Jun 16, 2012 3:45 PM
Variax 300 Piezo
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I bought a used Variax 300 electric on Ebay about a year ago. Great deal & nice guitar for the bucks. Been very happy with it but have a high e string saddle issue. I researched the archives here & thanks to ALL those who have gone before me, managed to find a bazzilion posts, questions, answers, etc.
(btw, Great community of very knowlegable folks here). Followed all the typical check solder points, check ground issues, clean possible much from under, etc.So... Problem defined. Need to replace piezo saddle.
I go to purchase new part from Line 6.... uh oh.. looks completely different.... Line 6 support via the new ticket process (kudos for very quick response) tells me it probably has after market Graphtec Saddles on it.
OK. BUT... I just realized today the owner's manual has a drawing in the section for adjusting intonation that looks "very similar" to the ones on the guitar.
Questions are:
1. Does anyone know if Line 6 made a 300 with Graphtechs on it or were they just similar in appearance?
2. If they were not Graphtechs, what the heck are they?
3. Where does a tightwad such as myself buy (1) one without having to buy the whole set from Graphtech only to chop the plugs off to swap them out?
(For what its worth serial # is 04120331 Made in Indonesia)
Thanks in advance!
no question those are graphtech pickups. first thing loosen the screw the grounds are on lift the pcb and make sure that theres some electrical tape or something that will insulate the back of the board from the bridge plate. if theres nothing there then put some tape on the back of the pce. those wires poke through the back of thqat pcb and if they touch the bridge plate they short out. i just put my 300 in an epiphone dot and thats the first thing i did when installing the pickups. insulate them from the bridge plate.
if that dont do it then check the solder oint of the bad one. it dont look that good in the pic. actually none of them do.
if thats not it then strip the plastic off the crimped grounds and add solder to those clips .. on both ends to ake sure there are no loose grounds. i just did all that on mine and it works just fine with the graphtech pickups. also dont go by that generic drawing ast to being a sign of graphtech pickups. its a cartoon version of something they should have took a photo for.
also this person did do one thing right, they left enough wire to redo the whole thing.
so if you want to just test the pickup to see if its good. unsolder the positive from the pcb and put an ohm meter on it from positive to ground. that should tell you something.
Cool. You may be on to something. There is nothing between the board & the bridge plate..Also, before the saddle gave up the ghost (pun intended) I lost about 50% of the volume on that string at rehearsal. Of course I did what all non-tech folk do. I reached down, wiggled it, tapped it and eventuallay jammed a piece of pick betwen it and saddle for b string. Problem solved.. I thought. Several months later, poof... about 2% volume. I don't know squat about electronics, so one solder joint looks like another to me.
I've got a buddy who does electronic repair. I may have to get him to go over it and clean up what he can.
I appreciate the quick response and help!
I'll keep ya posted after someone who actually knows what a solder joint should look like takes a look at it.
Thanks again!
good luck let me know how you do with it.
Will do.
Thanks again!
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