grandinq Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 I got my new JTV-59 yesterday, and this is one sweeeeeeeeeeeeet guitar! I got the JTV-69 a year ago, and while I like it lot , the strat feel didn't work for me. I have been playing Les Paul and PRS guitars for many years, and that's just what feels best to my hands. The 59 really captures that same feeling. The best part is I can keep my Variax patches I made with the POD and DT25, since the modeling part is the same. I must say, though, the mags on the 59 are really impressive. I did acually end up modifying a few patches, changing from the Lester model to the mags. In my band, I have been using a PRS and a Variax. As one of my bandmates pointed out, I could probably just get by with the Variax now if I had to. Indeed I can, though there's no way I am dumping my PRS. Just wanted to spread a little JTV love. This is indeed my dream rig now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrellM5 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Great to hear. I'm glad you're enjoying it. I may have to check out a 59 since I'm also a big PRS fan. I do love my JTV69 too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_Brown Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I've been a Strat man for 30 years so got a 500 when they came out. Always liked the idea of a 'flame top' though so picked up a 59 2 years ago. Really like it and would recommend it to anyone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColonelForbin Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I got my new JTV-59 yesterday, and this is one sweeeeeeeeeeeeet guitar! I must say, though, the mags on the 59 are really impressive. I did acually end up modifying a few patches, changing from the Lester model to the mags. Yes! The mags sound great! I've got a JTV59, love it also. I have lately been experimenting with splitting the variax mags and the variax models going to the HD500, and routing them through two amp models, and in some case, through two different amps. I LOVE The sound of the mags 'always on', but on it's own set of FX. The pairing together is really nice; I do like pairing the lester models with the actual mags. Divided up it gives you some fine tuning volume and tone control, and merged back sounds stellar! Big, wide open, full, just enough subtle difference between the two sounds that they just make an awesome pairing. You kinda have to keep them similar in voicing; too clean pairing with too crunchy / saturated and it sounds a little off. But a pair of ripping lead tones, or clean tones, or crunchy rhythms - you get the idea. I do like being more cosmic with one side while being more simple with the other - primarily in terms of post FX. I also like dual wah pedals, so you turn on the wah for only the mag signal, or only the models. Very cool parallel wah thing. And if you turn them both on to tweak with the single EXP pedal you can get some wild tones - use two different wah models, the overlaps are quite unique. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandinq Posted April 5, 2015 Author Share Posted April 5, 2015 Wow -- that's an awesome idea, doing a dual tone with mags and modeled. The only way I've tried that is sending a sitar through the FX send to a powered speaker while sending the mag sound to the DT25. I will definitely try out the Lester with the 59's mags. I can see it sounding amazing with the rig you have (did you ever post a picture of the dual DT/dual LT setup); I'll see how it works all getting summed to my one DT25. I'm especially curious to see what it does with lead tones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxnew40 Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 I love my JTV 59 also. For me, the neck is perfect and the whole guitar just feels right to me. I just picked up a used JTV 69 for $450 last night. It was too good of a deal to pass up. Funny thing is the guy I bought it from is a new member in the band that our current singer left about a year ago. -Max 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrellM5 Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Congratulations on your 59. I have the 69 with humbuckers and I really like the sound of them. I'm also a huge PRS fan. Of the dozen guitars in my collection, nothing comes close to the PRS as far as comfort and play-ability. And mine is a SE model. That being said, nothing comes close to my Variax for versatility. It's not as comfortable as the PRS, but it's still easy to play and it can do far more. If only PRS had bought Line 6. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay-man Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I'd love to get a 59, it's just the way you change modeled pickups seems frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edstar1960 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I'd love to get a 59, it's just the way you change modeled pickups seems frustrating. Actually it's not that bad unless you always change pickup positions manually during a song - or choose different pickup models manually mid-song. If you have an HD500 or HD500X then you just program it in and step on a patch and it's done. I have seen plenty of LP players who like to switch between neck and bridge pu's mid-song and that is just as easy on the JTV59. What is tricky is picking positions 2 or 4 - but then that's tricky on a strat style 5 way too. If you need to manually step through the JTV59 positions then you can still do it with one action at a time like this: Start toggle in position 1 (toggle down - neck pickup) Hit Alt Tune Button - that gets you position 2 Move toggle to middle that gets you position 3 Move toggle up that gets you position 4 Hit Alt Tune button - that gets you position 5 It takes 2 actions if you are in standard 1/3/5 mode and in position 3 and you then want to go to 2 or 4, because then you have to hit the alt tune button and then move the toggle (or vice versa). I use the HD500 all the time to change guitar model at the same time as changing patch - so the manual model switching has not been an issue for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay-man Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Actually it's not that bad unless you always change pickup positions manually during a song - or choose different pickup models manually mid-song. If you have an HD500 or HD500X then you just program it in and step on a patch and it's done. I have seen plenty of LP players who like to switch between neck and bridge pu's mid-song and that is just as easy on the JTV59. What is tricky is picking positions 2 or 4 - but then that's tricky on a strat style 5 way too. If you need to manually step through the JTV59 positions then you can still do it with one action at a time like this: Start toggle in position 1 (toggle down - neck pickup) Hit Alt Tune Button - that gets you position 2 Move toggle to middle that gets you position 3 Move toggle up that gets you position 4 Hit Alt Tune button - that gets you position 5 It takes 2 actions if you are in standard 1/3/5 mode and in position 3 and you then want to go to 2 or 4, because then you have to hit the alt tune button and then move the toggle (or vice versa). I use the HD500 all the time to change guitar model at the same time as changing patch - so the manual model switching has not been an issue for me. Yeah, I think the main problem is trying to use the Strat model with that guitar. I mainly would restrict myself to one guitar model per song, but I donno. Could always use the Custom banks for the old fashion intention of placing favorite presets close to eachother as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edstar1960 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Yeah, I think the main problem is trying to use the Strat model with that guitar. I mainly would restrict myself to one guitar model per song, but I donno. Could always use the Custom banks for the old fashion intention of placing favorite presets close to eachother as well. Yep - you could always use Custom Bank 1 positions 1/3/5 for Strat positions 1/3/5 and then Custom Bank 2 positions 1/3/5 for Strat positions 2/3/4 or whatever combo you need to get the 3 way toggle to work switching between your favoured strat pickup switch positions eg: 1/2/3 or 1/4/5 or 1/3/4 or 1/2/5 .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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