stenji49

I have a Helix, and JTV-69 Variax. Recently I noted that I am unable to select "Don't Force" under the options for Variax Model, in the Input parameters for the Helix. If I unplug the Variax, then the "Don't Force" option is available as the most counter-clockwise selection under the "Variax Model" selection knob. However, as soon as the Variax is plugged back in to the Helix, the "Variax Model" on the Helix jumps to the current model on the guitar, and if the selection knob is turned fully counter-clockwise, the "Don't Force" option is no longer there. I'm pretty sure that this is abnormal behavior and that I have been able to not force the Variax model on patches in the past. I've tried reloading firmware on the Variax, and on the Helix (3.8). I've also tried reloading firmware 3.71 on the Helix and so far, no change to the odd behavior. My only workaround so far is to unplug the Variax, select "Don't Force" under the input "Variax Model", and save the patch. The patch will operate properly, in not altering the Variax Model, even though the "Don't Force" option does not show up. The problem then, is if I were to select a Specific Variax Model for a patch, there would be no way to go back to "Don't Force", without unplugging the guitar. I would appreciate anyone with a Helix and Variax confirming that when the Variax is plugged into your Helix, that you still have the "Don't Force" option available to you under the Variax Model options.

If you are still seeking a solution for your battery charging issue, I can tell you that the battery used in the JTV's are standard camcorder batteries, and are widely available... including chargers. Just search out "Line-6 JTV battery" on Amazon. I've purchased 2 batteries (as a bonus they have greater capacity than the Line-6 battery) and a charger. My original charger died a couple years ago, and the original battery just bit the dust recently. No issues with the replacement batteries or charger.

I've had my variax for a couple years, and in fact bought it used. I've been happy enough with all the modeled sounds, but the mags didn't sound right in the 4 position (Neck and Middle). The output was much weaker that the other 4 positions, and did not have the characteristic "quack" that this pickup combination should have. I researched the forum and really didn't find any real solution. From the symptoms, it seemed most likely that the neck pickup was wired in reverse, and so I double checked the pickup wiring and everything was Kosher per the wiring diagram. Hard to screw up, as the pickups each have one white and one black wire, and the board connections are all clearly labeled. Reasoning that there could really be no other answer, I reversed the leads of the neck pickup, soldering the white wire where the black should go and visa versa. Everything is now perfectly normal, all 5 positions have similar volume, and Neck+Middle quacks like a duck. I can only deduce that the neck pickup was mis-manufactured with the white/black wires reversed. As an engineer for 40 years, I can guarantee that my guitar was not the only one with a defective pickup. I hope this is helpful to others.

I have a JTV-69 coupled with a Helix. However, I sometimes use the guitar directly into an amp. When using the VDI cable, through the Helix, the volume balance between the mags and the models is very closely matched. However, when using a 1/4" guitar cable directly into an amp, the mag pickups are considerably louder than the models. I just tried a little experiment, and plugged the guitar into the Helix using a 1/4" cable, and specifying the path 1 input as "Guitar". As expected, mags are much louder than the models. Now, I plugged in the VDI cable also (not providing any sound, because of input selection). As soon as this happened, the mag volume was cut down to a level roughly equal to the model volume. (In all cases, using Strat-3 model vs mag 3 or middle p/u) Unplug the VDI cable, and the mag volume goes back to much higher. Does anyone have any idea why this happens. It seems to me, that the volume of the magnetic pickups ought to be about the same whether going through a 1/4" cable into the guitar input of the Helix, or using the VDI cable and Variax input.

So, I've read all the posts here, researched other forums, and (with an electronics background) was still struggling to understand why the neck/middle pickup combination was so weak compared to the other 4 switch postions. It seemed that the only reason the output would be so weak for the combined neck/middle pickups would be if they were out of phase. I found a wiring diagram for the JTV-69 pickups, checked my guitar, and everything was per the wiring diagram (note that the board the pickups are soldered into, has clear markings for each lead, and of course the pickup leads are color coded black and white). So today I reversed the leads of the neck pickup, reassembled the guitar, and guess what? Normal and expected response from all pickups and combinations. Now the neck/middle pickup combination has normal volume, and the "quacky" midrange tone you expect. My only explanation is that the neck pickups were manufactured with the color-coding on the leads reversed. I know this same issue has plagued many other JTV-69 owners, so don't know how many guitars were manufactured with this issue, but for those of you that are suffering the same problem, now you have a solution. Line6 JTV-69 Pickup Wiring.pdf

I have a problem with my JTV-69 volume control. The control works normally for the mags or models, through the digital cable. Through the 1/4" jack and normal guitar cable, the volume control works normally with the mag pickups, but with modeling on turned on, the volume at max is normal, but drops to zero with a small rotation off of maximum volume. So, no ability to adjust volume with models, through 1/4" jack. I've tried reloading the JTV firmware with the Monkey; no change.