Line6 Sunburst Variax 500 - Modeling Guitar

[kewlpack]

Welp, as much as I liked the Ibanez S470DXQM-NF (and it WAS a pretty sweet guitar - but even after pickup change wasn't quite getting there)... I managed to negotiate with my GC salesman and got me a Variax 500 for $699 (which was a $25 difference from the credit they gave me for the Ibanez)! Just picked up this guitar Saturday and have been playing it non-stop (took a few hours off here and there) ever since.

I figure... I've been chasing tones I can't afford. At $1500 here, $2000 there...no way - this is just a hobby kinda thing! So...

Since I don't think I'll ever own the vintage/collectable guitars this thing models, I thought why not go check one out and see if it is a cool as I think it is (widely mixed reviews out on the net - take em with a grain of salt). Usually I gotta put it through the paces and see how it all sounds.

So far - really cool axe. I am sure that there are some things that a modeling guitar lacks, but to be honest I can't any to turn me off of this instrument yet.

The neck is like a C-Style strat neck with a satin finish and feels and plays very good. Tuners

I think the nut is pretty cheaply finished and I might go get that replaced with a graphite one by a guitar builder near me (Rowan). Other than that, I only had to adjust the action a bit and throw on a set of Snake Oil Strings.

Tones: Let's see - 28 (?) guitars are modeled. Some are outside of what I'd probably ever play (Dobro, Coral Sitar, Banjo), but most are pretty accurate mimics of the real deal (check the site for all the specs - there's a lot). I like the Les Paul's with the PAFs and P-90s, and the Hollowbody and Jazzbox models too. The Tele tones are pretty groovin' but I have to get used to that sound they make. The Strat sounds real good and the acoustics actually sound fine. Dynamically, the guitar itself sounds good and sustains long (probably due to the piezo system??).

Now I'm sure folks will say "hey that doesn't sound exactly like my [insert guitar here]...". That might be the case, but I would bet it sounds REAL close to the guitars THEY were referencing. Every guitar I've played has had its own tone - maybe that goes without saying - and these modeled guitars are no different. I like the tones, a lot. What's not to like when you can get good tones for $699?!?. ;)

The one thing that I absolutely LOVE about the Variax is - NO PICKUP NOISE whatsoever even with 100% gain on a higain marshall with a distortion box dimed and a wah pedal stomped (all guitars squeal painfully when you do this)... it's pretty cool. You can sit in front of the monitor and not have to deal with interference from the computer either (very nice).

Next in line is the ability to save my favorite guitar/pup settings (up to 10) and switch to each with the 5 way knife switch - that is too cool... Go from LP Bridge to LP Neck to ES335 Bridge/Neck to Strat Neck to Gibson Jumbo Acoustic all by the knife switch. w00t! It's just FUN! :ROFL

Hmm it doesn't have a trem bar - but I could go to Warmouth and build my own guitar from a kit and put the guts in there... but I don't see why I would want to. This is fine and I really don't ever use a trem bar in all frankness.

Anyway, I'll try to get some sound clips of the tones (using very simple amp settings) and let you guys hear it. It's a lot of fun and takes care of my GAS for a long time (till I get the "gotta have real vintage stuff" bug).

I thought it was a gimick at first - but then as I just starting using the guitar and selecting tones... it is a fine instrument with a lot of potential. I can't wait to see the next generation of this thing.

Check one out sometime. It really is surprisingly fun to play.

[stephen]

Hmm it doesn't have a trem bar -

I saw they are making one with a trem bar, so maybe you can just get their trem bar instead, and bolt it up to te guitar.

Just curious, what are you gonna name her? I have a suggestion: Cybil. :ROFL

[kewlpack]

The 500 series won't take a trem bar, by design. I believe the 700 series has an archtop for that very reason - to support the trem.

Cybil... :crazy I like it. hehehe.

I haven't had any guitar long enough to warrant naming. However I think what I got is gonna stay for quite awhile. If I have this axe over three months (pretty confident about it), I'll name it...her...uh...whatever. :|

[reverbbb]

Unbelievable!!

Dude - You're having way too much fun with this trading stuff. Hmm, come to think of it, so am I :oops: .

I really like the Variax concept. They entered my mind several times as a guitar acquisition. I really like the thought of a 700 with a tremelo bar.

You know, that Vetta II amps come equiped with the ability to plug the guitar directly in. No power supply or 1/4" cable is needed for the guitar. Also, the amp will change the presets of the guitar when you change the patches of the amp. REALLY cool feature. (EDIT: I just read where the PODxt will do that too). Imagine, playing an acoustic 12 string through a clean preamp and light chorus one moment, then a blazing shredding Les Paul/Marshall/compressor/200ms delay and tons of gain at the simple tap of a button.

So, when are you going to let me borrow it and put it through the paces? :innocent

[kewlpack]

Well... let me see here - I have a guitar lesson tonight till around 8-8:30. You could swing by after that! Or I could swing by your place after (my lessons are over by your neighborhood)... :mrgreen:

I honestly didn't think I'd like the Vax, but I do. As a matter of fact, I DIDN'T like the Vax through their Bose setup at GC. It was dark - really dark - sounding. I figured it was due to the Boss pole-speaker though. I wanted them to hook it up to a normal rig, but they had the Vax pedal (it comes with one for DC power and XLR control) screwed into the Bose display.

So I said, "Look, just get it all wrapped up and ready to go and I'll just try it at home." So they did and 45 minutes later I got out of there... sometimes they make me laugh a little because of inefficiency. :crazy Got it home and sure enough, it sounded completely different at home. The frequency range is pretty big and the variety of guitars is a hoot.

Anyway, the Vax is workin' for me just fine. Could it be better? Probably. What would I change? The nut and maybe put on some Gotoh locking tuners (just cause I like 'em). But really everything else can be adjusted with EQ if you wanna. Color me tickled. :biggrin:

So shall I stop over later? PM me.

[kewlpack]

Update: Didn't stay with the Variax. I may pick one up again some other day. For now, I went back to genuine magnetic pickups! :)

FWIW - I was never able to get a really nice setup on the Variax. The action wasn't low enough (for me). I suppose it is because of the bolt on neck (?). Also - I found there was a certain dynamic lacking... the pick attack just wasn't "there"... but that could've been the POD XT's fault. Dunno... just some thoughts.

If I had enough money for all the guitars and junk I'd like... well I wouldn't have much cash. :innocent