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1001 Views 6 Replies Latest reply: Sep 8, 2011 6:39 AM by edstar1960 RSS
Phlipper Just Startin'
Phlipper
4 posts since
May 22, 2011
Currently Being Moderated

Aug 29, 2011 3:44 PM

Variax 300 & PodXT Live Odd Tuning Problem

I have a 300 which I run through an XT Live.  It's begun showing an odd problem - when I first power up and go to tune it (using the XTLive tuner) it shows my E6 string as D, I tune up to E, then finish tuning, upon turning the tuner off it becomes obvious that the E6 string is WAY out of tune.  Check the tuner again and it now shows as G, which I then have to tune back to E.  At first I thought it was my aging eyes reading the display, but it's not! 

I put up with this for a few gigs, then it displayed the same problem with both E1 and E6.  I decided I should change the strings to rule them out and the E1 has been fine since.  I then reflashed both the 300 and XT Live to be certain, but the problem remains.  It's currently a minor annoyance but I'm concerned that it'll progress into something worse, and also that in a quick mid-gig tune up scenario that it'll crop up and we'll actually be into a song!

I've been looking back through pages of posts here but haven't come across anyone with the same problem. Any help and suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

Message was edited by: Phlipper

Tags: podxtlive, 300, variax_300, podxt_live, xtlive
  • Phlipper Just Startin'
    Phlipper
    4 posts since
    May 22, 2011
    Currently Being Moderated
    Sep 5, 2011 3:38 AM (in response to Phlipper)
    Re: Variax 300 & PodXT Live Odd Tuning Problem

    Doesn't anyone have any similar experience of this problem?  I've been waiting here for a few weeks now and there's plenty of activity, but no-one has approached my question, it's starting to feel like an unwelcoming clique to be honest.

    • edstar1960 Iknowathingortwo
      edstar1960
      712 posts since
      May 25, 2010
      Currently Being Moderated
      Sep 5, 2011 8:10 AM (in response to Phlipper)
      Re: Variax 300 & PodXT Live Odd Tuning Problem

      Hi Phlipper.

      I have read your post, but I don't have a V300 and I don't have a PodXT Live.

      I have a V700 and an X3Live but I have never experienced the problem you describe.

      Have you tried posting this question in the POD forums?  May be one of the subscribers to that group may have hit your problem and may be able to help.

      It could be that the piezo's on the E strings are playing up and may need replacing or it could be that the software is faulty on the XTLive - I would think it's more likely that the piezo is malfunctiioning.

      Have you got another electronic tuner that you could use to double check what is being reported on the XTLive?

      Hav you got another standard electric guitar that you could use with the XTLive and check whether it will correctly reporteach string pitch for that standard guitar?

      Have you tried tuning your A string down to E or your D string up to E - and does the XTLive tuner correctly register those strings when they are retuned to E, and can you corroborate that with your other tuner? What about tuning the E string down to D or up to F - does the XTLive tuner correctly register those other notes for the E string or does it report them incorrectly?

      If you can confirm whether the XTLive tuner is working fine for the other strings and that it's not a software glitch that for some reason is not registering E correctly, and if you can confirm that it is only the E string that is affected and whether or not it is only for its correct pitch or for any note that you attempt to tune the E string to, then at least then you may be able to determine that it is the V300 piezo that is playing up, and then you can decide what to do next.

      Hope that helps.

      Good luck!

      Kind regards

      Eddie

      • Phlipper Just Startin'
        Phlipper
        4 posts since
        May 22, 2011
        Currently Being Moderated
        Sep 5, 2011 8:50 AM (in response to edstar1960)
        Re: Variax 300 & PodXT Live Odd Tuning Problem

        Thanks Eddie... of all of those things (perfectly obvious to try when you read them!), I hadn't actually tried isolating the problem as you suggest.  I don't have another tuner, but I'll try our guitarists at our next and see which is causing the problem (although my gut tells me it's the 300).

        At a gig a few nights ago I noticed that, after powering up, if I switch to tuner, then out again and change the patch I can get a normal report.  I'm wondering even if this is due to the time it's been plugged in (i.e. whether the guitar isn't powering up fully when I normally go to tune).  Do you know if there's a some kind of battery in the guitar electronics that could need changing (similar to the CMOS battery on a PC)?

        • edstar1960 Iknowathingortwo
          edstar1960
          712 posts since
          May 25, 2010
          Currently Being Moderated
          Sep 5, 2011 10:13 AM (in response to Phlipper)
          Re: Variax 300 & PodXT Live Odd Tuning Problem

          I assume you are powering the V300 from the XTLive via a VDI cable - is that correct?

          Have you got a spare VDI cable or have you got the USB interface cable that comes with Workbench? If you have either - then see if the problem can be reproduced with the spare VDI cable or the USB interface cable - that way you can discount the VDI cable as the source of the problem.

          You can also try powering on the XTLive first and waiting for it to settle down and then connect your VDI cable to the XTLive and the V300 to see whether that fixes it. (I hit an issue with my JTV59 and X3L that if I had the JTV59 connected via the VDI when I powered on the X3L that the tuner would malfunction and not register any input - the work around was to connect the JTV59 after the X3L had powered up - this was strange as I do not have this issue with my V700, and I can leave that connected to the X3L and power up and tuner works fine - you will see that I have an unresolved thread on this issue and several others have also said they have hit a similar problem.)

          I don't believe any Variax has a CMOS battery on the motherboard - the power comes either from batteries, the VDI cable from a POD XTLive or X3Live or HD500, or via a TRS cable and an A/B box with power supply as provided with a V700 or can be bought separately. 

          If you have a Variax A/B box power supply, then it's also worth seeing if you can reproduce the problem when powering the V300 with that - and you could use that to see if you can successfully tune the V300 via another tuner without issue - and if you can then that would discount the piezo as an issue. (Or if not, just put some batteries in to do the test).

          Good luck with isolating the issue. Please let us know if you get to the bottom of it.

          Cheers

          Eddie

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