Random model changes in Variax 600

[TheBeatnics]

Hello, In this post I am asking anyone who had the random spontaneous model changes problem with their Variax guitar, and found the solution to your problem, and that solution was NOT "sent it to an authorised Line 6 repair facility", to post me the solution that worked for you.
I've already read all the posts about flashing the firmware and trying different cables. I'm looking for success stories on this problem. I want to know if anyone actually fixed this problem permanently.. by doing some tech work on the guitar... and how you did it. 

Thanks for your help.

[davidb7170]

I did not have that problem on my 300. The 300 & 600 were pretty much the same animal, except the 600 had a tremolo, where my 300 does not. Both the 300 and 600 had the unitized metal box some called the "coffin" under the faceplate that holds the electronics of the guitar -- different from the 500 & 700 models.

 

Anyway, I remember discussions on the L6 forums of people having problems with that "coffin" box - either it not being grounded properly or a conductor inside coming loose and grounding itself on the inside of that box.... Try searching for the discussions of that issue on both the 300 & 600 Variaxes. I know that the Line 6 archives have had spotty availability from that time period, but you can try, and also try googling the internet, to see if any other forums had discussions of such problems, and their solutions.

 

If you know the risks and have no problem working inside your instrument, then you can try taking a look & see if anything looks amiss. Other than that, it's gonna be Line 6 repair....

 

All your choice.

 

Dave

[buroglou]

http://line6.com/support/topic/7272-variax-300-sounds-much-better/

 

i think we need this ( check at bottom )

[Mark_Redfern]

Hi

 

Not been here for a while, so maybe you've fixed this issue.

 

I had the same problem on my 2004 Variax 700, every bank was one position out. This happened on two separate occasions. When I wiggled the Digital cable it changed back and changed again etc. So I bought a complete jack / VDI socket assembly. = FIXED !

 

Then some years later the same problem occurred so I (with much difficulty) obtained another jack assembly. But while I was waiting for it to be delivered I opened the flap on the VDI socket and cleaned the contacts. I also very carefully moved each contact so that it might be a tighter fit to the cable plug. GUESS WHAT = FIXED !

 

I didn't replace the socket assembly and so far many years later its still ok

 

I hope you have the same result if you try it

 

 

 

Cheers, Mark

[Atrain_dlp]

I wanted to post here for the knowledge base. I had this same issue with my Variax 600 and it drove me nuts. I basically quit playing it because it would randomly switch to different models at unpredictable times and I didn't trust it anymore for live playing or recording. Figuring I couldn't make things worse, I recently took the electronics out, taped the entire inside of the metal "coffin" box with electrical tape (but cut for the vent holes), and sprayed the electrical connections (and model selector/switches) with deoxit and reseated them. I played it for about an hour afterwards and it seemed to fix the issue. If this doesn't work, I'm going to pick up a new PCB here: http://www.fullcompass.com/prod/210098-Line-6-50-04-0020

[Smashcraaft]

[…]  If this doesn't work, I'm going to pick up a new PCB here: http://www.fullcompass.com/prod/210098-Line-6-50-04-0020

Wow… good place for parts on the Variax series. Thumbs up!

[Atrain_dlp]

One more follow up. It started acting up again. It was the 5-way pickup selector switch causing the issue. It took a few treatments of deoxit and running the selector switch back and forth to get it to stop. They sell the switch on the website I posted for about $10 so that's plan B but it's been fine for over a month now.