petrucci / variax

[tristan]

a guy posted his project on the fench forum....

http://thegreatnothing.free.fr/variax.htm

I'm not into digital guitar sounds, but he took the risk to try something...

 

[ivanmihaljevic]

I've seen this before!
It's an interesting idea! I wonder how it sounds...

 

[tristan]

I think it just sounds like a variax...

 

[ivanmihaljevic]

I think the idea is that he can use the variax circuit as well as the magnetic pickups

 

[Ricman]

I have a Variax 300. It plays like a dog, the neck feels like a telegraph pole compared to my Luke, but to be fair it records like a dream. The Acoustic sounds are fairly useable too.
BUT - the JP just looks wrong. Transport the V'ax into a strat if that's what you're into. Some things should be left alone

 

[Boy Oldigs]

at the german line 6 usergroup forum there is one user who built normal magnetic p/ups into his variax 700. I think this a great idea, but to destroy a JP ?

The trick is put a Fender Super Switch (Double Wafer) into, so its possible to select both systems

 

[MikeVt]

I bought a Variax 300 too before I found EBMM. I was looking for an cheap, easy way to record acoustic sounds direct. Your description is very accurate - the neck felt like a telephone pole. However, I wasn't really impressed with the sound quality. I returned it 2 days after I got it. It was then that I decided that cheap wasn't going to cut it and ordered my first JP6!

Mike

 

[robelinda2]

one of students has a Variax, i hate it, it has the cheapest neck feel, and the sounds are just so gimmicky. i'm sure it has uses for some live situations, or like Morse using it for Sitar sounds on the Living Loud cd ( ? ), but it certainly isnt for me.

Real amp, real guitar, thank you.

 

[Colin]

what will they think of next?

 

[Butch Snyder]

at the german line 6 usergroup forum there is one user who built normal magnetic p/ups into his variax 700. I think this a great idea, but to destroy a JP ?

The trick is put a Fender Super Switch (Double Wafer) into, so its possible to select both systems

Hmmm... Interesting....

This is the reverse of what Variax users usually do. Usually, they will take a Strat or Tele or some other "standard-type" guitar and put the Variax electronics into it. The Variax 700 is a good enough guitar though, to install passive pickups into. I wonder what it sounds like with its mahogany body/ash top and maple neck with ebony fretboard....

Here's another thing... A friend of mine here in Cincy, does these types of Variax modes. Check out his work. Warning - no EBMM content unfortunately..


Guitarist Jeff Miller - Guitar Building

 

[Axilla]

Real amp, real guitar, thank you.

WORD !


WAY !

 

[Butch Snyder]

That's why I got rid of my Variax; not to mention that one of the PC boards went bad and I was out $200 and 2 months....

 

[Ricman]

"Real amp, real guitar, thank you"

Mmmm I agree to a point. As a kid I had a real guitar (Hondo Les Paul Copy - awful), and a real amp (Kay 25w tranny combo - even worse), and they sounded like poo. Spending the same kind of money today, and a Variax and a Pod (or Spider) could be in the kids hands, which I suggest would keep them engaged for far longer. But when you progress, you're right, only a real guitar cuts it.

 

[candid_x]

Can you imagine if John, Paul and George used a Variax?

I tried but just couldn't get into the whole digital emulation thing. They do record wonderfully, but every recording I've heard with them lacks punch and sag and all those organic goodies. A local studio owner uses a lot of Line6 and plugins. With so many different sounds, everything sounds the same.

 

[mesadualrec]

I have a Variax 300. It plays like a dog, the neck feels like a telegraph pole compared to my Luke, but to be fair it records like a dream. The Acoustic sounds are fairly useable too.
BUT - the JP just looks wrong. Transport the V'ax into a strat if that's what you're into. Some things should be left alone

Hahaha plays like a dog,I will have to keep that one for reference when talking of such guitars as say a.........Variax!!

 

[Norrin Radd]

Can you imagine if John, Paul and George used a Variax?

I tried but just couldn't get into the whole digital emulation thing. They do record wonderfully, but every recording I've heard with them lacks punch and sag and all those organic goodies. A local studio owner uses a lot of Line6 and plugins. With so many different sounds, everything sounds the same.

I don't get it - how can they "record wonderfully" and at the same time " lacks punch and sag and all those organic goodies. " Those two statements seem to be at odds with each other - or am I missing what you mean by "record wonderfully"?

 

[beej]

Can you imagine if John, Paul and George used a Variax?

I dunno ... I'm a subscriber to the "it's the carpenter not the tools" philosophy.

I think the fab 4 would have made amazing music with a kazoo and some plywood.

 

[candid_x]

I don't get it - how can they "record wonderfully" and at the same time " lacks punch and sag and all those organic goodies. " Those two statements seem to be at odds with each other - or am I missing what you mean by "record wonderfully"?

Yeh, I guess that is confusing sounding. Maybe what I should have said is, they record easily, in a similar way that a Celestion V30 is generally easier to mic than say a Em Red Fang. With digital, levels are more constant, perhaps digitally compressed. And that is also one reason why digital sounds more sterile. At least that's been my experience with them.

 

[greenwizard]

My guitar teacher uses a variax and I have to say its pretty nifty to be able to access so many sounds that fast. But to mess with a JP like that is pure blasphemy.
It's like castrating someone and sticking in a mobile phone and saying "Hey! Now it can do more stuff!!"

 

[candid_x]

I dunno ... I'm a subscriber to the "it's the carpenter not the tools" philosophy.

I think the fab 4 would have made amazing music with a kazoo and some plywood.

Well, if everything then was digital, their genius would have still stood out, but I have a hard imagining their music could have sounded as real. Thinking about it, naw, no way; from the intro of "Saw her standing there" to the intro of "Sgt Pepper's", digital just wouldn't cut it.. not then and not now. Maybe someday, though.

Maybe I should have been more sensitive to the digi-amp users here.