16 posts
My singer's dad is selling his Variax 600, so in my quest to replace my gitters I figured I'd give it a test drive. After spending about 2 hours with it, i'm really digging it. The maple neck is fast, and it sounds incredible through the JSX.
I've never really looked at these, but am impressed so far. Has anybody out there owned one of these? Just wondering how reliable they are. He said he'd sell it to me for $400. It is MINT, and set up very nicely. Thoughts?
Here's a pic of the exact model/color it is:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r258/johnnymish/VARIAX600BLANC.jpg
Another note.....it is unusually quiet. I'm playing pretty loudly at a rather high gain, and when I stop.....there is this eerie silence. No hum of any sort whatsoever. Kinda diggin that.
I have a red 500 ( first model ) for 2 years 1/2 now. No probs so far. It's an amazing piece of gear, especially when it's associated with the Workbench: it aloows you to customize each model, and to have instant access to alternate tunings....
I've sold my beloved Strat 6 months ago, because I didn't play it since I use the Variax instead.
Associated with the POD XT Live ( or a X3 Live ), it's a killer, because you save both your tone AND the Variax setting in each patch. For instance, with a single button press, you can switch from a saturated tone on a Vox AC30 with a LP to a Martin acoustic in drop D with an acoustic amp.... Awesome
I'm still lovin' mine (though it IS a bit unique of course!). ;)
Mine has the guts of a 500 in it. :)
I've got a big ol' black one...
and a Variax too.
These are great fun, very versatile & the concept is amazing - although they do look so 'unnatural' without p/ups.
However, I would NEVER rely on a Variax for a gig without a back-up guitar (unless I had Craigberts hybrid!), as I've just read too many horror stories about the software failing. If I could find one going cheap, I'd definitely consider getting it - & the guitar workshop software is brilliant & you can have so much fun with it!
Rich ;)
I have had a 300 for I guess about a couple of years now. I haven't had any problems with it which is surprising to me since I transplanted it into an Ibanez RG last winter. There are quite a few users on the Line 6 board that have not been so lucky though.
It is just another tool. If it works for you, then use it.
I've had an original Variax since 2003 (later called the 500), a 300 since 2005, and I got a Variax Bass 705 in 2007, and gigged with them extensively, and none have ever even had a hiccup - they've all worked flawlessly at every show...and they are my main guitars.
I've used them with batteries, with their included footswitches, and with their Variax connectors both into my Vetta with VDI and my X3 Live and again, not a single problem.
I will say that I always bring a passive guitar or bass as a backup, because I just do that. I always have to have at least one thing that doesn't require batteries, or I get worried. But I have gigged without backup and never had a problem.
I'd say go for it, if you really like it.
And the lack of noise is VERY nice - especially when recording.
Tripper
BINGEWOOD — Sep 30, 2008I've got a big ol' black one...
and a Variax too.
Doesn't it frighten the audience? ...& the Variax! ;D
I had a variax 500. It lasted about 2 or 3 years and then one day the electronics died completely. It was all working one day and then just wasn't the next.
It was a good guitar, played really nicely and was worthwhile to have just for the acoustic models alone. The strat model wasn't very good in my opinion. It had an artificial after note echo sound, only noticeable when using higher gain. It was an odd sound, almost a very short reverb, definitely shouldn't have been there as my real Fender strat certainly didn't sound like that.
I would get one again if I felt confident that the electonics would last, purely for the acoustic models, but otherwise, no...I wouldn't get another one.
I think we tend to get caught-up in the moment of "sounds like the real thing", when actually if you then play a real Les Paul or a real Strat, you soon realise that it definitely is not the real thing.
Also, I feel much more comfortable playing out with my Les Paul as I know it's not going to suddenly quit on me.
I ended up selling the variax on ebay in a non-working state and amazingly got £150 for it ($280 ish dollars)
I have a 300 ,bought it about three years ago. Never had a problem with it.
I like the acoustic models a lot.
Only thing that happened to it a few months back is that I ripped the RJ-45 connector out from stepping on my cable.
I should've bought the L6 RJ-45 cable , I just used a computer network cable instead.
Replaced the whole input block and cost me about $20.
Good guitar but a little heavy. Especially if you play for more than 3 hours standing up.
Jon — Sep 30, 2008 I would get one again if I felt confident that the electonics would last, purely for the acoustic models, but otherwise, no...I wouldn't get another one.
Sounds like you should just get the acoustic version and not the other.
CraigBert — Sep 30, 2008[quote author=Jon G link=1222748207/0#9 date=1222798494] I would get one again if I felt confident that the electonics would last, purely for the acoustic models, but otherwise, no...I wouldn't get another one.
Sounds like you should just get the acoustic version and not the other.
I might just do that.
Jon — Sep 30, 2008
I think we tend to get caught-up in the moment of "sounds like the real thing", when actually if you then play a real Les Paul or a real Strat, you soon realise that it definitely is not the real thing.
Yeah they come close however, I once saw a band and one guitar player was using one and another used a quiver of standard guitars, and tone wise they did not sound much different (in a large room setting). I would not want one, but I think they are useful tools for those who might like them.
I figure if you were a gigging musician doing lots of covers (wedding band stuff too), then having two Variaxes should cover everything and give you an "Oh Shit!" backup. In these situations, it's doubtful that you'd really have a critical audience anyway.
That said, if you were playing in a concert where people were paying to hear YOUR songs, then I'd want the best sounding gear I could get.
CraigBert — Oct 01, 2008That said, if you were playing in a concert where people were paying to hear YOUR songs, then I'd want the best sounding gear I could get.
I did see a concert with a name band (can't remember which one as I saw quite a few last year) Anyways one guitar player had a variax and the other had a quiver of different instruments, and the variax sounded just as good as the other guy truthfully. I think he was playing through a modeler too, or a modeling amp. In a big band situation I could not hear the difference in any major way. I have also seen guys using modelers that sounded like shit but that is probably because the dude could not program it or the sound guy sucked. The player was just fine but I had to stuff tissues in my ears to make the tone bearable.