Tell me about the Variax and how it can be manipulated.

[Voltaire]

I'm talking about the digital output it has, does this send out a midi signal//does it send out an audio signal that can be processed at all via software modelers?

I can't find much information on the device.

[germanicus2112]

The VDI is basically an ethernet connection. It can be connected to other Line 6 gear such as their Vetta amps, the Pod xt Live, Pod x3 Live, and the workbench hardware usb interface device.

The Variax does not send MIDI.

Many people install gk 13 pin pickups on their variax to get midi (all three of my variaxs have gk pickups installed).

The variax's VDI (Variax Digitial Interface) serves a few functions.

One it allows you another means to power the guitar instead of using onboard batteries or the direct box.

Two you can use it to edit the stored models in the Variax using Workbench Software.

Three, it allows you to handshake with certain line gear. What this means is that you can have a vetta or pod x3 live send guitar change information to the variax on stage. Therefore different patches in your pod x3 live or vetta can store different guitar settings. This makes it possible to switch guitars/effects/amp model settings with the press of single footswitch live. Its very useful. In the same song you can go from a les paul through a marshal to a rick through a vox with the push of a single switch.

In order to hear the variax using the VDI, you would use the standard outputs of whatever VDI capable device you are using (the analog, usb, or spdif outputs of say a pod x3 live). Im not sure whether the Variax USB hardware interface acts also as an audio interface for recording/software processing. I doubt it does, but I may be incorrect.

The variax also stores all the factory defaults in its memory so by using the VDI cable you can access those defaults on the fly using a pod even if you had overwritten them, so its essentially like your expanding the units storage capacity.

Workbench allows you to edit the guitars and store them. There are 12 user banks, each can store 5 different guitars. Alternate tunings are tied to a stored guitar, so if you want a strat thats in DADGAD plus one in standard tuning, thats 2 stored guitars. Pickup positions are also tied to stored guitars. IE if you want a Les Paul with just the bridge humbucker activated, thats one stored guitar. If you want the neck, thats another. You use the pickup selector switch to change stored positions in a bank (your not really changing pickups, its just selecting from the same bank).

As you can see its easy to fill up these positions, so having the VDI cable in use is very handy as you can use up all the user banks for your creations and still access the original factory guitars.

[Voltaire]

thanks for the rundown.

I plan on getting one and getting a roland pickup installed.

i have no other line 6 products at this point but I definitely think it would be worth investing in (if the product sounds as good as its advertised to sound)

[zooLemon]

Xs4VqAeZfaY

[elantric]

The Variax employs RJ-45 connection - and Nuetrik Ethercon jacks

it is NOT "Ethernet"

Its 4 twisted pairs transported over CAT 6

* Power to the guitar ( from POD XT Live, X3 Live, Pod XT Pro, etc)

* AES/EBU Out - form the guitar one channel only

* a MIDI communication connection.

The details were explained a few years ago in the Wireless Variax to Vetta Doc - google it.

http://www.vettaville.nl/page.php?id=58#166

http://www.vettaville.net/Vetta%202.5%20Wireless.pdf

[elantric]

More about the new Variax:

http://www.futureguitarnow.com/forum/index.php?topic=231.msg3846;topicseen#msg3846

[germanicus2112]

Theres a massive thread in Line 6's support forums with Rich Renken, the current product manager for the Variax.

They are still looking for input from people on the potential feature set for the Variax 2. They havent publically confirmed any release date.

Some highlights from the thread are that they are looking at a lithium-poly rechargable pack, magnetic pickups, much more powerful dsp that lets you use alternate tunings on all models, improved palm muting (fighting the transverse wave effect), and general build quality improvement. It seems there will also not be a super el-cheapo version ala the $299 variax 300 deal that was available for about a year. Its unlikely to include midi/13 pin, or built in wireless. There wont be a kit anytime soon, they are interested in building guitars, not selling kits. None of this is written in stone.

[Voltaire]

damn, if they had the 13 pin on the new version i'd be all over it.

[Polaris20]

There wont be a kit anytime soon, they are interested in building guitars, not selling kits. None of this is written in stone.

That's a shame, because even the most expensive Variax guitars are mediocre Korean crap. I'd love to buy a kit and build a Warmoth guitar from it.

[elantric]

http://www.futureguitarnow.com/forum/index.php?topic=300.0

[Polaris20]

http://www.futureguitarnow.com/forum/index.php?topic=300.0

Interesting, but pricey given a VG-99's cost.

[bdegrande]

That's a shame, because even the most expensive Variax guitars are mediocre Korean crap. I'd love to buy a kit and build a Warmoth guitar from it.

The most expensive Variaxes are Japanese and far from either mediocre or crap. That's an awful lot to get wrong in one short post.

Anyway, Warmoth and others make bodies routed for Variax electronics as well as replacement necks, and many Strat necks will fit as well.

http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Line6/Line6.aspx

If you need something higher end off the shelf, there's the Adrian Belew Signature Fly - Variax electronics. MIDI, Sustaniac, piezo, etc.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FlyABvxOr/

[Polaris20]

The most expensive Variaxes are Japanese and far from either mediocre or crap. That's an awful lot to get wrong in one short post.

Anyway, Warmoth and others make bodies routed for Variax electronics as well as replacement necks, and many Strat necks will fit as well.

http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Line6/Line6.aspx

If you need something higher end off the shelf, there's the Adrian Belew Signature Fly - Variax electronics. MIDI, Sustaniac, piezo, etc.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FlyABvxOr/

the only thing I got wrong was the origin of the 700; the rest is my opinion (which includes the 700) and I stand by it. The Variax guitars feel like cheap crap. That's not "an aweful lot to get wrong".

You might want to take note one's opinion can't be right or wrong; it's subjective, and not based on scientific fact. Mine is an informed opinion, having spent time with all of the electrics, as well as the 700 acoustic, which felt even worse than the electrics. Very disappointing, because I like the technology.

And I already am familiar with Warmoth's replacement components, which is why I said I'd love to build a guitar with their parts and the Variax guts

Line 6 has to realize that not everyone is going to like their very limited selections of colors, bridges, and neck shapes. Guitars, even high tech ones, are personal things that need to fit the player, not the other way around.

Fernandez figured it out with the Sustainer; perhaps Line6 will figure it out with the Variux guts one day.

[MusicalSchizo]

Line 6 has to realize that not everyone is going to like their very limited selections of colors, bridges, and neck shapes. Guitars, even high tech ones, are personal things that need to fit the player, not the other way around.

Fernandez figured it out with the Sustainer; perhaps Line6 will figure it out with the Variax guts one day.

I think they've already figured it out, which is why they're phasing out the old Variaxes and introducing a new line soon.

I have four Variaxes - two bass (700 and 705), two guitar (original (later called the 500) and 300) - and I like them all. Are there things about them I'd change? Absolutely. And I sincerely hope that Line 6 makes improvements in both the technology (fix palm muting!) and the build quality.

Considering how well Korea and Indonesia can build guitars these days (ever play a Lakland Skyline series bass? GOOD GOD - they are delightful!), it all comes down to design and finishing. It appears Line 6 will have a USA shop. That's pretty awesome. I hope it also means that they'll have a place to finish their import versions much like Music Man's new Sterling by Music Man series of guitars and basses (You play one yet? I think they're GREAT!), and the aforementioned Lakland basses. They make them overseas, and set them up here. This WORKS when done right. Line 6 would be wise to follow their model.

They've already proven they can make some really good tube (and tube-ish) amps overseas (Bogner Alchemist, Spider Valve), so let's see what happens with the guitars. I'm optimistic.

Brian V.

[bdegrande]

the only thing I got wrong was the origin of the 700; the rest is my opinion (which includes the 700) and I stand by it. The Variax guitars feel like cheap crap. That's not "an aweful lot to get wrong".

You might want to take note one's opinion can't be right or wrong; it's subjective, and not based on scientific fact. Mine is an informed opinion, having spent time with all of the electrics, as well as the 700 acoustic, which felt even worse than the electrics. Very disappointing, because I like the technology.

And I already am familiar with Warmoth's replacement components, which is why I said I'd love to build a guitar with their parts and the Variax guts

Line 6 has to realize that not everyone is going to like their very limited selections of colors, bridges, and neck shapes. Guitars, even high tech ones, are personal things that need to fit the player, not the other way around.

Fernandez figured it out with the Sustainer; perhaps Line6 will figure it out with the Variux guts one day.

Your claim that they were Korean crap, in the absence of any other information, was IMO enough to suggest that you didn't have a clue as to what your were talking about. If you claim to have actually played them and disliked them, I believe you and have no problem with that.

I still think crap is just weird, not liking a color or neck profile doesn't make a guitar crap, it makes it the wrong guitar for you, which is very different. The Japanese Variaxes are built in the Fujigen factory, which has a decades long history of building high quality guitars, including the best Fenders after the sale of the company when Fender didn’t have a US factory. I think "crap" is a bizarre opinion, but it is a matter of opinion. I have owned two Fernandes guitars with the Sustainer and had the same reaction you had to the Variax - liked the electronics, wish they had been in a different guitar.

[Polaris20]

Your claim that they were Korean crap, in the absence of any other information, was IMO enough to suggest that you didn't have a clue as to what your were talking about. If you claim to have actually played them and disliked them, I believe you and have no problem with that.

The only thing I neglected to do was check to see what was stamped on the back of the headstock. Judging by the fit and finish, I wrongly assumed it was Korean.

I still think crap is just weird, not liking a color or neck profile doesn't make a guitar crap, it makes it the wrong guitar for you, which is very different. The Japanese Variaxes are built in the Fujigen factory, which has a decades long history of building high quality guitars, including the best Fenders after the sale of the company when Fender didn’t have a US factory. I think "crap" is a bizarre opinion, but it is a matter of opinion. I have owned two Fernandes guitars with the Sustainer and had the same reaction you had to the Variax - liked the electronics, wish they had been in a different guitar.

The descriptor of "crap" was not in reference to neck shape or color, but rather in fit and finish of the instrument overall. I own 3 MIJ Ibanez guitars, coincidently also made at the Fujijen factory (though all from 2002 or earlier).

Either Line 6 has lower standards for QC than Ibanez, or overall quality has decreased at this factory over the years. Judging by the Prestige and signature level Ibanez guitars as well as other reviews on the net, it appears it may be the latter. That factory just doesn't seem to be turning out the same level of quality as in the 90's and earlier part of this decade.

[deanmass]

Umm....They actually 'are' Ethernet, as Ethernet is both a cable and signal spec. They just use their own communication set.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet

[Undertaker4]

Yeah, I use an ethernet cable between my variax and a pod xt live and it seems to work fine. I don't do any midi though.

[elantric]

Umm....They actually 'are' Ethernet, as Ethernet is both a cable and signal spec. They just use their own communication set.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet


Yes - but some guys think they can buy a Linksys Router and use it as a Variax Switcher.

Word to the wise - Dont !

[rackvax]

http://www.futureguitarnow.com/forum/index.php?topic=300.0

Hey Elantric, thanks for posting that link! :thu:

[rackvax]

Yes - but some guys think they can buy a Linksys Router and use it as a Variax Switcher.

Word the wise - Dont !

Hahaha! That cracked me up! :lol:

[BlackHatHunter]

I bought a Variax, and I thought that the concept was fun but the actual guitar was terrible. I felt like a bad toy, not like a professional-grade guitar.

That's why I recently went for this (http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=2404653). I should get the new one in the next two days. I'll make videos...

[BlackHatHunter]

OUT FOR DELIVERY - the sweetest words in the English language ;)