So, you guys have me worried now. I only started purchasing from Sweetwater since they started the free shipping on everything and only accessories or maybe a stomp box or two. I too was annoyed with the phone calls and after complaining a few times, my rep said they finally put a note in my "file" or whatever to never call me. So far, that has worked. As for the candy, I kind of like that. I picked them to order my 59 from because of the 55 point inspection. I just hope when I finally see this beauty, it doesn't have any of the problems I've been reading about here.

mbenigni wrote:

 

A GR-55 is a GR-55 is a GR-55 is NOT a Variax.

Thanks for the clarification.  As it happens, I own a few Variaxes so I understand the distinction.  All I'm saying is that when you order a guitar you have to live with the fact that no two guitars are quite alike.

My pleasure.

I hear you. Didn't mean to offend. There's definitely no rush to be forking out money to get the first JTVs if you already have some Variaxes to play with. I'm sure the GR-55 has some really cool sounds in it, and if the RackVax was already available with JTV technology, I might have been considering that route since I have 3 GK equipped guitars. But I do like have the emulations built into the guitar so that I can just plug it into any amp and go.

Of course I agree with you. I was only pointing out the fact, that sometimes gets lost on this forum, that Variax is a great guitar "emulator" and has little in real original sounds. It merely copies famous or desirable guitars. Which of course is not exactly the same is playing the actual guitar it is emulating.

Of course the GR-55 is a very cool device and I was thinking about getting one. I heard the emulated guitars and they are not bad. Maybe Variax has better modeling, but the GR-55 does quite a bit more!

digiprod wrote:

 

Playing the actual guitars that Variax tries to emulate is also another ay to go. That can work too.

That is still my ultimate goal!

And I would still use the Variax as a studio tool to try out a few different models and tunings on whatever song I am recording. Then, if the Variax emulation was not up to par, or if the guitar didn't feel as good to play, I could just say "Okay... this one needs the Gretsch such and such in blah blah tuning" and then turn to my wall of hanging guitars!

That wall of guitars will cost a pretty penny though. Amazingly, many of the guitars that I would want on that wall are emulated in the Variax.

You are right, personally I do not gig much and switching guitars while performing is not an issue for me. The convenience factor is the point for many people. But notice almost NO premier or top end performers (there are a few, but too many) use Variax as they do not carry their own guitars and would rather play the real guitars that Variax emulates or something original. They do not care about the expense or how many guitars they carry.

Funny Rich claims so many LA session guys that mostly do recording are using Variax and HD500. There of course there is no substitute for playing the real thing, even IF you nail the sound as you simply play a bit different on the original guitar, at least I do. I do not play the same on my Gretsch G6120 as I do my Strats or Teles or Firebird or 335 or my Martin Acoustic. I am not knocking the Variax I owned several and have 2 on pre-order. Just pointing out the ONLY originality in a Variax is that it can emulate.

The Variax is also pretty cool for working out a song as you can change sounds without swapping guitars.

The GR-55 looks quite cool, especially the midi stuff for some players.

I agree mostly with you. I already own 2 great Gretsch guitars, 3 great Strats, 1 Telecaster, Martin Acoustic, 335, Firebird, Nylon String Acoustic, 2 great Les Pauls, Casino, Lucille, Gypsy Acoustic, Hofner Bass, and a Dan Electro. So I already own most of the guitars I would want to play.

Even with owning Variax, I would not sell the guitars I own. What do they say? Emulating a classic is a complement to the original?

I think pros don't use Variaxes live because the have a guitar tech and a roadie to hand them the real thing and do all their effects switching for them! But for the average working musician a Variax is a more realistic option.

variaxlover wrote:

 

I know what you're saying -- most of them never even step on a button; someone else does that for them!  But switching guitar sounds or tunings is not an effect, and I would think more pros would love the idea of say, starting with an acoustic intro and then going into a Les Paul sound, or changing tunings in the middle of a song to play some open-E slide, or whatever.  They do that stuff on their records (which is why I need a Variax, to "cover" them) -- but I'm not sure how they do it live.  Take Joe Walsh for example -- he's been photographed with a Variax but I don't think he uses one live.  How does he go from the Talkbox solo to the slide solo at the end of "Rocky Mountain Way" WITHOUT using a Variax or Roland to change tunings?  Yes, you can play the Talkbox solo in Open-E tuning (I've learned it that way) but I doubt that Joe does.  These are the questions that keep me up at night!   

They do have full time techs, but they do step on foot pedals. I think guitar techs like Rene Martinez is pretty up on new gear as well as old.

Check these out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6POSqjjrIA&feature=feedf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shqdtbTRM4k&feature=feedf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgWaYanW3GQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgWaYanW3GQ&feature=related

I do not think you will be seeing John Mayer throwing away his vintage guitars for a Variax anytime soon.