rwinking

I now own both a JTV-59US and a Shuriken. I find a lot of the sounds useful live but I don't think I could ever use it in the studio. Live is a different matter for the most part. Some of the models are just unusable for me (i.e. Strat, L5, 335 and other jazz models....etc) The ones that are usable still have a sterility that I am trying to work with. Any ideas are welcome. I have tried eq-ing it out with no luck. I have also tried out the line 6 store stuff. I do use the Helix Rack or Helix LT into an Egnater/Synergy amp 4CM I have come up with one thing that seemed to help. Prior to the FX loop in my signal path I put a Marshal J45 block on the Helix with no real volume boost and very little gain. It seems to warm it up quite a bit. I can even use the EQ for the Marshall to get some of the squank out. Anybody have any comments or ideas for me to try?

Cool! Yep, I have workbench installed so it should be easy. Thanks so much!

So I picked up a Shuriken and I really like how it feels. I have a 59JTV-US also. The issue for me is all of the different models that come on the Shuriken. I can assure you that I will never use most of them. What I would like to do is put all of the JTV-59 models on the Shuriken, I know that I can go through all of them one by one and replace them but is there a way to take all of the guitars on the 59, store them and then upload them to the Shuriken in one fell swoop? Man, that would be great! I really miss having the Ric 12 string and a bunch of the others on the Shuriken. I will post some of my thoughts on the Shuriken vs. the JTV at some point.....

I use mine with a Helix. It is so cool to be able to switch tunings, guitars, pickups…..everything via a foot switch.

My JTV59-US has P90s and I have found that the Special is pretty spot on if I go back and forth between the mags or the digital. I think there is something about the digital not being able to do the upper octave on the low strings when doing either the acoustic or electric 12 string. I don't hear it much in the high strings or if I "capo" up to the 5th string on a 12 string model. I play it everyday but have not gigged on it as I am trying to program my Helix rack with the Variax. I know that I can use the guitar sounds (along with one "normal" guitar) but putting the Variax in setlists is taking some time to learn.

I had no idea that you did this. You did a great job! I'm still thinking about swapping the pickups out. Dimarzio is giving me some Paul Gilbert mini humbuckers to try and I think given the specs you had mentioned in another post these should be perfect. The P90s are really nice but single coils have a hum by nature and it just gets to me when I play with a bit of volume. I have tried everything over the years, and it doesn't seem to matter whether it is my strat, tele or now the JTV-US....they do what P90s do. Anyway, thanks for all of your help! rick

Potato. potahto.....

I can get most of the models on my JTV 59 to sound pretty good. I do have a question about the "squank" on the 12 string models and sometimes on a few others. I assume you guys know what I mean....no matter how I pick on the 12 string, there is this little "Squank." It is mostly on single note stuff. On a chord it is much less noticeable. Any ideas?

Got it back and they re-set it up so no string buzz at all. The knob issue is fine now, so the guitar is just a dream to play.

Noise is always an issue for me whether it is a strat, tele, or P90 pup. I have guitars with single coils and love them but in certain venues they can be ridiculous. My guitars are all properly shielded and all. I am ok as long as I am turned just right. Even in a well wired studio it will be there, but again, sitting just right is the key.Has anyone put a mini humbucker in one of these JTV 59s with the P90s? According to psarkassian the DCR range on a couple of the Dimarzio minis will work. Will I need some kind of adaptive pickup ring or something to make them fit? rick

Not sure what you mean by using workbench. I use it on the models for sure. My complaint is why do I need a pair of noisy P90s when the models of the P90 guitars are pretty close. It would be nice for me to be able to use the magnetics without the hum and some mini's or quiet hum cancelling P90s would probably make the guitar a better fit for me if I can find a way to do it....

I also looked at mini humbuckers from Dimarzio. Would they fit? The neck was at 6.11kohm but the bridge was 8.25kohm. Would that .25 extra mess with the sound?

So I checked with the dimarzio folks about using the Fantoms and he had this question about being higher than 6k-8k 0hms The Fantom is higher, however, I’m not sure why they would speck a DC resistance. Aren’t they using the output for conversion to all the synth sounds?

In another thread I spoke about getting the blue JTV-59US, but this is a different question. I really like the sound of the P-90s but I cannot handle the buzz. I am considering replacing the P 90s. Dimarzio is giving me a set of the Fantoms to try. I can't do the swap, but is it just a normal pickup swap for a guitar tech?

I sent the JTV-US back and can't wait to get it back as I have been enjpying it a lot. I also heard what I have come to find out is called "Clang tone" ona lot of the models. It is a weird hollow kind of sound that I could not eq out.I don't know if this is common or not, but it is much worse when using a tube amp. Using the models with Native and through headphones it sounds a lot better. Unfortunately, playing live, I use amps. Even if I were to use and amp model through an amp, it has that weird yang or clang to it. Anyone have experience with this?

Will a DIY repair like this void the warranty? I am concerned about bending something in there. Will I hurt anything by popping it with my palm or should I send it on back?

Learning my Variax little by little. Strat sounds suck for sure but I wanted one for reasons other than the Strat. I do have a question about the model knob…..is it normal for it to be difficult to engage? My tuning knob is no problem. The model knob doesn’t really work if I just push it in. I have to use the palm of my hand and give it a pretty good pop to engage it. Is there a way to soften it some? I live in Montana and I really don’t want to send the guitar back to a tech person.

Thanks Siverhead. I looked it up and the JTM-US does come with a VDI cable. Mine didn't. Also comes with a case. I will get that buzz fixed ASAP!

I am sure I am going to have a lot of questions here but let's go.... 1) It came with a 6.5 ft CAT5 cable. Is that all I get. I have a HELIX Rack and by the time I go around the back of the rack that leaves me about four ft. Do I just go to radio shack and by myself a 15 or 20 ft. CAT5 cable? THe book mentions VDI cable. I did not get one. Is that something from the past that is no longer used? 2) there is a little buzz on the low E string. Does that mean anything on the Variax? Will that buzz translate to the guitar models? 3) The case is a little bent on one corner and it causes it to not latch correctly. I don't think it happened while shipping. It just looks like a bent piece of metal from the factory. Do I need to send it back? It is a little thing , but when you pay for a JTV-US, you kind of expect a case that functions.

Thanks, Jryholder....My JTV-US is arriving tomorrow. I will try the 10s but prefer 9s. It is weird that you would break more 9s. I tend to bend the lollipop out of strings so 10s always break more often, which is why I use 9s. Plus they are easier on my aging hands. I played last night and I don't mind carrying 4 guitars, What gets me is having to change tunings, so I can't wait to use the Variax. Plus, I already use a Helix Rack (for the FX only) and will be able to use it to control the Variax.

So when people complain about the piezos on the Shuriken, they could easily be referring to the JTVs? I have an American JTV ordered, the Les Paul style but was wanting a shredder style as well. Would you think the Shuriken fits that bill or should I look to a JTV-89? I notice that there are a couple of Shurikens on sale now and would love some kind of comparison to the JTV-89. It seems that they both have mid gain pick ups which I might swap out anyway. And thanks so much for the response! I bought a TC Plethora, and find their forums nothing compared to the Line 6 forums, both from the people that work for the company and the other line 6 users. I am a big fan who owns several products and will keep buying the stuff!

I was looking over the forum and saw a lot about the piezos in a Shuriken. Is this the same pickup system that is in the JTV guitars or is it something different? I am considering a Shuriken but want to make sure I am getting the same thing as the other variax guitars. Also, Is Line 6 just waiting on a shipment of Variax guitars? There don't seem to be many out there anymore. Are they being discontinued?

Thanks everyone. A lot of differing opinions but overall it sounds like 10s are the best but 9s or 11s tend to work pretty well. I will let you know my experience when I get the guitar. Hopefull soon....

Wen you say 9s are too light, does that mean that they glitch out in some way? I have 9s on my LPs as a rule now and they pay and feel great. The variax tech is completely new to me so I am not sure what to expect. Thanks for the reply! rick

Just curious what people have found over the years. I am getting a JTV 59 if it ever comes in. Pretty sure it will come with 10s. What is the collective experiences here on other gauges from 8s to 12s? mostly I am thinking of 9s up to 11s but wondered what they are capable of using and if anything is needed to go up or down gaue-wise. thx rick