LINE 6 VARIAX WORKBENCH (editor/librarian software) [Archive] - Harmony Central Musician Community Forums

Anderton

09-21-2005, 07:10 PM

Variax Workbench – Prologue

Yeah, I’m a Variax fan. I know some people don’t like the concept (“Okay, it may sound like a Tele, but y'know, it doesn’t feel like a Tele”). But for me, it fills a huge space in my guitar collection – namely, everything I don’t have! Drop a Variax model in on a track, and few (if any) people can tell the difference between the Variax and “the real thing.” And I also love the fact that you can sit right in front of a monitor and power amp, with dimmers on, and nothing comes through the pickups.

But this isn’t about the Variax, it’s about an accessory that lets you customize the sound and save presets of customized guitars. Want to move the pickups, create alternate tunings, swap out body styles, and more? Well, this is your “virtual soldering iron” and workbench. And it also brings home a telling point about the Variax concept: The guitar is real, but what makes the sound is virtual, and therefore highly malleable.

This review is intended to answer two questions:

1. If I have a Variax, is this a worthwhile accessory?
2. How well does Variax Workbench deliver on its promise?

So, let’s rip open the packaging and get started.

To go to the Line 6 web site for specs, features, movies, etc., click here (http://www.line6.com/variaxWorkbench/index.html)
To jump to a photo gallery of shots of the unit and screen shots, click here (http://www.line6.com/variaxWorkbench/photogallery.html)

Anderton

09-21-2005, 07:14 PM

This is packaged as your basic impulse item – a blister pack with bright graphics that contains:

 A program CD
 Mysterious-looking Variax-to-USB adapter in a small, cool-looking translucent plastic box
 Variax cable for plugging into the adapter
 USB cable to connect the adapter to the computer

In short, everything you need. The package is compatible with all electric guitar Variax models (but not with the acoustic or bass models) and lists for $139.99.

The program’s minimum system requirements are Mac G4 running OS X 10.3, or 500Mhz PIII with Windows XP or 2K. However, also note that the USB box draws power from the USB port, so if you’re using a hub, it needs to have its own power supply. I decided to load the program into my dual Athlon computer designed by Pete Leoni, running Windows XP.

Upon inserting the computer, a big “BEFORE CONNECTING YOUR HARDWARE” showed up on the screen (click on the Attachment to see this). This sure beats having a ReadMe stuck somewhere on the CD-ROM. So I followed the directions, and started installation. The installed files take up about 20MB on your hard drive, and include the Workbench program itself, Java Runtime Environment, and a flash firmware updater (the Line 6 “Monkey”).

I do suggest that Line 6 fire whoever wrote the installer immediately. Why? Because it’s the clearest installer I’ve used in some time, and the person/people who wrote it should immediately become freelancers and write installers for other companies in this industry. ’Nuff said. Most of the time with installers, there’s some part that’s unclear, a restart or other weirdness that’s not explained, or some other issue. Not so this time around. So far, so good.

All right, let's start messing with the Variax and see what happens.

Anderton

09-21-2005, 10:18 PM

Well, it turned out there was more to getting things up and running than installation. I booted up the program, whereupon a screen said “Looks Like You Need to Get Set Up.” Apparently it could tell that a Variax was not connected, and there was a clear diagram showing how to hook everything up. Click on the attachment to see the diagram. Okay, cool.

But that’s when I ran into my first big problem: You need an internet connection to set up and do any updates. But my music computer doesn’t have an internet connection, and there was no information on how to pull off the update using a different computer. What to do?

Well, I just got DSL, and the DSL modem has USB, and my computer has USB, so…

I hooked up USB, ran the DSL installer so my computer would recognize the DSL modem, clicked on “Run Line 6 Monkey,” and wow – the computer connected to the net (albeit without a firewall or virus checker, ooops). I set up a Line 6 user account, and shortly thereafter, downloaded the Monkey updater and ran it, then downloaded the Variax Workbench update itself and did the update. This again required connecting to the internet; given that all the updates ended up being over 30MB, I think broadband is pretty much essential.

Finally…ready to go! Or…not. I set up everything as specified, loaded Variax Workbench, and was given a warning that the firmware wasn’t up to date. Hmmm…thought I just did that. Anyway, time for another trip to the web and another firmware update. This time it “took,” but the Workbench software itself didn’t appear to be updated. So I downloaded and installed one more time.

All in all, getting up and running was both a drag and a piece of cake. A drag because I had to do a lot of updating and do a little headscratching, but also a piece of cake because you really are guided along every step of the somewhat circuitous way. Eventually the Flash Memory upgrade was complete (it takes a while), the stars were in alignment, the Monkey said everything was good to go, and as it turned out – it was indeed. I was now ready to check out the totally up-to-date Workbench. For the record, that meant 3.05 Firmware and Variax Workbench V1.1.

Anderton

09-21-2005, 11:46 PM

I thought I’d check out the help options, and I was pretty impressed – the Help screens are dense and informative.

But the first “really cool discovery” was the String Volume window. Yes, one of the main complaints about the Variax – string to string variations – is a thing of the past. Once you have this optimized, you can save the settings to flash memory and this will affect all guitar models. And it’s a lot easier than adjusting pole pieces.

Click on the attachment to see the String Volume window. Note the easy to adjust sliders, and notes about what the adjustments mean. Frankly, the string-to-string variations never bothered me that much; but being able to fine-tune the string levels is indeed a significant enhancement.

Anderton

09-22-2005, 01:54 AM

The Workbench software is actually pretty deep, as there are four main pages.

The first page, and the Variax Workbench command center, is the “Tone Locker” page. In the real world, this would be called a “Librarian.” This is where you open up bundles of programs, transfer programs to a “scratch pad” where you can make edits without disturbing what’s in your Variax, move edited files into a Variax bundle, open the editor for advanced tweaking, “sync” what’s in the Tone Locker to what’s in the Variax, and more. This is a more utilitarian part of the program; it’s not exactly exciting, but it makes it easy to manage sounds and create libraries.

Click on the Attachment to see the Tone Locker page. The original factory presets are listed in the right window; modified patches are shown on the left. It’s easy to transfer patches from one window to the other. (The center window gives information about the patch.)

Anderton

09-22-2005, 02:00 AM

This page is the simplest of the three parameter editing pages, as it has only two parameters: Body type (choose from 28 possibilities) and Volume, which is helpful for balancing levels among patches. I generally start the editing process by choosing the body type, then move along to the other editing pages.

Click on the Attachment to see the Body Type page, with a “Rick 360” type body being selected.

Well, that’s as far as the review is going today. I’ve just started playing with the Pickups and Control pages, and I must say, they’re really happening…to me they’re the reason (along with the alternate tunings) why some Variax owners will flip over this package. More tomorrow…

Anderton

09-22-2005, 02:02 AM

And of course...question and comments are welcome!

Jotown

09-22-2005, 02:44 AM

Originally posted by Anderton
For the record, that meant 3.05 Firmware and Variax Workbench V1.1. Hey Craig, is that the Variax guitar fimware you are referring to?

I have had my Variax of over a year and I have wondered if they had upgraded the firmware on the guitar.

Thanks for the review and I am looking foward to the rest of it.

Anderton

09-22-2005, 10:08 AM

Actually, 3.05 refers to the firmware in the little Variax-to-USB adapter.

Anderton

09-22-2005, 10:11 AM

And here’s where it gets really interesting. There are two pickups, which you can enable, disable, move anywhere along the neck track, or rotate to change their angle in relationship to the strings. You can stick the pickups in the neck (hey, why not?), or on top of the bridge. Or on top of each other. I was at first disappointed that the Angle and Position fields for the pickups had numericals where you had to type in numbers – until I realized you could just drag and rotate the pickups where you wanted them. After all those years spent with a soldering iron and screwdriver…

For each pickup you can choose the type (from 32 options), level, a default setting, angle, and position. You can also wire the pickups out-of-phase or in-phase, and in series or parallel. As far as I’m concerned, this is the most important patch editing page of the Workbench software: It’s possible to create a wide variety of tonalities. I remember the first time I started messing with the Roland VG-8 and heard what happened when you put pickups in the “wrong” positions – same thing here. There are some sounds that would be very hard to imitate with conventional EQ or other processing.

Click on the Attachment to see the Pickups page. Note where the pickups are placed – that’s right, in the neck itself – and one is about to be rotated. The pickups are also out of phase, and the resulting sound has a thin, midrangy character that sounds absolutely incredible if you put it through some overdrive-style distortion.

Anderton

09-22-2005, 09:17 PM

The differences here aren’t as dramatic as with the pickups page, but you can change the tone control resistance and its associated capacitor, as well as the volume control resistance and its taper (linear or audio). This seems to make a bigger difference with some pickups and body types than others. And again – no solder fumes!

Click on the Attachment to see the Controls page. A different capacitance value is about to be selected for the tone control.

Anderton

09-22-2005, 09:19 PM

I’ve never really been into alternate tunings that much; it’s just too much hassle to tune and then retune, and I always thought it was kind of excessive to keep extra guitars around for specific tunings.

So in this case, Variax Workbench turned me on to something which I’d never really explored before, and I’m glad that it did. There are a bunch of useful presets, but you can adjust tunings however you want. This includes simple capo type effects (it’s pretty cool dropping the whole guitar by a semitone), or very specific tunings. With 12-string models, it’s even possible to adjust the mix of the string pairs, and the amount of detuning between them.

Where this really comes into its own is slide guitar. I had a ball setting the tuning to all tonic/octave/fifths, no majors and no minors. I probably should have raised the strings a bit, but hey, it was fun anyway.

This is really a very cool feature, and a great addition to the Workbench concept. Click on the Attachment to see an Alternate Tuning preset being selected.

Friday it's time for conclusions.

Jotown

09-23-2005, 04:37 AM

Originally posted by Anderton
Actually, 3.05 refers to the firmware in the little Variax-to-USB adapter. Do you know if there has been a firmware revision for the Variax since it's initial release?

Anderton

09-23-2005, 02:09 PM

So, is Variax Workbench a useful accessory to your Variax? That depends. I would answer a resounding “yes,” but then again, I’m a tweaker who has spent a lot of hours doing non-virtual pickup and control rewirings on “real” guitars. The bottom line is that because of Variax Workbench, I’ve been able to create interesting and musically useful Variax variations that are definitely not your standard guitar sounds.

The String Volume window is a simple addition, but vital for those who mix and match string gauges. The ability to do alternate tunings opens up a rich, and at least to me, relatively unknown world – especially because you can violate the laws of physics in Line 6’s virtual world, and do things like tune your 6th string up an octave. Try that with a real guitar…better yet, don’t.

But is this for everyone? I’m not sure. I’ve never heard anyone complain that the Variax didn’t have enough sound options. I’m sure they’re out there, of course (“Why doesn’t it have a model for Mosrite guitars? I play surf music!”) but let’s face it, the Variax is an extremely versatile instrument, with or without Workbench.

Also, Workbench is not for neophytes. First, you need to have decent computer savvy and a broadband connection for best results. Second, learning your way around the software will take a few hours. I’m certainly a veteran of editor/librarian software, but I had to familiarize myself with the rules of the road – for example, there’s an easy way to compare presets, but it took me a while to figure it out.

And does it deliver on its promise of being a “virtual workbench”? Obviously, there are some things you can’t do that you can do in the real world – like go “into” the humbucking pickups and mess with the wiring of their individual coils, or add a third pickup. On the other hand, the ease with which you can move pickup placement and angles, change body types, and “rewire” controls is something that can exist only in the virtual world. There are some options that aren’t allowed, like accessing the pickups page with an acoustic model (not too surprising a limitation, really). But limitations are the exception rather than the rule.

I don’t think anyone absolutely needs Variax Workbench to be a happy Variax owner – which, come to think of it, is a testimony to the original Variax design. Despite all the hours I’ve logged playing one, I never once thought “Gee, I sure wish I could place the virtual pickups right on top of each other and throw them in series.”

But now that I have that capability, I must say it’s intoxicating. For example, I’ve always found the 12-string models to be the weakest of the lot. But with Workbench, I’ve been able to tweak the sounds to end up with something that’s more convincing to my ears. And, I’ve found some “hybrid” guitar sounds that go against the original idea of modeling specific guitars, but to me, this is a totally valid Variax application.

If you treat the Variax as a pretty much “plug and play” way to get a bunch of different sounds and are happy with that, then Workbench might be of limited use to your way of working. But if you’re a Variax fan, you’re going to really like the flexibility that Variax Workbench brings to the party. It “opens up” the guitar to possibilities that are, quite simply, achievable in no other way, and with no other instrument. The package is well designed, aesthetically pleasing, and didn’t crash once; for under $100 street price, I think it’s going to make a lot of Variax owners even happier campers.

Anderton

09-23-2005, 02:10 PM

Do you know if there has been a firmware revision for the Variax since it's initial release?

Actually, I don't know if there has been...and I wonder if the Line 6 update did something to the Variax too, not just the USB adapter. Anyone out there from Line 6? Can you answer?

Rich at L6

09-23-2005, 06:57 PM

Originally posted by Jotown
Do you know if there has been a firmware revision for the Variax since it's initial release?

Jotown,

We revised Variax firmware to be compatible with the Workbench system. If you own a Workbench, the included Line 6 Monkey utility will identify the version of firmware your guitar has and take you through the steps (as Craig outlined) to download the Workbench compatible version. If you don't have a Workbench, you don't need to have the latest version, since it's main purpose is to allow Workbench to function with the guitar.

Rich

MoreGuitars

09-23-2005, 07:48 PM

Originally posted by Rich at L6

Jotown,

We revised Variax firmware to be compatible with the Workbench system. If you own a Workbench, the included Line 6 Monkey utility will identify the version of firmware your guitar has and take you through the steps (as Craig outlined) to download the Workbench compatible version. If you don't have a Workbench, you don't need to have the latest version, since it's main purpose is to allow Workbench to function with the guitar.

Rich

I downloaded the freeware version of workbench. It never installed. It was because my variax firmware was not compatible.
How do I update the variax fimware? Can I do it thru the POD XTL? I want to use this but I can't. BTW, I have a Variax 300.

Also, I emailed this question several times to Line6 Tech support but got no reply.......

Phil O'Keefe

09-23-2005, 10:36 PM

Criag, I was able to download the L6 Monkey program and all the firmware updates for my POD XT on my Internet machine and then just burn them to a CD-R for transportation to my studio DAW program - which is too far away for me to connect to the router via a USB cable. :)

You can find the Line 6 download site here. (http://line6.com/software/?submit=Show&name=Line+6+Monkey)

Great review. Sounds like a must have for Variax tone tweakers and experimenters. :cool:

Anderton

09-23-2005, 10:57 PM

<<Great review. Sounds like a must have for Variax tone tweakers and experimenters. >>

Yes, it is. If it was $300 or something, I'd think twice. But for under $100 at the average store, it's a lot of (relatively) cheap thrills.

Hmmmm...maybe I should post some of the patches I've come up with here....

Phil O'Keefe

09-24-2005, 12:23 AM

I think that would be a great idea. Free patches, courtesy of CA - how cool is that? :cool:

UstadKhanAli

09-24-2005, 01:14 PM

Craig wrote:

"you can violate the laws of physics in Line 6’s virtual world, and do things like tune your 6th string up an octave."

and

"And, I’ve found some “hybrid” guitar sounds that go against the original idea of modeling specific guitars, but to me, this is a totally valid Variax application."

and also

"It “opens up” the guitar to possibilities that are, quite simply, achievable in no other way, and with no other instrument."

~~~~~~

The above are perhaps the absolute best reasons to invent something like this. Imitations of other guitars, etc. don't hold as much interest for me. But creating something that could not possibly exist but sounds cool, different, physically impossible...now to me that's interesting.

Cool thread.

Rich at L6

09-24-2005, 01:25 PM

Originally posted by MoreGuitars

I downloaded the freeware version of workbench. It never installed. It was because my variax firmware was not compatible.
How do I update the variax fimware? Can I do it thru the POD XTL? I want to use this but I can't. BTW, I have a Variax 300.

Also, I emailed this question several times to Line6 Tech support but got no reply.......

You can use the POD xtL to connect the Variax to the Internet via your computer and update your firmware. I'm away from the office, but believe that your V300 will update to v3.07 firmware after you update. Plug a Variax digital interface cable into the Variax input on the xtL (the other end goes in the RJ45 output of the guitar of course). Connect the xtL to your computer via the USB output. It will now allow you to access the downloads on our site, in place of using the Workbench hardware.

Go to the Line 6 software download page by clicking on "Support" on our main page. Once there, download the Line 6 Monkey by selecting it from the Software drop-down menu. Click "Show" to access the right version for your system. Once installed, run the Monkey and you will see which version you have and can update your V300 to work with Workbench. Please note this caveat from the site that may apply to your PC setup:
IMPORTANT: There is an issue with Line 6 Monkey and systems that have an Athlon XP processor and the nVidia 2 chipset when updating a Variax 300 or through PODxt Live. As the problem is very hardware-specific, we ask that you seek out a different PC configuration for the update. We have experienced no issues running the Workbench 1.10 application with PODxt Live/Variax 300 on such systems once the update is complete.

Please check this out and let me know how it turns out. If you run into problems, let me know and I'll be sure to hae someone contact you Monday when we get back to the shop.

Rich at Line 6

MoreGuitars

09-25-2005, 11:16 AM

Originally posted by Rich at L6

You can use the POD xtL to connect the Variax to the Internet via your computer and update your firmware. I'm away from the office, but believe that your V300 will update to v3.07 firmware after you update. Plug a Variax digital interface cable into the Variax input on the xtL (the other end goes in the RJ45 output of the guitar of course). Connect the xtL to your computer via the USB output. It will now allow you to access the downloads on our site, in place of using the Workbench hardware.

Go to the Line 6 software download page by clicking on "Support" on our main page. Once there, download the Line 6 Monkey by selecting it from the Software drop-down menu. Click "Show" to access the right version for your system. Once installed, run the Monkey and you will see which version you have and can update your V300 to work with Workbench. Please note this caveat from the site that may apply to your PC setup:
IMPORTANT: There is an issue with Line 6 Monkey and systems that have an Athlon XP processor and the nVidia 2 chipset when updating a Variax 300 or through PODxt Live. As the problem is very hardware-specific, we ask that you seek out a different PC configuration for the update. We have experienced no issues running the Workbench 1.10 application with PODxt Live/Variax 300 on such systems once the update is complete.

Please check this out and let me know how it turns out. If you run into problems, let me know and I'll be sure to hae someone contact you Monday when we get back to the shop.

Rich at Line 6

I tried several times to update thru the XTL. am running a P4 and I am not running the nvidia chipsets. Any suggestions?

Rich at L6

09-25-2005, 04:21 PM

Originally posted by MoreGuitars

I tried several times to update thru the XTL. am running a P4 and I am not running the nvidia chipsets. Any suggestions?

When you get the Line 6 Monkey window up, it should tell you what firmware version you have in the guitar and also what the latest version available is. Can you get this far? If so, what does it say the firmware version in your guitar is and also does it show v3.07 as the latest?

I'll be away from the computer until Monday. Please reply and I'll be certain that we get someone to help you get your V300 updated.

Rich at Line 6

Anderton

09-26-2005, 03:36 PM

I just found this out from Marcus Ryle at Line 6:

"Variax Workbench software is available as a free download for guitarists that also own either a PODxt Live or a Vetta II. Both of these products can connect digitally to a Variax, and also to a computer (via USB on the PODxt Live, and via any USB-to-MIDI interface for the Vetta II). In the case of PODxt Live, you also get the benefit of having a digital audio connection to your computer via USB, so not only can you perform all of the Variax Workbench features, but you can record digitally into a recording application any sounds you create."

Well now that's pretty cool, I didn't know you could get the software for free without the hardware!

Anderton

09-26-2005, 03:42 PM

As promised, here are some patches I came up with using Workbench. Just click on the Attachment button and download.

A Fifth of 12 tunes the upper two strings in fifths instead of unison. It sounds great with barre chords.

Folk Rock 12 does some fun things with pickup placement and phase.

Midrange Scoop puts the pickups in a "X" and throws them out of phase, which basically drops the 3rd and 4th strings out of the sound.

60s 12-String places both pickups in the neck, and uses an out of phase/series connection.

Tamboura is just a thinner version of the stock Sitar patch.

Telepaul just sounds cool. Try various bodies.

Have fun!

Jotown

09-26-2005, 03:43 PM

Cool Beans Craig,
You said PodXT live; does that mean you cannot do it with a regular PodXT?

Anderton

09-26-2005, 03:48 PM

I'm assuming just the PODxt Live, but I'm waiting for official confirmation from Line 6.

Anderton

09-26-2005, 04:03 PM

This just in from Marcus Ryle at Line 6:

"Good question. Variax Workbench software can be used without its hardware interface only with products that provide a Variax Digital Interface connection built in, which is why this is possible only with PODxt Live and Vetta II. If someone has a PODxt (not Live), it is still a great companion for Variax, and can be used for audio monitoring while using Variax Workbench, but the hardware interface provided with Variax Workbench will be required in order for the computer to communicate digitally with the Variax."

MoreGuitars

09-26-2005, 09:41 PM

Originally posted by Rich at L6

When you get the Line 6 Monkey window up, it should tell you what firmware version you have in the guitar and also what the latest version available is. Can you get this far? If so, what does it say the firmware version in your guitar is and also does it show v3.07 as the latest?

I'll be away from the computer until Monday. Please reply and I'll be certain that we get someone to help you get your V300 updated.

Rich at Line 6

Well it works now! I had a few problems, I got some problems with midi interference from my keyboard, and for some reason it crashed a couple times. (A message came up to disengage gigastudio), so I did, and the firmware update worked.

BTW, This is the "Free" version!!!
After that it went thru without a hitch. This is really cool!

Rich at L6

09-27-2005, 09:16 AM

Originally posted by MoreGuitars

Well it works now! I had a few problems, I got some problems with midi interference from my keyboard, and for some reason it crashed a couple times. (A message came up to disengage gigastudio), so I did, and the firmware update worked.

BTW, This is the "Free" version!!!
After that it went thru without a hitch. This is really cool!

I'm glad to hear you were able to get it to work. Have fun and keep us posted.

Rich at Line 6

MoreGuitars

09-27-2005, 09:34 PM

This is really great. I think it is worth it even if you only use the alternate tunings. I also like putting the bass strings down an octave, it gets a pretty good stand up bass sound when using the acoustic model. The possibilities are tremendous.

How do I save the "workbench" guitar in my PODxtL presets?

arellspencer

10-01-2005, 08:45 PM

Originally posted by Anderton
I’ve never really been into alternate tunings that much; it’s just too much hassle to tune and then retune, and I always thought it was kind of excessive to keep extra guitars around for specific tunings.
it's time for conclusions.
Uh Hi greg! I hope you is wail. Im is goode! I'm nicer to cats these days , cause uh, I'm a believer and that ain't no monkey business there! ahahaha!
I have had many guitars for alternate tunings cause I too believe it's a lot of hassle to set up an axe for, uh say open D on medium strangs tuned to D from standard and then attempt to retune it to open something else. maddening to me sometimes. maddening i say!
so I just get me an axe for each tuning i use. ahhh!
three or four at least. you know live and all that.
at least.
studio same ting. Saves hossle and wear and tear on arells noggin-juices...
sure wish there was some sort of un-complicated and non-boggy program that would satisfy those um demons of mine.
okay greg you won this round but i'll be back, !.
Thanks for lettin' me share!

seclusion

10-06-2005, 04:12 AM

Fri, I go downtown and decide on a purchase of the Variax 600 or 700 series.. I'm not sure which but it'll be one of em to compliment my XT Live! My tounge is hanging out like my dogs!
Rich, while you're here... I run Nuendo 3 (ASIO) on my system, is there any way of running the USB output of the XT Live (ASIO) inside of Nuendo??? I like the idea of all digital until the speakers! But I use a Tascam Firewire 1884 and it seems I can do one or the other, but not both... Even if I could enable only a stereo channel in Nuendo of the XTL that would save yet another couple cables to goof around with.
Thanks
Brian :p

seclusion

10-07-2005, 04:23 PM

Got my Variax... Wooohooo, man this thing rawks! Cool. Those Acoustic guitars are incredibly clear

seclusion

10-08-2005, 08:30 AM

One thing on the update is that my guitar shows up in the workbench as a variax 300. But I have a 600. Everything works great just shows up wrong! Coooooollllll!

Kevin_FL

10-08-2005, 06:38 PM

Do you guys get a check from Line6 to spew this crap? Your fine with Lime6 till something breaks & it will!

Anderton

10-08-2005, 11:18 PM

<<Do you guys get a check from Line6 to spew this crap? Your fine with Lime6 till something breaks & it will!>>

No, we just take care of our gear. So far I've owned (in order):

AX212
Pod
Pod xt
Variax
Vetta II

They all still work perfectly, and some of the gear has been abused on transatlantic trips to weird european club gigs.

MoreGuitars

10-09-2005, 12:30 PM

I have a FM-4, DL-4, DM-4, MM-4, POD 2.0 with floorboard, Bass POD, POD XT Live and Variax 300. None has died on me yet.

And I have Roto and a Liquid Flange on order.

Anderton

10-10-2005, 11:56 PM

Okay, the thread's winding down...I'll be closing and unsticking it soon. If you have any more questions/comments, now's the time.

seclusion

10-12-2005, 09:01 AM

One cool option was to get a bass line down, I detuned the whole guitar down an octave. then the touch of the strings doesn't change but the sound came out an octave lower. It sound surprisingly good. Have to say being a guitar player, I could lay down a track quick. Not sure if I'd leave that take on a studio album but she's still sitting in the mix quite well right now.
Cool.

MoreGuitars

10-13-2005, 09:53 AM

Originally posted by seclusion
One cool option was to get a bass line down, I detuned the whole guitar down an octave. then the touch of the strings doesn't change but the sound came out an octave lower. It sound surprisingly good. Have to say being a guitar player, I could lay down a track quick. Not sure if I'd leave that take on a studio album but she's still sitting in the mix quite well right now.
Cool.

I tried this using the acoustic guitar, I got a believable upright bass sound.

Kevin_FL

10-22-2005, 09:55 PM

What's Line6 paying you?

MikEdge

10-23-2005, 05:30 AM

Craig, please, would you lost some words on comparison of the new frimware's sounds to their predecessors? People tend to say that acoustic models have got worse with 3.xx version... This is something that still prevents me from purchasing WB. I trust your ears. Thanks!

MoreGuitars

10-23-2005, 06:50 PM

Originally posted by Kevin_FL
What's Line6 paying you?

Give it a rest, jerk off...

seclusion

10-30-2005, 12:18 PM

Hey guys, here's a link to a site where people have changed the guts out of Variax and added them to their favorite guitars. Some really nice axe's built from scratch too. Hope i can link this Craig.
Some serious GAS attack there!!!
Later
Brian:p
http://www.instituteofnoise.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=17

Anderton

10-30-2005, 11:01 PM

<<What's Line6 paying you?>>

For the record: Nothing.

They did buy a banner ad above the forum. But that was after the decision to do the Variax review. As far as I know, there was no connection other than that I do know some Line 6 people are regulars here on SSS, and they probably picked up on my opinion of their gear :)

Fact of the matter is, I've gotten some great sounds out of Line 6 products, and I think they do a great job. Then again, I've also gotten some fantastic sounds out of the DigiTech GNX4 and GNX3000, NI Guitar Rig, and IK AmpliTube. Is that a problem for you?

Finally, this is an "open source" review. If you have a problem with any of the review's factual content (as opposed to conspiracy theories), post away! That's the luxury of doing it online.

default_damage

01-15-2006, 12:41 PM

I am getting a variax and Pod live this week and even though you are unpaid for your perspective, your advice and direction have always been very helpful . :thu:

I read your review, else where. The review addressed alot of issues I was considering regarding variax.
I have a Roland VG-8 and ever since I put a lip stick tube pick-up in a national steel body guitar, I have been hooked on mutant guitar building.
thanks

FuzzBob

01-15-2006, 04:57 PM

I've had the WB since summer '05 and love it. Any chance in the future that there might be some model packs available for the WB the way they are for the PODx?

For example, it would be really cool to have a "Collector's Classics" pack with korina Vs, SG 6/12s, Jazzmasters, Mosrites, Maccaferri Selmers, etc. as well as a "Custom" pack with various high-end stuff like Pensa/Suhr/Sadowsky/Tom Anderson- type superstrats in various exotic woods. This pack could also have overwound classic pickups, Lace Sensors, Bartolinis, EMGs, Duncans, etc...

...just my own personal wish list.

JB1592

01-24-2006, 08:22 PM

Originally posted by Anderton

Actually, I don't know if there has been...and I wonder if the Line 6 update did something to the Variax too, not just the USB adapter. Anyone out there from Line 6? Can you answer?

It did. That wasn't the USB adapter firmware being updated to version 3.05, it was in fact the Variax firmware. I don't doubt that some wording in there might have been a bit confusing though. Line 6 seems to update their software a lot more often than they update their shipping products. I understand the logistics of why that is, but it does often leave you with quite a lot of updating to do after installing anything.

You can also download the files needed to update your variax (or monkey, or workbench...) here (http://www.line6.com/software/?hardware=Variax&name=All&os=Windows+XP&submit=Show%3A) for that "music computer not attached to the 'net" issue you experienced. The most recent version is 3.10, posted on Jan 6th.

default_damage

01-26-2006, 02:16 PM

I purchased a Variax and Line 6 Pod live
brought it home upgraded the firmware and now everything is loaded with the current versions.

the Variax is being recorded into Sonar 3
(Sonar 5 is sitting waiting to be installed.)

the result are impressive. I have never player a 52' gold top ...so ?

so I forgot about the names of the guitars and attended to
recorded using thefactory installed sounds .

I'm happy.

it sounds good to me . I added a PSP Vintage warmer and the Mix Presser to the tracks

the sound is better than anything that I ever got at home, recording from an amp. it's dead quiet. no nothing , just pristine silence.

I openned up the work bench and openned the national biscuit used an open "E". loaded it and played. I folllowed the same steps
with the parlor guitar .
now there is a duet recorded. I created a lp special with a P-90 pu in the bridge and a lipstick tube pu in the middle . recorded that, and it was "winged eel fingerling " all day. add a nice little deluxe with some grit and that's it, that's all

thank you all for your hints tips and encouragement.

Anderton

01-26-2006, 06:37 PM

<<so I forgot about the names of the guitars and attended to
recorded using the factory installed sounds.

I'm happy. >>

You totally get it!! Glad you're happy. I realize the Variax will never be all things to all people, but it's a piece of genius technology that crosses the line comfortably into art. Workbench is the icing on the cake.

MorePaul

01-26-2006, 07:00 PM

I'm passingly familiar with the variax (I understand the basic premise, but have yet to try one)

Q: with this new toolbox, is there facility to make non-guitar models (sort of like the HRM that Roland put into the VG system)?

Anderton

01-26-2006, 11:46 PM

The Variax doesn't really do synthesis-type sounds. You can get some off the wall sounds, but they are always either guitar- or bass-like.

However, the new Line 6 bass amps at NAMM have a "synth" position that creates some excellent synth bass sounds.

MorePaul

01-27-2006, 12:05 AM

ah, I was wondering how they implemented, say, the sitar sound

In that I mean there may be more parameters in the SW than is currenty being passed by the UI

(or possiby the limited parameters, but not covaried and resitricted to produce 'guitar models' as such - not so muh 'synth sound', but a more open programming interface - so , basically, you are getting direct acess to the processing parameters as opposed to "guitar building" parameters negotiated by the UI - like playing a omputer game in test mode with the input validation disabled)

thoughts?

default_damage

01-27-2006, 03:39 AM

Originally posted by Anderton
<<so I forgot about the names of the guitars and attended to
recorded using the factory installed sounds.

I'm happy. >>

You totally get it!! Glad you're happy. I realize the Variax will never be all things to all people, but it's a piece of genius technology that crosses the line comfortably into art. Workbench is the icing on the cake.

lets see, which review did I read, that this approach was suggested as a possible approach for using the unit?

Lucky #9

01-29-2006, 04:07 AM

and the sounds it produces are cool...

The guitar itself sucks big time as a player, particularly the neck in the 1st position. My thumb has no comfortable place to go as the headstock/neck connection area is very abrupt, squared off and uncontoured and that's where my thumb likes to hang out when playing chords in that position.

But I bought it with the eventual intention of transferring the innards to a Tele.:idea::cool::freak:

MorePaul

01-29-2006, 10:10 AM

Lucky

I recently noticed that Warmoth now makes retrofit variax necks so that might be an option for ya requiring less surgery
On a related note

Q: Is there enough in-body real estate to allow for routing and adding more trad electronics?

seclusion

01-29-2006, 05:16 PM

Ya I've been wondering this also, just getting a good neck with possibly a locking nut! I've fiddled to death with the 600 and still find tuning and intonation issues even after getting sperzel tuners she still slides outa tune constantly! Still no regrets though;)
About enough body room for pickups etc. there are some guys over at http://www.instituteofnoise.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=17.
Some guys have both their traditional pickups of choice and the variax guts together in one guitar, but you can't run pickup into variax or the oposite. Just a switch to toggle between the 2!
You may want to check this out. Parker with a variax implant.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v367/tattooedcarrot/NAMM06/?action=view&current=IMG_0397.jpg
Umm price is something like $10000...
Come on lottery!!!

default_damage

02-02-2006, 03:48 AM

the warmoth necks are appealing, because I have large hands and very thick fingers.
the only neck that has ever been comfy for me is a wide classical neck.

the number of options offered for their other necks is really great. the scale length, the back contours and nut widths and compund neck radius all seem to offer some thing for most hands .

MorePaul

02-02-2006, 09:26 AM

I tend to be the same way, though it might have to do with classical (and screw the reformist 'classic';) ) guit being my native type

still, yeah, a lot of electric necks feel very cramped to me

Blackbelt1

02-10-2006, 07:19 PM

I'm onboard with this stuff, in fact Line 6 pretty much single-handedly jump-started my guitar playing again.

I played in many bands in the late 70's through the 80's but then settled into a steady career, then a marriage, and fatherhood. I didn't foresee the time to play much anymore so I sold off all of my electric guitars except for 1 Strat, my 1981 Antigua one. It eventually wound up in the case, under the bed, behind my kids' Lego collection. My old Crate amp went to the attic and my effects pedals went who-knows-where. For the next 12+ years I did little more than strum a few chords on my acoustics.

Part of the problem with playing blues, classic rock, metal, etc. is that playing alone gets boring after a while. I didn't have time for a band or jams but that was the only way the electrics became interesting. Fathers Day 2004 that all changed. I got a Guitar Port by Line 6. I was so intrigued, I dragged the Strat out from its nest, put some new strings on it, and proceeded to discover how awful and rusty I had become. I went through some of the lessons, and some of the backing tracks and slowly started getting some skills back.

One thing led to another and I found myself playing 2 hours every day at the Guitar Port. The kids are old enough now that they have their friends and I had some spare time. So I did what any rational man would do - I bought a second MIA Stratocaster. I kept the old one detuned a half step for SRV, EVH, Hendrix, etc. I kept the new one tuned standard to mess around with the Pink Floyd tracks on Guitar Port.

Then I started itching to play out again. Well, to make a long story short, a few guitar purchases later (I bought 5 of them last year) I told my wife I wanted the Pod XT Live for Christmas. Once I had the chairman's...er, I mean, the wife's OK, I bought the Pod XTL and brought it home. Yep, she still made me put it under the tree and wait for 12/25 along with the kids.

What's this got to do with the Variax? Well, now that I had this Pod XT Live, and it had a Variax port on it, the GAS started to burn. I received an unexpected bonus check at the beginning of the year, so I bought a Variax 300. Not being a gigging musician, and already pushing my marital luck with all the other purchases, I didn't want to shoot higher than the 300. I played some at GC that were an awful mess, but mine arrived via online purchase and plays terrific out of the box. To my surprise, I didn't need to make any adjustments at all.

So now I have the Guitar Port, I have the Pod XT Live, and I have the Variax...oh yeah, and I bought the 2 extra model packs for the Pod XTL too (shhhhh...I snuck those by her). Now I'm set. If all goes according to plan I will play "out" for the first time in several years, this coming week at an open mic night. You know what's really cool about the Variax, teamed with the Pod? My first song. I'm going to play "Comfortably Numb." I have a pretty good backing track a buddy made; I'll start out on a Martin acoustic model, kick in a 12-string version of the Martin with some chorus, and then hit the lead breaks running, using a Stratocaster model. This will all happen with 3 Pod pedal steps.

I'll also play a SRV tune, detuned a half step. With the Variax, I won't worry about retuning the guitar, as I've created a Strat model in Workbench that is already tuned down appropriately.

I read a lot of folks berating Line 6 on various sites but I give them kudos for being forward thinking. Admittedly I'm no tone freak ("close" is fine by me if the audience agrees) and I don't lay awake at night thinking about which set of pickups to put in my Gretsch. I just fiddle with the controls at my disposal, make sounds, and have fun. And I am having LOTS of fun.

:wave:

~Blackbelt

AndyZ

02-21-2006, 03:24 PM

I can't believe I am just seeing this thread now. Nice review Craig!

I'd like to add that I have 100's if not 1000's of Variax patches by now, that you can load up in Workbench on my Line 6 Users site... http://www.instituteofnoise.com

Once there on the main page, click on PATCHES on the top menu, then select search the database and filter only Variax patches, and have at it.

There's some really great stuff in there if you want to see what others have done, that you might not have thought of yet. Especially in the alt-tuning stuff or models you'd never expect kind of stuff.

Anderton

02-21-2006, 03:25 PM

Great resource! Thanks.

johnzed

02-28-2006, 10:08 AM

I've never been a luddite when it comes to music technology but when it came to guitars I tended to stick with my Les Paul Deluxe through a botique valve amp. I had my sound and if the music didn't warrant that sound I didn't use guitar. Then I bought a Pod XTL and it really opened my eyes. I was playing in a way I didn't think was in me, the different sounds inspired me and I realised I was a better guitarist than I thought. Inspired by this, instead of buying a new mic pre, I bought a Variax 500. At first I didn't like the neck (felt like a baseball bat) and found the action too high but the sounds kept me playing and I love the feel now. My poor Gibson sits in pride of place on a stand in my studio but usually only gets picked up once a month or so, if I want a bluesy type solo or chugging rhythm. In fact, to my shame :-) I've started using the Variax firebird model which is fairly close in sound to my LP as it's already plugged in (all the time) and the POD XTL is permanently connected. I've recently purchased a GR-20 and put the pickup on my LP so this poor, beautiful guitar tends to get used for triggering the odd synth sound mostly. I think this shows the value of the Line-6 technology for real world (not just guitar anoraks) use. Thanks, Line 6. Now I'm exploring the workbench and as soon as I have some time free I'm going to try something off the wall. In combination with Guitar Rig II, for the new modulation facilities I'm using more and more guitar on all my music, both for people I produce and for film. That has to be a good thing!

appmon

02-28-2006, 04:49 PM

I'm with Blackbelt1. The kids are almost outta high school and I can start to think about gig'n again.

I used to gig a lot. Had a Les Paul Standard with multi-switching for in-phase, single coil, outta-phase...etc, I got a lot of different kinds of sounds out of that axe.

I played the Variax 700 for about 3 hours at Daddy's Junky Music store on Saturday. Bottom line, if you haven't tried one yet...you should!

Basically I'm a fingerpick'n / acoustic kinda guitar player and I liked the very clean sound the 700 produced...it sounded slightly compressed, but not so much as to really bother me.

If you A-B compared a real Strat to the Variax/Strat you will hear a difference. Not as much punch/dynamic/bite...a little compressed. But the Variax/Strat sounds are quite good!

The Jazz sounds were velvet. The Dimarzio's I had on my Les Paul were too dirty to get that kind of smooth Jazz sound. This is one place where slightly compressed sounds good!

To me, the acoustic sounds were just OK. (...but most amplified acoustic instruments sound just OK ) For the average listener, the Variax presents a fairly convincing acoustic guitar sound. Many of the customers in the store were impressed.

Being able to dial in alternate tunings is awesome!!!

Bottom line, if you do gigs, and need to play many different styles of music, and don't want to carry around more than one guitar - check the Variax out. If LINE-6 can punch up the dynamics of the guitar so it sounds less compressed, then -ALL- the guitar models should sound a bit more authentic...and it's just a 'bit' that is needed.

Oh yeah, LINE-6: How about individual string volume/sensitivity adjustment in the Workbench for -EACH- guitar model, not just just one adjustment for -ALL- models.

Vettaville.nl

03-05-2006, 12:02 PM

Nice review Craig,

Just to add a little more, you can have nylon strings on your Variax (this has nothing to do with workbench directly, but relates to altering your tone).

Here's some examples and what to use...
http://www.vettaville.nl/vvlatestnewsnl.htm#237

(for those who see this post later, try the archive link/button for febr. 2006)

MorePaul

03-05-2006, 10:19 PM

johnzed -

I *think* the necks are built on a fender standard (regardless, warmoth now manufactures Variax compatible parts)

so if you *do* find yourself longing for a different neck profile -- there may very well be options that will suit you

default_damage

03-15-2006, 04:19 AM

I have been working with the work bench everyday trying to create 3 complete patches a day that is to many .

however the workbench combined with the POD XT Live has been painless and alot of fun.

using the usb connection to record into sonar , the results are stunning ( same bad playing but the sound is great.) talent is not included in the package. I think that was supposed to be included prior to the variax/wor bench / Pod XT Live.

it's the sound! inspirational in context.
the sounds tell me how to use them and in what context. I listen and obey.

I have never had acccess to a 52 gold top or a 56 standard cherry sunburst or any of the other titles used , so if it's "real " I would not know from Tiesco.
I do know as I learn to tone down the distortion because when I have recorded it seems much hotter and edger than I am comfortable with.

I've been playing around with "ghost pickups , a second pickup mixed well under the louder dominate pick up the ghost adding subliminal sonic componentsadding that special subtle change that efffects perception.

I like it. I really like it!
it's fun and exciting !

Mats Nermark

03-15-2006, 11:56 AM

Originally posted by MorePaul

Q: with this new toolbox, is there facility to make non-guitar models (sort of like the HRM that Roland put into the VG system)?

Hi Paul,

As of now that's not an option.

I did however hear an interview with Marcus Ryle and considering his response to that question and his background in synthesis I'd be very surprised if we didn't see something along those lines soon.

In fact, there's the Frankfurt Music trade show in march and Line 6 didn't really show too much new stuff at NAMM. It's my hope that they will show something in Frankfurt. I'm hoping for a new powerful tabletop PODxt super extra Mk II that in addition to being a superior POD it can also accept individual string input from a Variax and then process them in a number of original ways.
Please note that these are just hopes and dreams and has no factual value at all.

Cheers,

Mats N

Anderton

03-15-2006, 02:23 PM

<<I did however hear an interview with Marcus Ryle and considering his response to that question and his background in synthesis I'd be very surprised if we didn't see something along those lines soon.>>

For what it's worth, their Lowdown bass amp displayed at NAMM had a synth voicing.

I'd also add that while maybe not spectacular, their "pop out the user interface from the pedal dock" product was really quite kewl. You can see it in detail on the Line 6 NAMM video located on this site in the NAMM report.

Mats Nermark

03-15-2006, 02:35 PM

Originally posted by Anderton

I'd also add that while maybe not spectacular, their "pop out the user interface from the pedal dock" product was really quite kewl. You can see it in detail on the Line 6 NAMM video located on this site in the NAMM report.

Hi Craig,

Yup, I've seen it and read all about it and it's sorta cool but when I think of Marcus and Michael and the stuff I know they are capable of I'm expecting a lot more.

Maybe a PODxt Mk II with a built in programmable dock for the user to pop in a little something extra. Add a Variax i/f with an inbuilt synth unit. Larger display. Dual signal paths as the Vetta II. All the model packs included. More models. Better and more sensitive input so playing dynamics will be better.

Will I see you in Frankfurt?

Cheers,

Mats N

percyexpat

04-19-2006, 10:19 PM

hi there. i was just wondering how easily the variax workbench can be used live. is it possible to say switch tunings with a footpedal as youre playing? the first thing that came to my mind while reading about the adjustable tunings and things was sonic youth. they have used for years and years dozens of guitars for just one set, even during one song to achieve all sorts of weird tunings and chords. it would seem this would make that to some degree possible with the tap of a footswitch.

aside from that query, the only thing keeping me from rushing out and buying it now (or in the morning..heh) is the lack of non string instrument options. being quite a fan of the likes of robert fripp, even a basic synth setting that you could run through other filters would be incredible.

squealie

04-20-2006, 08:26 AM

Originally posted by percyexpat
hi there. i was just wondering how easily the variax workbench can be used live. is it possible to say switch tunings with a footpedal as youre playing?

Used with a XTL or Vetta II, you can save Variax patch #s (with tunings) and change them with your footswitch.

The tuning is saved with the Variax patch... so you can change tunings by flipping the 'pickup' selector. There's a vid somewhere of a guy playing melodies and changing chords with the switch alone.

I love my Variax/Vetta setup. It's cool as crap.

percyexpat

04-23-2006, 01:17 AM

Originally posted by squealie

Used with a XTL or Vetta II, you can save Variax patch #s (with tunings) and change them with your footswitch.

The tuning is saved with the Variax patch... so you can change tunings by flipping the 'pickup' selector. There's a vid somewhere of a guy playing melodies and changing chords with the switch alone.

I love my Variax/Vetta setup. It's cool as crap.

ooh thats pretty cool :) i had to watch the videos to find the info on the variax, their website is total crap. doesnt even have a list of the models so far as i can see.

more kinda On Topic question now: does workbench mean that there will be upgrade packs of more guitar models and so forth in future like has happened with the POD?

also: workbench with the variax bass?

wonder if anyone from line6 is still checking out these pages.

:D

seclusion

04-23-2006, 07:48 AM

The POd family has just recieved a major update. now you can also plug in your bass and lay down some tracks using a "bass pack" expansion which adds, some well known bass amps and cab emulations (a cool $99 add-on) if you ask me. So I have no idea if line 6 could add more guitars into the Variax! We have a pretty damn good start already! Workbench in a live setting would be pretty wierd! I save my patches with th XT Live so I can have eg. a Strat using a marshall 900 series amp with a line 6 4 X 10 cab! Then switch to an Martin acoustic with no amp simulation and no cabs for that "just acoustic" sound. Click the foot pedal and everything changes! I suspect that it's possible that the Variax may only have "space" to hold so many guitars onboard. But I can't see why we couldn't have 50 guitar emulations saved in workbench and save the ones you like on the Variax. Anyway the more I use the Variax and the XTLive combo the more I'm liking it! I'm soon going to get a Traynor K4 keyboard amp to have a better recorded sound. Currently if I record direct it sounds totally different when I use my Crate amp! The keyboard amp is more full range. So I can have the same patch for live and in the studio. Just something to think about that obviously it's tough to make all these emulations play back the same through the many different types of amp combo's out there!
Later

percyexpat

04-23-2006, 09:08 AM

well i see no technical reason why they could not. the variax has limited memory of course but with workbench i believe you can add and remove guitar presets so i see no reason why you couldnt load new models into workbench and copy them across. the list is reasonably comprehensive but there is of course a very strong strong country feel to it that i cant relate to for one. the medium has so much potential, im surprised it hasnt been expanded more really...the gibson digital guitar seems to have disappeared...havnt heard much about that lately. im very excited about the customisability. maybe its just the nerd in me and maybe this level of tweaking actually makes no effective difference to the sound but id still like more :)

Cor

07-29-2006, 12:57 PM

VPIM ( Variax Patch Information Manager )

VPIM is FREEWARE

VPIM is a utility special for users who have a Line6 Variax guitar and the Variax Workbench software package just like me, i have a lefthanded Variax 500 ;-)
This util saves me lot of time, instead of loading different patches into Workbench, i can now easily search for all patches which have e.g. Special Bird Body with T-Model Bridge and pickups which are switched in series and are in phase. Now try that for yourself in Workbench.

What can it do:
+ Open a directory with your single patches (*.vwm) and all will be loaded into VPIM
+ Show useable patch information, Variax Workbench is not needed.
+ Search for a combination of Author, BodyType, PickupType, search if pickups are
switches in series or parallell , search for pickups which are in phase or out of phase
search for patches which have alternate tunings or default tunings
+ Copy found patches with search to a directory you want.
+ Double click on a patch will automatically launch Variax Workbench in editor mode
if installed.
+ Latest opened patch directory will be saved.

+ Does not wite to registry
+ Small exe < 100k
+ No DLL's needed
+ runs from USB Stick
+ Workbench is not needed to show information of patches.

You can download it for FREE at: (~150KB)

http://webdisk.planet.nl/viss3248/publiek/album/variax-vpim.zip

gr.

Cor de Visser
Auhtor of Super Guitar Chord Finder
http://www.ready4music.com
http://www.chordplanet.com

MoreGuitars

07-31-2006, 02:09 PM

Originally posted by seclusion
The POd family has just recieved a major update. now you can also plug in your bass and lay down some tracks using a "bass pack" expansion which adds, some well known bass amps and cab emulations (a cool $99 add-on) if you ask me. So I have no idea if line 6 could add more guitars into the Variax! We have a pretty damn good start already! Workbench in a live setting would be pretty wierd! I save my patches with th XT Live so I can have eg. a Strat using a marshall 900 series amp with a line 6 4 X 10 cab! Then switch to an Martin acoustic with no amp simulation and no cabs for that "just acoustic" sound. Click the foot pedal and everything changes! I suspect that it's possible that the Variax may only have "space" to hold so many guitars onboard. But I can't see why we couldn't have 50 guitar emulations saved in workbench and save the ones you like on the Variax. Anyway the more I use the Variax and the XTLive combo the more I'm liking it! I'm soon going to get a Traynor K4 keyboard amp to have a better recorded sound. Currently if I record direct it sounds totally different when I use my Crate amp! The keyboard amp is more full range. So I can have the same patch for live and in the studio. Just something to think about that obviously it's tough to make all these emulations play back the same through the many different types of amp combo's out there!
Later

I added the Bass Expansion pack to the XT Live and I love it. It really now is a great self contained guitar/bass recording unit.

Jealousblues

09-26-2006, 02:39 PM

I dont know if anyone has mentioned this, but if you have a PODXT live and a Variax you can just download the workbench software for free from line6's site and just run the usb through your XL live and use the line 6 VDI (or a regular cat5) to your variax.

Anderton

09-26-2006, 02:49 PM

Yes, that was mentioned, but thanks anyway!

whiskers

01-25-2007, 04:09 PM

just became aware of this forum..very nice..I own one of the first early 300's and I like the action that it came with, from the factory...unplugged the strings ring all the way up , however when it is connected all the acoustic sounds especially the 12 string have that "fretting out" sound from the 7th fret up...company suggested taking it to a luthier, nothing else...as an experiment I raised the strings as high as they would go just to hear the extremes and it helped somewhat but the results were not satisfactory...and of course left the instrument unplayable...I bought the workbench software thinking maybe it would help..could this be a software glitch ...any other suggestions I can consider?

TheniCk

02-26-2007, 03:14 PM

hi, I'm a Variax 700 and POD XTL owner and ave never been as happy than now I can experience these marvelous products for my own creations.:thu:
But there are a few famous guitar models (such as Gibson SG for example) that are not implemented in the original package (excuse my english... i'm french). :confused:
I just can't set them by myself (God knows I tried) so I'm looking for a place where I could share and/or find new tones for my Variax. Unfortunately, Line6 Website (the Club) gives many POD presets, but not a single Variax preset. First I'd like to know if there's a reason for that, and second where I can share and/or find such tones (*.vwm files, as far as I know). All my researches on the web have been unsuccessfull :cry:
Thx
NiCk

[EDIT] Sorry, Andy, I didn't see your message up there... I visited the institute of noise and found a few interresting patches... 'm gonna try them and hope to be back to tell you about :). Thx again NiCk

Anderton

02-26-2007, 09:57 PM

I also posted some patches earlier in this thread...try page 2.

markwayne

02-27-2007, 10:42 AM

Vettaville.nl

05-19-2007, 06:45 AM

FYI Information there are now Workbench guides / tutuorials available for anyone interested. (work in progress)

http://www.vettaville.nl/vvworkbenchtutorials.html

Why?

05-22-2007, 04:11 PM

I’ve been playing (at) guitar since I was around 13 years old. I’m pushing 60 now so you can do the math. Over those years I’ve owned or extensively played many of the guitar modeled in the Variax. In those yars I’ve played many styles of music in several different bands from my early county music background, through the 60’s and 70’s and finally and comfortably settled into the blues style that I’ve been playing for the past 20 years or so. I gave up playing live a while back and bought myself a little Boss BR1200 recorder and have found a whole new interest in that but I found that my Custom Shop strat and my Yamaha bass left a lot to be desired in wishing for lots of variation in my recording project. So I looked at the Variax as a answer to this. I took a chance (after playing a beat-up 300 at the local mega guitar store) and bought a 600 online. I was very happy with the sounds I got from this guitar. As a recording tool the Variax is exceptional. I eventually returned the 600 (it had a piezo problem) and upgraded to a 700. At the same time I bought a POD XTL and with these two simple tools my recordings have come alive. The models sound very good to my (old) ears. I especially like the resonator models for some of the more traditional blues songs I play.
Just a note….I did a comparision with the “spank” setting on the Variax with my Fender CSCC ’60 strat and it was very close.
Anyway, sorry to be so wordy here but I just had to put in my 2 cents worth on the subject of Variax.
I will probably get Workbench soon and see what other sounds I can come up with.

Vettaville.nl

05-30-2007, 08:32 AM

Anyway, sorry to be so wordy here but I just had to put in my 2 cents worth on the subject of Variax.
I will probably get Workbench soon and see what other sounds I can come up with.

When you have the PODxtl (or Vetta) and Variax you can download the workbench app. for free from Line 6's website. You only need the VDI cable to connect to your PODxtl (maybe you already have that).

So there's no need to buy the USB version (unless you want to).

Hope it helps
Regards
Hans

JB1592

08-05-2007, 03:14 PM

Well, given the price reduction on the 300 series, I thought I'd give one a try as a giggle. Now keep in mind that I wasn't expecting much. The guitar is packaged and feels like a toy. I'm pretty good at staying open minded. So I took it out, tuned it up and played it for a bit. It would certainly never become my go to instrument, but it's reasonably playable. I would say it plays and feels like a ~$200 guitar.

Now, I finally plugged it in. It's really not bad sounding. I'll be keeping it. I'm sure it will find a use. I also happen to own a few of the guitars being modeled here. I did some side by side comparisons for fun. I tested my Martin, Les Paul, Strat, Tele, Explorer and 12 string against the Variax and would have to say that these are certainly not replicas by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I would not call these models as much as charactures of a given guitar. (In the case of the Martin D-28, I think they might have confused it with a Martin Thinline pickup on a Martin.) Obviously, the Line6 guys choose the least subtle attributes of each guitar and placed them front and center. And this is a good thing. Look, the reason most people want a specific guitar for a specific part is for the perceived tonal signature. Well, this guitar gives you an extreme version of that tonal signature. This could be great for those times when someone complains that your '67 Strat doesn't sound "Stratty" enough. (Hey, trust me, it happens.) The other big advantage is that if you are just starting out and trying to find your voice, you could find the model that works best for your style and save up for the real thing down the road thereby saving years of buying up expensive real guitars. I would have to give this little thing a thumbs up. In spite of my reservations, I applaud the effort and think they are on to something here. Although, I for one, think it would be best to dispense with the modeling old instruments and get on to making something completely new. I look forward to playing around with this Workbench software and see what kind of new noise is possible.

Wayne

Some of the way the 300 sounds may well be due to the way that the guitar itself sounds.

This little tidbit about how the Variax works is applicable to those that would like to "trigger" synth sounds as well.

The Variax is not a synthesizer. None of Line 6's guitar stuff is. It all uses DSP, digital signal processing. The difference is that it manipulates the sound generated by your guitar, it doesn't convert it to a digital representation of your playing. It's all about shaping and filtering the original sound. Synth guitars on the other hand interpret the analog signal from the strings to generate a MIDI signal which contains only a digital data representation of what you played, not what it sounded like (ie; Note On command, A4, velocity of 93, etc...). That digital representation is then used in the generation of a completely new sound that does not contain any actual component of the original sound. The new sound can be generated via various signal generators and modulations, or you could trigger a prerecorded sample sound, but in either case the new waveform has no actual sound content from the original so what it sounded like doesn't really matter much.

DSP like Line 6 does on the other hand is a somewhat different animal. The new sound is created by manipulating (equalizing, filtering, modulating, etc) the original so your end result depends quite a bit on what you start off with. So the fact that the 300 sounds a bit off may be largely due to the fact that the guitar itself isn't very good. (For that matter, I don't know if the electronics are up to par compared to the pricier models either)

Where that applies to synth sounds is in exactly what you can do. First off, I doubt you'll ever get a convincing organ or piano or flute sound out of it if that's the kind of thing you're going for. You also couldn't really use sustain pedals or anything of that sort. Really, the same kind of synth effects that are already in the XT Live are the only sort of stuff you'd be able to do with a vax. However, you could always add MIDI capabilities to a vax (either via a mounted GK style pickup or if you're really technically inclined and not afraid of destroying the thing you could tap off the piezo output and send it to another board internally) and use it in conjunction with Roland or Axon synth unit or the like.

Another bit regarding using the VDI connection to send individual strings to a XTL (or any other device for that matter) is that it's really not possible. The Variax is communicating digitally with the XTL when connected that way, but only for patch changes and manipulating the DSP parameters (pickup type, placement, etc.). The actual guitar sound is sent on a separate wire as an analog signal. Actually, I think I recall someone disconnecting the audio signal from the VDI connector so they could use for control only in a guitar that also used magnetic pickups. They then used a regular guitar cable to carry the audio to the Vetta II (either the vax output or magnetic, depending on a switch setting). At least, I believe that's how they had it setup. It's been a while since I've seen it, but it was definitely interesting.