Line 6 Variax modelling guitars

ADP

The 300 is the one to avoid. It's the cheapest feeling of them all. I had one to start off with. It was almost impossible to keep in tune thanks to the cheap tuners. I was impressed enough by the sounds to buy a 600 though. It has exactly the same electronics, but in a much nicer guitar with a tremolo. I really liked it and probably shouldn't have sold it since I bought it for next to nothing, but I go through the occasional clear-out and there are innocent victims at times. I currently have a couple of JTVs and an acoustic 700. If you can find a 500, 600 or 700, they're well worth trying (especially if you get them cheap), but the JTVs and the newer Standards have the more up-to-date, improved hardware.

hubobulous

I used my Tyler Variax at an 'acoustic' gig at the weekend. Some songs used the magnetic pickups, some used the Variax 12 or 6 string acoustic models, one needed a virtual capo at the 3rd fret, another at the 5th fret, (to simply allow me to play open chords rather than barre chords), whilst another needed open tuning.

All controlled through the Helix along with the requisite effects and snapshots. I was awesome.

thegummy

ADP said:

The 300 is the one to avoid. It's the cheapest feeling of them all. I had one to start off with. It was almost impossible to keep in tune thanks to the cheap tuners. I was impressed enough by the sounds to buy a 600 though. It has exactly the same electronics, but in a much nicer guitar with a tremolo. I really liked it and probably shouldn't have sold it since I bought it for next to nothing, but I go through the occasional clear-out and there are innocent victims at times. I currently have a couple of JTVs and an acoustic 700. If you can find a 500, 600 or 700, they're well worth trying (especially if you get them cheap), but the JTVs and the newer Standards have the more up-to-date, improved hardware.

I read this and think that if the Variax really can give convincing clones of the sound of all the different pickup types etc. then what would be the point of buying any other guitars on top of it?

To me, the reason to buy more than one guitar is surely just to get the tone of, for example, humbuckers when the guitar you have is single coil etc. So if one guitar could get all the different tones, I don't know what the point of buying more would be.

Maybe for some people, buying extra guitars isn't about getting additional sound options? Would be interesting to find out what other reasons there are.

scrumhalf

I'm seriously considering getting a JTV59 and flogging a few lesser-used guitars to make room for it. I missed one that was for sale on here a couple of weeks ago.

Are they really that heavy?

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

scrumhalf said:

I'm seriously considering getting a JTV59 and flogging a few lesser-used guitars to make room for it. I missed one that was for sale on here a couple of weeks ago.

Are they really that heavy?

I never weighed mine, but in terms of weight it felt similar to an 80s Les Paul Custom I had a play with once. As a totally non-scientific guesstimate I'd say at least 10lbs.

TeleMaster

I had one and a old it shortly after. I felt the quality wasn’t up to par with my normal guitars and just found myself not wanting to play it. I felt it was quantity over quality, but that’s not to say you can’t do a lot with one. 

darrenp

Maybe off at a slight tangent, but I gig in a Country/Rock band that requires me to play 6 and 12 string acoustic parts, plus banjo, in standard and Eb tunings. I do all of this with a Variax 700 Acoustic and couldn't be happier with its operation or sound.

impmann

ADP said:

The 300 is the one to avoid. It's the cheapest feeling of them all. I had one to start off with. It was almost impossible to keep in tune thanks to the cheap tuners. I was impressed enough by the sounds to buy a 600 though. It has exactly the same electronics, but in a much nicer guitar with a tremolo. I really liked it and probably shouldn't have sold it since I bought it for next to nothing, but I go through the occasional clear-out and there are innocent victims at times. I currently have a couple of JTVs and an acoustic 700. If you can find a 500, 600 or 700, they're well worth trying (especially if you get them cheap), but the JTVs and the newer Standards have the more up-to-date, improved hardware.

I’m going to blow your mind...

The machine heads on the 300 were the same part number on the 600. Same manufacturer, same everything.

Ive said it before, but tuning problems are *very* rarely the machine heads but more likely the nut. 

Sassafras

Doesn't Mr The Edge use one in his stage set-up?

StanleyAccrington

I think The Edge uses a 700.  No way can I afford one of these. Let's see how the 300 performs tomorrow.

ADP

impmann said:

ADP said:

The 300 is the one to avoid. It's the cheapest feeling of them all. I had one to start off with. It was almost impossible to keep in tune thanks to the cheap tuners. I was impressed enough by the sounds to buy a 600 though. It has exactly the same electronics, but in a much nicer guitar with a tremolo. I really liked it and probably shouldn't have sold it since I bought it for next to nothing, but I go through the occasional clear-out and there are innocent victims at times. I currently have a couple of JTVs and an acoustic 700. If you can find a 500, 600 or 700, they're well worth trying (especially if you get them cheap), but the JTVs and the newer Standards have the more up-to-date, improved hardware.

I’m going to blow your mind...

The machine heads on the 300 were the same part number on the 600. Same manufacturer, same everything.

Ive said it before, but tuning problems are *very* rarely the machine heads but more likely the nut. 

Consider my mind blown. I put locking tuners and a Graph Tech Tusq nut on my 600 though but thought that any tuning instability was due of the tremolo. Once I replaced those, the guitar stayed in tune perfectly even when misusing the tremolo.

Admittedly, most tuners are serviceable. I just found that I only had to look at the 300 and it would go out of tune.

duotone

I’ve had a black 300 model a year or so after they were released.  Got it set with a pretty low action & no tuning issues to report. I think I paid £300 for it brand new from memory.

axisus

I still think that there would be a market if they just sold you the gubbins. Forget the guitar, let us have the electronics!

thegummy

axisus said:

I still think that there would be a market if they just sold you the gubbins. Forget the guitar, let us have the electronics!

If that was available and really did sound like all the different pickups etc. I'd get it without question and sell all my electric guitars but one.