Hi fellow vax users,
in buying my second variax (a 300 intended for a xplant) I found it to have an issue (no signal output from the 1/4" output) which I figured to be a jackplate problem. When playing live, I connect to my HD500 using a variax cable, and use the 1/4" out to go to Vocalist Live 3 for (ahem) assisting my vocal accuracy. My main vax is a 600, so the 300 remained on it's guitar stand unused (apart from the rare string breakage moment) for ages, while I awaited a replacement jackplate. This took 3 months via my line 6 service agent in Sydney.
I finally replaced that, and now I have an intermittent problem with output signal, even when I can tune it using my pod HD500, on selecting a patch from my gig set-list, I have no audible signal on the first E and B strings. I have connected it to workbench, and it SEEMS to wake up the signal failure problem and it corrects itself. Sometimes this takes a couple of connection and software start-ups, as there still seems to be a connectivity issue even with the new jackplate - workbench mentions switching off and re-connecting, as the connection has been interrupted. This seems to happen regardless of which of lead I use (I have three good ones).
After replacing the jackplate, I also ordered 3 replacement piezos (one as a spare), as this issue reared it's ugly head. As I was going to change the piezos over, I noticed the E piezo had come free from it's solder, so I just re-soldered it. I looked at the B string solder which appeared ok, but I re-soldered that also, thinking it COULD be a bad joint. I guess the next step is to install those piezos and see if that fixes the issue, but these ones onboard DO work - just not straight away. Also to my ears, the 300 doesn't appear to sound the same as the 600 - it just seems to be lacking something, like lower output or whatever.
On Saturday I connected to workbench and did a firmware re-installation, which appears to have done nothing to correct my problem.
So I just can't figure why it shows signal in the HD500 and allows me to tune those two strings, yet I have no audible output when a patch is selected. Whether it's the workbench connection, or I have the 300 connected long enough for the problem to adjust it's fly in order to feel comfortable with being seen AND heard in public - I'm a wee bit flummoxed here.
So has ANYONE experience this oddity and had it sorted?
Maybe I'll be ordering those Graph-tech saddles and doing a transplant, but if there are underlying issues with the main-board, or something else, maybe I'll be wasting my time and money....