanted to try and build a guitar rig that could go straight to the FOH without a guitar amp. I started my research and everything led me to the HX Stomp.
Great start to my Sunday Keith. Fascinating FFW episode ! My rig is very simple now. I settled on a PRS custom 24 and a VOX VT40X I have endless fun with just 11 amp models a handful of effects and a few reverbs. Simple just plug in and away I go 😁
Grabbed a Helix floor when they first came out (SN#061, not bad for an Aussie). Loved that into a (HW)AC-15, or even a Yamaha THR 10(C), for living room levels. Had the Powercab 112+ for about 3 months now. I still might get buried with the Vox (& my Casino), but I'm using the Helix/PC+ combo just so much now. The only (external) pedal I use anymore is a Tone Bender, and I'm sure Line 6 will nail it when they get around to modelling the early versions (their updates remain fantastic). The control and convenience is just so nice.
This video is more pure brilliance. Gave me chills. He is like a kindred tone spirit!!! It is like much of my tone quest work is done for me. Though I prefer tube and analog. Digital has gotten so good it has its place in my life. I mean, still not giving up on my tube amps and drive/fuzz pedals. Or my univibe. But some mod, delay, verb, synth, etc. digital can do. And to play around with sounds that aren’t my core sound. Being a bluesy rock kinda guy
Wow! My rig is very similar. I went with the HX effects and Origin Revival drive instead. My analog drive pedal is a Bogner La Grange. It doubles as a boost with the extra functionality of the boost side working separately from the drive. I also have an expression pedal connected to the La Grange as it allows me to adjust the gain in real time without bending over to adjust the controls. I find the Revival Drive works better for me for my amp sounds, especially with the added boost/ mid controller. All of this going into my Revv D20. Once again bravo for a fantastic video Keith. Great way to start my Sunday.
Awesome video Keith - I’d like to request a future session with you playing thru your pedal board. That short teaser reminded me how great a musician you are!
Great video. Luv your humbleness/modesty in giving others praise where it’s due. I have been a fan and follower of John Cordy for some time now. You have a new follower too now.
The stomp is a great choice. I love the look of that Strandberg tele!
Thanks Hypes!
there's no accounting for taste
@@robertstan2349 lmao I felt this to my core. Headless guitars are a thing I’ll never appreciate
I think the Stomp is one of, if not the greatest single piece of gear on the guitar market right now.
With the exception of the power adaptor 😂
I'm in full agreement with Rhett
@@kalkidasofficial you may want to explore alternative power supplier
Just got one Rhett and I'm loving it.
Running mine off the Truetone cs6. I simply made a cable to make it work.
John Cordy is THE man for the stomp. He gets the most inspiring tones out of almost any modeler.
He is a very good guitarist as well. I always love to listen to him. I bought his packs for my Pod Go. Now to become a better guitar player!
I hated that blinking light too, but you can turn it off in the stomp: Global Settings > Displays > Tap LED (toggle it off).
THIS!
Stomp (and Helix and now POD Go) are just so good. In a strange swing of the pendulum, playing through these modelers for so long has got me looking into the real amps that I enjoy so much in the modelers.
Great video, Keith!
Good to see you guys here! Love your patches
Literally looking to sell my Helix to fund a Boogie. I feel the exact same way. The Helix is very nice, but I want the simplicity that a tube amp affords.
@@christopher.hallissyHaha! Me too!
I went out an got a Marshall #2204,
A Dumble OTS clone and a JTM-45/100 "Experienced clone, and I'm feeling complete. (For now)
I just had to have 'em, as they do that magic "Air" from the amp just so well...
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I'll never part with my modelers, and its nice having a few tube rigs & pedals too, so I dont get stale and feeling that I'm missing something... I'm now covered!
At least, I hope I'm covered?
Thanks again Keith, for doing these videos for us all.
They're Much appreciated!
Best! ✌🏼
Yep, the better the modellers gets the more gas for the real thing 😂
Man, that is one of the most tasteful and elegant looking pedalboard ever!
Thanks Tim!
So freaking clean. Great work.
My guitar playing dates back to the early seventies. In my humble opinion the Helix is the greatest single purchase I have ever made. The Marshall 50 watt lead head that I bought new in 1974 for $399.00 sold for $2800.00 recently and paid for much of the gear I now own. Which to me is much more useful. Thanks
Just FYI, tuner blinking can be disabled in the settings :)
I know, but the switch fit perfectly in that spot so...
@@fivewattworld there was a time when I added way too many pedals to my board because of that observation as well XD.
Excellent video. I also have the Stormtrooper edition. I had a couple of buddies come over the other day and they wanted to work on a minimal low volume gig. Each of my friends ran into amps set to a very low level, basically the criteria was you had to be able to sing without a mic and be heard properly . I wanted to add an electric element into the mix so I ran my HX stomp into the mixer and used the pa for output. What a fun session it was to take essentially an acoustic gig but have overdrive and effects layering into the mix.
Hi & thanks! I purchased a HX Stomp a few months ago & now picking up the powered Line 6 112 cabinet.
The problem I see with modellers like this is option paralysis; you end up tweaking more than playing
Not really. I have both tube amps and a Helix. Guitar players in general are notorious tweakers, always looking for something. I did plenty of tweaking over the years with my tube amps, adding pedals, taking pedals out etc. Once I got familiar with the Helix and how I wanted to run it I settled in nicely and I focus on playing. When I want to tweak I have lots of fun at my fingertips. I don’t really play my tube amps now. Helix feels just like my tube amps and sounds great.
I agree but there a pros and cons to everything. tubes and analog gear are great but extremely limited especially when it comes to chasing vintage tones. Old tube amps can sound perfect but only sound that great when dialed in perfectly with the volume dimed. whereas modeling gives you the ability to get a great sounds with lots of room to experiment. different strokes for different folks.
Thanks Keith, loved the video - and the ethos - as usual.
@Samuel indeed ..I tend to 'suffer' from 'Option Paralysis' aka 'the paradox of choice' .
I'm also heading digital and selling almost all of my analog gear .
Boss Katana 100 is doing it for me right now. Just using the top panel - avoiding the deep editing where possible. Keeping it simple.
With a TS808 in front and a Dispatch Master & RC-1 looper in the FX loop - I'm good, and for now, I think I'm done. (=more time playing).
The cabinet modeler is the more interesting part here...on the "stomp processor/amp" front, personally, I'm a fan of AMP1 from Thomas Blug, so when I can afford something in the 800-1k range that's what I'm going for first.
I definitely felt some option paralysis for a bit while I was learning what all was inside the Stomp and checking out presets posted online.
But once I learned the interface, and learned which things worked for me and which didn’t, I just felt like it was the brain of my rig. I can still get sucked into a black hole of tweaking, but I don’t generally. I’ve replaced almost all of the default presets over time, but 80% of the time I’m using maybe 4 presets regularly. The rest are options for situations I don’t OFTEN find myself in, but boy are they useful if any of those situations arise for me or a friend.
I love the overall concept of your channel so much, Keith! Really enjoying your videos! :)
I've had an HX Stomp for a couple of years and I love it. They main thing I find it lacks is some basic practice tools like a metronome, drum tracks, bluetooth support to play backing tracks etc. I know you can plug those things in but it's an uneeded barrier to practicing. Great take on the Stomp through the 5WW lense.
Most guitar rigs are pretty terrible for playing backing tracks though… I solved the problem you had with a $20 Bluetooth dongle from Amazon that has 1/4 inch output, then use a phone or cheap tablet to play backing tracks, metronome, have sheet music on ext… that Bluetooth dongle lives on my board connected to looper pedal, but you could add it anywhere… it’s super tiny and so cheap you could glue it or double side tape it anywhere… Add a cheap tablet and you’ve got an ultimate rig that does all that stuff and more… I treat the dongle and cheap tablet as part of the board, I don’t use it for anything else, the total cost is the same or less than one good pedal, so it’s economical to dedicate a tablet to your board, you could even Velcro or double side tape the tablet to the board too…
@@robertw1871 And there are drum machine apps for your smart phone.
I think by now I have seen every single one of your videos. Thanks for your amazing content. I'm interested, entertained, intrigued, RELAXED (thanks to extremely professional presentations by Keith) and inspired all at once. From South Africa with lots of love. ❤️ Amateur luthier/pedal-/amp-/cabinet builder here.
You rule, Keith! Thanks so much for you incredible demos and for the ML pedal love, dude!
Love that pedal Mark! Thanks for making them and for taking the time to play them for us.
Keith - thank you for your channel and the work you do. Thank you for keeping it simple but effectively
giving the detail in a logically ordered manner. I also like the way you give credit where credit is due.
I purchased your preset pack 1 and look forward to learning more. Many of us dilettantes need to
declutter and simplify. Your concept is exactly what is needed.
You put this video out on the Sunday and by Wednesday afternoon I drove 2 hours away from home to the nearest music store that had a line 6 hx stomp in stock and bought it (in lightning blue) and I have to say that It’s my first time going to digital instead of my tube marshall... but now I have all the tones I’ve always wanted and because it’s so light and I have a spinal injury I can carry it with me and play music out of my home without needing someone to lift and carry my gear.... thank you for your time and dedication because it only has your channel given me entertainment and education but it’s also helped give me the most music and inspiration from the least gear thank you from Sou’ West Nova Scotia Canada
Hey Nova Scotia. There’s a regular viewer from Newfoundland. ...ok that was a maritime non sequitur. Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it.
Another great day in skool bud, your 100% correct there are a lot of rabbit holes to go down, thanks for helping us stay above ground. Respect and stay healthy all
the addition of the stomp and a guitar with fluence pickups to my collection has completely eliminated my gear anxiety. now the only thing that stops me from making the sound in my head is that I'm not very good at guitar.
I've settled on you as the BEST guitar related channel on youtube. I share your videos on Facebook & Twitter. The 'history ofs' are of particular interest, even though I'm pretty schooled-up as a player of 30 years, I always get some tidbit from you, and you're a good place to send my students who are getting some of this stuff for the first time; I used you to demonstrate the importance of the Beano album on modern lead guitar. You are a good trustworthy place for young players and old; Your humility of character in a previous comment-thread was a source of great contentment. Too many of us 'experts' are so far up our self-important asses... so much so that I've gotten used to it.
Bless you and yours & hope y'all keep from the COVID. Regards, UK
- Much like yourself, I found the modelling route was by far the most practical. I have all-tube Champs for purity, a Deluxe 112 for hi-def super-cleans... But live? I'm locked into the COSM system.
I think you have to be very hard-hearted these days to not give credit to the modelling sounds. It blows me away how good pretty much ANY modelling rig is now. I remember when Line 6 was a misery of fizz... But now I find most of the interesting tones in live backlines are coming out of Line 6 stuff.
Good point about footswitches; ALWAYS maximise your gear!
Eric Clapton once said; "Better to be happy with the gear you've got, than get the gear that makes you happy". Love that.
Thank you Keith! I've had a Stomp for a while now and have enjoyed it but found that I've gotten tired of it and have gone back to my tube amps. You sparked some inspiration in me to work on implementing my Stomp into my pedal board (for those amazing lush reverbs and delays) to use in conjunction with my amp and have a built in backup whenever we get to start gigging again.
Love your videos! I'm another type player that has enjoyed modelers. Having only started playing electric and mostly in church over the last 15 years I've never really learned playing real amps. Sure I've had a couple but products from Boss and Line 6 provided all I need over the years. I primarily use a Helix floor but also have an HX Stomp and a few nice pedals. The additional tap dancing with the Stomp and external pedals bring me back to the Helix for the ease of all in one. Over the years I've bought presets and developed my tone. I do love learning about amps and watching five watt world. Thanks Keith!
I have a Stomp I’ve used for about a year and just upgraded to the Helix LT. For a while, I used the Stomp with some analog pedals but I couldn’t get a solo boost from the dirt boxes if I put them in front of the Stomp. Have you noticed this or did you find a work around?
I haven’t had that problem with it...yet.
@@fivewattworld good to know, I’ll have to try some more tweaks. Thanks!
@@jeffkucera2032 Sounds like you are running too much gain/compression in the Stomp. Cranking up the level on the input to your Stomp is not resulting in louder output from the Stomp. You need to leave some headroom in the Stomp blocks for handling boosted inputs.
As with all things FWW world, this is excellent. Thanks for all you do to help us Keith! We are so very lucky.
This is like the Pliny approach. I dig it. I want control and efficiency in a small package. I also want to save my back because I have issues when I carry my Marshall combo. I always pull out my back when I move it. I also like the idea of just going direct in to a PA or mixing board. It makes it easier to get a consistent, good sound live and for recording. Either that, or using a plug-in system in the studio. I love tube amps as much as anyone, but I can't deny how far solid state has come. When playing live it's easier to get a good sound when you don't have excessive noise from an amp on stage. If you go direct-in you get a pure PA sound. You really get to hear what the audience is hearing. What's great about modeling systems is that you can also use many amps in one box. That's just a miracle. You can have an AC 30 for one tune then a Plexi or Deluxe Reverb for the next. We dreamed of this sort of gear in the 80s and now it's here.
I never stop being amazed at the high quality of your videos - they are some of the best out there. I can't add much more, as this represents the most praise I can offer in the least amount of words!!!
Ha! That's the spirit!
Fantastic video, Keith! I love how much you care about each topic to be as thorough and honest as possible. Your channel is definitely therapeutic for me when the GAS starts to take over. I’ve bought 2 new guitars and only 3 pedals in the past year, but also sold 2 guitars, 1 amp, and 7 pedals I no longer use along the way and am much happier for doing that.
Thanks Keith, I was hesitant to try the Stomp/modelers and boy am I glad I picked up the Stomp. It is absolutely amazing. The stereo reverbs and delays sound huge-the best I've ever used. Another thing the Stomp did for me is kill 90% of my GAS. I have everything I need in this little box; it's incredible. Any sound I lust after I can acheive or get extremely close. My peddle board and amp have been collecting dust since I bought this thing. If you're on the fence, just do it (if you can spare the cash), this thing rocks.
Great looking rig… My suggestion after working with the stomp and full helix, is cut the the highs in the global EQ lower than you think, I think I’ve cut the highs at 2k, then put a good analog compressor pedal on the front end… Those 2 things will get you way closer to dialed in for those who try it and immediately hate it… I’ve gone to using only the helix now because I know dang near every tone is in there… I keep a collection of pedals of course (🤓) but I only swap one or two in and out to more easily dial in specific OD or drive tones, mostly in the effect send/return as a patch block that I put in all my presets by default, from a saved favorite… With that I can add or remove other pedals just by turning off that block in the helix… But the two biggest by far things I’ve found, is analog compressor input and setting the global EQ for guitar so it’s not a full range vocal processor, which the helix actually does really well too btw… I use an MXR 10 band EQ, but only to dial in a tone, once I’ve got the sound I’ll transfer that into an EQ block, having real sliders is just way more fun. Nice rig, I love that clean white…
I run an SM57 into my Stomp XL for online meetings. It is way better than using the microphone built into my computer. I bought an impedance transformer to match the low-Z dynamic mic to the high-Z input of the HX Stomp. The impedance transformer also converts from XLR to 1/4 inch plug. Just plug into either the guitar input right channel, or the RETURN L or R channel. There's a studio microphone preamp model within the Preamp > Mic category. I recommend also using an EQ block and perhaps some light reverb. You could also add some compression, to taste.
Have to say Im impressed by your eloquence, class, and presentational skills. Subscribed!
Thanks Zachary. Welcome to five watt world!
I'm super happy to see you shout out to John Cordy here! He's an incredible player and deserves a heck of a lot more views than he gets, I'm glad more folks will get to hear him, thanks to your channel!
John’s doing some great work. I’ve enjoyed getting to know him. Great player as well.
Over lockdown I only had a HX stomp going into the effects return of an old Blackstar HT-5. Having the EQs really helped me get something decent sounding but it did take ALOT of tweaking. Managed to get myself a new job and now I have a Victory V30 and a Two Notes Captor X. Damn I missed a good valve amp!
Also just bought myself a True Fire course with your promo code, can't wait to get stuck into it!
Thanks Emilio.
When I started seeing the HX Stomp and the Strymon Iridium being talked about more as amp in a box style gear, I snooped around. People like Emily at Get Offset regularly use the Iridium for her demos, and Rhett had a good video on "Iridium or Stomp?" That more easily divided camps on who the likely users of each would be, and why. I come from a tech background as well, so I can enjoy some of the knob tweaking and preset sculpting, but my paradigm shift hasn't really pulled me into 'off gear computer editing' yet, but I see the value in that. Prior to this video, I would think "The stomp might be more than I need." but it makes me now think "I might never need many additional things after this. How far could I go before outgrowing it?" And I think the answer is a long way. Thanks for your exploration of this, Keith. I always appreciate your take on some gear that others are presenting differently. It makes me re-evaluate the HX stomp as a more viable future upgrade or migration than I thought of it before watching your video.
The presentation was so well put together I didn't even mind the plug. Bravo!
Hi, Got the Helix Floor 3 years ago and love it , I tried the power cab but was not loud enough on stage for me, I could not find anything that was loud enough, then I ended up with 2 laney ffr112 cabs but now they have gone and im back to Valve (tubes) using a Line 6 DT25 head and cab which works well with the Helix IMO. love the content BTW
I’d like to say Thank you Keith. I added the last piece of my new “do all” pedalboard. Running HX Stomp-RC Booster-Protein-JHS Whitey Tighty and with help of Disaster Area MidiBaby3 and a Two button switch from Simple Switch Effects to add some functions. Couldn’t be happier, keep up the great videos.
This is the reason why i bought an Axe-Fx III, you've got access to all the gear you could hope for and can recreate any tone or create any tone you wish. Another cool video Keith!
The FM3 fills a lot of needs in a small package. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't eyeing those.
@@JeffHendricks they sure do Jeff, you won't be dissapointed if you invested.
Nita Strauss does her solo tours with a Boss GT1000 and AxeFx run straight to house, and there are a LOT of players that do this now.
The advantage Roland/Boss offer is a massive tone print and effects intellectual property catalog in their lowest to their highest end amps, you get access to all of it through Boss Tone Studio.
Off the top of my head, probably only Zoom comes close in having flexible mature platforms in a lot of form factors with a large userbase and extensive IP catalogs of stuff people have liked using.
If you want to go modular, Synergy has licensed most amp cores you'd want to run. I have been debating whether to pull one more engineering project onto my place but the fact that a modular form factor already exists and is shipping is SUPER interesting to a weirdo like me.
One of the ways I have simulated the lack of feedback issue is by using a Digitech Freqout. I use it on momentary mode and it’s been a really nice addition to my board, especially for recording purposes. Additionally, there is a setting to turn off the flashing metronome light if you wanted to keep your tap tempo on one of the first 3 buttons.
What a Sunday treat. Thanks Kieth.
Great episode Keith. Using analog gain stages before the HX Stomp solves any of my remaining issues with it as a substitute for analog pedals. Well done!
Thanks again Bill!
I have an AnalogMan germanium fuzz before the Stomp that works extremely well with the amp models in the Stomp.
You just keep answering all my questions. And again, I glean as much about the gear as I do about the approach to selecting that gear. Being forced to decide what gear to leave behind for a wildfire evacuation was transformative. It all survived, but my approach to it has flipped. Thanks, Keith, for the Zen of FWW.
The modeler comes to 5WW and I have to say, you did it with class and fortitude. I also “fell” into this world recently with an Eleven I picked up on Reverb. Be it already a relic, it really started to open doors for me. Thanks man. Very informative
I absolutely adore my stomp. It lives on my pedal board and love how well it covers so many needs in one box. I have a 2 button foots witch as well and affirm that it really open sup the functionality. I think it can add a lot to nearly any type of player's rig.
Thanks for this video. HX Stomp owner always happy to hear more info. Love the channel!
That moment you realize you would need Keith on the U.S.S. Enterprise...the starship.
genius
I used to be a die hard tube amp guy, and then I had one burn out the power tubes before a gig. That was not fun. So I tried solid state amps. I had been resistant to digital tech and emulation until I picked up a Roland Blues Cube.
Now? I sold all of my amps and bought an Atomic Amps Amplifire 6. It doesn’t have as many amp models or flavors of effects as a Stomp, but the things it does it performs EXTREMELY well. It answered the question to my desire for more amps/cabs/options. It is a critical piece of my board and is set up to where I can grab and go. I see the beauty of this new golden age of gear, and it has allowed me to minimize as well.
This was a fantastic presentation and a really compelling argument both for (and against) this kind of tech. A + work Keith!
This was the most honest and informative youtube gear video i have ever seen. Thank you
Thanks Orry
Great video as always!
I vaguely remember commenting on one of your videos asking what your opinion was of the Stomp - and you said you didn't have it long...
I'm also planning to get a Powercab Plus (once it's in stock locally). Since I haven't been going to rehearsals/gigs for a few months - this will let me start playing with amp models again, since I usually turn off the amp blocks at home and plug into a real amp.
I probably have too many pedals on my pedalboard - but I also like having "real" gain pedals before the Stomp, and other pedals that can do things the Stomp can't. Instead of the 2 switches - I preferred to add an expression pedal. I usually use it as a volume pedal, but sometimes use it to control parameters of other effects.
I recently ran across a pair of Atomic Reactor 112 Tube powered FR cabinets for $300 bucks. Maybe not perfectly flat, but they are nice & warm and now hooked up to my Mac M1 as tube powered monitors. Makes the Plugins come alive in the room better than anything else I have tried. Your video has convinced me I need to invest in an HX or Helix and see if they could replace my gigging rig, cheers!
Great job on this one and thanks so much for the attention and good words for TrueFire. We try our very best at every turn.
One of the best videos on gear I have seen. I have a Helix and absolutely love "trying new things" so it's a good fit for me. The stomp is a much smaller footprint and you overcome some limitations with your pedal board build. It's more than most need. Going to have to check out the power cab. Great video, thank you!
I've had a Helix floor since they first came out and have never regretted the decision to buy. Recently though I wondered if I was missing something by not having a real tube amp. I decided to get a Revv D20 because of its versatility. I wanted to find a way to incorporate it into my Helix and came up with a wet/dry/wet rig by using the 2 notes interface into the Helix by way of a send/return and I simply use the D20 as my amp/cab block. I can put Helix overdrives in front of the D20 but I also have a Zendrive 2 (which sounds wonderful) and a WTF in front of the D20. I put stereo wet effects provided by the Helix after the D20 block and then into a pair of powered FRFR speakers. That's my wet stereo sound. From the D20 speaker output I'm also using a 1x12 Celestion V30 cab. That's my dry. I must say it sounds great and it's really versatile. I'm a hobbyist and only play at home so I don't need to worry about taking this setup out. The great thing about the Line6 stuff is how creative you can get with it.
Thanks Keith! I still have a pod pro from the late 90s that stays in my home studio. maybe it’s time to upgrade😬
I so very much agree with the idea of using modelers to preview analog FX and other gear. I learned this lesson with Guitar Rig 4. The whole modeling industry has greatly improved and gets you much closer to understanding what things sound like and how they go together.
You offer some great advice here for any modeler based rig. Right on!
Regarding feedback, Pete Thorn uses the DigiTech Freqout for feedback on his modeling rig or where he just can't get the volume up.
Old tube amp player here. Great video. I've been thinking about getting one of these too....very good information. Thanks!
I highly recommend running the stomp into a powered PA. I feel that the powered guitar speakers are over priced for what they are. You can buy a 12" 1000watt PA full range speaker for your stomp and get much more use out of it than the powered guitar cab. This is especially useful if you like to play with backing tracks.
Great video Keith. I've be following your channel for a few years now. Totally ascribe to your philosophy about playing more with less. I've tried and actually really enjoyed playing with a digital footprint. But truth be told, there is something magical about a tube amp as well as the craftsmanship in a world increasingly geared towards ease of use and options. To me, tube amps are one of the last connections we have to another era.
I can't disagree gentleman, I have my REVV d20 back out here this morning with that same pedalboard (amp models and cabs turned off). Next up is a Short History of the Klon, so this is a solid couple of weeks of analog for me. I'll do more preset packs in the future. I love the "producer" hat thing that brings out in me, but there are also more tube amps to be played in the future.
Welcome to the club Keith! I'm a father of four, active duty military and a singer/ songwriter/music fanatic. Your channel has been BY FAR THE BEST GUIDE for acquiring the most music with the least amount of gear!!!
Thanks Chris. And thanks for your service, wherever that takes you man.
Very well-thought out video 👌 Shows how well digital emulation is coming along and helping us streamline our gear. Your use of Strandberg is also cool, combining classic tone and modern innovation together.
Been a weekend warrior for about 8 years now. I could never really find "my sound" using Fender, Marshall, Vox...but a Helix LT solved that problem and of course the musician's nightmare of lugging gear (and setting it all up!) Found a combination I love, and created additional blocks for anything I'd ever play, even my acoustics!
Thanks for this one. I own a Fender modelling amp now. Not one of the more refined contemporary ones, but I like it anyway for the office at home and small locations outside. I don't have the vocabulary to describe the sound, except to say "modelling amps sound hollow", there's no punch behind the music. I think this is why your REVV video still appeals to me and why I am still trying to sell a Mesa Boogie .22 caliber and Peavey 30 to get me to "the least gear". I also cannot commit the time required to get me to where I would make up the difference in the hollow versus punch tone in the stomp box. I am waaaayyyy on the north sode of 50 at 60+ and hauling 40+ pounds is just silly. I also never really went nutz with pedals, just a few I really like. Stay safe and well.
Early on, I had a bad experience with a Line 6 amp. It would blow the amp chips of you ever turned the gain up much higher than the volume. Line 6 repaired it the first time, but after that, I was on my own. I had a local shop repair it after another 2 hours of use. (That is when I discovered what was causing the issue.) I started doing the repair myself after that. I even tried replacing the Amp chips with the next bigger ones listed. So, after 6 or 7 times of that. I traded it for a guitar and a Hammond M37. (With full disclosure to the guy who traded me) So I am a bit uneasy about trying a line 6 product even though it sounds as good as this. Thanks Keith for the well done video.
I love that you now have a sponsor
I have an HX Effects, and am considering the HX Stomp; thanks for the informative treatment of it here. A big lure for me, as someone who mainly plays at home, but occasionally needs to bring my sound to a gig, is *Helix Native* (pretty cheap if you have an HX pedal). I can build a tone (with HX Effects for now) just in my computer, and use it for home recording. And when I head to the occasional gig, I can bring that tone with me. By integrating the operation of the pedals and Helix Native, Line 6 has cleverly created a dual-mode system-use it in-the-box or on-the-road, with consistent tone either way. Alas, at the moment I'm really loving S-Gear for in-the-box tone, but I may switch for portability. -Tom
Great video, thank you for making this. I have been waffling back and forth between analog pedals and digital stuff forever. I love the versatility of digital, but I also love the feel of analog gain stages. I already own the power cab plus and I love the speaker models. I’m getting HX stomp to pair it with and adding a Barber Gain Changer in front. I just play in my garage and I play a lot of different styles. This seems like a great solution. Thanks again!
Just ordered an HX Stomp because of this video. Coming from you, as well as Rhett Shull and Rick Beato in the comments, it's much easier to make an informed decision whether to buy a product or not. Thanks for the great content!
Keith... Thank you so much, I just got one 4 weeks ago and Im not looking back... Great video and thanks sharing ...
Do you want to sound like your favorite rig or 50 different rigs? You can do both! For me, I made a couple Line6 patches that mirrored my actual rig to to replicate "my sound", then sold my actual rig (well, I kept a few pedals, but lost the 100w amp head, cab and huge pedal board)! No crazy rabbit hole of endless tweaking. I knew what I was striving for. Bonus, I have tons of options for creating more when I want to go beyond "my sound" or sound like 50 other tones! I do have one small tube amp for appeasing snooty studio engineers and producers, but it's not necessary! Live, I'd rather take the Line6 gear and everyone always digs the tone!
Great review Keith 👍....and you have a great channel here and its very much appreciated so thank you.
Thanks Tim
Keith, another extremely well researched and produced video. Grateful you do the heavy lifting and deliver excellent work. I am 68 and bought so many guitars and amps over the years I could pay cash for a 3 bedroom house in a nice neighborhood. Those days are far in the rear view mirror. These days a single AB-763 based Vintage Sound amp is all I need. I have two pedals. One BOSS RC-1 looper for practice and one electro-harmonix Freeze for practice. Zippo else. I know I exceed the wattage footprint by 17 watts, but I make up for it by using a guitar, guitar chord and amp to play songs. So, in one sense I fly below the 5 watt mantra and in one sense above. Hoping it all average out. All the best.
Hi Rick, I'll bet you don't turn up past 5 watts. So you're a full fledged member of five watt world.
Finally! I've been wanting to slim my pedalboard/direct rig down for a while. Everybody said "Get a Stomp!" and then Boss came out with the GT1000 Core... so, looks like I know what direction I'm going in. As for the speaker, I use an old Fender solid state stereo Chorus. Just plug the modeler into the FX return, and you have a stereo solution. It's not really FRFR, but it "feels" more like an amp than studio monitors.
Keith, keep up the good work! "Just enough" is still enough!
I got a summer job just to get the Stomp, I don't regret it at all, I've been able to use it in many ways, I could play a whole gig with it by itself, at home I pair it with the HD500X in front of it, basically a Helix frankenstein, It sounds insane.
Thanks Keith, great review. I find the key to good sounds from my HX Stomp are some good IRs. They're worth the extra block they take in the signal chain.
Thanks man! Your videos and Rick B's always inspire me to play more. I'm a bassist of almost 30 years and I'm slowly losing function in my hands because of MS, so I've gravitated towards guitar (easier to strum than pluck now). Your vids, Rick's vids, and my teenage son learning guitar help push me to pick up my instruments to continue making noise. Your vids aren't just great history and knowledge, they inspirational to guys like me. Thank you!
You hit right. The HX Stomp without the "amp in the room" is the key. Since I use my Stomp line out to FOH board the amp models with 3rd party IR's has worked fantastic. Unfortunately I too miss that real amp feel on stage. Which I why I am looking into the L6 Powercab 112
This is a fundamentally necessary view for any player beyond the beginner stage. It is capable of: a) teaching you what you will beat your head against for the next 40 years, b) allow you a great chance to understand the impact of choices that you will make before you commit the cash, c) providing you comfort and reassurance while you flail away in the darkness by yourself, and d) point you in reasonable directions for having reliable fun for a good, long time. I chose to avoid numbers because #’s 1-5 were already chosen. Finally, e) it’s an almost guaranteed “Subscription” (five watt world) for access to this cat’s video’s. He is good!
Thanks James! Welcome to five watt world!
Fantastic work, Keith. Such a cool rig! I am so grateful for the extensive work you (and your collaborators) put into your channel. I always learn so much and feel empowered to do more with less. Thank you!
Those champ pictures brought back memories of my first very simple rig back in 1967. A Harmony electric and a Vibro Champ. Makes me appreciate the elegant simplicity.
Amen
The stomp is momentous in its applications. The audiophile quality artifacts are sublime towards any interaction for live, recording, or bed room use.
Great video Keith, I like your approach to using drives to help with the HX amp feel. I use a combination of 2 amp blocks, 2 dual cab blocks, 2 compressors, and the mic preamp model and blend them all together to make my Helix LT sound and feel good, so your solution seems much easier!
I find the stomp incredibly useful, practice rig, computer interface, recording and matching up for a nice strymon board. Also great for feeding synths through
Love your videos. You are very clear and direct in your opinions and provide your reasons why which I appreciate.
Thanks for the info and your time.
I’m a total Metal head but still enjoy your videos , I love tube amps myself ,nothing is like a tube amp growl ,Keep making awesome vids !O yeah I love my HX stomp lol
My Hx Stomp and Quilter. Best Lightest rig ever!
Thanks for another great video. I've been using an Atomic Ampli-Firebox for a while now. I like how the AFB works like an analog pedal/amp but I'm not that happy with the built-in effects so it sits on the end of a pedal board. I similarly found using an analog overdrive in front of the amp modeler greatly improves the sound. Cab simulation is a limitation of the AFB as you have to edit the amp model to change the cab. The Powercab looks like a great solution as you can defeat the cab sim then use the Line 6 unit for cab sims. Great tip. Thanks!
GREAT vid, thanks so much. and I love the rick beato mention and speaker importance. I hope to build a collection of speaker boxes now. 1x10. 1x12/ 2 x 10, 2x12, etc....each paired with dif amps.....
This might be just enough for me to consider finally purchasing one. I've been holding off on it because of the fact that I have a lot of pedals already to make my rig work exactly how I want it, but if this can also do it, I can make a lightweight board with versatility that can be used for various quick response situations.
Chris Buck has said recently that it's important to have something like this ready to go when you're invited to show up at a quick sit in session or gig. That way you don't end up looking like the "make way, here comes my board" kind of player.
The stomp is quickly becoming my favorite piece of gear
As a relatively new comer to 5 watt world, your Gretsch history video is what led me here. I own a 2013 Double Anniversary Gretsch G6117T-HT and though I am not a big fan of my HiloTron pickups I find myself not having the courage to swap them out for FilterTrons! Instead I am trying to chase tones to make it sing. I am one of those guys who stopped playing and wanted an inexpensive single cut so I found a Gretsch G5220 in Aleutian Blue for $500 cdn and for a Strat type I found a Godin Session in Vintage Burst for $550 CDN, both in mint condition! Last will be a Telecaster. I like that you have three rigs. A Rev D-20, a Stomp with the Line6 Cab and your old school boutique amp! I have to choose between these three types of solutions. I am probably gravitating for the D-20 with some pedals but the HX stomp is probably the best bang for the buck to experiment with tones.
The truly extended use of something like an HX Stomp, or any of the Line 6 Helix-type gear, is using the 4-cable method, as it's called, to have the unit handle effects both before the amp as well as in the effects loop. Also, with the Revv D20/G20, as their profiles are also MIDI-selectable, using the MIDI out from the HX really can cut down on not just the number of pedals, but the complexity of switching things on and off, like an overdrive before a channel change, or adding in reverb when going to clean, etc.
And as much as it does most effects great, I don't think I'm ditching my overdrives, either; they really do add that extra something.
The new firmware add 6 more speakers to the powercab plus. I was pleasantly surprise after the update of mine.Tks for your’s videos.
I have been playing just under 2 years. I started out with a Blackstar 20w amp with built-in effects. When I wanted better effects and something a little more versatile, I bought a HX Stomp and Bose SP1. I am very happy with this setup. I don’t think I’ll ever buy another amp.
I just found you. I've been watching Rhett for a while now. You guys make it easy to understand. I am just now beginning to dip my toes into the DSP guitar world. I have been intimidated, but I'm starting to feel pretty good about it. I decided I wanted to try and build a guitar rig that could go straight to the FOH without a guitar amp. I started my research and everything led me to the HX Stomp.
Welcome to five watt world.
Great start to my Sunday Keith. Fascinating FFW episode ! My rig is very simple now. I settled on a PRS custom 24 and a VOX VT40X I have endless fun with just 11 amp models a handful of effects and a few reverbs. Simple just plug in and away I go 😁
Grabbed a Helix floor when they first came out (SN#061, not bad for an Aussie). Loved that into a (HW)AC-15, or even a Yamaha THR 10(C), for living room levels. Had the Powercab 112+ for about 3 months now. I still might get buried with the Vox (& my Casino), but I'm using the Helix/PC+ combo just so much now. The only (external) pedal I use anymore is a Tone Bender, and I'm sure Line 6 will nail it when they get around to modelling the early versions (their updates remain fantastic).
The control and convenience is just so nice.
Best intro in the guitar community. LOVE seeing the tube come to life!
Thanks John!
This video is more pure brilliance. Gave me chills. He is like a kindred tone spirit!!! It is like much of my tone quest work is done for me. Though I prefer tube and analog. Digital has gotten so good it has its place in my life. I mean, still not giving up on my tube amps and drive/fuzz pedals. Or my univibe. But some mod, delay, verb, synth, etc. digital can do. And to play around with sounds that aren’t my core sound. Being a bluesy rock kinda guy
Wow! My rig is very similar. I went with the HX effects and Origin Revival drive instead. My analog drive pedal is a Bogner La Grange. It doubles as a boost with the extra functionality of the boost side working separately from the drive. I also have an expression pedal connected to the La Grange as it allows me to adjust the gain in real time without bending over to adjust the controls. I find the Revival Drive works better for me for my amp sounds, especially with the added boost/ mid controller. All of this going into my Revv D20. Once again bravo for a fantastic video Keith. Great way to start my Sunday.
Nice rig!
I’m seriously considering buying one. Thanks for your input Keith.
Awesome video Keith - I’d like to request a future session with you playing thru your pedal board. That short teaser reminded me how great a musician you are!
You’re too kind Vernon. I’ll go practice and think about that. :)
Great video. Luv your humbleness/modesty in giving others praise where it’s due. I have been a fan and follower of John Cordy for some time now. You have a new follower too now.
Thanks Jim. John is playing the intro and outro on the AC 30 video I’m working on right now. Excellent stuff,