Line 6 Variax guitars?

[Mr 9finger]

Anyone gotten the chance to play one of them? I think it's a kind of cool concept and from the clips I've heard the sound pretty good. I'd prolly just buy the guitar for it's guts and have it transplanted etc.....

 

[Mincer]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

I owened the 500 electric and the 700 acoustic...the electric was great, i just didnt like the guitar. the acoustic was awesome, but i eneded up selling it- i needed a new transmission. it is really worth it for the alternate tunings- much better than the fender VG model. I will own the acoustic model again somedaym but rumor has it they are working on the 2nd generation.

 

[shadow666]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

I don't get the point of them. Modelling amps I can understand, but guitars?

 

[supernosher]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

I have played one through a Dumble (combo, the one that Robben Ford plays but he has a head version) and they are ***? cool! I wish there was a way to add that feature to any guitar because I don't like the look of the variax, and I would rather be able to pick the neck dimensions and frets, tuners, etc.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

I own a Variax 700.
The wood work is absolutelly perfect. The 700 are made at the Fujiyen factory (same factory that makes the Ibanez prestige guitars). The 300 and 600 aren't (I think they are made in China).
The fret work, inlays and neck are also perfect. In fact, this is the best neck I own. Really easy to play (between LP and Strato), with low C profile. It seems like a PRS neck but, with lower back profile, probably similar to an Ibanez Wizard neck.

And then, the sound...

It modeles pretty well some mythic guitars (I specially like the LP '59 sound, that remembers me the Jimmy Page's guitar).
If you play her alone, you get the feeling but, there is something at the end of the sound that is clearly digital, specially when bending and so on.
For recording, the difference between analog guitars (regular guitars) and digital guitars is still greater so, it isn't very useful for this application.

Despite of all this, it's an amazing toy. With the Variax Workbench, you can modelate any kind of guitar, including pickup types, pickup rotation, pickup height, pickup distances, pot's tappers (100, 250, 330, 500, etc), caps, etc, etc.
You can also modelate diferent woods for body, neck and fretboard.
So, it's a nice tool to explore what kind of sound are you looking for BEFORE expend a lot of money in several guitars, pickups, pots, etc.

Another really interesting option is the capacity to create and store any kind of tuning with any kind of guitar (including banjos, sitars, dobros, etc). You recall the tuning without having to touch the standard tuning.
But, be sure to be plugged and with the volume high because you hear what you pick in standard tunning (unplugged). So, you better do that with headphones or at really high volumes, to avoid hearing the standard tune and the altered tune at same time.

12 string sounds just suck. They are achieved with some kind of digital chorus and duplicating the original sound with a pitch shift (one octave higher or lower, anyway, you can really choose any other pitch for each string).

Accoustic guitars aren't really good modeled. The 12-strings ones, sound sometimes good and sometimes really bad, as explained above.
Accoustic guitars also need a separate amp,an accoustics one.

One of the star sounds of this guitar is the sitar. This one modelates really well an electric sitar and this is one is really easy to record in a mix.

IMHO, it can do pretty well the job for jams, even for live performances but, for recording you better get the original guitar.

What is really interesting is that you can create YOUR OWN guitar, you can deviate from any standard and create your own sound.

I would recommend you go for a 500 (has exactly same electronics than the 700 and it's cheaper).
If you are between a 300 and a 600 go for the 300. Probably, bad finishing (try several at your store) but, since you are modeling, the cheap wood really don't affects your tone.
I choosed the 700 just because was the beautifulest and playabelest but, I sincerly think that it's overpriced (same price than a Fender Deluxe HSS Stratocaster).

Some other people get's the 300 and 'transplants' the electronics to other standard guitar (LP, Strato, Tele). IMHO, this doesn't worth the money neither the effort.

Thanks for the review bro. I was looking at them as a jam/experimental type guitar anyway. They have a lot of cool features, especially if you're plugging into a POD XT or Flextone head. I think the only model they offer in lefty is the 500 and those are scarce. But I will keep my opens for one and might grab one if I have the cash when one comes available.

 

[che_guitarra]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

I've done the Variax rounds myself... they're a great guitar for what they can do - they sound great, acoustic models are a plus, easy to play, so too being able to customize tunings and make mongrel guitars via your computer.


I'm a resident producer at a local studio, play in bands on the side, have been playing guitar 15 years, and have amassed a bit of Line 6 gear over the years, from a Variax Bass, a Flextone XL III amp, Gearbox plug-in, some stomp box also....

But, after owning a Variax 500 guitar for around 5 years i've recently sold it and can't say I miss it. I'm also replacing my L6 amp next for a MesaBoogie Lone Star (mmm...).

I've come to realize there's no substitute for the real thing - i've had the chance to A / B many amps and guitars with Line 6's equivilent, and with the real deal there's always just more life, vitality and uncertainty to the tone.

The Variax models guitars very cleverly and well - but not perfectly. It has no personality at all, and I also find all the variety distracts you somewhat in a quest for a good tone.

I think in the end the feel of the Variax put me off it - it's quite cheaply made and finished. Next time you're at a music shop check out the quality of workmanship on a Les Paul - the difference is night and day.

Speaking of quality - this is not a high energy live performers guitar... the piezo elements break quite easily, and something is always askew. I've even had to replace some circuit board when it slid over from leaning against the wall. I eventually sold it on Ebay and it broke again in transit!


So in summary - it was good for a while, but the novelty wears off and there's nothing like the real thing.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

Next time you're at a music shop check out the quality of workmanship on a Les Paul....

Probably not the best choice for a comparison

I'm really intrigued by the Variax, too. I am not the guy who's going "This sub-$1000 device doesn't duplicate the tone of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stuff perfectly, so it sucks". Rather, I hear lots of different cool tones that will keep me having fun way longer than the one or two you get from most amps.

Given how much fun I'm having with the Guitar Port, I can't imagine pairing it up with a Variax.... how cool would it be if they added a pickup model package someday?

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

I wish there was a way to add that feature to any guitar

Lots and lots of people have transplanted the guts of a Variax into other guitars.

If you have six individual piezo saddles, you have the appropriate input for the Variax brain.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

yeah i'm pretty sure warmoth sells the variax guts on their site...might wanna look into that.

if it was possible to have a Fat Strat with a switch to activate some Variax things it might be cool, but that'd be a mostly hollow guitar wouldn't it? haha..

 

[darnright]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

I found a 600 at the local "Music-Go-'Round" in Louisville. Got it for $200, needed batteries...they thought it just didn't work. Put batteries in it and it sounds pretty good. I need to change it back to original settings, but you need some special programmer to do that. Don't like that idea. I loaned to a buddy and he still has it...I don't really miss it.

FWIW...-dave

 

[Mincer]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

i will say the pitch transposition on the acoustic variax rocks...it is very convincing, and it is awesome to change tunings (and to a 12 string) at the turn of a knob. I will get another one day.

 

[supernosher]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

Lots and lots of people have transplanted the guts of a Variax into other guitars.

If you have six individual piezo saddles, you have the appropriate input for the Variax brain.

See... I never did any research about the variax.: private:

 

[leevc5]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

Stale info here.
Does anyone have experience with Variax? How would you rate it and/or provide a mini review?
Thanks.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

Well, I ended up buying another Acoustic version- still have it, and it still rocks. I owned 2 electric versions (the older ones), and didin't like the guitar they came in. I hear the new ones are much better, but there are some QC issues that some people are having with them (the guitars, not the modeling). The modeling is good, and the software to control it is really cool, too.

 

[leevc5]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

Thank you. Can you install the system in another guitar?

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

Thank you. Can you install the system in another guitar?

I've seen it done before.

 

[teleblooz]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

I resurrected an unloved 300 model a few years. It had been played hard and put away wet. Literally...the metal parts were rusted, batteries in pack leaking and foaming. It was the second dirtiest guitar I actually made a trade for.

After some scrubbing, cleaning and TLC, I had a blast with it. I used it for half dozen worship services, so got a good idea of how it works in a live setting. It was great fun, but sold it.

Now, a week or so ago I stopped by one of my pawn shop haunts. As I was perusing the guitar rack too see if anything interesting had come in, I spotted two Variax guitars on the wall. They had been there for a few months, (a nice 700 series in trans-blue and an equally nice green 600 series) so knowing what they were marked at, ($799 for the 700 and $699 for the 600) I wasn't interested. When I got closer, I saw both were marked with 'Buy It Now' - 'No Tax'. The 600 series was $399 and the 700 was marked at $202!

So, I put it on layaway. It looks brand new...like it's never been played. The bad thing is it does not have the cable and other goodies...like the 300 I had, just the guitar and inside battery pack.

So, is that a good deal considering it's without the cables? I can back out of it, (or move the down payment to something else!) but thinking if the price is good, I can turn it fast and make a few bucks while giving someone a deal. Just not sure what the going rate on these are.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Line 6 Variax guitars?

Well, Adrian Belew had Parker do it in his signature. I would assume it is a mess to do. There are people on Line6 forums who have done it though and are a lot braver than I am. If you do it, I would consider the more modern Variaxes (Yamaha-era) rather than the 500, 300, 700 ones from awhile ago. The more modern ones are designed to work with a passive pickup system better.
You might also look at a Roland GP-10, which does the Variax thing externally, using whatever guitar you want.