Community: Message List - New tremolo or replacement block for Variax 700

Re: New tremolo or replacement block for Variax 700

support@line6.com — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 13:51:34 GMT

honestly it seems there more trouble than there worth in the long run. seems alot of people have alot of problems with them

Re: New tremolo or replacement block for Variax 700

support@line6.com — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 13:37:17 GMT

Thanks a lot for your detailed reply.

I've decided to sell the Variax 700. I have other guitars with normal pickups I favor over the 700 so I don't use it anymore. It's a shame to let it stand unused.

Re: New tremolo or replacement block for Variax 700

support@line6.com — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 13:30:51 GMT

i dont remember the name of it .it was inexpensive . any one that will fit a strat with the same pivot pin spacing will work.

in my case it was mysecond transplant into an epiphone dot studio body.. that presented alot of problems because there not setup in any way to recieve a fender style tremelo setup.

in this case i chose the six screw old style mount as i thought i would work better in my situation..

you can probably see that this was a much more involved project

as i remember when buying the graphtech pickups i had to get the ones for import strat rather than us made strat. so id guess that if your gonna replace the whole trem you would have to go the same route. also the same if your just going to by the block. i had a few blocks form ones that i had changed and some matched up to the hole pattern and others did not .

ive also seen brass blocks on the market but not sure if the steel or the brass would ring more

my other thoughts on this the tremelo plate shouldnt be touching the body in any way directly. it has to properly float or you loose sustain.. also the pcb board being taped to the trem block as line 6 chose to do helps to deaden vibration..

honestly if i wanted more sustain.. rather than go through all the block changing and or trem changing having done it before. i think id opt for a pedal.. much easier way out of this ..

Re: New tremolo or replacement block for Variax 700

support@line6.com — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 12:27:40 GMT

The fact that a hard tail bridge and a floating trem with a steel block have comparable amount of sustain is a good thing IMO.

Normally a hard tail will have more sustain.

I'm focusing on improving the signal with normal pickups. What after market tremolo with steel block (and piezo's?) did you put it? And what will fit a 700?

Re: New tremolo or replacement block for Variax 700

support@line6.com — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 12:14:12 GMT

well i didnt have the tremelo in my 300 but i did put the graph tech pickups in. i found the response to be better.

wheni transplanted it for the second time i added aftermarket tremelo with a steel block. i didnt really find much difference in the sustain from the hard tail bridge.. if thats what your asking about..

New tremolo or replacement block for Variax 700

support@line6.com — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 11:54:16 GMT

Has anyone ever replaced the tremolo on the Variax 700, replaced the trem block (Zinc) to a steel block or replaced the piezo saddles with graphtech ghost saddles?

I have DiMarzio pickups in my 700 (HSS) but compared to my other guitars the zinc trem block results in lesser sustain and tone then the guitars I have with a steel block.

Would love to hear your experiences.

Thanks!