clay-man

With the new Variax Standards coming out, are you going to use those since they're cheaper? Or do you just grab used JTVs?

VDI works 100% and doesn't have any problems at all through it. No audible issues either. At first I thought I might of messed up the solder job but it's pretty secure and the knobs work just fine. The 1/4 sound is usually so quiet it's virtually muted. When it was loud, it sounded pretty normal and sounded good through my amps, but some movement made it go back to being quiet and unusable. Personally, without the 1/4 jack, I can't use it as just a guitar alone, which is annoying because I bought a portable amp and a set of rechargeable batteries so I could take it with me when I please. I might just have to send it to an "authorized" repair place. I called in and they said they'd work on it, but I don't know how much it'd cost, especially if it's a simple error I can fix myself, but the problem is knowing exactly what's causing it. At first I thought it I fried a component but I really doubt replacing the knobs would cause anything. It has to be a grounding issue.

I heard 2 post trems are better than 6 screw trems? Also, if the string trees are metal then yes that can be a problem with tuning. Honestly, I got a graphtech string tree and still it had problems so I just bypass the string tree altogether and it stays in tune great. No weird resonance noises on open notes. It doesn't even need it (my 600)

Before the HD modeling and the newer firmwares came around, the gap between the old Variaxes and new Variaxes wasn't big enough for me to really care about having a JTV, but over the years it keeps getting bigger. HD modeling, better build quality, alt tuning knob that you can assign tunings to on the guitar and apply to any model on the guitar, the POD HD control features, and some other stuff I probably missed. I really want a JTV but I'm waiting for the right moment to throw 1k at Line 6.

So I plugged my guitar in again with a 1/4 and the sound was very loud and almost back to normal. I moved it around and it got quiet again. I tapped the pick guard and it got loud again, but now it's quiet again. I'm 90% sure this has to be some type of grounding issue. Since the coffin is known for issues with grounding, does anyone know what I can possibly do to fix any grounding issues? This all started when I had to take off a piece of the coffin to replace the volume and tone pots. I know this is an iffy situation, but I know some of you messed with the coffin before. Any ideas?

That's preference, though. You can create a problem if you try, yes, but that's not the point. A Tube Screamer - > High Gain is not a problem, it's a situation that should be usable. A lot of people use a tube screamer as a boost, and it usually tightens up the attack of your picking. If it's normal sounding on magnetics it should be normal sounding on the Variax.

This is referring to the old Variaxes. Do not use this information on a JTV.

Line 6 needs to reverse engineer a problemed guitar until it resolves. Remove and replace hardware until it's diagnosed. This is a serious problem that can seriously break or make a Variax. I almost never use the Lester model in E standard because of this. Also, in high gain models, do you use a tube screamer in front? Tube screamer will cause it to show up really really well. Tube screamer -> High gain is a huge essential to a tight metal tone. For me, all strings sound fine except for the E, that pingy attack. The sound shows up as well if you scrape where you're picking with your pick. It's some kind of frequency overtone. There is a slight possibility that it could also have something to do with the nut as the plink sound goes away when fretting 2nd and higher on the E string of my guitar on the lester model.

I will if I end up hating the neck. Anyone know any good Tele headstock maple necks?

Does EVERYONE have the E string plunking attack noise to SOME degree? If so, then yes, they need to fix the modeling to get rid of that noise. Otherwise, they need to know how to physically fix the problem. I still blame the piezo pickups having inconsistent quality.

Congrats. I'd love to have multiple JTVs but that's not going to happen for a while. Definitely would get a 69 first then a 59.

Turning down tone does help, but it makes the rest of the tone muddy. The initial attack on the E is the problem. It shouldn't be something we have to "tweak" out to get it to go away.

You probably have to send it back.

Do you have to drill holes for the neck?

That makes more sense. I assumed that they just decided to leave out code for the 500x which would be asinine. The old workbench simply not being able to detect a 500x is fine. I assumed they could of just made it recognize a 500x as a regular 500 via code.

Edit: misread that, sorry.

Why replace it? It's a graphtech nut.

I actually prefer the green channel on the 5150 but eh.

Strings do make a HUGE difference in the tonality and quality of the modeling. It might even make more of a difference than on a regular guitar. I noticed this and got Elixir polywebs and it sounds great for months. Remember, the Variax is the actual string of the sound via piezo pickups, just processed to sound like certain pickups, not synthesized. Anything that affects the acoustic string tone will affect the modeling tone. Basically pretend that the DSP chip is a suite of interchangeable pickups.

You assign both. Hold the MOVE button to enter MIDI assignment mode. Choose which footswitches you want to have MIDI assigned to. On the device you're trying to MIDI control, you will either have to know the MIDI messages and numbers it needs to do certain things, or see if it just do a learn function which basically reads the incoming MIDI and assigns it to do a task. For instance, with Guitar Rig, I can assign a footswitch to turn a pedal on and off. I could also assign the expression pedal to control a virtual wah pedal on Guitar Rig. It's kind of a learning curve thing that you have to soak in yourself. If something doesn't work, try adjusting the Message type on the POD (CC toggle, CC, Midi Note) and try messing with the value. Some MIDI devices will take another message better than another, especially when trying to assign an on/off toggle situation.

You're a champ, dude. Your Variax sounds great! Well, slockrem replaced his pickups and he said it got rid of the plonk. Like I said, it has to be the piezo pickups. There has to be inconsistencies with the LR Baggs, which is why Line 6 either need to go with Graphtech or have piezos with different sensitivity so the E string doesn't cause so much plonking noise. LR Baggs are good guys, but let's face it, it's probably not the best option for the Variax, as shown time and time again with people replacing them, on both generations of Variaxes. Even though the Graphtechs are "hotter", there seems to be some weird attributes that even the E string kind of overloads when picking the string. the LR baggs is capturing an unwanted sound before it goes into any preamp in the Variax because of a design flaw. The Graphtechs are hot but do not reproduce this problem. I love Line 6 but they need to figure that out. I can live with a little off sounding palm mutes, but I can't deal with the E string giving a gross honking tone on the nut to the 1st or 2nt fret. I don't want to deal with that when I finally get my JTV 69

I got follow ups as well when I bought a VOX mini amp from them. Actually works really well with my POD and Variax, especially with the Line option to get a bit of a FRFR setting. Sweetwater is definitely a must. I know that's where I'm getting my JTV from, should be soon.

I change presets by assigning MIDI to the footswitches, then I go into, say, guitar rig, then do a MIDI learn process, and when it says it's ready to learn what midi signal it will be assigned to, I press which footswitch I want to assign it to.

Well, I at least can dial in a more proper clean setup with more appropriate effects for a clean tone.

With MIDI you can use your POD as a foot controller for any MIDI acceptable software or hardware. I use it with Guitar Rig and Amplitube to change presets, control pedals, and virtual expression pedals, as well as other VST effects.