sornord

I have a 700 Bass (which I LOVE) but it's very noisy when plugged into a DI box or amp. I have to jiggle the TRS cable a lot before it is quiet. Given the electronics of these are unique, would a standard electronics clean up by a tech (or spraying contact cleaner in the cable jack and pots) be risky for the Variax electronics? Given there are few, if any, replacement parts available for Variax guitars/basses, I don't want to risk damaging them IN ANY WAY. I'm so sorry to hear the Variax line is history. Modeling aside my 700 bass just FEELS as good as my JBs. I'm hoping to find a pickup that can be fitted to it if/when the electronics die. And my JTV-59 sounds almost as good as my Rick 12. Both are prized possessions.

Any issues with putting Hipshot tuner on the low E of a 700 bass, and dropping the string's tuning, vis a vis the piezos?

Love my 700 Bass. Great feel and wide variety of tones. I wish it would work with Workbench as I'd like to program a set of EB-3 tones. (My main bass is a 67 EB-3.) I anticipate, however, its electronics will eventually die and turn it into a boat paddle. Investigating adding on regular PUs somehow.

It is with great sadness and frustration that I recently read from a Line 6 support person that the Variax line is discontinued. Just about 13 months ago I bought a 700 bass and a JTV-59 to prepare for an overseas move in summer 2024. We were planning on a trial year before we cut our US-ties permanently. Those two were supposed to be my hand-carry guitars until we determined if it was advisable/cost-effective to ship my other guitars. The thought was between the two Variaxes I could cover the bases (no pun intended) on instruments until my others were shipped (perhaps) in a year or two after we got there. Their being discontinued changes all that. To help with our shipment reorganization, it would be helpful to know the failure rate of the Variax electronics, particularly for the bass. The JTV-59 is still usable with its magnetic PUs should the Variax gadgetry fail but the bass will be unusable since it has no external PUs. The 700 is really a good bass with great feel and tones but if it craps out I'd be stuck without easy, or timely, access to my others. Not good since I'm primarily a bassist. Advice, pls.

It is with great sadness and frustration that I recently read from a Line 6 support person that the Variax line is discontinued. Just about 13 months ago I bought a 700 bass and a JTV-59 to prepare for an overseas move in summer 2024. We were planning on a trial year before we cut our US-ties permanently. Those two were supposed to be my hand-carry guitars until we determined if it was advisable/cost-effective to ship my other guitars. The thought was between the two Variaxes I could cover the bases (no pun intended) on instruments until my others were shipped (perhaps) in a year or two after we got there. Their being discontinued changes all that. To help with our shipment reorganization, it would be helpful to know the failure rate of the Variax electronics, particularly for the bass. The JTV-59 is still usable with its magnetic PUs should the Variax gadgetry fail but the bass will be unusable since it has no external PUs. The 700 is really a good bass with great feel and tones but if it craps out I'd be stuck without easy, or timely, access to my others. Not good since I'm primarily a bassist. Advice, pls.

I'm reading on various social media that Yamaha has discontinued the Variax line. True?

I used a capo'd Rick 12 to play way up high on the fretboard to mimic a mandolin in years past. I think this should be doable with Workbench HD tweaks.

I'm trying to get my 700 Bass into the original Workbench so I can add an EB-3 emulation. In an update to my original post... I got that female to female coupler, made a straight-through male to male Cat5 "patch" cable (about as long as your palm is wide). The connection goes bass > VDI cable > f to f coupler > Cat6 patch > Line6 USB adaptor > PC. Both lights on the USB adaptor went green. I've only tested it briefly. Workbench sees something so the connection is there but it didn't identify the something as my bass. I was only testing the patch cable at the time so this is a work in progress.

Would this work with a VDI cable and a short male to male Cat5 to a Variax USB adaptor? $100, if you can find one, is too much for a Variax VDI to USB kit. https://probroadcastsupply.com/Neutrik-NE8FF-RJ45-Feedthrough-Coupler-NE8FF_p_15422.html

Got an X3 Live a couple of days ago and works great with my JTV. Will try it with the bass in a day or two. Tnx for your input. I also bought a couple of XPS Minis so am good to go power-wise I think. This X3 looks like a beast!

I've been trying to get spare hardware for my recently purchased Variaxes (a JTV-59 and a 700 Bass.) I've been able to sort out I can use the bass's XPS-DI with the JTV-59. I'd like one, CURRENTLY SUPPORTED, power source for BOTH my variaxes. Helix equipment is too expensive. Are there other, older products that will fit this bill, perhaps the Line 6 Pod XT Live? I can find those used for reasonable prices. Still looking for VDI to USB adaptors and JTV batteries too, by the way.

Are there any differences between these batteries? My JTV-59 came with the former, which I assume is 2011 vintage, like the guitar. I'm TRYING to find a couple as spares but only this one is out there: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Z3FBLF8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A311BEHFUHRLQM&psc=1

Found a surface mounted pick up for bass from Roland: https://www.boss.info/us/products/gk-3b/. This gadget doesn't require any routing or drilling and has capability to blend between a normal bass signal to a 1/4" cable jack and data to one of their pedals. None available at Roland dealers so will have to measure my 700 Bass to guestimate if/how it would fit before ordering. (They start at $187-ish.) Appears this may solve the problem.

I recently purchased a JTV-59 and a 700 Bass. As I hate gig bags, I went shopping today for hard shell cases. I found (and bought) two of them that are perfect, or very near perfect fits. For the JTV-59 it was a Gretsch G2655T. For the bass it was a Gator GWE-Bass. The Line6 file size limits prevent my posting pictures, but if anyone is interested shoot me a request to sornord(at)yahoo.com and I'll attach them to my reply.

I have a Variax bass with an XPS box with the ground/mic-line switches. Looking for a spare XPS and PS. Can't find any with the switches but some reasonably priced ones, one with the XLR and 1/4" lights, and another with a "mini" box. Are the latter two any different electrically than the one with the switches? I also have a JTV-59 (which I've powered with the bass's XPS) and don't want to damage it by using incompatible power components.

Do the Catalyst line of amps power Variax guitars? I really don't have need for Helix pedals as I already have Boss multi-effects pedals and don't want to "re-buy" just to power my two Variax guitars

I just emailed the nearest service center (in Montgomery, AL) to see if they can handle this.

Got a JTV-59 and a 700 bass in the last two weeks. The bass came with the DI box. Is the DI box usable with the 59?

Wife and I are planning to move overseas next year. Our sponsors are telling us to bring NOTHING, and to buy locally everything we need once we get our house in order. BUT I have 20+ instruments and amps that I use regularly and hope to use playing in the local music scene, which is VERY active with big name people showing up to jam in local bars and clubs after their big time gigs elsewhere in the country. I'm primarily a bassist but have played lead when no other better player was available. In order to NOT ship my expensive/vintage guitars, I just bought a JTV-59. I'd LIKE to do the same for my basses but Variax basses are a different beast. I've read on various online sources that imply the piezos on the Variax basses are prone to failure. Replacement parts for the basses are pretty much unavailable. I've been told without "normal" PUs the 700 bass would be a brick if the piezos ever fail. How difficult/expensive would it be to fit a Variax 700 with regular pickups in addition to the modeling electronics? If that option isn't an outrageous price, it MIGHT be an option. Otherwise, I'm stuck with taking one of my vintage basses, which I'm loath to do. Any sources or ideas? Stephen Wilson Pensacola, FL

Thanks to all. After consideration, I think I'll take my '88 MIJ JB overseas, store my vintage things, and keep on the lookout for a JTV-59. I can get 8 and 12 string bass sounds with a POG or GT-1B. Don't need an $800+ boat anchor with the apparently high failure rate for the bass. Will miss my Rick 12 and Bass VI though.

Appreciate the info. Does that TRS cable use one of the conductors for powering the guitar's electronics from the pedal? And is a standard guitar cable from the pedal to the amp? Standard 1/4" cable used if powering the guitar from the battery pack?

We're planning to move overseas next year. I've been playing since Jr High and have collected 20 stringed instruments, some early 60s vintage, but am hesitant to ship all those because of risk of damage and that most of them are irreplaceable. My thought to reduce shipping costs and damage risks was to get a Variax JTV-59 and, maybe, a 700 bass (I'm primarily a bassist but play guitar when required) and only take the two with us. I'm confused, however, by the descriptions of these models. Would appreciate some answers to these questions: 1. Power supplies versus battery packs. Seems when purchased new the guitars come with an outboard PS, but nearly all the used JTV's DON'T have the power supplies with them. The PSs are a bit hard to find on their own. Is the PS really needed? If so, would a generic PS be a good replacement? 2. What's the difference between "Workbench" and "Workbench HD?" 3. What is with all these different cables? When I'm playing bass, I use a smaller amp for onstage and XLR from the amp into the house PA. Did the same when I was required to play lead. Do the Variaxes not support XLR'ing "out of the box" or are these separate, proprietary cables required? Are separate cables required to connect it to a PC? 4. Realize the basses aren't made anymore. Have read a lot about electronics/piezo failures in the basses with replacement hardware hard to find. If there is such a failure, is the bass rendered useless because of its not having pickups?

We're planning to relocate overseas next year for a "trial year." If all goes well, we plan to return to the US after that year then move, with some of our stuff, PERMANENTLY overseas. I have a pretty large collection of expensive and vintage instruments. I am looking for something that would minimize the (expensive) shipping, especially for that trial year. I'm primarily a bassist but also play lead/rhythm guitar if there's no one else available. Correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I know there was only one Variax bass model. On the other hand, which Variax guitar would be the best choice? Don't want to pay more than, say, $900-$1k. Not interested in the Shurikin models but the others may be on the table. I'm unsure what models have what features but a requirement is various tunings. I do a lot of slide in open tunings, fiddle with DADGAD on occasion, and dropped D. The extra power box seems to be missing in most of the ones I've found for sale. Is the box really necessary? Stephen Wilson Pensacola, FL Line6.com