LarryLion

Folks

My band bought two G-50s (Guitar, Bass) when they came on the market - late 2012, maybe?  They ran just fine for 18 months or so, and within a week of each other, the transmitters (belt packs) died.  We've had our techs look at them, ruled out connector, power and cable issues, opened them up, checked for any stress breaks, cold solder joints, etc., but the bottom line is the transmitters are dead.  Replacement cost of the transmitters is prohibitive (2/3 of the entire system!), and out of warranty (of course).

Has anyone else had a similar experience?  It's a great pity that this innovative product is not more durable, but with two dying like this, after 18 months, I have to believe it is a design issue.

Anyway, we're switching to Shure's system, but I really would have liked to stay with Line6.

Cheers. Larry

I bought an SKB hardshell case that not only takes the JTV-69 perfectly, but all it's peripherals too (with the trem bar removed, of course).  Cost under $100 ... check SKB's website.  They definitely have several options.

The JTV acoustic models are not great, BUT ... if you don't play hard, and let the amp do the work, I find they can work a lot better, i.e., they respond better to a lighter touch.  Try that - the tendency on an actual (unamplified) acoustic is to play harder, and I find it is the reverse with a set of acoustic simulations, like on the JTV. Also, the acoustic models do not respond well to low neck position bending, or string bending in general, which is physically possible on the JTV, but not on most "real" acoustics.  The solution - resist the extreme bending, and play the acoustic model as if it was the real deal with respect to bending, it will sound more natural.  You wouldn't "bend" the average 12-string, why bend the JTV model?  Same applies to the resonator models.

The only significant limitation of the JTV's acoustic model, IMO, is the lack of a wound 3rd string, and the string gauge "feel", due to physically smaller (electric) gauges.  The simulation connot cover that "feel", so playing acoustic on the JTV doesn't feel right.

I've rigged my JTV through a Boss LS-2 (line selector pedal) with a simple loop-back, to give me volume boost when connected to a PA, and I can strum or pick softly, and still be loud enough, when I want to be.  Takes a little time to play "simulated acoustic" effectively, but it is definitely do-able.

Not a fan of Spank 2 and 4 either, not enough "Knopfler like" to my taste

I kept the pickups and changed the body. Not an authentic Strat anymore, but I prefer that sound.

 

I uploaded a quick demo here, with stock and custom models, and custom tunings :

 

I really like your "Strat" Sounds. Care to post those models?

you're still not liking the new strat?

 

 

Junis

I was actually able to get most of the "old" strat model working, by "blending" more of the mag pickups (of my JTV-69) into the stock models, so , yes, I am happier with the strat models now.  Try the blending function - not sure if this will add anything on the JTV-59 or -89 though!

I downloaded the WB HD install file (Workbench HD 2.01.dmg) and re-installed.  Everything working now, thanks

works fine for me... although i've been using my mac lately, so not sure if its apples to apples...

I'm using a MacBook, OSX 10.8.  I'll try to re-load the SW.

I managed to get decent Spank sounds in 2 & 4 by blending in some mag pickups on my JTV-69 via WB.  Not sure if that will work for a JTV-59 or -89, but the -69 mags are somewhat strat-like to start with.

Try the "blend" feature in WB.  It has a lot of potential to modify the stock HD models.  The stock Spank models (especially positions 2 & 4) are not as good as the old models, but the blending can mostly overcome that!

Cheers

Johnny

Your Les Paul Standard used price comparison is, well, a load of crap.  Sure you can get a 1990's LP for $1,300 or less on eBay, but try finding a 2012 LP Standard for much less than $1,900!  That's a couple of hundred dollar drop on the $2K plus price, max.  Same goes for a recent Strat or Tele, they hold value pretty well.  I'm talking about a 2012 JTV-69 dropping from $1,400 to $900 in the space of a few months, and dealers not even willing to take it as a trade-in!  They'll take an Indonesian or Chinese Epiphone any time, and definitely a Mex Strat/Tele, but not a Variax.

Yes, i bought my JTV expecting more from it, and yes, I'm disappointed in its performance, that was a calculated risk.  But I never expected the value drop.

Prices here in Canada are vastly different to those in the US of A, and we get gouged on intenational shipping and duties.  I have bought guitars in the US before, but I definitely want a warranty for something like a JTV, with all the electronic goodies, so that means buying in Canada.  There are no $600 JTV-89's here, to the best of my knowledge.

Cheers

I was never that impressed with the previous gretsches myself, just didn't have the woodsy bark i was looking for.

 

There are still people that love the old pod 2.0 models, it's all opinion.

feature wise 1.9, doesn't have alot less, if you ended up staying there most of what you'd miss out on is the new workbench...

i think workbench is going to get alot more use now that it's left it's "word perfect" ancient GUI.

 

i bet you'll be able to address alot of your concerns and ultimately be swayed to 2.0 with some tweaking in workbench...

 

but just in case... i've reflashed in a couple of instances when i didn't think things were right...

and things got right....  so a reflash is ALWAYS worth a try IMO.

Zap - I don't seem to get anyone else to try the WB bug I found - "open Preset Folder" - do you have the same problem?

Larry

So far, I'm disappointed with V2.0.  There were only 5 models/modes of the older firmware that I liked enough to use:  Spank positions 2 & 4, Lester position 1, Jangle 2 (12 String electric) and the Coral Sitar.  With V2, the Spanks have changed radically, I absolutely do not like new sounds and the Lester seems to have lost some of its "bite".  I cannot hear a difference with Jangle 2 or the Sitar.  The Tele sounds are an improvement over what was there before, but still not a contemporary Telecaster sound. The RBilly models still do not sound anything like a Gretsch (I own 4 Gretsches, I know what they are supposed to sound like).  I already assumed that the acoustic models would be the same crappy models already released, and I was right.  I can't use them for anything, anyway.

The WB is a big improvement, and the output level issue is at last controllable (one of my big beefs with the JTV removed).  The WB UI is great, however their are bugs - for instance, have any of you tried to open the Preset Folder (in the "File" menu)?  I get an error message on my MacBook (OSX Mountain Lion).  Maybe the Windows version works.

I'm going to keep exploring the new HD models tonight ... maybe I missed something.

I'm using a Mac and immediately noticed that if I click on "Open Preset Folder" in WB-HD, I get an error.  Anyone get the same message? I searched thru the helpfile PDF, no clues there.

Hmmm ... I seem to have kicked over a hornet's nest here.  Well, I finally got to actually play an LPX, and I have to admit that the web-based blurb is very misleading.  In a real environment, the LPX does not sound anything like the web soundclips, and, of course the min-Etune system is clumsy, to say  the least. Overall, I'm not impressed with the LPX.

Bottom line, the JTV does sound and work better, in the flesh, than the LPX.  I guess the marketing guys at Gibson did their thing with the web samples.

As for the JTV value argument earlier in this thread, which prompted quite a bit of discussion: I paid CAD $1,399 for my JTV, before taxes, which (in Canada) meant I laid out around CAD$1,600 for the JTV-69.  Current (Craigslist and eBay) prices here for a used JTV-69 are around CAD$900, hence my "40% drop" statement, which I still stand by.  A Gibson Les Paul has much less % drop in value, here in Canada, all things considered. Also, my Line6 dealer will not take a JTV as a trade-in, but will place a trade-in value on the lowliest LP, Strat or Tele.  There is a message there, and they offer no explanations.

Anyhow, apologies all, if I ruffled any feathers.  Looks like I'm stuck with my JTV-69, and eagerly awaiting Line6's firmware update!

... and I wouldn't gig with a JTV, too much hassle with levels between models

Silverhead, if you want a vote, guilhordas has mine. The acoustic models on the JTV are ALL useless.

Their approach is remarkable. They know what guitarists want, and the Variax was executed amazingly.

I can't stop pointing out how smart it was of Line 6 to use piezos, since piezos have a massively broad, flat frequency response compared to mag pickups.

 

Before a mag pickup, comes the exact sound of your strings without any pickups or anything else coloring the sound. You want to record exactly how your strings sound when they're being played. A piezo captures the string's nuances and natural sound the closest compared to any other pickups.

 

You basically pretend that raw piezo input is exactly your strings, and that the processor is your pickups and body/guitar emulation.

 

 

Everyone didn't like the Firebird X, so I don't understand why they're pushing for a rehash.

They need to overhaul their guitar and take their heads out of the anti-digtal mindset. It's such a cliche thing to say analog is superior to digital. It all depends on the execution, not whether it's digital or analog.

 

That guy running Gibson is pretty stubborn. I love their normal guitars, but that guy needs to stop forcing the company to do bad choices like this.

Clay-man, you obviously did not read the LPX specs:  it has a piezo-loaded bridge. That's the same approach used by Line6 for the emulations.

To all of you - listen to the clips, and stop kidding yourselves.  The available Gibson guitar emulations are a lot better sounding than that of the JTV, across the board. Are they doctored? - maybe, but then so are the Line6 demos - I've never been able to replicate the marketing blurb clips on a JTV 69.

The JTV is exactly what you pay for: a cheap solution. Are they competitors?  At the technology level, definitely, although the Gibson approach to alternate tunings is crappy (robo-tuners).  The magnetic side of the LPX will be better, since just about anything is better than the garbage mag pickups on a stock JTV, and the classic '57 humbucker is hard to beat. The JTV-US prices are crazy, there I think the street prices of the LPX will be about the same.  Wait for the LPX to come out in "Epiphone" version (it will), and I'll wager that price will be on a par with the Korean JTV's, so price will not be an issue, for all models.

All in all, I think the LPX is a serious competitor, for as long as Line6 lags with the current (crappy) guitar simulations.  As for quality and build, if you guys have ever owned a Gibson USA product, you know that they are well made.  Cannot say the same for the JTV, unfortunately.

Anyone ever checked on the street prices of used JTV's?  That's always a good bellwether of real value.  My research tells me that a one-year old JTV drops about 40% in value (not including taxes).  I'll bet Gibson won't have that problem.

Forget the effects - and the Robo Tuners - listen to the simulation clips.  Pretty darned good.  Line 6 engineers, I'm really looking forward to Ver. 2.0 now !

Some pretty cool sounds out of this thing.  HEFTY price tag, though!

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/LPX.aspx

I'm hanging onto my JTV-69 SOLELY to try the new models in Ver 2.0.  After that I will decide whether I keep the JTV, or dump it, but right now, I will not use it at a gig.  The JTV-69, imo, contains great simulations, but is out of touch with the reality of gigging, particularly signal levels.  I know Line6 "designed by players for players" or words to that effect in their blurb, but the current JTV's appear to be guitars designed by engineers, with little or no input from gigging musicians.

Damn, I should have added, that's for the mag pickups.  If you are just using modeling, I'm not sure my suggestion will make any difference at all - you might find something in the Variax WB software, cannot remember.

Larry

Try using a string with higher steel content, failing which, a higher gauge, or raise the action on that string slightly, or a combination of all three (steel+gauge+action).

Larry 

Dave

I almost pulled the trigger last year on a set of Kinman pups from Australia, but wanted to wait until my warranty was over, which is now the case.  I think I'm going to spring for a set of Kinmans for my HSS JTV-69, after all, even if they do cost a little more, but provided that Chris Kinman can tell me if they will fit a JTV-69 without body mods or cutting. If anyone reading this is interested, check out the Kinmans (http://www.kinman.com/index.php) and listen to the sound clips. Noiseless alnico's, amazing technology.  Probably overkill, but if I'm going to keep the JTV, may has well have decent mag tone, I figure.

I'll try a a few things to see if I can cure the string change problem (trem popping) and post here.

Cheers!

Dave

Aha!  So someone else has experienced this ... and yes, the POP can be startling.  I thought I'd broken the darned thing when it happened the first time.  It ALWAYS happens when I change strings, and because I have acidic sweat, I usually trash a set of strings after a few hours using the Variax.  Probably why I don't use that guitar a lot, although pure nickel strings and "Ax Wipes" do help prolong string life for me.

Just for the record, one time the bridge popped, and I lost one of the little hex adjustment screws from one of the digital bridge pickups.  I heard it, rather than saw it, but gave up trying to find something that small.  This is a design flaw in the JTV-69, in my opinion.  That, the "ghost notes" issue, the lack of noiseless mags, and the battery drain problems are things that Line 6 is hopefully addressing for future versions.

Aside from not changing all strings at the same time, which I like to do for the same reason that you do (oiling the fretboard), maybe someone has come up with some way to help the claws to keep the strem assembly in place - that's the kind of know-how I'm looking for.

I'm curious about the noiseless pickups - did you have to modify the guitar at all to get the noiseless pups in place? 

Larry

I got my 69S in October 2012, and have the same experience as Larry. I read a couple of posts before the meltdown of the spammers hitting the prior forum, but really not many complaints about this issue.

 

My 69S is my 2nd JTV -- got my 59 in May 2011, and have not had any issues with string changing like I've read recently on this forum... I did not install any extra stuff on the trem spring arrangement, but did change my pickups to DiMarzio noiseless. I usually dress and oil the rosewood fingerboard on the 59 and now the 69S when changing strings, and have all the strings off. When I did this the 1st time with the 69S, and took off the last string, the whole tremblock assembly was pulled away from the 2 posts and popped back to the body. It did it with a lot of force, and I was afraid it damaged the gold finish, but luckily it didn't. My '78 Strat has the standard Fender tremblock with 6-screws on the front of the assembly that hold everything in place, so this was new behaviour fo me, and it startled me.

 

You need about three hands to get the trem into position, put the string in the locking tuner, and get the string to lock into the slot at the bridge, wind it up enough to hold. I don't let go of the bridge until I have 2 strings (high & low E's) on with enough tension to hold the bridge. I use the trem arm to have enought leverage to hold until the 2 strings will hold it in place.

 

Now, I avoid removing all strings at once, I leave the outside high & low E strings on when doing a re-string -- the fretboard oiling works "ok" with this arrangement, but any dressing will need all strings off, so I put it off as long as possible, due to the hassle. I am not really a tremolo user -- more of a hand vibrato guy, and never used mine on the strat either. I put all 5 springs on my strat and back the trem to the body - improves sustain. Wish I could lock down the 69S's trem, but I tightened the spring claw and took it down to rest on the body, but I know it wil disengage from the pins the next time I take all strings off at once.

 

The tension of the springs has enough force to tip the bridge backards and up to pull away from the top flange of the pins and pop back on the guitar top. I took out all trem springs, and the bridge just flops around in the cavity -- it would need the springs to hold it in place, if it wouldn't disengage from the pins. If the 2 pins had somewhat larger caps on them, they would most likely be able to prevent the bridge from popping away... I notice the pins can be adjusted up & down (screwed in & out), but have not messed with that as I am unfamiliar with any bad effects this could give me...

 

I have an "acceptable" work-around, but don't particularly like it. I love my 69S (especially with noiseless PU's), and this is more of an annoyance, but would like to see if anyone has a solution that I'm missing. I am surprised this doesn't come up more, as it is quite a startling POP when it happens the first time -- so you want to avoid it.

 

Dave

Best affordable "bedroom tube amp", IMO, is the Fender Super Champ, but change out the speaker!  Replace that crappy 10 inch Fender speaker with an Eminence Rajin' Cajun, and replace Fender's cheap tubes with JJ's, and you are good to go.  Awesome little amp, for the money! 

HOWEVER ...

If money is no object, the Allen Chihuahua (http://allenamps.com/chihuahua.php) is a simply amazing little amp - listen to the sound clips on their site.  Serious money, though.

Cheers

Larry

I own an 69 since November 2012. I never had problems with ghost notes. Sometimes when I change my strings the trem slips out of the notch of the 2 screws, but it is easy to put it back in place. Maybe when shrink the heat-shrink hoses you heat the spring to much. The steel of the spring can lose his tension in case of to much heat.

What I don't understand: What do you mean, that the whole assembly pops out?

When I remove my string the trem will be be pulled in direction of the neck by the string. The pull is hard enough on my jtv, that the trem cannot fall apart.

You should provide some pictures to see what happend.

Moondancer

When your trem pops out, do the springs come adrift too?  And no, I did not overheat the springs - when I applied the heatshrink material, I was careful to use a heat gun, only on the plastic, did not touch the metal.  How do I know that?  I was holding the spring in my hand at the time, and I do not have any burns, promise!

It's the popping out of the trem assembly that I meant by "the whole assembly".

I've owned my JTV69 since May, 2012, by the way, and the dampening of the springs helped a lot with ghost notes, especially in the acoustic models and Rickenbacker 12-string electrics.  Spring dampening plus raising the action a little fixed that.

Thanks

Larry