Community : All Content - James Tyler Variax Guitars

JTV - Different Sound VDI/POD vs Regular Cable?

support@line6.com — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:05:58 GMT

Hello - I'm wondering if anyone else has observed this. I've been struggling to get the tones I want from my JTV-69, via the VDI cable and a POD 500HD, and last night I simply plugged the JTV directly into my amp, using a regular 1/4 inch guitar cable. I noticed a distinct improvement in the basic guitar tones, across all electric models. So I switched back to the 500HD, this time with no 1/4 inch cable, but the VDI. I selected a "New Tone" - blank - patch, and I noticed, no matter how I set up the POD (Studio/Direct, Preamp, etc) that the guitar tone was flatter, thinner, anemic almost. Can Line6 explain this? Is something happening at the D2A conversion for the 1/4 inch output that is not happening when the signal goes to VDI?

My problem is that I LIKE the 1/4 inch tone, and I spend way too much of my time trying to overcome the awful VDI signal in the POD, which is obviously do-able, but (IMO) should be unneccesary. Note: I am not talking about the MAGNETIC mode on the JTV, but the MODELED modes. About the only guitar models that sound better through the VDI and POD, IMO, are the ACOUSTIC and RESO models, with the possible exception of the Danelectro.

Thanks, Larry

VDI cable geek question(s)

support@line6.com — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 17:47:34 GMT

Hi all,

After years of saving, have just invested in the full monty - (tobacco '59, pod HD pro, DT25 head and cab, FBV mkii). Collecting next week but in the mean time I'm going to try building my own variax VDI cable (25' too big for my needs). I've read the various threads on here about home-brew VDI cables, but there's no mention of shielding (as in electrical shielding, not the metal housing). So here's my questions:

I have to choose between i) cat5e with no shielding (belden 1305a), ii) Duracat 5e with foil shielding or iii) Canford Cat5e with foil screen plus 'drain wire' (http://www.canford.co.uk/Products/20503/31-850_CANFORD-CAT5E-F-CABLE-Black)

If I go for cable with shielding of either foil or drain wire type, do I then need to use RJ45's that have metal shielding like this?....http://www.canford.co.uk/Products/2004995/46-654_BEL-STEWART-943-SP-370808SM2-A217-RJ45-Cat5E-shielded-pack-of-5 (I think if you use these ones, you fold the foil and wire back on itself before crimping)

Does anyone know what the deal is with shielding these cables? Is the line 6 cable shielded? Or does it not make a blind bit of difference for this type of gear? I'm quite comfortable doing the cable building once I know what parts to use, but as you may have guessed, my theoretical knowledge of this sort of thing aint so great. Any geeks out there care to enlighten me?

Would be delighted if I don't blow up my shiny new kit on the day I get it, so any advice appreciated...

Cheers in advance.

JTV resale value?

support@line6.com — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 22:55:43 GMT

I purchased a JTV 59 in November, love the sound, look, feel of it! I am, however, looking at putting it up for sale for a couple of reasons, the primary one being the need for funds and the lesser one being that I am probably overmatched with the capabilities of this guitar. While I can appreciate the capabilities of it, I will likely only use a fraction of them! My question is this: what would be a fair resale value for the guitar? I have only used it a handful of times, all in worship services, no hard use at all. Thanks for any responses.

Volume in Hd500 Patch JTV acustic sounds

support@line6.com — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:37:23 GMT

I Have Jtv and pod hd 500 ,

what is the best way for me to increase the volume of my patches to the HD500 JTV's acoustic sounds? I use the mixer, but I feel that sometimes the sound is distorted. In this patch I use only one eq and reverb.thanks

JTV-89F string buzz and truss rod adjust help

support@line6.com — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 02:34:19 GMT

Recently rec'd my JTV-89F and am doing a lot of "getting adjusted". I bought from Sweetwater, due in part to their 50-some point setup. The strings that came with the guitar seemed too heavy, so I put on a pair of 9's. I then got terrible string buzz, to a point where the sound of the guitar gave me that broken speaker buzzing. The buzzing was on the hi E and lo E strings. The guitar was not playable. I raised the bridge, and it helped, but it still doesn't sound good, and now the action is higher than I like.

Now the part that concerns me ...

My next step would be to look at neck relief and truss rod adjustment. Using my Stewmac strait edge, the next was real flat. Almost no relief at all. So I thought I would loosen the truss rod to give a little relief. None of the allen wrenches that came with the guitar seemed to fit the truss rod. I looked closely into the trussrod hole on the headstock, and I don't see an allen head pattern on the nut. It is just a round cavity in what appears to be the truss rod nut. It almost looks really stripped or rounded.

Can someone tell me if I'm missing something here? I'm in a panic wondering if I got a damaged guitar. How good is Sweetwater to work with on stuff like this?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Dave

JTV comparison videos

support@line6.com — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:50:31 GMT

Hi there,

I made two videos to demo my JTV-69 in comparison to a Variax 500, the JTV mags and some of my other 'real' guitars.

The difference between the electric models on the JTV and the 500 isn't so big. But the new acoustic models sound way better. And somehow all the electric models sound slightly darker than real pickups.

What do you think?

Why is there still no Telecaster JTV?

support@line6.com — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:13:42 GMT

You have no clue how many telecaster variax transplants I've seen, so why not make a tele variax?

If I saw one, I'd invest in one like there's no tomorrow. I'd kill for a maple neck Butterscotch Tele JTV.

Even Dustin Kensrue of Thrice used to have a Variax transplant in a Tele as well until he sold most of his gear after Thrice went on hiatus.

no led lights on battery check

support@line6.com — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:43:52 GMT

hi only had my jtv 59 a few days when i press the button by the battery housing no led lights come on although i have battery power is this right as does this mean its fully charged or is there a fault with it would be greatful for your assistance cheers paul

New JTV89f shameless praise...

support@line6.com — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:57:42 GMT

Got mine on Tuesday, lowered the strings a little, reprogrammed the alternate tunings (open G, open E, etc.), then loaded the guitars (custom tunings) from my Variax 500 using workbench (yes, it worked), played it on my gig last night with my existing patches on the xtlive. No glitches, no problems, no surprises, except - Stunning improvement in tone and sustain. Floyd Rose was very stable, intonation - perfect. I could not be more pleased. I also got an HD500 - that's gonna take a while to program - sound's great, but what a beast! Life is good...

JTV-69 Volume Control malfunction?

support@line6.com — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:35:31 GMT

First post (I think, or at least in a very long time), so here goes. I don't know what to call this situation so I will describe it.

The JTV-69 (SSH version) battery is out, just using magnetic pickups. (New guitar, battery is charging - taking forever!)

Anyway, the pickups sound good, but very bright, and a little different. I lower the volume and to about the half-way point, it all works as expected. Volume goes down.

Then, it levels off, then approaching the zero setting, the volume goes back up, only now I'm fairly certain I am hearing the piezo pickup rather than the volume. It's about half the level of the mag pickups on full.

Can anyone tell me what's going on? Is this normal? Wouldn't think so. Everything I could find in the handbook about volume talks about the models. Haven't even gotten there yet.

Thanks in advance!