Charlie_Watt

The alt tuning light only goes on when you fiddle with it.

No it should not. I only charge mine every couple of months. I don't use the battery - use the VDI and POD HD500X. I charge it when it gets down to two or 1 led lighted.

Might be a firewall problem. I have had trouble with line6 stuff. The USB interface works fine on Windows7 on my PC. You have to power the guitar with the battery by plugging in a 1/4 inch jack and turning the volume control up. The USB interface won't power the Variax.

That is great news. Good work by the way! Sometimes the software can be a PIA to get installed and working.

I have a 60's Hagstrom III that was my first electric that has a much narrower neck than the 69. It turns out that I have very small hands and skinny fingers so a narrow neck works for me. The 69 neck does work fine for me even though it is narrower than my other guitars (Except the Hangstrom).

I don't think 10's last any longer. (Unless you are into breaking strings.)

FullCompas has spare parts for Variax.

Apple is a major PIA! :(

Pickguards need to be anti-static! If not they build up a static charge and attract everything and even make crackles and pops when you move your fingers across them. My Strat did that until I replaced the pickguard.

Sorry I don't give a $%^ about the truss rod cover.

Not the case when I have used them. I have them on my Variax500 and they are a major upgrade over the LR Baggs pickups.

Probably in the forum someplace. I saw them 10 years ago when I got my 500.

10's come on all JTV's as far as I know.

The selector is not a rotary switch but it is a pot with detents. The board reads the position with an A/D and it does need to be calibrated if you change the pot. If all settings sound the same, then something is wrong but I would still strongly recommend trying to reflash it before doing any work inside.

Maybe you can find someone that has what you need to connect and give it a try before you give up on it.

If sound comes out then most of the electronics are working. There is a very good chance that you can get it working correctly if you have access to an interface. You can use either the USB dongle or one of the Pods that has a Variax interface and USB.

Try to reflash the FW. IT sounds like it may not be working. Also try workbench with it and see if it communicates with the PC.

Great job! It sounds like you spent a lot of time working on your setup here. As you said, there are lots of variables and playing style is a big one that can cause these plinking problems with Piezo pickups. Overdriving these pickups also causes nasty sounds. The modeling depends on a very clean undistorted signal. Crosstalk degrades the modeling big time if you are using alternate tunings.

Don't hold your breath waiting for a solution. It probably isn't coming.

I use Elixirs on my Variax's also - I think they are slightly less bright than most and I like that with the Piezo pickups. They last a long time and they have less annoying squeak when moving your fingers on them than most.

And it doesn't do this with the stock saddles? The piezos are right there in them as well.

Try moving that end of the mag pickups closer to the strings. If it's doing it with the real mag pickups then it's not anything to do with the electronics because there is no separate output for each string from the mag pickups! It is a mechanical / pickup problem same as with any standard guitar.

You are getting screwed by the open box Variax purchase since every JTV ships with the USB interface. Pay the $100 or look for one on Ebay.

If it does it with the Mag pickups look for a mechanical problem with that string since the pickups only have one output for all of the strings. Can be a nut or bridge problem. Also could be a bad string. IT is not the electronics if it does it with the Mags!

My experience is that you get some noise when running the Variax connected through USB so I would not recommend doing that. Teach the guy to switch patches himself while playing.