http://line6.com/variaxWo...intro.html


I really want a new guitar for Xmas...looking for a more funkier sound (than an epiphone les paul), and have narrowed it down to:

the new Godin Exit 22
'52 Fender Tele reissue
'62 Fender Tele Custom reissue


and now after reading about this workbench mallarky, maaaaan, I'm interested to see how powerful it is! I'm gonna start looking around the shops this Winter to see if they have any to test.

just get a cheap tele copy and splash out on some kinmann pick-ups!

It's the main reason I bought the Variax...

And yes, it STILL KICKS ASS.

otan said:

I played the acoustic variax and that thing was kinda weird. Never got a chance to play the electric one. I was busy playing the sweet-ass Gretsches and Teles! Fortunately that Tele was $1300 cheaper.

artist08 said:

Yeah, for the most part, Fenders always impress me when I have to ask, "what happens when it gets stolen?"

I am really digging the Variax, as is. I haven't replaced the neck, tuners, nothing. I DID do some work on the setup - lowered the action a lot and it plays great now. And I'm learning how to manage the different volumes from one guitar to the next.

And, finally, as far as, "does it sound just like a [fill in the guitar here], as far as I'm concerned, it captures the parts of that guitar that I want. When I switch to a Les Paul, it sounds like the guitar that starts off "Sweet Home Alabama", when I switch to the semi-hollowbody, it sounds like BB on "Thrill Is Gone", when I switch to hollowbody, it sounds like Wes Montgomery.

So, then, does it sound just like a HOLLOWBODY? no. No it don't. It sounds like what I hear when I hear that guitar on a record... the little nuances that make a hollowbody recognizable - the boxy sound, the really fat tone, etc. Switch to the Rickenbacker, and yeah, it DOES sound like Wendy Melvoin playing Irresistible Bitch from Live in New York.

And there's NO HUM. NONE. Honestly, I used my Fender Tele last sunday night ONLY when I broke a string on the V.

So I got what I want out of it.

What kind of an Amp do you run with the 'Variax', otan. Any pedals? Enjoyed "nosleep2" demo.

FLUX said:

I'm using it with a Peavey Classic 50 right now, because my Fender Deluxe wasn't loud enough to compete with the other guitar player in the band. It sounded great through either one. Pedals: Tube Screamer and Tuner. I was using a wah, but there's some oddity with the variax and the wah. Over on the Line6 discussion page, they acted like I was insane when I asked about it, so I'm guessing there's something else in my line causing the problem, but I'm not going to go messing with it right now.

ALSO last sunday I used my PODxt live for the first time with the V and the PV (heh). I only used it for the Univibe and the Delays so I could get a closer-to-hendrix tone on some things.

Peavey's really cut through the cheese like a knife! I used to have a Studio Pro, ('95) with a single 12" speaker. Before that a "Bandit"(30 Watt), was built like a brick! Fell off the truck one night and not a scratch.
Had a E.V.Halen rig at one stage and had lot's o' problem's with feedback, I think it was the humbucker's on my flying V; had to keep my distance from it.Peavey's are great,i've got a picture of Prince with a peavey Van Halen rig.Must scan it and post it.

Total lack of bottom end compared to the juicy warmth of a Fender Amp. Sounds like the Variax has exceded all expectations. Do you get the 'Wah' problem with the Fender Amp?
If i had the money i'd have a Marshall, Fender, and Peavey set up; would cover every situation. (just dreaming...)

I haven't had time to figure out the wah issue yet, so I just dropped it from the usual chain for now. The Peavey Classic is basically a Fender Super / Bassman wannabe. I love the thing. Whoever had it before me scratched off the peavey logo in front so it looks MORE like a Fender, but, honestly, I don't care if it's a Fender or a Peavey.

Well. until I plug into the Deluxe and then go, "oh yeah, THAT'S what it's missing". But maybe after I retube and re-speaker the classic, it'll shine. It's kickass for now.

I can't wait til the Variax Workbench comes out. I plan to design some guitars with alternate tunings so I can switch from regular to open-G with the flip of a switch and get some slide action going. So far as I can tell, 'twill truly kick the ass.

otan said:

Shite I stupidly dropped to my girlfriend that I was gonna score myself the 52 tele for XMas and she went ballistic! The Variax is looking that much more tempting now!

Taureau said:

I gotta say, if somebody offered me a tele or a variax, I'd be hard pressed to pick which one. The tele is very limited in features, but it's THE guitar.

otan said:

Yeah I know!



Screw my g/f, I'll get both


Edit: oh my, I've just realised how serious I am about this statement
[Edited 10/27/04 13:16pm]

Taureau said:

I like your attitude!


otan this "Variax" scenario is getting better all the time! I'm saving my dollars and maybe Santa Claus will put one under the tree for Xmas

To me, it was just a matter of shrugging off the typical guitarist attitude that says "new technology messes up the guitar tone". We guitarists can be such finicky bitches about our tools, whereas keyboardists have gone from pianos to organs to electric organs to casios to samplers and synthesizers... so, you know, play the thing and listen with your ears, play with your fingers, not your fear of other guitar players laughing at you.

Cuz, yes, I HAVE been kidded about the guitar - "hey man, can it do my taxes?", "Hey, we need to calculate the tip here - do you have your guitar, is it turned on?" har har, and then, after the gig they take it back. I'm glad I bought it.

otan said:


Good point about Keyboard players & Guitarists attitudes toward change.I admire your putting yourself in the firing line with the Variax, Plus it's gotta feel good to have the last word after people have heard it! I wanna get a better idea of what the technical components of it are. I'll have a squiz around the website and fathom what in fact it is. i.e. a soundcard and a CPU. And yeh i imagine the jokes flow thick and fast as people find that your playing a computerised Guitar.The fact that it's internal and not a seperate piece of hardware makes playability so much more exciting.
Off the topic kind of, but I read some comments by Tony Visconti (producer with David Bowie) where he was getting complaints about an Album he's recorded, the Reality tour DVD, which was done in 5.1 surround sound format.He went back to the master tape and compared the factory data and found all was fine, except that people have to 'tweak' around with their sound systems , as he did himself , to get good playback.Just an example of what he complained of as a sound professional; of too many sound formats, not enough standardisation as yet with sound technologies.Made me chuckle a bit that such an accomplished sound man having to spend an hour 'fiddling' with his sound system at home to play his own production of an album!

Honestly, I still dont exactly know what all goes on between the string and the output jack. I know that there's six individual piezo pickups - the kind used on acoustic pickups.

There's a dude who took the variax guts and put it IN a telecaster. I'm a little intimidated by that though - I'd cry if I killed my tele AND my variax during a procedure like that.