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Do you worry about the modeling failing on the JTV?


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I used to own a JTV and enjoyed it a lot. I sold it after about a year of owning it just cos I was worried that sooner or later the modeling/alternative tunings will fail and it will cost a bunch to get it fixed after the warranty period is over. I have been thinking of purchasing another one again but I have been going back and forth. A lot of people might argue that even without modeling the guitar is worth it for the price but for me if I buy the JTV, it's mainly cos of the modeling. Thoughts? 

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Inevitably, someday the modeling will fail. Guaranteed. It's a computer. Then you'll still have the mag pickups, which also will fail someday - guaranteed - like any electric guitar pickups.

 

Will one or both devices fail within your lifetime? The modeling will probably fail before the mag pickups, but it will likely be many years if not decades in the future. But, of course, they could both fail tomorrow. Highly unlikely, but possible.

 

The brakes on your car will fail too, probably before the JTV modelling. I'd be more concerned about that.

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By the time it fails there will be something far better available.  Just like in the computer business.  I still have my Variax500 that I have had for many years.  If you are too worried, sell lit and buy a new one every time the warrantee expires.  You will pay far more that way but you won't have to pay to fix it.  Don't buy a Variax as in investment.

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Do I worry about it personally? Not really. I imagine someday something will fail that will need replaced or repaired. It's a guitar, though, not something that my life depends on. If you think about it, though, musicians have been depending on electronics for decades now. Electronic keyboards are everywhere, and sound systems with electronic components are used all the time. Sure this stuff breaks down, but people have decided that the risk and inconvenience of dealing with stuff not working is better than the alternative. The benefits outweigh the risks.

 

The other thing I'd say is that is if there is something in an electronic piece of equipment that's going to fail such as a solder joint or some bad component, the majority of time it shows up very early in the life. It's usually within the first weeks or months. That's why I think the vast majority of extended warranties are a waste of money, but that's another subject. On the Variax the things that are probably most susceptible to breakdown are the moving pieces - the 3 and 5-way switches and the knobs/encoders. Stuff like that always has an expected number of cycles/uses. It's probably pretty high, but eventually it will wear out.

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( I seem to get into these conversations a little late...)  Sure I "worry" about it- but no moreso than my keyboard system laptop failing, or the built in class D amps on the FOH, or - or - or....   Fact is, if you're doing anything more than playing an acoustic to a small room of people, you're relying on technology to get your performance out there - and praying it doesn't take a dive on you.

 

I work with a "business" band, and at the money we charge failure is not an option, so to such an extent as possible we have backup strategies/equipment ready - a spare FOH mains cab, a Korg Microstation in the keyboard rig.  When it comes to the JTV, my philosphy is simple - it's used for "candy" only, no piece of music is dependant upon any of it's tricks.  If it fails (which it sorta did last summer on a very big public gig - see my post on battery behavior vs temperature), oh well - no acoustic sound on this tune, or banjo on that one.  But not a single tune comes off the list because of a JTV fault - we just soldier on without the ear candy.

 

It's the same principle I've used over the years in writing/producing, particularly as regards synths and effects - it's not a viable piece of music if it depends on a trick of technology simply to be - if the core of the tune can't be played on a piano, or acoustic guitar... It may be a neat sounding thingie, but it's not music first.  And for me - always music first.

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I have to admit I do worry quite a bit about it when playing (mainly because I own it for just 2 weeks or so). It's not that I have sleepless nights about it but sometines when looking at the model selector I ask myself: how long will it take for the LED (and the models) to die on me....? I only play in a home recording environment so no rough handling or beer on my precious Variax and I only play for a few hours in a week (on average) so mine should last a long time :P  As someone pointed out here: hopefully, by the time it fails there will be new -and better- versions available. I would buy me another one immediately.

 

I own a JTV-89F and indeed it has nice sounding pickups (I don't have a lot of reference but I like them anyway) so yeah: it still would be a nice guitar although I to bought the Variax almost exclusively for the modelling (I already own a Squier Strat and an Epiphone Les Paul) but I think it's worth the "risk". I had to replace it after two days because of a faulty USB interface and I'm glad I didn't ask for a refund!

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Sometimes, but like someone mentioned above, synths have all the same thing inside of them, and they last a pretty long time.

 

Technology will last a good amount of time if the quality control is good, and you treat it well. 

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I used to own a JTV and enjoyed it a lot. I sold it after about a year of owning it just cos I was worried that sooner or later the modeling/alternative tunings will fail and it will cost a bunch to get it fixed after the warranty period is over. I have been thinking of purchasing another one again but I have been going back and forth. A lot of people might argue that even without modeling the guitar is worth it for the price but for me if I buy the JTV, it's mainly cos of the modeling. Thoughts? 

Buy it from Sweetwater, and you'll be covered for an extra year. They are fantastic about honoring their extended warranty.

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I used to own a JTV and enjoyed it a lot. I sold it after about a year of owning it just cos I was worried that sooner or later the modeling/alternative tunings will fail and it will cost a bunch to get it fixed after the warranty period is over. I have been thinking of purchasing another one again but I have been going back and forth. A lot of people might argue that even without modeling the guitar is worth it for the price but for me if I buy the JTV, it's mainly cos of the modeling. Thoughts? 

Also, with the new Variax standards, you're getting a very good, Yamaha built guitar for about $699. I imagine the electronics would not be that expensive to replace if ever necessary. It would be great to get accurate pricing on the internals.

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On a long enough timeline, everything breaks. If I were to sit around worrying about what's gonna $%&! the bed next, I'd never get anything done. Every guitar I've ever had has eventually had some electronic issue...dead toggle switches and input jacks, crackling volume pots that no amount of cleaning will fix, etc.etc.

 

Play it till it dies. Fix and/or replace. Repeat.

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I have a working NES that just needs a new adapter and video adapter, and a bunch of Game & Watches from the 80's and they still work.

 

Bottom line is, quality electronics + taking good care of it = it will last for a long long time.

If you don't have quality electronics, then Line 6 will cover you with your warranty. Like someone said, it would crap out pretty early if it didn't.

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We are all going to crap out someday too. :-(  I have probably recycled a half dozen PC's that were no longer useful.  Way more $$ than I have invested in guitars.

 

I think we just want a good amount of life out of the Variax. 

 

The only thing that makes me worry is how the Variax reacts to static electricity and moist environments. 

 

Has anyone ever played in moist environment? Like a fog machine, or just a humid place?

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If you want to enjoy life, buy some toys. Some fail, some last, some appreciate. Everything humans make require maintenance and is fallibl. If you are going down the guitar road, go down other roads a little lighter so you will have reserve funds for maintenance. If the stress is unbearable, forego toys on earth, and wait till you get to heaven where every toy is free and lasts forever.  :D

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I used to own a JTV and enjoyed it a lot. I sold it after about a year of owning it just cos I was worried that sooner or later the modeling/alternative tunings will fail and it will cost a bunch to get it fixed after the warranty period is over. 

 

I just bought a second JTV-89F as a backup. 

Not because I'm worried about the modeling, but because anything can happen, and if you're relying on any guitar (particularly if you're making money with it), you want a backup. 

 

I have a Variax500 that's been unflappable roughly forever (it was my old backup), and a Variax 700 Acoustic that's also doing just fine.  Ditto a string of XTs, FBVs, HDs, etc.  

 

I can see selling a guitar because something chronically failed on it. Not so much because I was worried that it might.  Otherwise I might stay indoors to avoid lightning (though I might want to be outdoors in an earthquake), off the road to avoid a car accident, out of the air to avoid an airplane crash, out of Oklahoma (and *definitely* out of a trailer park) in case of a tornado. 

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I love my JTV-69S and would definitely use it as a regular Strat if the electronics ever died. For the record, I purchased an extended warrantee from the store I bought it. It only cost $40 and I can buy a new years warrantee for every year I own the guitar.

 

Before I considered purchasing my Variax I put the unmodeled Strat through its paces because I wasn't sure I would love the modeling. I played for a half hour before I started trying all the different models built in to the guitar. After playing it without the modeling on, I was about 75% sure I wanted to buy it. Mine felt and played like a good American Strat...except for the neck which is a little thick for a Strat. I was pleasantly surprised by the sounds of the builtin models and was sold.

 

The bottom line is I would still play the guitar even if the modeling wasn't working however I think I will keep buying the extended warrantee for as long as I own this guitar! 

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I love my JTV-69S and would definitely use it as a regular Strat if the electronics ever died. For the record, I purchased an extended warrantee from the store I bought it. It only cost $40 and I can buy a new years warrantee for every year I own the guitar.

 

Before I considered purchasing my Variax I put the unmodeled Strat through its paces because I wasn't sure I would love the modeling. I played for a half hour before I started trying all the different models built in to the guitar. After playing it without the modeling on, I was about 75% sure I wanted to buy it. Mine felt and played like a good American Strat...except for the neck which is a little thick for a Strat. I was pleasantly surprised by the sounds of the builtin models and was sold.

 

The bottom line is I would still play the guitar even if the modeling wasn't working however I think I will keep buying the extended warrantee for as long as I own this guitar!

Interesting policy that store has...next logical step in the evolution of the extended warranty scam, I suppose...instead of just hitting you once for an extra 15% of the item's purchase price like most Big Box stores attempt to do, this place has managed to convince people to continue paying a smaller percentage for an item, effectively forever. From a marketing perspective it's genius...a salesman's dream...to be in a constant state of selling the same item, to the same person, lol.

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I rarely buy extended warrantees, I consider this instrument an exception because brand new my Variax was $1300 (Canadian Dollars...price will vary) and the $40 is a small price to pay for peace of mind. 

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unless you are using the guitar to hoe the ground, or to play tennis, it's almost impossible that you can break its digital brain or magnetic pickups..

 

more realistically what can happen is that the parts subject to mechanical wear (like the piezo saddles) must be replaced at some point in the future..

 

and obviously the battery also will need to be replaced

I respectfully disagree...one good voltage spike from lightning strike, or even a strong static discharge and your digital gear could be fried.

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Important safety tip: don't stand out in the rain and play your JTV... :P

yeah, good advice for sure lolo...still, old houses (or crappy wired bar rooms) or even new ones where someone installed things incorrectly and BAM! your guitar or POD (or anything digital) is brain dead.

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yeah, good advice for sure lolo...still, old houses (or crappy wired bar rooms) or even new ones where someone installed things incorrectly and BAM! your guitar or POD (or anything digital) is brain dead.

 

Oh yeah...when I had multiple rack pieces back in the day I always ran a Furman Power Conditioner in front of everything else. Nothing ever happened, but at least that should have been the only thing in the rig to get fried if there was a good enough power spike. Might hafta go back to that live...

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I wouldn't worry so much about your JTV's electronics failing (although they might), I'd worry more about obsolescence. My Variax 700 is a fantastically well built and well playing guitar, but the electronics have now been overtaken by the JTV's, so the 700, while still working fine, is now out-of-date. And with no mag pickups, that's it! It's a shame as it's a great guitar...

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Yes, you're right, it's a great guitar. I think in terms of build quality and playability it's a league apart from any JTV I've played, and that includes the one time I spent an hour with a JTV US. Now that was a disappointing guitar, had the same weird neck dimensions as the Korean JTVs, but I guess those dimensions do suit some people. Nice tuners, though.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I don't worry about electronic stuff failing. I have been buying electronic music gear since the early eighties. only one thing I have bought has failed, and that was some pot or fader on a mixing board. (Can't remember exact problem) Mind you I am an avid amateur, not a pro on the road, and I take care of my stuff best I can. I have owned lots of different midi keyboards, stand alone effects, and synths etc, all have been good!

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