Charlie_Watt

If the neck pocket and neck dimensions are the same, then you can deal with the different screw pattern. That is the way it is with the other Variax models. The 69S and the 500 and the 600 can use a Strat neck with minimal modification. (fill the holes and drill new ones in the correct locations.)

I have been using AA rechargables for 10 years on my Variax 500 and my Acoustic Variax. Never had a problem. You can use NiCads or NiMh. I use AA NiMh batteries that are about 2200 mAH. There is nothing that says these won't work and there were a bunch of old posts about them 10 years ago when the 500 first came out.

I don't think it's an Encoder. I think it's a pot.

If it's like the earlier Variax, the model selector is just a pot! The output of the pot feeds into an A/D channel and it picks the models based on the voltage. It's not an encoder if it's the same design as earlier. It was tricky to get the thing back calibrated if you replaced the pot or moved the detent because for it to work it relied on the voltages being in precise steps that could then be decoded by the A/D as a model selection. I have not looked at my JTV to see if they did it the same way though so I am just throwing this out as an Assumption.

The problem you describe may be hard to duplicate. You are likely to get NPF.

I like the add on concept. I hope they do more of it and I will support it by buying things that I probably don't need but I may want anyway. I wish they could add more guitar models to my JTV. Do I need more? No. Do I want More? Yes!

The 500 only works on the old version of WB. Do you have an interface for it?

I would recommend rechargeable NiMh batteries. They work great for me and they are cheap enough to get 2 or 3 sets.

I would ask for a replacement since it's still new.

I think Line6 loses lots of potential customers because the Pod presets suck. That is what everyone who goes to a GC to try one out will experience. It's not possible to make a good preset on the fly if you don't have experience with the pod. These things are great when you get the hang of them though.

Do you know if it uses the same battery as the JTV's? I would assume so.

You need a 1/4 inch cable plugged in to get the green on the guitar side of the USB interface.

Lithium are higher voltage so 6 is too many I believe. You want a nominal total of 9V. You want at least 2000 mAH of capacity as well. One down side of using lithium batteries is that there is nothing to keep you from discharging them too far. (Which renders them useless) Units that are designed for Lithium batteries all have a low voltage cutoff to keep from ruining the batteries.

It's supposed to blink when charging. It takes quite a while to get a full charge. Sounds like your battery may not be too good. You should get quite a bit of play time when you have three lights. You should have four when it's fully charged. Try leaving it on the charger for at least 8 hours and see if you get four lights. You should unplug when not playing. Turning the volume to zero reduces battery drain but it's not zero.

Still have my 500 and I still play it. I had piezo issues a few years back and I replaced the with Ghost piezos and it sounds better than ever and it's in mint condition.

You almost certainly have a firewall or anti-virus software issue that is preventing it from running. I had that problem with Norton. I had to go in and tell Norton to let Monkey access the internet. That is what flags the anti -virus software. Monkey goes to the Line6 site.

So you are saying that Line6 is doing a disservice by offering a sale? Come on and get real! If you are within the 30 day trial period you have every right to return the models and rebuy if you want them. (or not) After that, accept that you were willing to buy them at the original price.

Are you using Mags or modeling at the time? Ideas to try: Try not using VDI - go directly in with the 1/4 inch signal. Try moving the 3 way around right after powering up and see if you can get any crackle behavior. Crackling is usually a bad connection somewhere. I have never had anything like that with my JTV though.

For what it's worth, I always use rechargeable batteries in my 500. I have two sets. I use 2100 mAH NiMh batteries. I have the XPS but I never use it. I also have a JTV and I use that on the VDI or on batteries.

The license manager should manage downloading the model pack to your pod and then it tells you to power cycle. After that, they are there.

The use of 'bluebook' prevents you from getting a false bill of sale for way less than you actually paid. (a common practice)

I had my model pack installed in about 2 minutes after I paid for it. I had my pod connected and license manager open when I made the purchase. You do not need the email.

Which FW on your 69 and 59?

Most states make you pay sales tax on a vehicle when you go to register it - even if it's used. Here in Colorado it's based on what they look up as the value of the car.

I am completely with you Dave. If you have a guy you trust with setups - first you are lucky to have found him - second - he will know his own limitations when it comes to electronics. (Maybe he is an electronic whiz?) I would rather have a trusted luthier work on my setup than some guy in a service center that may or may not really know how to set up a guitar. I am not knocking the service centers but they are an Unknown.