stumblinman Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 My buddy came over with his 89 last night, and I noticed how bright his knob LEDs were when he'd change models and tunings. My LEDs light up, but they don't seem to illuminate the settings on the knobs at all. I just see a sort of "pointer dot" light at the base of the knob and no illumination inside. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 It gives me no pleasure to say it, but all those knobs are cheap plastic crap. Given the staggering number of things that can go wrong with these guitars, and the knobs in particular (not engaging the modeling at all, caps falling off 4 seconds after the guitar is unboxed, etc)...if that's the worst thing that happens, I'd consider it a win... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_Watt Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Maybe the LED is out of place. The stuff lights up nicely on my JTV69S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted February 12, 2015 Author Share Posted February 12, 2015 Ya, I'm kinda wondering that. Since both don't light up but I can see the LED under the knob I'm kinda wondering how to move it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 Anyone have a picture of a 59 knob while it's off the guitar? Curious what the bottom looks like. I contacted L6 and they are going to send me new knobs, but I find it hard to believe that both would be defective. I'm leaning towards incorrect LED placement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevekc Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Anyone have a picture of a 59 knob while it's off the guitar? Curious what the bottom looks like. I contacted L6 and they are going to send me new knobs, but I find it hard to believe that both would be defective. I'm leaning towards incorrect LED placement. http://active-guitar.com/guitar-diy/fixing-a-faulty-variax-model-selector/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 Thanks. I looked that over, and now I'm wondering if my knobs aren't on far enough to isolate the LED light into the knob so it's just shining out the bottom. I got some work to do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevekc Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Its a "Knob height" balancing act Many "stock" Tyler Variax's suffer from Modeling Knobs that are pressed on the pot at the factory with too much torque and sit "too low" for reliable DSP Modeling On/Off push -push switch function. Witness the countless posts here that say: "My Tyler Variax doesnt turn on!" As a result many Tyler Variax owners resort to removing the Knob and inserting shim material on the end of the Pot shaft (see pic below) to "raise" the location where the knob sits on the pot shaft - but this also increases the Knob distance from the LED - resulting in a dimly lit Modeling Knob LED http://active-guitar.com/guitar-diy/fixing-a-faulty-variax-model-selector/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Ah quality control...how do I love thee, let me count the ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 Yep. Looks like I may have to use a little more force than I'd like to in order for my knob to glow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 Update: tried adjusting knobs, no change. It looks like the little plastic rod that focuses the LED light is melted or something. It's slightly brown on the end, and doesn't project very much light straight out the end. I probably need to sand and polish it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMA1970 Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I had the same issue, the knob was just made of black plastic.. Line 6 did not want to send a new knob since I m not living in the US, so I had to send the guitar back to the supplier for replacement.... Well the new one is better, it does illuminate somewhat. Some modelnames shine better than other. And there is still a lot of black plastic in the wrong parts of the knob. But I'll accept it.. With some difficulty because you suspect something else from a guitar in that pricerange. By the way, I adjusted the height by inserting a little piece of matchstick, that worked fine for preventing the shaft of the swich going further in then required... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share Posted February 20, 2015 I had the same issue, the knob was just made of black plastic.. Line 6 did not want to send a new knob since I m not living in the US, so I had to send the guitar back to the supplier for replacement.... Well the new one is better, it does illuminate somewhat. Some modelnames shine better than other. And there is still a lot of black plastic in the wrong parts of the knob. But I'll accept it.. With some difficulty because you suspect something else from a guitar in that pricerange. By the way, I adjusted the height by inserting a little piece of matchstick, that worked fine for preventing the shaft of the swich going further in then required... Mine sits on the shaft fine, and it's a snug fit so I can move the knob up or down but it still doesn't light up. I turned the knob over towards a light and the words are visible, but not super bright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share Posted February 20, 2015 I had the same issue, the knob was just made of black plastic.. Line 6 did not want to send a new knob since I m not living in the US, so I had to send the guitar back to the supplier for replacement.... Well the new one is better, it does illuminate somewhat. Some modelnames shine better than other. And there is still a lot of black plastic in the wrong parts of the knob. But I'll accept it.. With some difficulty because you suspect something else from a guitar in that pricerange. By the way, I adjusted the height by inserting a little piece of matchstick, that worked fine for preventing the shaft of the swich going further in then required... Mine sits on the shaft fine, and it's a snug fit so I can move the knob up or down but it still doesn't light up. I turned the knob over towards a light and the words are visible, but not super bright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Update: L6 sent me replacement knobs and no change. I had a feeling it had to do with the LED lights not aimed correctly. Now I'm torn: do I deal with having to pay shipping to have them fix a manufacturing defect and hope nothing worse happens, or do I just live with it? I don't trust local authorized L6 repair shops, as both have negative reviews all around, and shipping it to Cali on my own dime pisses me off when their stuff doesn't work. *groan* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevekc Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Hey - I own a 2011 JTV-69, and a 2011 JTV-59 They sound different In your case (dimly lit knobs ) , I smell a BOM (Bill of Material) component value change. on the plus side - your battery may last longer, thanks to the dimer LEDs providing lower power current drain on your Variax Battery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 "I smell a BOM (Bill of Material) component value stuffing error during PCB assembly"--- Doubt it,... more like diffuse light wave, wave guide, or debris in the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_Watt Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I would bet that the LED isn't quite placed properly. That might not be that hard to fix but you also could just live with it if you can tell which model / tuning is selected. I don't have a 59 so I don't know how those knobs work. I know that the ones on my 69S light up quite brightly. The Alt tuning on mine only lights up when you move it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenOzone Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I have a 89 that lights up very bright and visible when I am looking at it. I just purchased a 69 during the winter sale and when I look down at my 69 the light are dim compared to my 89's guitar/tuning knobs. My other guitarist has a 59 and the lights on that one are also dim compared to the 89. I am not too sure but the 59 and 69 must have the same lighting components because compared to the 89 neither light up very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumblinman Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 I have a 89 that lights up very bright and visible when I am looking at it. I just purchased a 69 during the winter sale and when I look down at my 69 the light are dim compared to my 89's guitar/tuning knobs. My other guitarist has a 59 and the lights on that one are also dim compared to the 89. I am not too sure but the 59 and 69 must have the same lighting components because compared to the 89 neither light up very well. My singer uses an 89 and his are super bright. That's what made me notice it in the first place. It's only 2 cables and plugs to replace. I wonder if L6 would just send me the pots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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