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Up to Discussions in Variax Guitars / Bass / Workbench
570 Views 6 Replies Latest reply: Oct 28, 2011 4:03 PM by JellyWheat RSS
DavidMunson Just Startin'
DavidMunson
3 posts since
Oct 15, 2011
Currently Being Moderated

Oct 27, 2011 6:04 PM

Variax 500 worked perfect for 5 minutes then started hissing.

Just got a Variax 500 from Guitar Center used $ 449.00 and after 5 minutes it started hissing when i touch the strings or pickups.   quiet when i take my hands away.  batteries or power with XPS  supply the same result.

 

next day after cooling down , the hiss is still there.

 

Sounds just like a grounding problem to me.   Any ideas on where to start to look?

 

David Munson

Tags: variax, trouble, 500
  • JellyWheat Gear Head
    JellyWheat
    1,220 posts since
    Aug 18, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Oct 27, 2011 6:27 PM (in response to DavidMunson)
    Re: Variax 500 worked perfect for 5 minutes then started hissing.

    By "pickups", do you mean the piezo saddles? [Or has somebody modded the guitar and added magnetic pups?]

     

    It sounds like a grounding problem to me, based on your description. Aside from the "hiss", do the models and controls work as they are supposed to? How loud is this "hiss" compared to the playing volume of the strings? What sort of gain settings are you using?

     

    I'm afraid we may need a lot more information to get to the bottom of this...

     

    J/W

    • DavidMunson Just Startin'
      DavidMunson
      3 posts since
      Oct 15, 2011
      Currently Being Moderated
      Oct 27, 2011 6:42 PM (in response to JellyWheat)
      Re: Variax 500 worked perfect for 5 minutes then started hissing.

      sorry  piezo saddles.   all of the models work fine.   some have a louder hiss but the hiss is only there when you touch the strings or saddles.

       

      Gain settings?  just plugged into amp with 1/4" cord. 

       

      dm

      • amx05462 Power User
        amx05462
        3,495 posts since
        Sep 1, 2008
        Currently Being Moderated
        Oct 27, 2011 11:14 PM (in response to DavidMunson)
        Re: Variax 500 worked perfect for 5 minutes then started hissing.

        it was probably at guitar center  because  the previous owner  did not want to deal withthis  problem. being  used  and  very old  you have no line 6 warrantee.  so any  in house repairs  will be expensive to say the least. let alone  if  you go in there  and start  mesing  around  with things  you dont  know about...

         

        my advice to you  is  take it  back .  get your  money  and  move on . the 500 is  old  outdated  and  has  been improved  on...

         

          heres  an analogy for you ..  i got a  newer  harley...  my brother  has   a couple  of old  ones.. yeah everyone  looks  at the  old ones  more than mine.   when it  runs.... mean while  im  enjoying  my trouble  free  ride.   

         

        .  take that clunker  back and get your  money  while  you can.

  • DavidMunson Just Startin'
    DavidMunson
    3 posts since
    Oct 15, 2011
    Currently Being Moderated
    Oct 28, 2011 8:54 AM (in response to DavidMunson)
    Re: Variax 500 worked perfect for 5 minutes then started hissing.

    I can't blame Guitar Center as it worked fine when i got it home.  But i found the problem...  loose ground wire under sadle.

     

    Guitar center says 30 days on all use equipment and I bought a 1 year service policy through Guitar Center for only $ 50.00.  That's a hell of an assurance plan when your talking computers.

     

    I bought another used variax from Guitar Center from Tucson and the shipped guitar was not as expected.  The local Guitar Center took it back and all I lost was the $ 10.00 shipping.    I'm now sold on buying all used gear from them rather than taking chances on Ebay or Craigslist.  If you have the local store order the shipping is really cheap.

     

    Problem solved and case closed.

     

    DavidMunson

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