michael saulnier Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Line6 just sent me a "spam" about their new Variax model 700. I have to admit, from the ad, it seems to be ALOT nicer than the original Variax model 500... Carved top, solid mahogany body, (with black finish), or translucent red, blue or blond finish with ash "cap" on mahogany body. Other "new" features: bone nut, built in digital connection to Vetta II that allows the Vetta to change the guitar settings including guitar and tone when you change Vetta amp models, vibrato system. This guitar LOOKS a LOT nicer, is seemingly made from better materials, and has a number of cool new features... it addresses many of the "limitations" I found in their original version... It's more expensive, (between $500 to $800 MSRP)... I think Line6 got a bunch of feedback that they have seemingly addressed. Supposedly they are starting to ship this month. Has anyone seen or played one of these yet? I might be tempted finally to grab one! Here's a link to the ad... http://www.line6.com/EMailBlasts/Variax/Variax.htm guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 It definitely looks sharper, and the trem would make the guitar better able to take advantage of some of the models. I had seen the ad in Guitar Player magazine, but it gave no real info, other than what you would infer from the picture (the same one that is shown in the ad, from your link). I'll definitely try one out when I cross paths with one, and give it my fairest of shakes. Though I still am a little skeptical... I don't have any "moral" issues over it, I just wonder just how good (and "organic") can it be, right across the board with so many different models? Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted October 16, 2003 Author Share Posted October 16, 2003 I know many people were turned off by the "looks" of the original version, (now called the model 500), and this looks like a BIG improvement in that regard. Combined with the carved top, real bone nut, better tuners, (I didn't mention that before), and other features... it certainly rates a "second look" on my part. I wasn't initially "sold" on the model 500, but then I saw someone play one along with a Flextone II amp in a live band setting... I was FAR more impressed and interested after that. The sound he got was both varied and "right" for the songs they were performing. His rhythm parts fit well in the mix, and his solo's were rocking and NO ONE but me (in my group of ten friends), even NOTICED that he was playing a Variax and not a "regular" guitar. I think this model will attract even more potential "try'ers" and probably a bunch more "buyers"... I'd REALLY like to see how the whole Variax model 700 / Vetta II setup really worked. I'll post a few more thoughts once I get a fair chance to play with it for a while... maybe I'll take GC up on their 30 day - no questions return policy! guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 As for the sound being great from an audiences perspective, the thing that is hard for me to describe or explain, that I have to like about an amp or a guitar, is it's "feel", and I don't mean the "feel" of the neck, body, finish, set-up, etc., but that aural/tactile/cerebral interaction while playing, plugged-in. It's precisely this that made most SS amps abysmal to play through, for me. If the Variax doesn't deliver for me in this regard, I won't dig it, no matter how good it "sounds". Many times I've heard others sound amazing playing a given guitar or amp, only to be dissapointed as soon as I played the exact same rig, set-up the exact same way! Often, trying to find the magic control settings that would make me love the rig would only prove to be a downward spiral. As I said, though, I'll give the Model 700 a fair, fair shake when I meet one. And, like I said, I have no real anti-digital or modeling or even SS bias, just my own tastes, wants, and needs. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolead Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Wow, that black actually looks kind of sharp. While I still am a standard axe purist, this even makes me weak at the knee. You can see my critiques of the orignial in the archives under "Line 6 Variax article" as well as in the GP issue. It was a letter in June or July or something. Shut up and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudcat Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 I've never played a Variax but I am very interested them. One thing I've read about as a problem is that the modeling doesn't track correctly if you try to mute the strings with your palm. Be sure to check this out if you are trying one out. Mudcat's music on Soundclick "Work hard. Rock hard. Eat hard. Sleep hard. Grow big. Wear glasses if you need 'em."-The Webb Wilder Credo- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swiggy Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Originally posted by guitplayer: Other "new" features: bone nut, built in digital connection to Vetta II that allows the Vetta to change the guitar settings including guitar and tone when you change Vetta amp models, vibrato system. Just a precision guitplayer, the built in digital connection is in the Variax 500 also. Personal note, I bought a Variax 1 month ago and it's probably the best purchase I ever made. That thing is a killer ! Vincent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudcat Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Originally posted by swiggy: Just a precision guitplayer, the built in digital connection is in the Variax 500 also. Personal note, I bought a Variax 1 month ago and it's probably the best purchase I ever made. That thing is a killer !Vincent, Are you able to use palm-muting with yourr Variax (like at the beginning of "Just What I Needed" by the cars)? I've heard the Variax won't track correctly when you do this. Mudcat's music on Soundclick "Work hard. Rock hard. Eat hard. Sleep hard. Grow big. Wear glasses if you need 'em."-The Webb Wilder Credo- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swiggy Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Mudcat, I heard that too but never experienced the problem. Works just fine for me. Vincent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 I liked the original. My only issue was with the latency. I'm not the fastest player on the block, but I did a few tapped licks on a red 500 when I tried it, and noticed some notes coming in, like, a half second later... The sounds are great to me, no question. Does the new model use a different body wood than the original? I don't have anything against basswood, just curious. sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudcat Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Originally posted by swiggy: Mudcat, I heard that too but never experienced the problem. Works just fine for me. VincentNow I really have to go check one out! Mudcat's music on Soundclick "Work hard. Rock hard. Eat hard. Sleep hard. Grow big. Wear glasses if you need 'em."-The Webb Wilder Credo- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swiggy Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Originally posted by Dr. Taz: I liked the original. My only issue was with the latency. I'm not the fastest player on the block, but I did a few tapped licks on a red 500 when I tried it, and noticed some notes coming in, like, a half second later... Didn't happened to me, fortunately. You can't trust a guitar with any latency. My guess is you had a problem anywhere in the signal chain, or your variax was defective. Was it running on batteries ? Low batteries can also produce this type of glitches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Originally posted by swiggy: Originally posted by Dr. Taz: I liked the original. My only issue was with the latency. I'm not the fastest player on the block, but I did a few tapped licks on a red 500 when I tried it, and noticed some notes coming in, like, a half second later... Didn't happened to me, fortunately. You can't trust a guitar with any latency. My guess is you had a problem anywhere in the signal chain, or your variax was defective. Was it running on batteries ? Low batteries can also produce this type of glitches.Yeah, the batteries were probably a little low. I was demoing it at a store, and it was running through a POD XT with headphones. If that's the case, then I'd still have no problem using one. It did sound pretty good, though I wasn't able to test it long enough to get any decent clean tones. sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted October 16, 2003 Author Share Posted October 16, 2003 Everyone's going to have their own opinion about this technology. Some are going to think it's great, others won't find a use for it. As someone who has a bunch of guitars, (the "real thing")... I'm STILL interested in this for the reasons Line6 promotes. It's simple, easy to bring around, easy to switch sounds on-stage and so on... But my ultimate criteria will still be... do I enjoy playing it? Does it sound good enough? Can I afford it? Can I live with any "limitations"? Personally, I think the new model goes a long way toward "fixing" my concerns about the earlier version. It just seems like more of a "nice guitar" versus an "ok" guitar with the advanced technology. But the "proof" for me will only come when I've had a chance to play with it for a while... So I'll probably pick one up and see if it works for me for a few weeks. I'm actually looking forward to it! guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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