Line 6 Variax information.

[DeathMetalRob]

Before advice about checking the website comes at me, this isn't about buying one or 'what does a Variax do?' question.

I bought one. Then took the insides out.

I have a spare guitar that was left to me by an uncle - just a 'cheap piece of rough strat'.

I have four active humbuckers going in it and the Line 6 circuitry.

I want other Line 6 circuitry too - this is going to be a guitar of (with any luck) MANY tones and variations.

What I want to know is, how can one put the Variax systems together, add own electronics, and make it work with active pickups.

My budget isn't exactly grandiose, nor is it particularly limited but, I'm not about to give it to some electro-whizz to do when it's something I could do myself.

If anyone on here has or does own a Line 6 guitar/bass/acoustic and has done a transplant (I know there are websites but, they give little specifics as to how they can make this go with other electronics) might be able to give me some good advice (don't do it is NOT good advice), I'd be very grateful.

Circuit diagrams, places to get them, guitar electronics stateside or maybe Japan that do custom stuff for a decent price would be great.

Also, how to fix it effectively to a Floyd Rose

I hope some of you can help me.

 

[Arkitkt]

Re: Line 6 Variax information.

Wow, that's a pretty big project you're getting yourself into.

There's a website called "Instituteofnoise.com" where this issue was discussed in depth. It is still up, but most of the images in the forum posts have expired, so it may have lost some of its usefulness.

There used to be some websites by guys who did what you are planning to do (a guy named Jeff Miller did some amazing conversions a while back, also a guy who goes by "midirose" on other forums).
Unfortunately, none of their sites are up anymore.

A few things I remember:
- The 5-way switch can be used for both the magnetic PUs and the Variax circuitry, they just soldered connections to both sides of the switch.
- the pots can be combined in order to have just 3 pots for both Variax and magnetic PUs. The one guy manufactured his own Pots to achieve that. (a user named "Bechti" on instituteofnoise.com) There is also a guy who makes custom Pots, don't remember the name though (I actually think he was in Germany)
- The way to get the whole thing combined with a Floyd Rose is (as far as I remember) to replace the saddles of a Floyd Rose with Graph Tech Ghost saddles and solder those to the Variax circuitry instead of the piezo inserts in the usual L.R.Baggs bridge.

I'll post more if I can think of it. Hope this helps a little for now.

Good luck (and post the results)

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Line 6 Variax information.

I know a music pastor who swapped pickups in his Line 6 Variax and was most pleased with the results. Might be a big task but I think you will be pleased with the results.

 

[Silver]

Re: Line 6 Variax information.

Just use the Graphtech ghost saddles for the floyd.

Is it one of the newer (James Tyler) variax guitars? If so then it should all be wired to use normal pickups already, and I doubt actives would be much of a stretch from there. If it's one of the older ones, then I have no idea how i'd go about it but for sure there are a lot of websites by guys who've done that exact same thing.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Line 6 Variax information.

I have no idea, but good luck with that project.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Line 6 Variax information.

You have four active humbuckers going in this?

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Line 6 Variax information.

Four?

 

[DeathMetalRob]

Re: Line 6 Variax information.

Sounds like good information gentlemen, thank you.

Yes, I'm after as great a range of tones as one can have ONboard for those who, for whatever reason, need/want more than one tone and tuning (or guitar), don't want to/can't take more than one guitar out with them, don't want to use a load of effects or simply can't settle on one tone to have as close to all variations as possible.

All switchable so, that any circuit can be selected actively. Active pickups (yes, FOUR of them) and a piezo bridge from GraphTech Ghost Hexpander.

In theory, any kind of guitar you could wish to have the tone for should be in this guitar. And with a tuning circuit similar to Fender/Roland's VG strat, all tuning ought to be covered as well. Unless you play something different altogether but, even so, mix it up.

It would mean that if you chose to, you could turn a dial and get a '50s strat from the Line 6, select Drop D from the VG, then turn the tuning knob down to B (as it's reading the signal FROM the Line 6 the low string would be read as A) and you get Drop A tuning.

And you could do that using a regular set of .009s or whatever you choice gauge of strings is.

NOTE - in THEORY.

The guitar it's going in is an old Strat with 21 frets which I have scalloped pretty deeply. The neck is 14.5mm thick and it FLIES for speed. Greased lightning on Red Bull (other brands are available) is comparatively sluggish. Like playing a piece of 4x2.

The Line 6 guitar is now what I can only call a V500 - seeing as it's name has literally been taken away from it - and has a Seymour Duncan '78/'59 Hybrid in it and sounds amazing.

 

[Diego]

Re: Line 6 Variax information.

Gotta have balls to gut a Variax.
Nothing to add really, good luck with the project man.