My two favorite Variax Standard features

[mdmayfield 184]

On YouTube, there's a video from Anderton's Music where you can get a look at the Variax Standard's bridge and back - it reveals what I know will be my favorite features of the Vax Standard, before even seeing one in person:

 

1) Regular non-offset, closed bridge saddles so they'll be easy to replace with Graph Tech Ghosts; and

2) A neck pocket with regular "rectangularly" spaced screws for easy neck replacement without re-drilling... assuming it's a standard size pocket.

 

My reason for wanting Graph Tech saddles isn't so much a tonal difference - on my Variax 300, I barely noticed any difference from the L.R.Baggs, at least, after adjusting gain to match. Rather, I just hate, hate, hate breaking strings.

 

In 15+ years playing guitars with String Saver saddles, one string has broken at the bridge saddle, ever.... while on my JTV-69 with metal saddles two different strings have already broken at the saddle (a high E, and a D) in the past 6 months. I wish Line 6 would go to Graph Tech for all their piezos, not just on the 89F.