cruisinon2

Everyone here realizes they are not the same. Apples and oranges...we get it. Owned both, used both. Comment was intended for emphasis. The point is, if a guitar synth can convincingly trigger the synth sound of a completely different instrument, given how a guitar string's notes are produced...the attack, how the note sustains and dies, etc etc, then why would it be a Herculean task to create a model that simulates the frequency response of a nylon string guitar? Obviously the answer is "it's not...it's already been done".

If a guitar synth can use a steel string guitar to trigger the digital approximation of an old Hammond B3, then I don't see why there couldn't be a usable nylon string model for the Variax.

I wouldn't worry about the bridge too much. The JTVs are NOT "cheap" in terms of build quality, imho. The 69 is basically a Strat, and as far as i'm concerned, its just as good as anything Fender has put out in the last 20 years. And when you consider the fact that people will shell out $2000 or more for a brand new guitar that has been made to look as though its been stampeded by a herd of water buffalo for a "vintage" appearance, the JTVs suddenly look like a bargain at any price. They are surprisingly resonant, good sustain for a bolt-on neck. Now the neck itself I hated...nut width is hideously narrow and it has a baseball bat profile (a strange design choice if you ask me) and it lasted 3 months. I got used to compound radius necks a long time ago, so it now sports a one-piece birdseye maple neck from Warmoth. But that's just a personal preferrence thing. Worst case scenario, if you absolutely hate the neck, there are options that won't break the bank and will not muck up the guitar's modeling goodies at all.

Really old post...not surprised the link went dead. Not likely that it'll work anymore.

Nowhere on earth is there a guitar that will be 100% to your liking (as far as set-up is concerned) right out of the box, or pulled down off the wall at a store. It simply doesn't exist...don't care what anyone says. I spent a lot of years working in music retail, setting up new guitars when they arrived...many with price tags 3x or 4x the cost of a JTV. They ALL needed something tweaked. Intonation and action were almost always in need of some adjustment. Often seemed that the more expensive the axe, the worse the "factory set-up". Personally, I don't beleive that the "factory set-up" actually exists for any production guitar. "In the ballpark" (and its a biiiiiiiiiiig ballpark) is really the best you can hope for...some will probably disagree, but that has been my experience. Now all that said, if you want a JTV, then get one. They are amazingly versatile, and a ton of fun. Odds are you will not have any major issues, but buy from a place with good rep for warranty coverage just in case, especially if you buy online. Otherwise, any minor set-up issues can be dealt with by any competent tech...no PhD's required. Now I'm not a trained luthier, as such. I learned what I know on the job and working on my own guitars (including the JTV), and I've been doing it for many years. When I unboxed mine, after briefly plugging it it just to make sure some sounds would come out, I immediately swapped out the strings fora set of 11's, so everything needed adjusting. Action, intonation, neck relief. I set it up the same way I set up anything else I play...don't even know what the "factory specs" are. And it works just fine. IMHO, these guitars are not any more fragile, or sensitive to "factory specs" than anything else I've ever played. If they were, and given the fact that guitars can be tempermental creatures to begin with, nobody would have a fully functioning JTV. This entire forum would be nothing but collection of bitter, fuming guitar players...all of 'em out a thousand bucks and pissed. But that's not the case. Lotsa praise is thrown around on here. They do have their qwerks, and the technology has its limitations, but absent any electrical or firmware malfunctions, if it plays well just as a plain old guitar, then you are not terribly likely to have any major issues with the hi-tech side of this instrument. And it shouldn't need any more babying than anything else in your collection...and you certainly should not have to re-enact "Plains, Trains, and Automobiles" to have it serviced. Just my 2 cents...

Well here's how I see it...the money is eventually gonna get spent, right? That being the case, $650 now is better than $800 later (or maybe more once the holiday sales dry up). Strike while the iron is hot, or you might be kicking yourself

Sweetwater always has a bunch of stuff on eBay too. Don't know if they are all the exact same items as their website. May give folks a few more options to choose from...

Buying ANYTHING used is a gamble. Always was, always will be. Don't care if its a guitar, trampoline, or a yacht... Sweetwater rocks. Everything else is largely subjective. You'll never get a universal concensus on which models are "better", or "more realistic" than others. Way too many variables in play. Every single firmware update comes with equal parts praise and criticism. Welcome to the "arts"...

I truly love this time of year, lol. As is always the case, the concept of the "sale" really means the following: "Now we're going to sell you this item for what it's actually worth"...but I digress. As far as I know, the list price has always been $1400, with the possible exception of the 89F, which I think may have been priced a little higher. Regardless, Sweetwater has been selling many of the JTVs, especially the 69's, for $900-$1000 for some time now. Thats what I paid for mine, just about this time last year. Some were scratch n dent models, others probably just older stock that they wanted to move. So at the end of the day, this promotion appears to be just a $150 rebate. $850 is no doubt a good price, just not quite the legendary savings its made out to be.

Well that is odd...can't say I've seen that happen on mine, and I have popped the bridge off the posts once or twice. Food for thought tho...

I doubt its an issue of the bridge position...at least it wasn't for me. It just an overly narrow neck, oddly so if you ask me. Lotsa guys have replaced the neck with any of the drop-in Strat spec necks out there, with good results. Only wrinkle is the positioning of the neck bolts, but thats easily dealt with by any luthier who's half awake. As for factory high action...that's pretty much all I've ever seen with any guitar right out of the box, regardless of make, model, or price-point...and I've been at this for 25 years. Anything you buy is gonna need SOMETHING adjusted...just the nature of the beast.

There really is no solution. Every Strat-style 2 point floating bridge in the universe is gonna do that. Either change strings one at a time, or find some means of keeping the bridge in its "neutral" position if you need to remove all the strings at once.

IMHO, due to the JTV's very narrow nut width (narrower than most other production guitars I've seen) you are likely to run into one of two problems with the stock JTV neck: 1) A nut that was cut in the attempt to maximize the string spacing on a very narrow neck, which pushes the E strings a little too close to the fret ends...hence the string slippage. or 2) String spacing more appropriate to the nut width, but resulting in spacing so close that open position chords are difficult at best, except for the smallest of hands. When originally researching the JTVs, I pretty much knew that I was gonna have one of the two problems (#2 in my case), and entered into the purchase knowing that the stock neck would not remain there very long. Fortunately there are several replacement options that won't cost a fortune, and that will result in a much more playable guitar.

Given piezo's sensitivity, it wouldn't surprise me if strings seem to "die" a little sooner than with mag pickups. I blow thru strings so fast that I don't really notice a pronounced difference, but it at least makes intuitive sense (to me anyway), that the tonal changes that happen as strings age would become apparent earlier when the pickup is in direct physical contact with the strings. Just my $0.02...

Can't argue with the grounding issue...design would work fine if we lived in a world where nothing got dirty. As for string removal, this plagues every 2 point floating bridge on earth. There is a $16 solution, however: http://www.shredneckstore.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SN%2DTB%2D2 Yes, it costs 5x what its worth, given that it's just a strip of plastic with a little handle on one end, but it works. I've been using one for years

Interesting...but the name leaves a bit to be desired. A "personality card" sounds like something you fill out before they let youn intona speed-dating event...

Ditto...at first I wondered if I had suddenly forgotten how to play. Couldnt grab most open position chords without muting at least one string...it was maddening. No longer an issue with the new neck... Oh, and totally off topic, but for anyone who has never played on stainless frets...give it a try. Recently re-fretted another axe with stainless, and I'll never go back. It's like playing on glass...effortless bending and no more grind and polish work...at least not for a good looooooong time. I'll probably wear out before the frets will...lol.

If you're missing one or more fingers, maybe.... It has one of the narrowest nut widths around...seldom seen on anything else out there. Take a ruler over to GC and measure the nut width of any 10 guitars hanging on the wall. Most, if not all will be wider than the 69. As for replacements...if you're gonna spend $120ish on a mighty might neck, save another hundred bucks or so, and see what Warmoth has in stock. You won't be sorry.

Used anything is always a gamble, especially sight unseen. Could be the deal of the century or flushing money down the crapper...only one way to find out.

Its surprising how much of the guitar one hears acoustically, even when playing at moderate volumes. The 69s are quite resonant. Without the alt tuning going on, it goes unnoticed as both the acoustic and the processed pitches are the same...crank it through headphones and see if you're still hearing both of 'em. You might be surprised...I was at first.

That's because it doesn't make any sense. I've been looking at guitar string for 25+ years. They're round...round things don't have "sides".

Anxiously awaiting an explanation for this one myself...

Individual string volumes are changeable, either globally or on a per model basis, in HD Workbench. If your low E is not loud enough with all 6 string volumes set to 100% (which is the default), then you could try lowering the others to compensate, until everything evens out. Will likely be a trial and error thing...

If only one string is out, it is likely that either the piezo element itself has died, or its connection to one or more circuit boards may be the problem. Either way, it's probably not an easy fix unless you are really comfortable with a soldering iron and tiny little wires.