Community : Thread List - Variax Guitars / Bass / Workbench

distortion on D string piezo

support@line6.com — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:26:49 GMT

Hey Guys,

I was doing some recording in the studio the other day and noticed that the D-string on my variax 700 is making a buzzing sound when I record. I triple checked i wasn't getting a fret buzz anywhere. The more I looked into it the more is sounds like a distortion on the piezo.

I've attached a sound file of it. My chain is Variax > VDI > Pod X3 Pro > USB > Logic Studio 9.

I've recorded it completely clean and have included a comparison of the G string too.. the attachment kept failing so its here: http://public.me.com/sb00020

I'm guessing I'm going to need to get it replaced. Does anyone have any experience with similar problems? How long did it take to be repaired etc? I'm in the UK if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance

Sam

Variax Bass Pickguard Material

support@line6.com — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:43:25 GMT

Hi,

I just love the color of the Variax Bass Pickguard and would like to have a custum one made for my Variax in the same material.

1. Is it Black Pearl or is it Silver Pearl?

2. Where would I be able to buy a blank sheat of this material?

Regards, Carlo

Locking tuners for Variax 700 electric?

support@line6.com — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:19:27 GMT

Hi everybody!

I'm very happy with my new Variax 700. Great guitar, beautifully crafted, great set up, right out of the box!

The Gotoh tuners are ok really, but however I do have little tuning problems when using the tremolo a bit more violent.

I wondered if it would make a difference to replace the stock tuners with locking tuners from, for instance, Schaller.

And what would be the best fitting model/brand, in regards to the screwholes and such.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Rohaya

Re-open Firmware Corrupted on Variax500

support@line6.com — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:06:37 GMT

Hi Line 6Miller!

I'm back. Sorry for the long absence but I'm in the middle and running late on a Christmas Album that has to be out at the end of this month and also, my internet line has been down (Thanks to a Thunderstorm) so I'm having a fight with Telkom to get it up and running again. In desperation I am actually doing this from an Internet Cafe. My Internet should be up again in the next few days and then we can resume normal communication. PS. My problem is still alive and kicking!

This is the last communication I had from you before the interruption and I would appreciate it if we can pick up from here.

>Hello,

>Having a friend in Canada certainly does help as we have a distributor in Canada (actually in Montreal).

>Before we go any further let me just make sure I have everything covered here.

>Is this Variax under warranty? You said you've had it for only a few weeks correct?

>You've tried reinstalling the flash memory in the guitar to no avail as it will not connect to Monkey at >all through your POD correct?

>Have you tried interfacing the guitar with something other than the POD IE: a Variax Workbench >Interface?

>Please let me know and then we can move forward with trying to get you the part you need.

>Line6Miller

My Answer:

Yes, the Variax is still under warranty as I only had it for a few weeks before it packed up.

Yes, I have tried reinstalling the flash memory in the guitar to no avail as it will not connect to Monkey at all through my POD and also freezes the POD when connecting to it via the rj45 connector.

No, I have not tried interfacing the guitar with another interface besides the POD as I don’t have accesss to any other interface but I successfully connected via the POD using another 500 and 600.

PS. Is it not possible to get the parts to me via Marshall Music/Active Music Distribution in Johannesburg, South Africa. I was given the impression that they are the Line6 distributers in South Africa?

Thanks for the support so far. It has been great and re-assuring

Regards, Carlo

Gauge of strings for el. variax 700 to have more authentic acoustic sound

support@line6.com — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:19:50 GMT

Hi everybody,

first of all sorry for my English.

Few months ago I have bought a electric Variax 700. I was used to play only acoustic guitar and now I am using acoustic guitars models on my variax very often. Did somebody try to put a thicker strings for electric guitar than original 0.10 to have more authentic acoustic sound? Will be affected electric sound hardly by this type of strings? I am thinking about Fender 250H .012 .016 .024 .032 .042 .052.

Please, let me know your opinion.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

Variax 700 will not stay in tune?

support@line6.com — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:18:59 GMT

Hi all,

I have a variax 700, I usually use slinky 9 / 42 strings and have my tremolo setup floating. I'm a college lecturer / recording engineer who has also set up guitars for over 20 years. The variax is a superb guitar in every way, apart from the most basic aspect........it will not stay in tune. I hope the guys at line 6 read this because it is staggering that such an amazing instrument has such a massive flaw. (the size of this massive flaw cannot be exagerated. A guitar which will not stay in tune is useless).

The problem only exists if the tremolo is set to float (the whole point of a great tremolo like the LR Baggs unit....and the whole point of buying a variax 700 as opposed to the much cheaper 300). After using the tremolo, the tuning will be raised or lowered.....it will not come back to the correct pitch....ever. If you dive bomb or even just dip the pitch of a note on any string.....on releasing the tremolo bar the guitar will be flat by up to -12 cents. If you pull back on the tremolo bar to raise a note and then release the bar, the tuning will be up to 12 cents sharp. An interesting point is if you tune the guitar and play without tremolo......perfect tuning. This means the problem is not the machine heads.

Many people on the forums have suggested to each other the following, but I think I have found the reason....and nobody is going to like the answer.

Lube the nut - This in reality is not a solution. A well crafted nut will not need lube. The 'bone' nut on the variax 700 is not bone...a synthetic bone substitute maybe, but not bone. I've seen other people describe it as chewing gum it is so soft.

File / reduce the depth of the nut - At 5 mm the string contact with the nut is too great. Using a file to reduce this contact area down to 2.5mm is a good idea.

Install a new nut - a Gibson type drop in from graphtech or an earvana nut (£35 option).

Install a set of locking machine heads - Reducing the winds on the tuning post to a half turn improves tuning stability (£60+ option).

Increase string tension - changing to a heavier set of strings eg from a set of 9s to 10s (£5 option).

Increase spring tension - making sure you use all 3 springs on the rear of the tremolo.

Cut the 'condoms' off the springs - Variax is the first guitar i have ever seen with these fitted to the springs. I would love to know why they are fitted (Health & safety?) as you cannot operate the tremolo at all with them on.

The first thing I had to do setup wise was cut the plastic 'condoms' off the springs in the tremolo as they do not allow the tremolo to operate (literally) without a horrible crunching sound and feel. I have shaped the nut.....no difference. Tried heavier strings and resetup the guitar.....no difference. I usually use a set of 9s with 2 springs on the tremolo, so i tried a set of 10s with both 2 springs and then 3 springs on the tremolo.....no diference.

The problem seems to be constant no matter what you do to fix it in the area of machine heads / nut / strings and springs. The problem lies with the electronic cables connecting the tremolo/piezos to the brain unit in the guitar. If you look at the back of the tremolo with the cover removed you will see a thin cable and a ribbon cable attached to the tremolo. These cables go around the tremolo unit and through a hole in the body of the guitar to the brain section PCB.

If you watch the back of the tremolo closely as you operate it through its full range, first one way and then the other, you will notice the unit never returns to it original position due to the resistance of the cables/electronics. The stiff cables are in contact with the tremolo.

This is a serious flaw in the design of the instrument. A smaller light weight / very flexible connection between the tremolo PCB and the Brain PCB, which stays close to the base plate of the tremolo (which moves a short distance) and out of the way of the block/springs (which move a great distance) is needed.

The result of trying to acheive tuning stability with the tremolo floating, would for the average guitarist result in an extra £100 minimum to the price of the instrument, plus around another £100 in repeated setups and fitting of parts. Only to realise it is never going to happen.

This is a major disapointment as I have been sold a product which is superb in one way (sounds) and totally useless in another (staying in tune)....It is not fit for it's purpose!

I would love a reply from line 6 on this as the 700 is a professional instrument at a price of around £1000. I think line 6 know about this problem. None of the videos demonstrating the instrument on the line 6 website have any use of the tremolo unit. It is probably the reason why the guitars come with the tremolo mounted flat against the body when you buy them.

I would also like to know the purpose of the spring condoms?.....was that a bodge to help tuning stability?....in 30 years of playing guitar and 20 years of setting them up professionally I have never....ever seen any other guitar with these things fitted to the strings.

Come on line 6 guys, have the balls to reply to the customers who have commited to buying the flawed product and time/upgrades, searching for a variax 700 that stays in tune.

Andy Smith www.myspace.com/humstrumbangtwang

RMA status 11487

support@line6.com — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:18:48 GMT

So what do you all think of this:

I returned an acoustic 700 for warranty repair which has been in Line6 repair locally since MARCH. It is about to be JULY. It has been in the shop that entire time. Line 6 sent two unusable replacement circuit boards. I decided to ship it back to California where hopefully they could get this right.

Now they have had the item for a week, and I have not even heard back that they received the item.

RMA 11487, Fedex tracking 99011700461890, Serial # 21MAG125041202570. It was signed for by R Torres.

I'm wondering about the status of the repair -- and I find no way to email the company, only other users.... Open source community support, like this was free software.I'm going to 'mark it as a question' to alert technical support -- do you think that might help me recoup my expensive investment????

So here's my email to the community.

Line 6 sucks.

I have barely been able to use this instrument since I bought it. I am a professional player and it has quit in the middle of a performance twice. Since March, of course, its been useless. I might as well have thrown all that money in the street.

Line 6 should be ashamed of themselves for their inability to repair this item in a reasonable time period.

I am hoping that if I ever get to play this guitar again, I will feel good enough about Line6 to recommend them. Right now I would not recommend this company to my worst enemy.

Variax Workbench fails at startup

support@line6.com — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:18:38 GMT

Variax Workbench v.1.58 fails after start (message: "Could not find Java runtime"). Followed by: "Could not init JINILoader"!

Java 1.6.0_17 is allready installed on my system and works! If I need Java 1.5 (like Workbench tells me during the installation), I dont find it (Please send me a WORKING Link, the link from the installation procedure is dead!)

I hope you can help me - many Thanks!

Variax Workbench installation problem...

support@line6.com — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:19:53 GMT

I tried installing Workbench 1.58, and during the installation, it seems that I can't automatically install Java Environment Runtime 1.50. I was hoping someone can put me on the right track to get it installed properly, as Workbench can't work without Java for obvious reasons...

Split Bridge

support@line6.com — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:10:21 GMT

Hey i have a Variax 700 and the bridge has split between the pins, can i get a replacement part or how much is repair.

Firmware Corrupted on Variax500?

support@line6.com — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:52:54 GMT

I tried to install Workbench with my PODXT Live and Variax 500 connected. The installation failed and I then noticed that my XTLive had frozen. Unplugging the variax un-freezes the POD. Line Monkey also no longer sees the variax.

I posted a thread (11-04-2009) and tried all the advice with no success. As the axe was only a few weeks old and thus under guarentee I returned it to the Dealer for repair.

After three months at a 'Jack of all trades' repair facility ( No disrespect intended) that does Line6 repairs for the agent and dealer, I asked to have my ghit returned so that I can have a look at it myself (Retired Electronic Engineer). He told me that there were 4 more Variaxes that had been in for repairs for like forever.

He had them all recalled and I managed to repair them all in one day. 3 were as a result of simple bad connections, 1 had a short circuiting track on the rj-45 output assembly but sadly I could not repair my 500. Through a process of illimination with parts from another 500 I determined that the fault is definitely on the mainboard.

I have now found another thread from another person who encountered a similar problem after a failed upgrade using a PODXT Live and it turned out that the Variax fimware had been corrupted during said failed upgrade.

"This sounds a lot like what happened to me...ie I used the POD XT Live to update my Variax 500...it failed. My Variax couldn't be 'seen' after that. Line 6 UK now want at least £60 to reflash the little AM29LV200B IC on the mainboard"

As you must have gathered, No we don't have a bona fida, dedicated Line6 Service Centre in South Africa. Any Suggestions?

Thanx

Carlo

Message was edited by: carlo_leone