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4390 Views 18 Replies Latest reply: Feb 23, 2011 6:22 AM by trouthead54 RSS
chrisblackwell Just Startin'
chrisblackwell
260 posts since
Apr 5, 2008
Currently Being Moderated

Dec 8, 2010 12:02 PM

non-working variax guts...

i know i'm not going to get any help from the variax forum, so i thought i would see if anybody around here had any thoughts...

 

there's a coffin on ebay that is a "non-working/as-is" kind of deal...  i emailed the guy and this is what he told me about it:

 

"Here's the full story with the Variax guts.. I bought a new Variax 600 and used it for a bit with no problems, I then went to update some guitars/tunings via the Workbench software. When I went to update the software, I believe my usb connection to the Variax breakout box got disconnected and the transfer of new guitar models and tunings did not make it back to the Variax. After disconnecting from the Workbench my Variax only had one guitar sound throughout all pickup positions. I took the Variax to the Line6 repair center here in Portland and they said one part had gone out. Instead of fixing the part Line 6 told them that I needed to buy a complete new guts/system which ran $375.00. Anybody that is a tech could probably fix this and get it working on the cheap. Hence, I'm taking best offers on it and it's being sold as-is."

 

has anybody here had a similar problem?  it doesn't sound right that disconnecting the guitar from the computer would blow a part, but i suppose anything is possible...  is this just a case of the guy not really knowing what he's doing and the repair tech also not really knowing what he's doing?  to me it just sounds like the firmware/flash needs to be reinstalled...  and if there is actually a part broken, has anybody here tried to fix a non-working variax board with any success?  if it's just a simple thing to fix, this looks like a pretty decent deal for me...

 

any advice?

  • amx05462 Power User
    amx05462
    3,579 posts since
    Sep 1, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 8, 2010 3:24 PM (in response to chrisblackwell)
    Re: non-working variax guts...

    to be honest  with you chris   id pass  on that  deal  because    you dont  really  know what  part  is  blown.  so you dont  know  what  you will have  to buy  to get it  going   theres  a vax  on ebay    right  now  208

     

      sure it will go off   for more  but  id  rather  pay  300  for  one  thats  working than   pay  150  for  one  thats  not.   be paitent.

  • gitarzan53 Just Startin'
    gitarzan53
    203 posts since
    Apr 28, 2006
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    Dec 8, 2010 4:00 PM (in response to chrisblackwell)
    Re: non-working variax guts...

    i think AMX may be right here. i find it hard to believe that both the seller and a line 6 tech couldn't fix it and the answer is as simple as doing a flash. the thing is, from the way he described the problem, that would certainly be the answer. a transplant i recently did for a guy, it seemed to work fine when it left me, but when he got it, it had no sound. workbench would see it and you could change/save patches and all, but there just wasn't any sound. i assume the problem was some kind of amp on the board was blown, which workbench wouldn't tell you. the remedy? a new board, i'll betcha. i don't think even the techs bother with troubleshooting down to the component level, they most likely replace the whole board. there's a pretty good chance that's the remedy for that one too. not worth the chance to find out, IMO.

    • chrisblackwell Just Startin'
      chrisblackwell
      260 posts since
      Apr 5, 2008
      Currently Being Moderated
      Dec 8, 2010 7:18 PM (in response to gitarzan53)
      Re: non-working variax guts...

      well, it's like you said, the techs wouldn't even bother checking at the componant level...  i agree it's not worth $150 but if i can get it for an amount of money that wouldn't feel that bad to lose, if i can fix it then it's a total steal...  and you're right, there have been alot more variax's on ebay lately and they are coming down gradually...  it's just i hate the actual guitar so much it just seems like such a waste of money to buy a whole guitar when all i want is the guts...  anyway i'm still thinking about it...  thanks for the responses guys...

  • chrisblackwell Just Startin'
    chrisblackwell
    260 posts since
    Apr 5, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 14, 2010 11:11 AM (in response to chrisblackwell)
    Re: non-working variax guts...

    ok so i did end up buying them...  i don't want to say what i paid, but it was far less than $150...  they should be here in a couple of weeks...

     

    anyway, i need a little help...  the first thing i want to do is see if line6 monkey will see the guts when they're connected to my X3L via the VDI jack...  the problem is that all i'm getting is the coffin...  i've already put an order in on ebay for a punch-down rj45 jack...  i've looked around on google but alot of the pics of the variax guts that i remember from a few years ago are gone (mainly jeff miller's teleax pics...  he had alot of detailed pics on there of the board and how everything connects while it's still in the variax guitar)...  what i need is somebody to tell me where the VDI jack connects on the board...  a few detailed pics would help not only me but anybody else who is buying just the coffin or the board without ever having seen how everything connects...

     

    thanks in advance to anybody that can help...

    • gitarzan53 Just Startin'
      gitarzan53
      203 posts since
      Apr 28, 2006
      Currently Being Moderated
      Dec 14, 2010 3:54 PM (in response to chrisblackwell)
      Re: non-working variax guts...

      I'm not familiar enough with the 300/600 style parts. With the 500/700 series, it connects with a wire harness that connects the pots, the switch and the jacks.

      • chrisblackwell Just Startin'
        chrisblackwell
        260 posts since
        Apr 5, 2008
        Currently Being Moderated
        Dec 14, 2010 4:42 PM (in response to gitarzan53)
        Re: non-working variax guts...

        ya i know that much...  what i need is specifics...  there are a few different connectors on the board...  from what i can see on the photos that i can find, the VDI connects to the biggest connector...  but exactly which pins on that connector coorespond to which pins on the VDI jack...  that's what i'm trying to find out...

        • amx05462 Power User
          amx05462
          3,579 posts since
          Sep 1, 2008
          Currently Being Moderated
          Dec 15, 2010 2:26 AM (in response to chrisblackwell)
          Re: non-working variax guts...

          my camera  doesnt  do closeups  so i scanned    these  for you  not so easy  with everything  connected

          Attachments:
          • chrisblackwell Just Startin'
            chrisblackwell
            260 posts since
            Apr 5, 2008
            Currently Being Moderated
            Dec 15, 2010 11:30 AM (in response to amx05462)
            Re: non-working variax guts...

            well, that's a bit better...  i can see generally what's going on now, but it's still kinda hard to see exactly which pin goes where...   i think i'm gonna call around and see if there's one i can rent around here for a bit so i can make myself some diagrams...  thanks all the same

          • chrisblackwell Just Startin'
            chrisblackwell
            260 posts since
            Apr 5, 2008
            Currently Being Moderated
            Dec 15, 2010 8:39 PM (in response to amx05462)
            Re: non-working variax guts...

            ok i've been looking at your pics for a while now...  i still can't see exactly where the wires go to, but if you don't mind, do the following for me:

             

            1.  scan me another picture of the circuit board attached to the VDI jack without the connectors plugged into it...  i'm assuming that pin 1 on the jack corresponds to pin 1 on the connector, but i'd like to confirm that by seeing exactly what the solder lines look like...

             

            2.  connect the VDI jack to the board again...  assuming that the connector on the VDI circuit board is on the bottom, we'll number the pins on that connector, left to right, 1-8...  like this...

            VDI board.JPG

             

            3.  take the connectors off of the controller board, and scan both sides of the green board so i can see where the solder lines go...

            4.  plug the connectors back in...  now, from what i can see, the VDI board plugs into the controller board on a connector that has 12 pins...  number them like so (remember, this pic is from the bottom of the connector...  the "bottom" will be the side farthest from the pots, and the "start" will be closest to the big connector that goes to the main board):

            VDI connector.JPG

            5.  follow each cable from the VDI board to the controller board, and let me know which pin on the VDI board connector is connected to which PIN on the controller board connector...  ie.

            VDI board          controller board

            1

            2

            3

            4

            5

            6

            7

            8

             

            i know i'm asking alot here, but short of finding a variax that i can open myself, i really have no way to get this info...  i'm in no rush, so whenever you have the time...  and if you can't do it, i understand...  thanks either way

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