Line 6 HX Stomp Settings Guide
The HX Stomp puts the full Helix amp library in a compact 6-block unit. Studio-quality DSP modelling of 300+ amp models and 250+ effects. Common use: 2–3 blocks of amp+cab, remainder for effects.
Used by: Eric Johnson-style approach, Pete Thorn approach, Andy Timmons
The best Line 6 HX Stomp settings start with: Amp Gain at 5/10, Amp Bass at 5/10, Amp Mid at 6/10, Amp Treble at 5/10, Amp Presence at 5/10, Amp Master at 6/10. Adjust from there based on your amp, guitar, and room volume. For Blues: Amp Gain 4/10, Amp Bass 5/10, Amp Mid 7/10, Amp Treble 5/10, Amp Presence 4/10, Amp Master 7/10.
⚡ Start Here — Recommended Settings
| Control | Starting Position | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Amp Gain | 5/10 | Clean → Saturated |
| Amp Bass | 5/10 | Thin → Heavy |
| Amp Mid | 6/10 | Scooped → Honky |
| Amp Treble | 5/10 | Dark → Bright |
| Amp Presence | 5/10 | Smooth → Aggressive |
| Amp Master | 6/10 | Low → Driven |
These are universal starting points. Adjust based on your amp, guitar, and room. Scroll down for genre-specific settings and artist-documented positions.
What Each Control Does
Recommended Starting Settings
Safe starting positions for any style. Adjust from here based on your amp and room.
All values on a 0–10 scale. These are starting points — fine-tune by ear.
Settings by Genre
Use Fender Deluxe Reverb or Twin Reverb model. Mid-pushed, low gain. Drive the Master high so the virtual power amp provides saturation. Add a TS808 block before the amp for extra push.
Plexi (Super Lead) or JCM800 model. Moderate settings across the board. The Presence knob makes the difference between warm rock and aggressive classic rock character.
Mesa Dual Rectifier or Friedman BE-100 model. High Gain and Presence. Add a Noise Gate block (pre-amp, threshold -40dB). Keep Mid at 5 to avoid mud — the amp's natural voicing handles the metal character.
Vox AC30 TB or Matchless DC30 model. Very low Gain, high Master for virtual power amp saturation. The Vox models break up naturally with pick attack at these settings.
Fender BF Deluxe or BF Twin model at low Gain. High Master for clean headroom with natural power amp warmth. Bright Treble for Telecaster sparkle. Add a compression block (Kinky Comp or 3-Band Comp) before the amp. Pair with a TS808 block at drive 0 and high level for the Nashville boosted-clean pushed tone.
Artist Settings
Documented settings used by professional guitarists on this unit.
Clean Fender model (BF Deluxe or Twin), mid-pushed, low-to-moderate gain with high Master. This replicates the clean-to-breakup response of a cranked vintage Fender. Pair with a TS808 or Klon block in front.
Thorn (Line 6 artist) uses the HX Stomp for direct recording. British crunch model, balanced settings — he notes that mid-range EQ is the most important variable for mix-ready direct tones.
Timmons (melodic rock guitarist, Line 6 artist) uses the HX Stomp for direct recording and stage use. His approach: a warm, mid-forward crunch model based on British amp characters at conservative Gain settings — the warmth comes from the amp model choice and Mid emphasis, not gain amount. He runs the HX Stomp into an FRFR speaker for a consistent live tone.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- For direct recording: always use the Cab IR block with a quality IR (stock 1024 cab IRs are excellent). The cab IR is as important as the amp model.
- Running through a real guitar cab: bypass the cab IR block completely. The cab models assume a flat/FRFR playback system.
- The HX Stomp can run as a guitar interface (USB audio) — 6 blocks of processing + direct monitoring = a complete DAW-free recording setup.
- The Gain knob interacts with Master: low Gain + high Master = power amp saturation (British feel). High Gain + low Master = preamp saturation (American feel).
- Limit to 4 blocks maximum if CPU usage becomes a concern. The DSP limit shows as a warning when the chain is too complex.
- Most amp models have a "Bright" switch parameter hidden in the model's expanded controls — check this before adjusting Treble, as Bright on/off changes the tonal character dramatically.
- Use the Snapshot feature (three snapshots per preset) to store clean, rhythm, and lead variations within one preset — switch between them without changing the full preset. This keeps the effects chain consistent while adjusting amp gain and effect levels across song sections.
- The HX Stomp can feed a real guitar cabinet through a power amp — connect the XLR outputs to a stereo power amp and bypass the cab IR block. This gives you FRFR tone at home and real cab tone live without rebuilding your presets.
FAQ
Line 6 HX Stomp — Common Questions
Best starting settings for Line 6 HX Stomp: Amp Gain at 5/10, Amp Bass at 5/10, Amp Mid at 6/10, Amp Treble at 5/10, Amp Presence at 5/10, Amp Master at 6/10. Adjust from there based on your guitar, room, and playing style.
For Blues: Amp Gain 4/10, Amp Bass 5/10, Amp Mid 7/10, Amp Treble 5/10, Amp Presence 4/10, Amp Master 7/10. Use Fender Deluxe Reverb or Twin Reverb model. Mid-pushed, low gain. Drive the Master high so the virtual power amp provides saturation. Add a TS808 block before the amp for extra push.
For Rock: Amp Gain 6/10, Amp Bass 5/10, Amp Mid 6/10, Amp Treble 6/10, Amp Presence 6/10, Amp Master 6/10. Plexi (Super Lead) or JCM800 model. Moderate settings across the board. The Presence knob makes the difference between warm rock and aggressive classic rock character.
Input Impedance: Auto-sets impedance based on the first block in chain. Leave on Auto for most use. (1MΩ Auto to Custom). Amp Gain: Drive within the selected amp model. Same behaviour as the physical amp's gain knob. (Clean to Saturated). Amp Bass: Low-frequency character within the amp model. Affects preamp response. (Thin to Heavy). Amp Mid: Midrange presence. Most critical for mix cut-through. Never fully scoop. (Scooped to Honky). Amp Treble: Clarity and articulation. Pair with Presence for full high-end control. (Dark to Bright). Amp Presence: Power amp upper-mid resonance. The most underused but most impactful control. (Smooth to Aggressive). Amp Master: Virtual power amp saturation. Higher = more compression and bloom from the modelled power tubes. (Low to Driven). Cab IR: Cabinet impulse response. For FRFR/direct: always on. Through a real guitar cab: bypass. (Off to Custom). Output Level: Global output. Set to match your interface or mixer input level. (Low to Unity)
For direct recording: always use the Cab IR block with a quality IR (stock 1024 cab IRs are excellent). The cab IR is as important as the amp model. Running through a real guitar cab: bypass the cab IR block completely. The cab models assume a flat/FRFR playback system. The HX Stomp can run as a guitar interface (USB audio) — 6 blocks of processing + direct monitoring = a complete DAW-free recording setup. The Gain knob interacts with Master: low Gain + high Master = power amp saturation (British feel). High Gain + low Master = preamp saturation (American feel). Limit to 4 blocks maximum if CPU usage becomes a concern. The DSP limit shows as a warning when the chain is too complex. Most amp models have a "Bright" switch parameter hidden in the model's expanded controls — check this before adjusting Treble, as Bright on/off changes the tonal character dramatically. Use the Snapshot feature (three snapshots per preset) to store clean, rhythm, and lead variations within one preset — switch between them without changing the full preset. This keeps the effects chain consistent while adjusting amp gain and effect levels across song sections. The HX Stomp can feed a real guitar cabinet through a power amp — connect the XLR outputs to a stereo power amp and bypass the cab IR block. This gives you FRFR tone at home and real cab tone live without rebuilding your presets.
Eric Johnson-style approach settings: Amp Gain 4/10, Amp Bass 5/10, Amp Mid 7/10, Amp Treble 5/10, Amp Presence 5/10, Amp Master 7/10. Clean Fender model (BF Deluxe or Twin), mid-pushed, low-to-moderate gain with high Master. This replicates the clean-to-breakup response of a cranked vintage Fender. Pair with a TS808 or Klon block in front.
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