davidb7170

It's actually better to adjust the WB JTV models using the amp you use for the guitar, whether it's PA speaker FRFR, or guitar amp with your HD unit. The tonality of electric guitars is a combination of of the guitar and the amp -- the amp fills it out. Completes the picture as it were... Dave

Mine is fine with 10's on it. I use the same gage and brand on both my 69S, 59, and my other electrics. I make them the same to have the same feel on all of them. Dave

You can do it either way, but I suggest connection via the vdi cable from JTV to the HD, then USB to the PC, to use HD Woorkbench to work with the JTV models. You do not need the battery in the JTV, as the HD powers it. This is my preferred method because the sound is a bit different between the vdi and 1/4" jack - mostly in volume difference between models and mag pups. This assumes you have the most recent firmware in both your JTV and HD, and the current WB software. Dave

Hey Zap -- they do have a black one for the 69 http://www.fullcompass.com/product/456850.html Dave (I've tried multiple times to use the quote feature in posts, but never seems to work for me. Obviously, I must be doing something wrong, because I see people posting with inset quotes all the time...)

Thanks for the tips, crusinon2! will need to keep this handy when I do mine. I was inside my 69S when I changed the 3 SC pups to noiseless DiMarzio's a couple or 3 years ago. I did it without having to disconnect the cable runs from the faceplate to the processor. I assume you were able to do this without disconnecting the cables, as you didn't mention it. True? Dave

Ok -- I just ordered mine for the 69S... You pushed me over the edge.... ;) Thanks for the nudge.... Dave

I've been looking at one for my 69S -- Shoreline Gold -- has a pale mint green face plate. www.fullcompass.com has one for the 69S -- maybe that's where this one's from for the 69? Looks nice to me. How hard is it to change? Any tips? Dave

From the original post: "Now my HD500 frezes on start up if the JTV69 is already connected to it, I use the supplied digital cable." -- this has been seen several times. When they say "I used the VDI cable that came with the JTV" -- they mean the short cord for the USB interface -- does not have the rugged case on both ends. This has given problems in one recent case on the forum. Just a heads up. Dave

If any neck is set up right, action shouldn't be a problem. The problem is - is the neck decent enough to be set up right.....

Also remember what sounds good to one person may not to the next. Besides equipment differences all the way along the signal chain -- guitar or variax, VDI or guitar input, studio out or one of the other output settings, line level out or instrument level out, 1/4" out or XLR out, guitar amp in or FX loop in or power amp or pa amp, or going straight to PA, then speaker choices - guitar cab or FRFR speaker or powered speaker, volume levels - bedroom, practice or performance.... All of these variables have very significant outcomes. Then on top of all that is the users opinion of what a "good distortion" really is -- classic 80's crunch, heavy metal, blues, yada yada yada... It really is difficult question overall... Dave

I have both the 59 & the 69S, and there is quite a bit of difference in level between their mag volumes. I replaced the 69S single coils with the DiMarzio noiseless Paul Gilbert set that are a bit hotter (higher output) than the 69S native and normal Strat single coils, but still not as much output as the 59's Humbuckers, or other normal HB's. The SC's & the HB's also have a basic tonal difference, though both are very bright with the tone control full up, the SC's are much more treble, and I tend to roll the 69S back past half, while leaving the 59 tone up full, then set the HD500(X) amp models to suit. So I had to split my gigging set lists with the same amp patches into one set for the 59 & one for the 69S -- adjust the volumes up on the inputs for the 69S compared to the 59 set list. I use one of the JTV's as a backup for broken strings and variety. When I switch guitars, I switch the set list. I try to level the models to the general levels of the mags on the 2 guitars. I usually work with the 69S first. Using HD WB I raise the lower volume guitar models up and lower the high volume models to get me in the ball park with the 69S mags. I also set the tone controls to save their setting, so whatever tone I have set on the mags doesn't affect the models. That way I can flip on the models in a patch and not get blown off the stage or have to dime the volume of my amp model patches to hear the weaker ones... For the most part, I use the mags on the 59 & 69 the most, and use models for alternate tunings and special patches, plus the acoustics and reso's. I then save the bundle from the 69S and load it into the 59, then adjust the models in the 59 to that one's mag levels. Most of the time, it turns out to be +5 to +6 db compared to the 69S model levels. You have the ability to raise levels up to +6db on the pickup models and another +6db with the overall model volume adjustment for total maximum increase of +12db. I also usually tweak the tone settings a bit, as I have the amp tone controls a bit different on the 59 HD500(X) setlist. It's a bit of messing around, I know... I futz around with it a long time. Right now, I know I have to adjust the tone settings again on the 69S -- I over did the roll-off of the guitar model tone controls and need to tweak them some more. Amazing how my opinion shifts when switching between the 2 guitars in the process... I go through several iterations, and when my changes become less and less, I know I'm there, and stop. It'd be fewer iterations if I was only dealing with one guitar and one set list, but the character of the 2 are quite different, so sometimes it feels like herding cats.... I also struggle with string levels and resonances - saw Clay-man had a way to maybe tame that down a bit with muting the string on the back side of the piezo's that I will be trying after this weekend's gigs. Some strings (the G string in a lot of cases) sometimes seem to stick out in some models like a sore thumb, and I try to tame them with string level adjustments - with varying success... It would be nice to be able to trim the mag volumes, but don't really see that as a likely development, as the ability to use the mags with the battery dead would be lost. Not an issue in my case as I use the VDI interface that always powers the JTV's... It would also be nice to be able to have an input impedance adjustment on the VDI -- or at least a simulation of it for the VDI, as that is another way to adjust the tonality of a standard guitar on the 1/4" guitar input... Dave

If it doesn't work out, www.FullCompass.com has parts for some Line 6 products -- Model Knob for the 69 & 69S: http://www.fullcompass.com/product/466675.html Model Knob for the 59 (They say 59P, but it'd be the same for all 59's): http://www.fullcompass.com/product/465643.html I bought one as a spare for my 59, and a 3-way switch for it, both to just to have on hand. They didn't have the 69 Model Switch at the time, do now, though. I also saw a very cool white pearloid face plate for the 69S -- I have a Shore Line Gold 69S, would like to replace the light mint colored face plate with the pearloid white.... They have more L6 stuff each time I look... Dave

Yeah, I mentioned the WB guitar refresh speed too. I have 2 JTV's, and when I switch between them on WB, it has to re-read ALL the data from the one I switched to. After that it zips when I fire it up with the same JTV. On the spank bank -- they modeled the relative volume differences in the different guitars. I don't care for that and I even them out with the mag levels -- I leave a little difference, but at least get them in the same ball park. My 69S's SC mags are a lot lower level than the 59's HB's, so I try to match the guitar's level. I leveled them out using the 69S. I then copied the bundle to my 59 and had to raise whatever I ended up with by about +5 to +6 db on the patch volume. The spank is the model I struggle with the most, as I compare the tonality of the spank's with the 69S's sound and adjust the volume & tone resistor values and the cap values to get the tone & levels to try to emulate the 69S mags. I always make it save the tone settings, as I roll the 69S tone knob back past halfway to get the mag tone I want. I've played my Strat for about 30 years and know what I want it to sound like. Dave

Now that you have the functionality back of your footswitches with the reversion to an earlier FW, you might consider a re-flash to the latest -- I have read many posts here where going back to an old one, then back up to the new cleared the issue. I'm not completely sure why that would work, but there have been multiple reports of it working. I don't know if a re-flash with the same doesn't completely over-write the bios data, or doesn't completely re-initialize the process, but a different FW version may, which might explain why you got your switch functions back by putting a completely different FW in. If it is unsuccessful, you can go back to where you're at now, and continue back down the path of support ticket, PS replacement, or service center. Just a thought... Dave

I never have had an issue with the power supply on my 500 or my 500X. I use the VDI with my 2 JTV's. The 500's power supply has a round, red power LED light, the 500X's has a rectangular green LED. Both units have the same ratings: Input 100 - 240V AC ~1Amp, 50 - 60 Hz, Output 9V DC 3Amps. The 500 PS has "DC-3G" and model number M8H-27NUS08R. The 500X PS has model number NSA27EU-090300. Both made in China. Both came with snap on plug adapters for use in other countries than the US. If I was to speculate (I'm an engineer and deal with specs a lot), I'd say the 500 PS model number with "US" in it was initially meant for the Americas, and the 500X PS with "EU" in the model number for Europe. The US has 60 Hz (cycle) power, usual house voltage is 120V. The European countries, part of Japan, and other nations commonly have 50 Hz systems with 240V house voltages, so this one supply works for both target users. If the power supply is defective, it would not be dependent on the Firmware version. It may be coincidental that the PS went out of spec after a certain amount of time, when you were upgrading the FW.... Don't know if you have cause & effect, there. There have been discussions on replacement PS's -- you can search for those in the forums. Be aware that the things you need to match are the input voltage, the 9 VDC 3 Amp output, plug polarity and plug size to fit the 500(X). I have used the 2 power supplies with both units with no ill effects. One side note. When I first got my JTV-69S, I'd had the 59 for about 2 years. When I would plug in the 69S (via VDI), after a short time (seconds) the 500 would reboot, then be fine. The 59 never did that. I don't know what would cause that, but it was only with the 69S. I was very concerned at first, but it just became a "normal" situation for the pairing. At some point in the progression of FW updates (I don't recall which one) the problem stopped happening... SO, there was some difference between powering up with the 59 and the 69S that the 500 rebooted for,. Don't know the specifics of what caused it or what fixed it -- FW update in the HD500 or the FW in the guitars.... Dave

Ear fatigue is real, also perception changes, even without the fatigue... I make sure I'm not tweaking my electric patches after tweaking my acoustic JTV patches. What sounded really live and dynamic in an electric 500(X) patch sounds flat and dead after messing with the FRFR sound of the acoustic patches I use. If I've been tweaking the acoustics and need to work on the electrics, I go and take a few minutes' break - does 2 things, I'd guess -- lets the ears rest (lessening the fatigue), and also makes the immediate memory of the acoustics fade that colors your perception of the sound - the mental comparison.... FWIW, Dave

On 2 units here, too -- a 500X & 500. I think the limit of 4 is probably right as you can have up to 4 active registered devices at once. You can register more, I've read here, if you have more than 1 L6 accounts - different user names & sign-ons, BUT, the Model Packs would only be available for the account you bought it under, I would expect.... Dunno if it's true, but it would stand to reason. Dave

You also don't see the oldest FW versions if you set the OS to Win 8 in the OS pull down. The website detects the OS and sets the pull-down automatically. I'd bet if I were to download the very first FW and "load from file" with Monkey, I'd be able to. It's just a data file. It's been 456.13 KB since version 1.90. The file size increased from 128 KB in the 1.7X generation FW to 440 KB in FW1.81 -- that's when they added the HD acoustic models. When they added the rest of the HD models, it increased to the current 456 KB level... Like I said in an earlier post, FW numbers do have significance... BTW, in that post, I was guessing at earlier FW versions because I wasn't seeing them on my Win 8.1 machine (as auto-detected). The earliest FW I saw was 1.82. When I set it to "All OS" -- I see 'em all. Dave

Aww geeze... sorry to the OP -- you did try multiple re-flashes... One other thing I've seen here is to go back to an earlier FW version -- the one you had working right. See if that FW works properly. Then try this update again. If the old one works and the new doesn't work again, then yes, Houston we have a problem... Dave

Ahh -- you're the one!! ;)

Clay-man -- Your Win OS is 3, coming up on 4 versions back from current. Do you have another pc you can try with a newer Windows OS version? Frankly, I really doubt that the firmware is actually incompatible with XP, it's just the listed group of OS's when it was developed. I think Monkey is ignoring it just because it's not in the approved "list" of fairly recent OS's. You might try this -- When you go to the download page (actually you probably did this, but for the sake of argument.. ) turn off the OS filter (choose ALL) -- you'll see 2.21, download and then save it. Then, use Monkey to install it from the PC -- hopefully Monkey will not block it due to XP not being on the "list". Surprised that the newest Monkey 1.70 is ok for XP, but not the FW 2.21. I'd guess it was left-hand/right-hand syndrome amongst their software coders (Monkey and FW, not necessarily done by the same bunch).... One of those forehead-slap moments... Just a thought. Dave

Ummm.... not to throw gas on a fire here, but you might try re-flashing the 500, surprised it hasn't been put forth yet.. Re-flashing has been shown to fix some issues. Maybe the firmware udate didn't install properly, a bit dropped in the communication of the USB or something. I have both the 500 & the 500X. The 500X update went very smoothly -- no unexpected issues occurred on either the 2.61 flash or the 2,62 flash about a week later. The 2.62 flash was available for both the 500X and the 500 at the same time. Like I said, the 500X went fine, but I had a USB connection issue with the 500 update, and the unit did not complete the firmware update -- reported failed. The unit when rebooted, sat at the same UPDATE FIRMWARE screen as when it's doing the update. I did not panic. I disconnected any cables other than the power and the USB (I disconnected the JTV and the power amp). I made sure my USB cable was solidly plugged in and straight. The second try, it took. I have no issues with the operation of the 500 since the update. The USB device not being recognized by the computer is usually a computer issue, not necessarily an HD500(X) issue. If USB communications fail between an external device and the computer, the PC keeps note of it and disables the USB port when that device is again connected to that port. This is why "trying another USB port" is usually recommended, and usually works... Not hard to fix -- (on a PC) I uninstall the PC USB port or hub in control panel device manager. The Windows device manager recognizes the PC USB port as a new device and re-installs the device & driver, resetting the history of the port, and 9 times out of 10, makes the communications usable again. IF the external device is in fact faulty or failed, this would be a way to find out. I bought my 500X as a backup for my 500 (actually, the 500 now backs up the 500X) - I had an XTLive pedal power connection fail at a gig years ago, and it pretty left me dead in the water -- luckily my gig was less than 5 miles from home, so I made a mad dash home and brought back my Fender combo amp -- all it has is clean or distortion. Made it through the gig, but realized how much I appreciate a slate of FX the PODs offer... I replaced it with the X3Live -- the current product at the time. Since then, I always carry the last pedal as a spare for the newest one. Now it's the 500X with 500 backup. I also carry 2 JTV's for string breakage, and a spare power amp in the car. I'm an engineer and think in terms of contingencies -- you do that if you've been burned by it -- I have been.... On the VDI powering the Variaxes, I got my XTL mainly for the ability of it to power the Variax. In 2005, my Variax 300 came with a power adapter - box, you plug a stereo 1/4" cable from the Variax to the box, then a 1/4" guitar cord to the amp. I hate batteries, so I used that, but went to the XTL because of the VDI option. Used it on the X3L, the HD500, and now the 500X. Used it with the 300, my JTV-59, and my 69S. I've had zero issues due to the powering of the Variaxes with the VDI on the pedals. Been doing it since 2005... What I'm saying is try all avenues to get 'er going before the need to resort to sending it someplace for servicing. As an example, if the unit doesn't power up at all, think wall jack, power strip, power adapter, bad cord, bad jack, pedal. Work the problem from simplest to fix towards the hardest to fix. Once you send it away, it's out of use until you get it back and pay for a service repair (assuming it's out of warranty) that may have been something you may have been to correct yourself with a relatively minor solution. Try the first step, then the next, then the next. Eliminate the possibilities one by one... If nothing you can do fixes the issue, then send it for repair, or junk it and get something else. Dave

Could also be a driver that hung up can be shut down by the USB controller. I've had it happen with other devices. I think it somehow keeps a history of the port. Anyway, one way I can clear up a locked up USB port or device is to go to device manager and delete the internal USB device. Don't panic, do a rescan for new hardware, and Windows goes "hey, I got a new USB port" and reinstalls the device & driver. This takes the old history out, re-initializes the USB port and kicks it into working again... Of course you gotta have admin control of the machine.... If it's a corporate machine, you probably don't -- depends on your company. I've built my personal desktops at home, and have admin rights over them and my laptops that I own... Dave

I have both the 500X and the 500, and I did install the full model packs on both -- you just have to authorize both units, and the License Manager program notes they are authorized, and you install the packs from within that program. I had to de-authorize a couple other devices I had (think my other PC and my old (dead) XTL) -- there can be only 4 devices authorized at once.... Don't know what that little dance is about... Dave

Matt -- Yeah, I remember that issue being talked about on the 300's. Luckily, I never had it happen with mine. Think they called the metal box a "coffin" on the 300. The later models 500's and 600's had that design, as well. It unitized the assembly to the face plate. On the earlier version and the I believe the 700, they had the face-plate, but had the control knobs on the body, off the face-plate, so had more assembly to do on those, The 300's etc were obviously done with the coffin to simplify manufacturing them -- plug in the bridge leads, drop the assembly onto the guitar body, on to the next one... Though if the 300 coffin short were the case in this instance, then it wouldn't matter which POD -- XTL or HD500, it would do it in both cases, but it messes up only on the 500, the XTL is fine. I do know that my 300 did not do it with my 500X when I last hooked it up a month or 2 ago, and don't remember it happening with my 500, though I couldn't swear I hooked it up, but I'm pretty sure I would have compared the 300 with my 59 & 69S at some point. I mess with stuff like that -- see what different combinations do.... I'm thinking it's probably an issue with his HD500 or it's VDI jack/cable combination - power connection heating up, then opening? Worse yet, an internal component in the 500 power path to the VDI? I'm hoping his experience with the 500X was successful. That would point to the 500 as the culprit again. If it does turn out to be the 500, I'm guessing it could be fixed. It would not show its problem if he only used his 500 with regular guitars and his 300 only with his XTL. Only when he tried it the 300 with the 500... Anyway those are my thoughts, for what they're worth. Looking forward to hearing back from leesteel... Dave