cruisinon2

I'm not holding me breath...just wishful thinking. And yes, obviously something made it worthwhile is this case... $$ talks, I guess. Anybody old enough to remember a comapny called Heathkit? (I think they're still around in some form, not sure?) My old man built a friggin' color TV that we had for 20 odd years...if they can manage that for decades and not go out of business from customer complaints about crappy vertical hold, then surely installing Variax parts into another guitar can't be all that difficult.

Agreed...which is why I would love to see them offer just the guts, or perhaps some kind of kit with the guts and a bridge with the piezos, to be installed in anything into which it fits. We know there are guys doing transplants with success, so its certainly feasible. And from a cost perspective, I don't see how it can be anything but a win for L6. Once the development $ has been spent, a few circuit boards, mag pups, and hardware can't possibly cost as much as building the whole axe. Then there's no sacrificing on instrument quality...if it looks and feels like a toy, I don't want it, and I bet I'm not alone.

Looks are one thing, playability another. Some of the prettiest guitars I've ever seen have been uncomfortable to play. Only one way to tell...pictures and spec sheets can't tell you much. But generally speaking, you get what you pay for. I wouldn't expect a higher quality instrument at a lower price. The universe usually doesn't work that way.

L6 could send a rep to everyone's front door handing out free $20 bills, and some would b1tch because they showed up while "Celebrity Apprentice" was on.

Oh go ahead...live a little. It's liberating.

So it's basically the AmpliPOD...lol

Copy and paste it, then it works. You can download the whole thing as a PDF.

I have to agree, unfortunately. Seems like a step down from the JTVs. Some of the issues are fixable...locking tuners are easily installed, ditch the string trees if ya wanna dive-bomb. Hell, I'd probably just go ahead and replace the neck from the start anyway, assuming that Strat replacements fit...then you can have whatever you want. Of course I haven't played one, and that's the only real way to tell...but there's nothing that I see here that would make me want to move from the JTV to this. A bit disappointing...not surprising, but disappointing. I'd be perfectly happy to just buy the guts, and then transplant them into anything that works...Strat or Warmoth body, whatever it'll fit in. Get something with piezos from Graphtech, and Frankenstein yourself a Variax. They can keep the guitar. Or do it as a kit...sell the guts and a bridge. That is something they should consider. I bet there would be plenty of takers.

Strat guys will be happy, shredders and LP fans cranky. Pickguard...not a fan, although I like the headstock over what's on the 69. Wonder if JTVs are going the way of the do-do? If so, the re-sale price for the 59's and 89's just went up...

At least it has a power switch...lol Saints be praised!

Yup..."underwhelming" is the new normal. Or as a college friend said many years ago when referring to the grading curve: "The path to succes is uniform mediocrity"...lol.

Lmfao!! Fantastic...still wiping away the tears.

Usually when I start looking into new gear it's because I've gotten bored with the current rig, rather than anything that I especially dislike about the unit(s).New toys are a great way to kickstart creativity. The stuff that I've genuinely disliked never stayed around long enough to become a hinderance.

Lol...well done. We can't joke though. It will be the death of music. You want that on your conscience?...lol

Beautiful. Proved my point for me. Narcissism at its finest. Sadly, I have no Grammys on the mantle to polish. If that's the price I have to pay so that I don't go trough life with no sense of humor, so be it. I can hold my head up just fine. Sleep well tonight. Music will live on thanks to you, and your tireless dedication to "educating" those of us beneath you.

Seems there are still issues with these things...mine arrived a month ago, only to have the dreaded fan rattle at stage volume. Currently being repaired with new fan assembly...so we'll see. If/when you get it working, make sure you crank it and listen for the jack-hammer sound. Might have more than one problem lurking in there. Good luck.

With a little Crisco and a running start...it'll fit.

The last time I relied on the soundman...................................................sorry, blacked out from laughing. What were we talking about?

I heard its a partnership with an as yet unnamed pharmaceutical company...they've finally developed a pill that will turn the worst player in the world into a virtuoso. Possible side effects include constant bleeding from both eyes, demonic possession, and an uncontrolable desire to cover "Roxanne" as a polka.

True. Ticket prices have become almost as laughable as many pro sporting events. Over a hundred bucks to STAND the whole friggin' time?? I don't care who's playing...ain't worth it.

Don't think they'd let me in...I bathed too recently. :P

Stock JTV neck is a crime against nature, imho. If you have tiny little fingers, you might love it...otherwise, prob not. And the headstock looks like a cross between the business ends of a field hockey stick and a cricket bat. Fortunately this is all easily remedied, though it will require some extra cash.

Generally speaking, you can't conclude much of anything with a sample size of 3. But there are certainties here...three different players, three different sets of ears and personal expectations, three different definitions about what sounds "good", and three different lifetimes of prior experience with what "real" guitars sound like and how they respond with a "real" amp. The only significant hardware differences from one variax to another will be piezo output. Whether or not this contributes to more or less of a perceived difference in tone with 1/4" vs VDI, I have no idea. Its largely subjective, I suspect.

Can't say I'm surprised. Over the years I have come to expect very little from "authorized service centers". This has nothing to do with L6 per se, the world of warranty repair is a universal disaster. I have experienced this numerous times with everything from guitars to motorcycles and everything in between. Makes one wonder what the process of becoming "authorized" actually entails, as it often seems to be a meaningless designation. When I took my Stagesource L2T to the "authorized service center" just the other day and described the issue with the fan assembly and associated rattle at high volume, I was given the exact same response..."never heard of it". Common enough problem that required L6 to design a new part and do lots of warranty work, yet the "authorized service center" to which I was directed was mystified.

Don't hold your breath. Official edict will always be that no one but an "authorized tech" can do the work. If you don't happen to live in reasonable proximity to one, then you're SOL and your set-up now requires a cross-country trip with a turn around time that will take weeks?!?! That's nuts. Personally I don't buy it. A guitar set-up should not require the services of UPS or FedEx. And it doesn't if you know what you are doing or have someone local who does, "authorized" or not. Variax guitars are unique, but not supernatural. I have had absolutely no issues doing routine seasonal tweaks that I've done to every guitar I have ever owned. I'm in the NE, so we get wide swings in temp and humidity around here, so all my axes need adjusting periodically. This one isn't any more complicated than any of the others. If it plays well and doesn't have any horrible noises emanating from it, then what use are the specs? A major electronics failure would be a different matter of course, as neither I nor the guy who does my more complicated work would likely be able to fix it....but a routine set-up? Please...