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Yes i I work for the company and get paid to champion any or all of our gear but I don’t get paid to use them in my personal time but I do. There are a couple of artists I work with that have songs in the set that I just couldn’t get through without a Variax.
I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.
The guitar was good and the modelled sounds excellent, but I found I was tinkering with sounds rather than playing the damn thing! Especially when I combined it with a HD500 multiFX pedal.
I had issues with the virtual tuning options- I was getting sound bleed, but heavier strings, tweaking the bridge & a bit more volume fixed it.
There's a virtually unlimited array of options- guitar, pickups, tunings, effects, amps, speakers... I think I just got bewildered- I'm sure someone else could get exactly what they wanted out of it.
Overall I can't fault the guitar at all. The software is excellent too. it just wasn't for me.
I eventually sold mine & went back to my Telecaster.
I posted a thread here:
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/156913/nmgd-variax-standard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axQCWkBCN-s
The demo is a bit metal, bit it shows the versatility of the tech, especially with a Helix.
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOrWjCp0KjU
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
Gimmick?
No. Its a very clever system that gives you a plethora of sounds you wouldn't be able to get from one instrument normally.
Does it suit everyone?
No. There are plenty of folks who will bemoan that it doesn't sound *exactly* like this guitar or that guitar, and some will bemoan limitations of the tech (especially the early stuff). But honestly, its pretty close and pretty good - so much so that highly respected guitarists still use them for certain things (such as Steve Howe from Yes/Asia). Enjoy the instruments for what they are and enjoy the variety of different sounds you can get.
I wouldn't ask for opinions on a forum like this - go and try one for yourself and make you own mind up.
For me, it's not fit for gigging.
I did have a standard for a bit but found the neck a bit narrow feeling at the nut, otherwise decent enough.
The modelling does work and is useable but I have trouble with the alt tunings, as a caveat I don't play at any sort of volume any more and most often play using open back headphones so it's probably just the acoustic sound of the strings blending in that causes the issue.
Layering the modelled tones with the magnetic pickups on separate signal paths is very satisfying.
The modelling stuff really was pretty genius, definitely not just a gimmick.
Only reason I sold it was because I went through a period of only ever using the Strat models in the software, and eventually gave in to some serious Strat GAS and needed the funds to purchase a nice Fender.
I do sometimes regret selling it, especially now that I have an HX Stomp as I've heard they pair really well. If I could have afforded to keep it I definitely would have done, but alas I'm a one in one out kinda guy.
I'd heartily recommend one if you're interested in them, though only word of warning would be that the Les Paul style model did weigh a ton!
For not much more than the price of a normal pacifica you get a lot of toys to play with. There were several settings that were great, including the jazz guitars and especially the semis'. Some settings did not really grab my attention as much. I did not like the 12 string.
It is also a pretty good instrument with everything switched off and just running it as a standard guitar.
I don't usually use alternate tuning, so that was a bit lost on me.
Overall I thought it was very good. But I'm not rushing out to buy one.
If they sold the electronics that does the modelling as a kit that could be installed on any guitar, maybe they would take over in the way that amp modelling has.
Unless the modelling is done based on knowing exactly what guitar it's in which would obviously void my idea.
I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.