cruisinon2

This seems to be the case almost everywhere. Buy from someplace with a lenient return policy like Sweetwater...30 days to mess with it, no questions asked.

If you're referring to the drop D or drop Db tunings, then you're not imagining it. Crosstalk is most definitely an issue with these tunings. The problem is that when palm-muting, some vibrations are propagated through your hand to adjacent strings that your palm comes in contact with. So if you're chunking away on the A string while resting on the low E, some of those vibrations are going to make their way to the low E piezo saddle, and then get de-tuned. As one would expect, the result is mud...you're hearing two notes a whole step apart. Not exactly what I'd call a pleasant harmony. Higher gain tones seem to make it worse. I did some rather extensive troubleshooting a while back to figure this out...there's a thread around here somewhere. If you want to prove it to yourself, turn the A string volume to zero in Workbench, then play some palm-muted stuff on the A string, while resting your hand on the low E (it's pretty much impossible NOT to do this anyway...well, very difficult at least, unless you're a contortionist) I guarantee you will hear those notes coming through anyway, and with the A string's volume at zero, there's only one explanation for how it's happening...crosstalk. Unfortunately, it's simply a limitation of the technology at this point. I've made my peace with it. If I want to play in drop D, I grab another guitar.

You're the only one who knows what you like, and will feel comfortable with. As was already pointed out, they are VERY different animals. If you like a "shredder" style neck, then you want the 89. The 59 is closer to a Les Paul. Some of the alt. tunings on the 89 are different, and geared more towards the modern down-tuned metal stuff in the frequency range that can only be detected by whales, or the seismographs at Cal-Tech. ;)

Same here. I don't always want the same exact tone for a lead as I do for rhythm...in fact most of the time I want something slightly different. Usually punching up the mids just a bit to help it cut through.

If it really is consistent across all the models, then adjusting the global string volumes in workbench should take care of the problem. However, you may find that the more you mess around with the guitar, some models may have more pronounced string-to-string volume issues than others. I have found that to be the case, particularly with the Strat models. In that case, the only solution is to adjust the volumes on the individual model(s) in question until they sound balanced. I have tweaked most of the models I use regularly. Doesn't take long once you're used to it...and generally you should only have to do it once. Just make sure you keep all your settings if you're updating the firmware.

17.8% on its own...easily upped to at least 23.4% if you pair it with the new line of 4D Trans-ValveSmasher speakers (FRFR "guitar looking" powered cabs, complete with beer-cozy) that will be released with the Flummox. They're gonna replace the Stagesource stuff soon...;)

Yes, this is more or less why the 4CM exists...to allow you the option of using either your amp's pre-amp (with or without using the POD's fx), or using the models and slaving the amp for power only. Personally I don't run this set-up, so I can't offer much of a tutorial, but there are numerous threads around detailing the how's and why's of the various connections.

This is likely the culprit...as for the tuner, it's only fed by Input 1. So for example, if you have input 1 set to Variax, and input 2 to guitar, the tuner won't work with whatever you've got going into input 2. Took me a while to figure that out. Live I will generally have the Variax connected with the VDI, and then another guitar in the 1/4". If you set input 1 for guitar+Variax, only then will the tuner function with both axes...odd routing, but that's the way it is.

Which will be about a month before the next generation modeler, the L6 Flummox, is released...and then we'll all want that instead. ;)

If you're going to the trouble to replace the neck, then you're obviously having problems...either you simply don't like what's there, or there are fit/finish issues, or both. Either way, replacing it with the same thing isn't likely to make you any happier...the new one could just as easily suffer from the same issues as the one you've already got. And at that price, you're already into Mighty Mite territory, and only $75-$100 away from a nice Warmoth, which will be infinitely superior. The Mighty Mite necks seem to get good reviews from the guys who bought them as well...so I don't get why anyone would bother with this.

That's the other thing...I got burned on the price I payed for both my JTV and L2T, as I bought both just before the holidays. Sweetwater trends to drop prices in mid-January on lots of stuff. No more gear for Xmas, I'll just have to wait an extra couple of weeks for Santa to show up. ;)

Well there are retailers such as Sweetwater that allow you to do exactly that...30 days to try it out, no questions asked return if you don't like it, but it's still a pain in the a$$ to do the try/return/wait for refund dance. I try to avoid that.

$1500 is a lot to gamble on a unit that to date, no one but the beta-testers have played...especially when I have something that I'm quite happy with. My days of trying to audition gear down at the local Megarifftorium, amidst a room full of high school kids trying desperately to squeak out an out-of-tune version of this week's hit are over...I'm gonna wait for the jury to deliberate for a while. My 500X is just as good as it was last month, before they announced the Helix.

Yup. I've been leveling patches on pre-amp/multi-fx units for 20 years. It's really not a big deal. I mean it would be delightful if the unit would do it by itself, but till then it's just part of creating tones...and it doesn't require a slide-rule, protractor, or super computer. Ears will do.

I'm gonna check that out. I have a couple of Gator hard shell cases that have stood up pretty well. I've just been stuffing the 500X into a larger padded duffle that houses all my cables. The Line 6 case is overly tight (mine is anyway) and all 4 zipper pulls were some of the cheapest crap I've ever seen. In less than a month they all just snapped off...and I'm not overly rough on things. If I were grabbing the zippers and swinging it over my head I'd understand, but I'm nicer to my gear than that.

I doubt it. That case is a seriously tight squeeze, even for the 500X. Anything bigger, and it's gonna be like trying to stuff a telephone pole in a coffee can.

Well...I suppose I'll take what I can get. But Pop Tarts just aren't the same as white toast with the crusts cut off and seedless raspberry jam. ;)

And still no toaster in it either...no matter how many times I request it on Ideascale, I think they're ignoring me. How do they expect us to be able to play without toast?!?!?!?!... :P

That firmware is way behind the curve at this point. You might want to see what you think of the newer models.

Lol...I thought this was gonna be a "Why isn't my Helix here yet?" thread... :P

Aside from the piezos being a bit more sensitive to fret-buzz than a mag pickup, there's nothing particularly mystifying about setting up a Variax. The tapping issue does seem odd, however...haven't seen that particular complaint before. Tapping is not a huge part of my sersenal, but I've never had an issue with in on the JTV.

As far as I'm concerned the biggest difference is feel, not so much tone...although the harder woods do seem slightly darker on some guitars...but that could easily be attributed to other factors...hard to say. Also, how the various woods react to seasonal changes in temperature and humidity I find to be significantly different. Maple is a softer wood than either rosewood or ebony, and while I've only owned a couple of guitars with maple necks over the years, both of them required much more frequent and more dramatic truss rod adjustments than any of my rosewood or ebony necks. I have a couple of ebony necks that hardly move at all, while the maple ones will twist themselves into pretzels, by comparison.

When you get right down to it...these are really the only two reasons that most dudes do anything... ;)

The speaker rattle is well documented warranty issue...went through that myself. It's pathetic that it's as widespread a problem as it is, especially this long into production, but they are quite good about fixing it. As for the rest, there's nothing wrong with not liking a piece of gear, but I think you're expecting a little much from the whole FRFR concept. I'd love it if I never had to tweak patches again. It's a pain in the arse sometimes...but nothing is ever that convenient. Like everything else in the universe, not all FRFR speakers are created equal. There will be differences. There should be perhaps a bit less tweaking required from one to the next, as compared to 2 different guitar amps, but two different boxes with different speakers are exactly that...different. I would be utterly amazed if I plugged in the same patch to different FRFR set-ups and found them indistinguishable.

I have no idea what this magic "chip" is that you've purchased, but the problem may have nothing to do with the amp at all. I'd check the more likely explanations first: 1) Faulty guitar cable. 2) Faulty output jack on the guitar, or loose solder joint connected to it. Rule out one thing at a time...