MATCH EF86 – Line 6 Helix Patch

IMPORTANT NOTES

1. UPDATE YOUR FIRMWARE: Please upgrade the firmware on your Helix and the HX Edit software from Line 6 to the latest before installing this patch. Even if your Helix is up to date, the ‘HX Edit’ app needs to be updated as well. If you get an error importing a patch, the problem is most likely outdated firmware on your Helix/HX Edit.

2. IR CABS INCLUDED: This download includes a premium IR cab from our Match G12H30 pack. We matched this specific IR to this amp, but feel free to experiment with other IR’s for different tonal options. We’ve also included a stock cab version of the patch, but we urge to try the IR – it really does sound better – and it’s included for free :).

Here is the IR included:

• WT Match G12H30 121+SR25 (top row)

With Firmware 2.90, Helix should recall the IR based on its name rather than slot number, so it shouldn’t matter which slot you import the IR into.

PATCHES

This download includes two patches as well as the IR cabs. The patches are:

• MATCH EF86 WT SC – This patch uses the IR cabs and is meant for guitars with single coils or low output humbuckers
• MATCH EF86 WT HB – This patch uses the IR cabs and is meant for guitars with more traditionally voiced humbuckers
• MATCH EF86 WT – This patch uses stock Helix cabs rather than IR’s (uses the single coil settings)

HOW TO IMPORT THIS PATCH AND IR

1. Connect your Helix to your computer using a USB Cable
2. Download and instal the ‘HX Edit’ app from Line 6
3. In the ‘HX Edit’ app, drag and drop the patch into a slot in the ‘PRESETS’ column
4. To import an IR, switch to the ‘IMPULSES’ column (next to the PRESETS column), and drag & drop the IR into the an open slot.
5. PLEASE NOTE: If you do not have the IR loaded into the ‘IMPULSES’ column, the patch will not sound correct, even if you have the IR block on – you must drag and drop the IR into the IMPULSES column.

SIGNAL FLOW AND EFFECTS

1. Input
2. Deluxe Comp
3. Dual Pitch – not mapped (used in snapshots)
4. Heir Apparent – KOT – mapped to a switch labeled ‘KOT Yellow’
5. Heir Apparent – KOT (higher gain) – mapped to a switch labeled ‘KOT Red’
6. Scream 808 – not mapped
7. Volume (log curve) – mapped to EXP 2
8. Amp – Matchstick Ch2
9. Cabs/IR – see above for IR info
10. Cali Q EQ – Always on EQ – Use this EQ to make tonal tweaks for your guitar/setup. These controls will affect your tone differently than the amp controls.
11. Retro Reel – mapped to a switch labeled ‘RetroReel’
12. Harmonic Trem – mapped to a switch labeled ‘HarmTrem’
13. Transistor Tape delay – 1/4 – mapped to switch labeled 1/4 DLY’
14. Adriatic Delay – dotted 1/8 Delay – mapped to a switch labeled ‘1/8d Adri’
15. Dual Delay – Dual Delay (1/8d + 1/8) – mapped to switch labeled ‘Dual ST DLY’
16. Plate Verb – subtle reverb – mapped to a switch labeled ‘Plate Verb’
17. Dynamic Hall Verb – ambient reverb – mapped to a switch labeled ‘Dyn Hall Big’
18. Output

AMP GAIN BUTTON

We have mapped the ‘Drive’ parameter of the amp block to a button labeled ‘AMP GAIN’. Pressing this button will turn the gain up (and the bass down a bit). This gives you a pure amp overdrive, which sounds awesome. You can stack this with the drive pedals for big drive sounds.

USAGE

This patch is meant to be used in either stompbox or snapshot mode. We recommend setting up your Helix to use all ten stomps (stompbox mode) or all eight snapshots (snapshot mode). The Helix LT does not allow 10-button stomp mode, so you’ll have to re-arrange the button assignments to suite your preferences.

STEREO:

Everything after the amp block runs in stereo. If you are able to run stereo, the wet effects will sound bigger and better. If you only use the L/Mono output of the Helix, everything will be summed to mono automatically. NOTE: Do not use just the Right output of the helix – some of the delays will not be audible if you do this.

SNAPSHOTS:

There are eight snapshots included in this patch to get different sounds (all patches feature the same snapshots).

They are:

• Snapshot 1: CLEAN. This is the base clean tone with delay.
• Snapshot 2: DRIVE. Light overdrive.
• Snapshot 3: DRIVE +: Bigger overdrive
• Snapshot 4: P&W LEAD – Lead tone with lots of reverb and delay
• Snapshot 5: CLEAN AMBI – Clean tone with big reverb.
• Snapshot 6: MOD’d OUT – Clean tone retro reel and trem
• Snapshot 7: POG LEAD: Lead tone with pitch
• Snapshot 8: SWELLS – this uses the ‘Swells’ stomp button plus more verb and delay.

MAKING ADJUSTMENTS FOR YOUR SETUP

SETTING THE PATCH UP FOR YOUR GUITAR

All guitars are different, so you may want to make changes to suite your playing style and guitar. We set this up with a variety of guitars, including both single coils and humbuckers (primarily a Telecaster style guitar). If your guitar has humbuckers, please refer to the suggested settings below.

We recommend making a copy of the patch and changing the copy just in case you want to revert back to the original. 

We’ve included both single coil and humbucker voiced patches to serve as starting points for your guitars. To make adjustments, we recommend starting with these parameters:

• Amp Gain: Adjust the min/max values of the amp gain so that your guitar is slightly breaking up with big chords on the bridge position (without any drive pedals on)
• Amp EQ controls: Adjust these to suite your individual guitars/taste
• Cali Q Graphic EQ block: This is a simple way to adjust the overall tonal characteristics of the patch.

VOLUME CHANGES

If you would like to make this patch louder or quieter without affecting tone, the following adjustments can be made:

“Ch Vol” control on the amp module. This will increase or decrease volume without affecting the tone of the amp. This is the primary level adjustment tool I use for changing patch volumes.

Output block level. Changing the level control on the output block (the very last thing in the signal chain) will increase or decrease overall volume. We typically have this set at zero, but feel free to adjust this as you see fit.

CHANGELOG

Initial Release (1.0): 2021-11-22