Chipayv

Just output the dry signal from the Helix from one of it's efx loops.

I can do it on acoustic guitars with peizo pickups just fine. So it's not the pick up. It just make a weird string noise, no slap. It sounds more like a note. It's probably the way the dps interprets the spike.

The only thing I've had trouble with on my new Variax is I can't get a good slap sound. Sometimes when I play electric, but a lot the times when I play acoustic I slap the strings. The magnetic pickups sound great, but I can't get the models to make a good slap sound. Anyone else had any luck with slap technique?

Then they should just replace the affected units. If it really is a small problem, then it would probably be cheaper than researching.

Still no one has answered my first question. Does the pitch of the noise change when you use alternate tunings. It should if it's being introduce before the dsp. If they are clipping and the spike is being translated as being part of the signal and shaped as such then it should change pitch. If there is some sending a vibration to the peizo it should also. Another question is how are the leads connected to the bridge?

This isn't in anticipation. I'm wondering if the newer models are having problems. Mag's are the only difference, but the quality of manufacturing can change as builders become experienced. Also the Standard's bridge is different from the 69's. I just haven't seen any mention of 59p, 69s, or the standards. If it's affecting standards then it very well could be a software issue. But I haven't seen anyone mention them. But if it was software I would think downgrading and applying the latests firmware would eventually solve the problem. It would finally install correctly. So that would leave electrical or physical/mechanical. I'll try going through more pages, but there iss a lot to read. Have people tried changing bridges and therefor pickups? At almost $200 I would imagine most haven't. That also could be the reason L6 hasn't come up with a solution. They would rather you eq (free to them) it out than replace a bunch of expensive parts. I've worked for manufacturing companies. The guys you are dealing with more than likely want to help you, want you to be happy. It's the people at the very top of the totem pole that stop them. They get so consumed with profit margins that they forget that making customers happy is important. This problem bothers me. Not because it's affect me, but because I'm a problem solver. It's what I do. 2 1/2 years is way too long. In fact it shouldn't have taken more than 6 months to know and understand the cause. Of course if you're in denial of a problem you can't even start to fix it.

Has anyone had this problem on the newer 69s or 59p? Also has anyone has the problem with the standard?

Wow, I just ordered a JTV-69s. My first Variax and this thread makes me a bit nervous. I haven't read all of the thread (first few pages, last few), but I was wondering. Has anyone tried changing the tuning on the string digitally and checked to see if the pitch of the plink (plunk, thud, screech) changed? That could help determine at what point the noise is introduced to the signal. The problem seems to be mechanical for most people. Something is producing the undesired noise, then the pickup is sending it to the DSP where it is amplified. That would explain why dropping the gain down on the string helped. Since so many people have different levels of noise and I would assume type (plink vs plunk) it could be different pieces though. The best thing for L6 would be to trade a dozen or so people with this problem a new guitar with out the problem. Then they would have several different examples at hand. Listening to sound bytes only does so much.