What is Variax Workbench™?
Variax Workbench™ is a combination USB computer interface hardware and application software package that gives owners of Variax Electric 300, 500, 600 and 700, and Variax Acoustic 700, the tools to easily create and store custom guitar models. The Workbench comes with the hardware interface, application software plus both the USB cable and RJ-45 cable needed to connect to a Windows® PC or Mac® OSX computer.
Users can select from a list of guitar bodies, pickups and other parameters to design guitar models that are truly their own. Once completed, model patches can be stored in the included Tone Locker as well as downloaded into the guitar to any of the 60 available model selector bank positions.
What guitar bodies are available?
All guitar bodies present in the current Variax 300, 500 and 700 electric guitars are present in the Variax Workbench:
T-Model Custom
T-Model
T-Model F Hole
Spank
Lester Flametop
Lester Custom Goldtop
Lester Custom
Special Junior
Special Special
Special FB
R-Billy G-Brand
R-Billy Sparkletop
Chime FullCircle
Chime FullCircle-12
Semi Blues
Semi Pokerface
Jazz Seventy Five
Jazz Super Four
Acoustic Dreadtop
Acoustic Dreadtop-12
Acoustic Parlor
Acoustic Jumbo-12
Acoustic Jumbo
Resonator Biscuit Bridge
Electric Sitar
Masonite Plank
Lester’s Banjo
Tricone Resonator
What pickups are available?
The Variax Workbench includes the following pickup models:
T-Model Bridge
T-Model Neck
Spank Single Coil
Lester Neck
Lester Bridge
Semi Humbucker Neck
Semi Humbucker Bridge
Jazz Neck
Jazz Bridge
Special 90
Junior 90
Special Mini
Semi 90
R-billy Tron
R-billy Sonic
Chime Toaster
Reso Lipgloss
What do I need to make it work?
You will need to have a Variax® Electric 300, 500, 600 or 700 guitar, or Variax Acousic 700, a Windows XP® or Windows® 2000-equipped PC with at least a Pentium® III 500 MHz or better processor, one available USB port, and 256MB or more of RAM. Macintosh® users need to have OS X 10.3.8 or higher and a G4 or G5 running @ 400 MHz or faster. If you want to hear the changes you are making to your models in real-time you’ll also need an amplifier available to plug the XPS (footswitch) output (1/4" audio cable) into for monitoring.
Can the Workbench hardware power Variax?
No. Variax still requires power from the super cool XPS footswitch that came with your Variax guitar.
What are the connections/set up for real-time guitar building?
You’ll begin by connecting the Variax 1⁄4” TRS cable, as you always do, to your powered XPS box. Then run from the XPS out with a 1⁄4” to your amp. Okay so audio is happening… Now connect the “custom RJ-45” cable with the barrel connector on the guitar side and the standard Ethernet connector to the USB interface. Ensure that the USB interface is connected to your computer via a USB cable. That’s it you’re ready for real time guitar building and playing!
Do I need the Workbench hardware if I have a POD® xt Live or POD X3 Live?
Nope, just download the free Variax Workbench software version 1.54 now at www.line6.com/software.
Do I need the Workbench hardware if I have a Vetta™ II?
Updating your Variax Acoustic 700's firmware via the Vetta II is not currently supported. It is highly recommended that users update their Variax Acoustic 700's firmware via the Workbench hardware.
How much does it cost?
The suggested retail price for the complete Variax Workbench system is $139.99. Street price* is $99.99.
* Actual prices may vary.
Windows and Windows XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Mac and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
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