shawnmx

That's pretty cool. Well done!

I could be wrong but I don't think the black JTV69 (the one with the maple fretboard) was ever made in the HSS configuration. It was only produced as the 69S model.

There are a couple threads in the archive about this. The best solution I saw anyone recommend (but I haven't yet tested myself) was to lift the bridge up before removing strings by just depressing the tremolo arm and then putting some kind of block underneath that keeps it raised until you've finished the string change. In theory, that'll keep the bridge from coming free of the pivot screws.

Haven't watched the vid (but I will!) but I wholeheartedly concur. I like my JTV-69 much better with the Stew-Mac neck I put on it.

You'll need some kinda interface between the Variax and the Mac. You can't interface the Variax directly to the Mac and record the guitar sounds, even with the Variax USB connection kit.

No. The Variax interface is only for firmware updates and making custom presets thru Workbench. You can, however, connect the Variax to one of your other Line 6 devices and then use that device's USB connection to get your Variax sounds into the computer for recording purposes.

I assume that this doesn't hold true when connecting a Variax to a Helix over VDI, as that's a different connection for the guitar?

The modeling side of all JTV and Standard Variaxes is the same. The modeling system relies on internal piezo pickups, not the magnetic pickups. The Standard is the most recent model designed/produced by Line 6. But all JTV and Standard Variaxes run the same firmware, so the technology inside is the same. The original line of Variax guitars, the ones without magnetic pickups, can't run the latest firmware. From that technical perspective, those guitars could be considered "out of date." But all modern Variax guitars (including the Standard and 69s) are identical on the inside.

Connect the Variax to a computer with the Variax USB interface and load up Workbench. There are individual string volume settings there that may need to be adjusted. Make sure you have a decent charge on the Variax battery and plug a 1/4" cable into the Variax or the connection won't work.

When I swapped my stock JTV69 neck for a Stew-Mac neck, I had to drill all new holes for the neck bolts. Good to know the Warmoth neck requires a little less work.

Line 6 doesn't ship VDI cables with new Variaxes. It's not an automatic given that all players will buy a VDI cable, so don't automatically expect each used Variax to come with one. But I'm pretty sure the USB interface has shipped with all Variax guitars.

I have a JTV69 and a JTV69S and I don't recall ever experiencing this.

Is the JTV's battery properly charged? Plugging it into the Variax USB interface does not provide power to the guitar's electronics.

I also recently swapped the neck on my JTV-69 with (in my case) a Stewart-MacDonald neck. It's so much better now.

No way you can go wireless with VDI at this time. At least, none I'm aware of. And using a Variax with both the 1/4" and Variax outputs at the same time is highly discouraged. There's a couple posts on the forum where someone from Line 6 says doing that can actually send too much voltage back into the Variax and blow out the electronics.