Retrofitting my Variax

[Butch Snyder]

Hi all,

I love my Variax and have read about and seen several instances where someone has successfully fitted the Variax electronics along with the bridge to another guitar. Well, I thought I might try the inverse. I want to install a set of passive pickups to my Variax. It would look something like this...

The body is basswood. For a nice all-around tone, I think I might install a C5 in the bridge position and a 59 in the neck. I think basswood has a warmer tone, so a CC and an A2 Pro might be a bit too warm. What do y'all think?

 

[tone4days]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

good choices for pups - they work well for me ...

is it going to be a major project to rout the wood, cut the pickguard, and find room for controls? ... will you need to rout a new cavity in back too? witha custom back plate for it? YIKES !! ... you must REALLY love that guitar to do all that instead of putting it into a new body with a new neck - all done to your tastes

good luck - have fun - take pics!!

cheers
t4d

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

Well, I believe I can use the same pots and switch. I do believe I need to have a minitoggle to switch between the Variax electronics and the passive...

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

Bump...anyone else?

 

[ranalli]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

The ONLY reason I'd use that guitar is for the electronics it has.....I wish they'd make a retrofit kit for regular guitars actually. That way anyone can have pickup/guitar modeling for the guitar that fits THEIR hands.


But this seems like more trouble than it's worth at least to me.....

 

[aleclee]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

Well, I believe I can use the same pots and switch. I do believe I need to have a minitoggle to switch between the Variax electronics and the passive...

I'm not confident that this is practical. IIRC, the pots and switches are mounted on a PC board so some surgery would be required to get 'em work the way you describe. I also have a niggling feeling that they have a linear taper which would give bad results in a conventional volume control.

I'd suggest consulting the good folks at the Institute of Noise. A number of folks have done Variax transplants and can probably tell you a lot about the viability of retrofitting your guitar.

Best of luck!

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

The ONLY reason I'd use that guitar is for the electronics it has.....I wish they'd make a retrofit kit for regular guitars actually. That way anyone can have pickup/guitar modeling for the guitar that fits THEIR hands.


But this seems like more trouble than it's worth at least to me.....

Like this??

Variax in another body

You do have a point about using the Variax for its electronics though...

I'm not confident that this is practical. IIRC, the pots and switches are mounted on a PC board so some surgery would be required to get 'em work the way you describe. I also have a niggling feeling that they have a linear taper which would give bad results in a conventional volume control.

I'd suggest consulting the good folks at the Institute of Noise. A number of folks have done Variax transplants and can probably tell you a lot about the viability of retrofitting your guitar.

Best of luck!

Yep, they're good guys over there. I'll stop over and post the question there.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

Oh BTW, check out Jeff Miller's Warmouth PRS/Variax project. Insane.....

 

[ranalli]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

Wow, that project really looks damn nice. I thought Warmoth only did bolt-ons though??


Looks like he's got regular and modeled pickups on there??

 

[rinse_master]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

Yeah, I thought warmoth only did bolt on too, also what wood is that body?...

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

OOOPS!!!!

My bad....Jeff did the whole guitar himself. He has done Warmoth projects in the past I believe; but this one was totally done by him.

Check out the whole progress...

PRS/Variax Project

 

[ranalli]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

Wow....that guys work is pretty impressive to be able to do that from scratch!!

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

Wow....that guys work is pretty impressive to be able to do that from scratch!!

Here's another project. He actually gets the necks from a luthier he knows.


PRS/Variax Project #2

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

Adrian Belew mentioned in the latest Guitar Player that he's working with Parker to design a signature Fly model. He wants to included Variax electronics in the Parker guitar. Sounds like there's some negotiating to be done...

 

[SOLO GUITAR STEWIE]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

The ONLY reason I'd use that guitar is for the electronics it has.....I wish they'd make a retrofit kit for regular guitars actually. That way anyone can have pickup/guitar modeling for the guitar that fits THEIR hands.


But this seems like more trouble than it's worth at least to me.....

+1 im not so shure thats a good idea....


chris

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Retrofitting my Variax

+1 im not so shure thats a good idea....


chris

You guys may be right. Maybe I'll laeve well enough alone... It was a cool thought though.