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Up to Discussions in James Tyler Variax
9754 Views 22 Replies Latest reply: Sep 19, 2011 11:10 PM by zeddd RSS
usernametaken Just Startin'
usernametaken
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Aug 20, 2010 8:25 PM

How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

I'm sure there are secrecy rules, non-disclosure agreements, and various blood oaths involved that prohibit any confirmation of such a beast, but someone please drop a hint to provide some hope of a new variax bass model. You're not abandoning the bass guitar market, are you???

Tags: variax, bass, jtvbass, variaxbass
  • RichRenken Iknowathingortwo
    RichRenken
    1,917 posts since
    Apr 19, 2008
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    Aug 22, 2010 1:51 AM (in response to usernametaken)
    Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

    If world domination in guitardom is the goal, how could we forget basses. Of course we can't say anything. One step at a time. But I will say that the word bass comes up alot around the shop. Also, I am a bass player.

    • toasterdude Just Startin'
      toasterdude
      745 posts since
      Oct 23, 2006
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      Aug 22, 2010 11:22 AM (in response to RichRenken)
      Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

      Line6Renken wrote:

       

      If world domination in guitardom is the goal, how could we forget basses. Of course we can't say anything. One step at a time. But I will say that the word bass comes up alot around the shop. Also, I am a bass player.

      Does the word äcoustic ever come up? Seperate alt tuning knob and 12 string with capo or alt tunings will take an acoustic variax to next level. Was thinking about getting a second AC700 but decided to wait and see. Saw a nylon string on ebay for 800 bucks. . . . .got mine as a demo unit for like 350. . . . . .no way I am selling though!

       

      I was planning on building a custom jazz type bass but may just wait and get a variax bass down the road.I am getting scared when I think about how many variaxes I will soon have!

      • variaxlover Just Startin'
        variaxlover
        323 posts since
        May 19, 2007
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        Aug 22, 2010 11:55 AM (in response to toasterdude)
        Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

        You're getting scared?  How many do you have?  I have 13 right now, including both basses, but only one AC700.

        • toasterdude Just Startin'
          toasterdude
          745 posts since
          Oct 23, 2006
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          Aug 22, 2010 2:12 PM (in response to variaxlover)
          Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

          variaxlover wrote:

           

          You're getting scared?  How many do you have?  I have 13 right now, including both basses, but only one AC700.

          You have me beat. . . .but it is still early!

           

          1 Variax 500 xplanted into a custom warmoth tele.

           

          1- variax 500 being transplanted into warmoth strat with lipsticks

           

          1- variax 600  being handed down to GF that is learning to play. Got her a new neck and if she is still playing/practicing by xmas may get her a warmoth body

           

          1- vax AC700

           

          1- nylon string

           

          2 - JTV 59s on pre order . . . already ordered an explorer body to match my purple flame double bound tele for one 59, Probably will do a matching LP with the other

           

          keeping eye out for next gen bass, next gen acousitic. May get another JTV if I can get one with a bridge that will work in my current tele xplant. Would love to have a Godin type xplant for my nylon string. Maybe an xplant for the AC700 or next gen acoustic. Have toyed with getting JTV 69 and swapping the neck to a lap steel neck. I think alt tunings make a JTV perfect for lap steel. . . .even if I don't currently play lap!

      • usernametaken Just Startin'
        usernametaken
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        Aug 22, 2010 1:46 PM (in response to toasterdude)
        Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

        I saw that ebay auction for the nylon variax. After the JTV, a JTV bass, a nylon variax would be on my to buy list. I could get buy without a regular variax acoustic if the acoustic sounds in the JTV were good enough.

  • zeddd Just Startin'
    zeddd
    385 posts since
    May 12, 2006
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    Feb 19, 2011 1:26 PM (in response to usernametaken)
    Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

    usernametaken wrote:

     

    ...someone please drop a hint to provide some hope of a new variax bass model. You're not abandoning the bass guitar market, are you???

     

    Just this morning I saw a Variax 705 Bass advertised on some guitar site, and I did some searching on the Line 6 web site and elsewhere to try and gather some more details on this (presumably discontinued) model. I couldn't find any details at all. Does anyone know where I can find a list of the bass models that were included on that guitar? I saw a YouTube demo which revealed that there was both a Rickenbacker and a Hofner bass included (as there should be). Anyone know what else is in there?

     

    Since I gather from this thread that a new Variax Bass is at some stage of coming down the pipeline, I would be very curious to know what they have already modeled in the first generation basses.

    • variaxlover Just Startin'
      variaxlover
      323 posts since
      May 19, 2007
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      Feb 19, 2011 1:27 PM (in response to zeddd)
      Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

      Here are 2 pictures -- presumably worth 2000 words.

      Attachments:
      • zeddd Just Startin'
        zeddd
        385 posts since
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        Feb 19, 2011 1:38 PM (in response to variaxlover)
        Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

        variaxlover wrote:

         

        Here are 2 pictures -- presumably worth 2000 words.

         

        Thank you so much! That definitely tells a story. I downloaded the images.

         

        Holy crap! Now I am totally salivating about getting one of these basses when the new models become available.

         

        Anyone know how the first generation models sounded in terms of the "piezo" part of the tone?

    • variaxlover Just Startin'
      variaxlover
      323 posts since
      May 19, 2007
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      Feb 19, 2011 1:54 PM (in response to zeddd)
      Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

      I have the 705 bass and love it.  Not sure what you mean about the piezo part of the tone -- I never noticed a problem but I'm primarily a guitar player.

       

      The bass player in my band can get fantastic tones out of this bass, especially when he pops and slaps.  You gotta hear the 15-STRING model Hamer to believe it!  You can often find these on eBay (not right now though) in the $750 - $900 range.

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      • zeddd Just Startin'
        zeddd
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        Feb 19, 2011 1:47 PM (in response to variaxlover)
        Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

        variaxlover wrote:

         

        I have the 705 bass and love it.  You can often find these on eBay (not right now though) in the $750 - $900 range.

         

        What do you think the chances are that those basses could be triggered using a JTV guitar? Would the different string weights not translate in terms of properly triggering the models, or might it actually work quite well? That would make a seriously cool expansion pack for Variax guitar owners who don't want/need to have a bass that plays/feels like a bass.

        • variaxlover Just Startin'
          variaxlover
          323 posts since
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          Feb 19, 2011 1:47 PM (in response to zeddd)
          Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

          Interesting idea . . .  I don't think the string weights would matter all that much.  The sounds would be there, at least on the lower strings, but of course they'd be an octave higher.  But how would you do it -- put the bass's circuit board somewhere inside the JTV?

          • zeddd Just Startin'
            zeddd
            385 posts since
            May 12, 2006
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            Feb 19, 2011 2:00 PM (in response to variaxlover)
            Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

            variaxlover wrote:

             

            But how would you do it -- put the bass's circuit board somewhere inside the JTV?

             

            Hmmmmmmm... I hadn't really thought of a special circuit board being required. I figured that you would either load the basses you wanted to use into the JTV via Workbench, or trigger them from within Workbench or something. Do you think a special circuit board would be necessary?

             

            I thought all this modeling was based on algorithms. Are you suggesting that the bass algorithms, being different, would require their own circuit board? Since you can load any Workbench guitar into a JTV, I thought that it might be simply a matter of writing alternative algorithms and instructions to the guitar. 

            • variaxlover Just Startin'
              variaxlover
              323 posts since
              May 19, 2007
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              Feb 21, 2011 7:59 AM (in response to zeddd)
              Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

              zeddd wrote:  Hmmmmmmm... I hadn't really thought of a special circuit board being required. I figured that you would either load the basses you wanted to use into the JTV via Workbench, or trigger them from within Workbench or something. Do you think a special circuit board would be necessary?

               

              I thought all this modeling was based on algorithms. Are you suggesting that the bass algorithms, being different, would require their own circuit board? Since you can load any Workbench guitar into a JTV, I thought that it might be simply a matter of writing alternative algorithms and instructions to the guitar. 

              The Variax bass is not compatible with Workbench, and even if it was I really doubt if your idea could work.  Here's why:

               

              I know that the acoustic 700 IS compatible with Workbench (though I don't know of anyone who has used it).  But I'm certain that if one could load the sounds of the acoustic 700 into ANY Variax it would be huge news, because those are generally regarded as being much better than the ones in the electric Variaxes.  So my guess is that somehow the acoustic's models are differentiated from the electric ones, as are those of the bass.  And never the twain shall meet -- unless Line 6 responds to the MANY requests to make the bass Workbench compatible (as was originally promised) and also rewrites Workbench so that you could load models from any Variax (bass, electric or acoustic) to any other.  But don't hold your breath -- doing so would only hurt their market share.

            • variaxlover Just Startin'
              variaxlover
              323 posts since
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              Feb 19, 2011 2:50 PM (in response to zeddd)
              Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

              Correction: Someone JUST posted a sunburst Variax 705 bass on eBay.  And they included a link to the Line 6 website pages about the bass, complete with a ton of sound clips:

               

              http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110651418967&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123#ht_500wt_1156

  • liverpoolabc Just Startin'
    liverpoolabc
    2 posts since
    Jan 26, 2007
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    Sep 16, 2011 8:47 AM (in response to usernametaken)
    Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

    Hi Guys, any update on the James Tyler Variax Bass?

    Would love one with improvements from the variax 700/705

    • zeddd Just Startin'
      zeddd
      385 posts since
      May 12, 2006
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      Sep 16, 2011 11:48 AM (in response to liverpoolabc)
      Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

      liverpoolabc wrote:

       

      Hi Guys, any update on the James Tyler Variax Bass?

      Would love one with improvements from the variax 700/705

      I'm pretty sure that after this monumentally disastrous roll out of the JTV guitars, that Line 6 is smart enough not to mention ANYTHING about any basses or other guitars in forums or in advertising, or ANYWHERE, until they are actually coming off the production line in tip top condition and the potential demands and interest in the product can actually be met.

       

      But yes... I would be quite interested in the existence of a new bass, as well. I hope they stick with traditional guitar and headstock designs, or I will be disappointed. I still can't wrap my head around the decisions for the shapes of the JTV-69 headstock and pick guard.

      • liverpoolabc Just Startin'
        liverpoolabc
        2 posts since
        Jan 26, 2007
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        Sep 18, 2011 3:01 AM (in response to zeddd)
        Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

        Hi Zeddd, i thought the JTV seemed to be pretty from reading the reviews.  However i have never seen one in the flesh or played one.  What were the issues with JTV build quality, sounds or something else?

        Please tell me more as i am interested in by a JTV - the strat style one

        • zeddd Just Startin'
          zeddd
          385 posts since
          May 12, 2006
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          Sep 19, 2011 11:10 PM (in response to liverpoolabc)
          Re: How's that James Tyler Variax Bass coming along?

          liverpoolabc wrote:

           

          What were the issues with JTV build quality, sounds or something else?

          Please tell me more as i am interested in by a JTV - the strat style one

          You can find a whole bunch of quality control issues reported in numerous threads on this forum. Line 6 seems to be having trouble sorting out a bunch of different issues.

           

          The issue that bothers me most is that there are still many countries where the guitars have still not shown up. The JTV-69, which you are interested in, has still not been delivered to Canadian customers who ordered it almost a year ago.

           

          Since there are a lot of unhappy people, and no doubt Line 6 must be (or ought to be) very embarrassed by the roll out of these guitars, that is why I say that I believe they will be smarter about advertising a new Variax bass until they reach a point where they could actually meet the demand in a timely fashion.

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