My Jtv Hd 2.0 Experience/ Ordeal

[johnnyayyy]

Day 1. Upgraded to 2.0 using POD HD500 to connect to Monkey, thought my guitar sounded better but was behaving badly in new ways - 12 strings badly out of tune, crazy KLANK/PLINK/KLUNK type noises when fingerpicking. Not happy. Day 2. Figured maybe the weird behaviour was caused by my firmware update being corrupt or bad install or something, decided to reflash. Using POD HD500 to connect to Monkey my first reflash had no affect on bad behaviour. Did the incremental reflashes back to version 1.0 then 1.82 the forward to 1.9 and 2.0 again unplugging guitar, selecting new device in Monkey and double flashing each version to "reinstall current version without saving presets" step by step as stated in Psarkissian's posted .pdf. Tested guitar on each reflash and re-reflash, I think I did a total of 10 reflashes that day - it took hours and hours and all the reflashing did nothing to solve the problems I was having. Day 3. Decided to try using the Workbench widget instead of the HD500 to connect to Monkey and attempt a reflash. Had already been charging my battery for 36 hours, popped it into the guitar and connected to the Workbench Widget and did a "reinstall latest" to 2.0, chose "do not save presets" and began reflash. Halfway through reflash received error "XXXXXX update failed - midi port timed out" or something to that effect, the same error I keep seeing people post here. Powered down the guitar to re-initialize the board, reconncted to the Workbench widget to reflash, changed device in Monkey to reset Monkey, tried the update again, halfway through update failed again, same error code. Repeated the disconnecting, repowering,resetting Monkey procedure and tried reflash with widget again this time choosing "update from file", halfway through update failed again, same error code. LESSON LEARNED: IF you have a POD HD500 or another POD with a Variax connection DO NOT USE THE WORKBENCH WIDGET TO CONNECT THE JTV FOR FIRMWARE REFLASHES/UPDATES!!! It seems to work fine for Workbench use but is IMO a lollipopping pile of lollipoops for firmware update/rollback/reinstall use. I AM NOT HAPPY LINE 6. BAD WORKBENCH WIDGET DESIGN AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SPEND HOURS FLASHING AND REFLASHING. Messed around with guitar, the 12 string out of tune anomolies are caused by physically tuning the guitar down a full step to D. Support has said the guitar is calibrated to be tuned to standard E tuning only and attempted to dismiss the problem, I pointed out that all previous versions of Variax software worked perfectly with full step downtuning (I have been using my Variaxes tuned to D for years and the JTV has worked fine since I got it tuned to D, the problems began when I upgraded to HD 2.0. Have been told tech is looking into it. SO after all these tedious flashes and reflashes with no improvements I figured this is probably as good as the new firmware is going to sound and decided to tune up to standard tuning and give the new sounds a fair listen. At standard tuning the 12 strings immediately sounded GREAT. Good Job L6. After some noodling around I discovered what was causing the KLUNK/KLACKing noises, the Piezos do not fit snugly into the slots on the bridge and when they move from side to side they strike the side of the slot causing a big KLACK!. I will be shoving something in there to hold them in place (already tried but haven't found anything small enough to fit into the space, the point of a toothpick is just barely too thick, a staple is too thick... will keep searching), til I fix this problem I am mentally tuning out the KLACK!ing while I play. To hear the KLACK! plug the JTV into a medium or high gain amp setting and gently pull the string side to side at the bridge, you will see the piezo move a little from side to side in the slot and when it hits the sides of the slot it makes the KLACK! My Variax transplants both have nice GraphTech tune-o-matics so this KLACK! sound is all new to me, didn't notice it before 2.0 HD firmware because A. I didn't give the guitar a huge going over til I updated the firmware and B. the new firmware seems to be more responsive to every little nuance of playing which will of course include making noise from the piezo slipping and sliding around in the bridge slot. I hereby give the Tyler bridge with its sloppily mounted loose floppy piezos an F, total fail, you get nothing! You lose! Good day, sir! Should have held out for the JTV89F... will probably replace the bridge with a Graphtech T-O-M (and maybe add a Bigsby while I am at it !) if shimming the piezo gaps does not work. There goes my resale value...I AM NOT HAPPY, LINE 6. TERRIBLE LOLLIPOPPING BRIDGE DESIGN. Well, maybe the design is okay on paper but the measurements/tolerances on the slots or the piezos is bad as they would be okay if they just fit together better. Either way, FAIL. BOOOOOOO... I know, I know, you are saying "Okay Johnnyayyy, if you are so unhappy with the guitar just sell the JTV and go buy a similar product from a different manufacturer!" Okay Line 6, I apologize. Please take me back... I GOT NOWHERE ELSE TO GO! Apart from all the issues I think the HD 2.0 Firmware sounds really good. While reflashing I gave the old Strats a listen and I think the people who prefer the sound of the 1.9 Strats are like the people who prefer the sound of the X3 compared to the HD Pods, maybe that is what you are used to so you like it more and it still works fine so go to it, but I A/B'ed both the 1.9 Strat and the 2.0 HD Strat to my real Strats during hours of endless reflashes and the 2.0 Strat CLEARLY sounds more like my real Strats in all pickup positions. I never used the Spank 2,3,4, or 5 positions much in the previous versions of the firmware, they sounded okay but didn't work for me and what I was doing. The Spank position 1 in the old firmware has become my go to guitar, I have never been a Strat guy but my JTV with 1.9 turned me into a Strat fiend in the last couple of months, I now own 4 real Strats and a Japanese Strat copy and I am tempted to buy another that is on Craigslist at the moment in search of "The One" but I think I may have already found it - one of the Strats I own currently has Fender Custom Shop pickups, I installed them in an attempt to make it sound more like my JTV for recording. Well, it ended up sounding better than the JTV, like WAY better than 1.9 and a good stretch better than 2.0. I currently have THEE ultimate classic Strat sound I was looking for and a bunch of normal darn good sounding Strats to compare my JTV to and IMO JTV 2.0 HD is MILES closer to the real thing than 1.9 ever was. Of course, I don't have a 1959 Strat to compare the JTV to so maybe HD 2.0 sounds exactly like the Strat Line 6 modeled, if so I simply prefer the sound of my much newer Strat with the Custom Shop (Fat 50s) pickups to a real 1959 Strat, but what I am saying is the HD 2.0 sound is really in the ballpark and with some tweaking of amp sounds will likely sound very close to my real Strat - IMO this is NOT true of the Spank sounds in version 1.9 and earlier. In all the reflashing I also notice the Spank position 2 and 4 sound really good UNTIL I connect to Workbench - at that point I have to do the workaround to make those positions work properly, and even with the workaround I am not 100% sure that the Spank 2 and 4 sound exactly the same as they did before I connected to Workbench so after my last few reflashes I am not connecting to Workbench til the Spank bug is fixed, I am pretty happy with the sounds of the stock 2.0 models at the moment but will do more experimenting in the future when it is "safe" Taking into account the improved tones, the crazy pitch tracking problems with the 12 strings, the annoying Spank bug and the widget requirement for Workbench connection (like many I will be much happier when I can use my POD to connect again) I give the 2.0 HD upgrade a "D" Line 6: Fix the 12 string tracking, the endless reflashing and the Spank bugs (and fix the bug I discovered last night where changing the body type on a model kills all sound in that patch while you're at it) , make connecting with the USB dongle as reliable as connecting with a POD, and let me connect with my POD so I never again have to use the lousy USB dongle and I will revise the grade to an "A".

[TheRealZap]

and................. success?

 

Day 1. Upgraded to 2.0, thought my guitar sounded better but was behaving badly in new ways - 12 strings badly out of tune, crazy KLANK/PLINK/KLUNK type noises when fingerpicking. Not happy.

 

Day 2. Figured maybe the weird behaviour was caused by my firmware update being corrupt or bad install or something, decided to reflash. First reflash had no affect on bad behaviour. Did the incremental relashes back to version 1.0 then 1.82 the forward to 1.9 and 2.0 again unplugging guitar, selecting new device in Monkey and double flashing each version step by step as stated in Psarkissian's posted .pdf.

[ozbadman]

This is what I'm talking about...all these steps to fix 2.0????? Have you tried dancing the hokie-pokie and twirling yourself about while yer at it too???? IMHO Line 6 really dropped the ball on this "upgrade".

Chuckewheat

 

Well, fumbled it a little perhaps.

[silverhead]

In the interests of providing a balanced view showing all different experiences, I can say that my upgrade to v2.0 was completely uneventful. Successful upgrade on first attempt, and the firmware delivers far superior tones across the board, including Spank models, imho. YMMV, but I think it's important to note that relatively few users have reported update issues. Of course I support them in expressing their frustration, but imho the casual reader should not conclude that the update is seriously flawed.

[johnnyayyy]

In the interests of providing a balanced view showing all different experiences, I can say that my upgrade to v2.0 was completely uneventful. Successful upgrade on first attempt, and the firmware delivers far superior tones across the board, including Spank models, imho.

 

 

You forgot to add "Let them eat cake!"

[stevekc]

After some noodling around I discovered what was causing the KLUNK/KLACKing noises, the Piezos do not fit snugly into the slots on the bridge and when they move from side to side they strike the side of the slot causing a big KLACK!. I will be shoving something in there to hold them in place (already tried but haven't found anything small enough to fit into the space, the point of a toothpick is just barely too thick, a staple is too thick...

 

 

Adding string dampers to the "non speaking" string length past the Nut and the Bridge saddles WILL help tame the warbles that occur when you engage DSP Alt Tunings.

http://line6.com/support/message/485558#485558

 

 

 

[johnnyayyy]

and................. success?

 

Erm, accidentally posted before I was finished typing... hey, my post was kinda like the 2.0 rollout, went out before it was ready... Not sure I would call it "Success", but here's the rest of the story:

 

Tested guitar on each reflash and re-reflash, I think I did a total of 10 reflashes that day - it took hours and hours and all the reflashing did nothing to solve the problems I was having.

 

Day 3. Decided to try using the Workbench widget instead of the HD500 to connect to Monkey and attempt a reflash. Had already been charging my battery for 36 hours, popped it into the guitar and connected to the Workbench Widget and did a "reinstall latest" to 2.0, chose "do not save presets" and began reflash. Halfway through reflash received error "XXXXXX update failed - midi port timed out" or something to that effect, the same error I keep seeing people post here. Powered down the guitar to re-initialize the board, reconncted to the Workbench widget to reflash, changed device in Monkey to reset Monkey, tried the update again, halfway through update failed again, same error code. Repeated the disconnecting, repowering,resetting Monkey procedure and tried reflash with widget again this time choosing "update from file", halfway through update failed again, same error code.

 

LESSON LEARNED: IF you have a POD HD500 or another POD with a Variax connection DO NOT USE THE WORKBENCH WIDGET TO CONNECT THE JTV FOR FIRMWARE REFLASHES/UPDATES!!! It seems to work fine for Workbench use but is IMO a lollipopping pile of lollipoops for firmware update/rollback/reinstall use.

 

I AM NOT HAPPY LINE 6. BAD WORKBENCH WIDGET DESIGN AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SPEND HOURS FLASHING AND REFLASHING.

 

Messe around with guitar, the 12 string out of tune anomolies are caused by physically tuning the guitar down a full step to D. Support has said the guitar is calibrated to be tuned to standard E tuning only and attempted to dismiss the problem, I pointed out that all previous versions of Variax software worked perfectly with full step downtuning (I have been using my Variaxes tuned to D for years and the JTV has worked fine since I got it tuned to D, the problems began when I upgraded to HD 2.0.

 

Have been told tech is looking into it.

 

SO after all these tedious flashes and reflashes with no improvements I figured this is probably as good as the new firmware is going to sound and decided to tune up to standard tuning and give the new sounds a fair listen.

 

At standard tuning the 12 strings immediately sounded GREAT. Good Job L6. After some noodling around I discovered what was causing the KLUNK/KLACKing noises, the Piezos do not fit snugly into the slots on the bridge and when they move from side to side they strike the side of the slot causing a big KLACK!. I will be shoving something in there to hold them in place (already tried but haven't found anything small enough to fit into the space, the point of a toothpick is just barely too thick, a staple is too thick... will keep searching), til I fix this problem I am mentally tuning out the KLACK!ing while I play. To hear the KLACK! plug the JTV into a medium or high gain amp setting and gently pull the string side to side at the bridge, you will see the piezo move a little from side to side in the slot and when it hits  the sides of the slot it makes the KLACK!

 

My Variax transplants both have nice GraphTech tune-o-matics so this KLACK! sound is all new to me, didn't notice it before 2.0 HD firmware because A. I didn't give the guitar a huge going ove til I updated the firmware and B. the new firmware seems to be more resposive to every little nuance of playing which will of course include the piezo slipping and sliding around in the bridge slot.

 

I hereby give the Tyler bridge with its sloppily mounted loose floppy piezos an F, total fail, you get nothing! You lose! Good day, sir!

 

Should have held out for the JTV89F... will probably replace the bridge with a Graphtech T-O-M (and maybe add a Bigsby while I am at it !) if shimming the piezo gaps does not work. There goes my resale value...I AM NOT HAPPY, LINE 6. TERRIBLE LOLLIPOPPING BRIDGE DESIGN. Well, maybe the design is okay on paper but the measurements/tolerances on the slots or the piezos is bad as they would be okay if they just fit together better. Either way, FAIL. BOOOOOOO...

 

I know, I know, you are saying "Okay Johnny, if you are so unhappy with the guitar just sell the JTV and go buy a similar product from a different manufacturer!"

 

Okay Line 6, I apologize. Please take me back... I GOT NOWHERE ELSE TO GO!

 

Apart from all the issues I think the HD 2.0 Firmware sounds really good. While reflashing I gave the old strats a listen and I think the people who prefer the sound of the 1.9 Strats are like the people who prefer the sound of the X3 compared to the HDpods, maybe that os what you are used to so you like it more and it still works fine so go to it, but I A/Bed both the 1.9 Strat and the 2.0 HD Strat to my real Strats during hours of endless reflashes and the 2.0 Strat CLEARLY sounds more like my real Strats in all pickup positions.

 

I never used the Spank 2,3,4, or 5 positions much in the previous versions of the firmware, they sounded okay but didn't work for me and what I was doing. The Spank position 1 in the old firmware has become my go to guitar, I have never been a Strat guy but my JTV with 1.9 turned me into a Strat fiend in the last couple of months, I now own 4 real Strats and a Japanese Strat copy and I am tempted to buy another that is on Craigslist at the moment in search of "The One" but I think I may have already found it - one of the Strats I own currently has Fender Custom Shop pickups, I installed them in an attempt to make it sound more like my JTV for recording. Well, it ended up sounding better than the JTV, like WAY better than 1.9 and a good stretch better than 2.0. I currently have THEE ultimate classic Strat sound I was looking for and a bunch of normal darn good sounding Strats to compare my JTV to and IMO JTV 2.0 HD is MILES closer to the real thing than 1.9 ever was. Of course, I don't have a 1959 Strat to compare the JTV to so maybe HD 2.0 sounds exactly like the Strat Line 6 modeled, if so I simply prefer the sound of my much newer Strat with the Custom Shop (Fat 50s) pickups to a real 1959 Strat, but what I am saying is the HD 2.0 sound is really in the ballpark and with some tweaking of amp sounds will likely sound very close to my real Strat - IMO this is NOT true of the Spank sounds in version 1.9 and earlier.

 

In all the reflashing I also notice the Spank position 2 and 4 sound really good UNTIL I connect to Workbench - at that point I have to do the workaround to make those positions work properly, and even with the workaround I am not 100% sure that the Spank 2 and 4 sound exactly the same as they did before I connected to Workbench so after my last few reflashes I am not connecting to Workbench til the Spank bug is fixed, I am pretty happy with the sounds of the stock 2.0 models at the moment but will do more experimenting in the future when it is "safe"

 

Taking into account the improved tones, the crazy pitch tracking problems with the 12 strings, the annoying Spank bug and the widget requirement for Workbench connection (like many I will be much happier when I can use my POD to connect again) I give the 2.0 HD upgrade a "D"

 

Fix the 12 string tracking, the endless reflashing and the Spank bugs (and fix the bug I discovered last night where changing the body type on a model kills all sound in that patch while you're at it) and let me connect with my POD and I will revise the grade to an "A".

 

Added note: I think my guitar was probably fine on my first flash to 2.0 firmware and probably all the other reflashes as it sounded improved over 1.9 right from the first time I went to 2.0 and every time I went back to 2.0.

 

I did the zillion reflashes because of the other reports of bad sound in this forum, I thought it might be firmware corruption causing the poor pitch tracking and KLACK! sounds, but I believe the poor pitch tracking is just part of the new firmware and now know the KLACK! sound is due to the crummy bridge.

 

Hmmm, now I am wondering if stabalizing the bridge saddles will affect the pitch tracking... I already have a string damper at the nut and behind the piezos...

[taoubt]

A few days ago I started writing up a long post about my update experience, but wasn't sure if there was much point since I had no issues whatsoever. I did think it might be nice to just add a positive experience, though, since I figured most people who were commenting on these boards were the ones running into problems.

 

I might as well just post a rundown of my experience. So, I got an email from Sweetwater about the 2.0 update and immediately jumped on it. I have a JTV-69 (Korean) and a Pod X3 Live. I almost always keep the JTV plugged into the Pod, so I hardly ever have to use a battery. With the JTV plugged into and powered by the Pod X3, I ran the Line 6 Monkey, connected to the JTV and proceeded with the update to 2.0. I hadn't read anything about the "proper procedure" to follow to get the update, I just plowed through it. I think the JTV had the modeling on with the volume at 10. I didn't have any custom patches I cared about enough, so I didn't have it save the patches. The update completed somewhat quickly with no issues at all. I played around for a bit and thought it sounded great. I was really interested in the new Workbench HD software, so I tried to run it, but quickly found that I couldn't use the Pod. Since I'd never even opened the Variax USB interface, I had to actually find it first!

 

After a few days I finally had time to look for and find the Variax USB Interface. I'm totally in love with the new Workbench HD software and have had a lot of fun playing around with all the options. I thought the Spank presets sounded fine, until they're opened up in Workbench HD. Then that bug appears in positions 2 and 4.

 

I'm definitely happy with the 2.0 update, especially since I don't rely heavily on the Spank presets (although I think they sound fine). The only issue I have is not being able to use my Pod as an interface in conjunction with the Workbench HD.  

 

In the interests of providing a balanced view showing all different experiences, I can say that my upgrade to v2.0 was completely uneventful. Successful upgrade on first attempt, and the firmware delivers far superior tones across the board, including Spank models, imho. YMMV, but I think it's important to note that relatively few users have reported update issues. Of course I support them in expressing their frustration, but imho the casual reader should not conclude that the update is seriously flawed.

[stevekc]

taoubt - thanks for the good report on your experience

 

The only issue I have is not being able to use my Pod as an interface in conjunction with the Workbench HD.

 

 

Line 6 needs to revisit using an  iPad / iPhone as an interface in conjunction with the Workbench HD asap IMHO - they already showed a prototype of this concept using the Line6 MIDI Mobilizer  back in 2009

 

http://www.vettaville.nl/page.php?id=133

 

 

 

[rlumpkin]

Just to add another data point, it took me several tries to successfully install 2.0.  I connected using the USB interface, got the "failed" message first time, went back to 1.9, re-upped to 2.0 and got a "completed" message ... but dead silence from the guitar.  Unplugged, replugged, down to 1.9, tried again, "failed", unplugged, replugged, down to 1.9, back up to 2.0 ... that last time a success. 

[silverhead]

....

 

Line 6 needs to revisit using an  iPad / iPhone as an interface in conjunction with the Workbench HD asap IMHO - they already showed a prototype of this concept using the Line6 MIDI Mobilizer  back in 2009

 

http://www.vettaville.nl/page.php?id=133.

.

There's also an iOS app for editing the DT series of Line 6 amps. It, too, works with the MIDI Mobilizer.

[johnnyayyy]

A few days ago I started writing up a long post about my update experience, but wasn't sure if there was much point since I had no issues whatsoever.

 

"No issues whatsoever" is how the update should have been for everyone, but then what would we have to talk about here?

 

To keep this thread on message and simplify things a bit (TL;DR):

 

1. DO NOT use the Workbench USB widget to do the 2.0 update. Use a POD instead or risk bricking your JTV. The USB widget SUCKS.

 

2. DO NOT physically tune your JTV down a full step to D. The 12 strings will not track properly. This is "being looked into" by Line 6.

 

3. If you manage to successfully update to 2.0 firmware and connect to Workbench you will need to do the Spank bug workaround fix to make the Spank setting sound right.

 

4. If you manage to successfully update to 2.0 firmware and connect to Workbench, DO NOT attempt to change the body type on a preset, there is a bug in Workbench that will render that tone silent.

 

5. If you are hearing some crazy KLACKing sound coming from your JTV that you did not notice before it is due to increased sensitivity in the modeling to nuances in playing style combined with a poorly made bridge with piezos that flop around in their slots. I am working on a fix/shim solution for my bridge saddles, will report any success I have at remedying the situation. You may never notice this problem, it is only bothersome for me when aggressively Travis Picking.

 

6. The 2.0 HD firmware sounds much better IMO.

[snhirsch]

If you are able to lift the piezo element out of the bridge, that thin teflon tape used to seal plumbing threads should be about the right thickness.  You certainly won't be able to push it in from above, it would have to be wrapped slightly around the element.

[stevekc]

There's also an iOS app for editing the DT series of Line 6 amps. It, too, works with the MIDI Mobilizer.

 

 

Please tell me more!

 

I'm only aware of this

 

http://mididesigner.com/community/midi-controller-for-line-6-dt50/

 

A MIDI Controller for Line 6 DT50 Amplifier Series

Guitarist François Desnoyers has been one of the most influential people in the MIDI Designer Community. Features from his suggestion list are still being implemented in every MIDI Designer release, and his international French is behind the French App Store text. But as you can see from his layouts, he’s serious about making MIDI Controllers, like this one for the Line 6 DT50 Series Amplifiers.

The DT50 series comes as a head (with a separate cabinet) or as a head-cab combo with two options (1×12 or 2×12). It’s gotten some great reviews, too.

But most users of the DT50, like any amp, use “set and forget.†You might switch channels with a footswitch, but that’s about it. François’ MIDI controller for the DT50 brings control to a new level. And the best part? You can mix and match your amp control pages with the author’s control pages for the Pod X3 Live or any other FX unit.

This is a convenient and practical way to get control of your DT50. If you own a DT50 and an iPad, you owe it to yourself to check this MIDI controller out.

 

[silverhead]

http://line6.com/support/topic/124-user-created-dt-editors/

 

http://www.cunningham-photo.com/DTCustomizer/

[stevekc]

WOW - thanks for sharing!

 

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dt-customizer-togo/id605628052

[johnnyayyy]

If you are able to lift the piezo element out of the bridge, that thin teflon tape used to seal plumbing threads should be about the right thickness.  You certainly won't be able to push it in from above, it would have to be wrapped slightly around the element.

 

Hmmm, coool, good idea - will pick some up next time I go to Home Depot.

 

Thanks for the tip!

[McLenison]

"No issues whatsoever" is how the update should have been for everyone, but then what would we have to talk about here?

 

To keep this thread on message and simplify things a bit (TL;DR):

 

1. DO NOT use the Workbench USB widget to do the 2.0 update. Use a POD instead or risk bricking your JTV. The USB widget SUCKS.

 

2. DO NOT physically tune your JTV down a full step to D. The 12 strings will not track properly. This is "being looked into" by Line 6.

 

3. If you manage to successfully update to 2.0 firmware and connect to Workbench you will need to do the Spank bug workaround fix to make the Spank setting sound right.

 

4. If you manage to successfully update to 2.0 firmware and connect to Workbench, DO NOT attempt to change the body type on a preset, there is a bug in Workbench that will render that tone silent.

 

5. If you are hearing some crazy KLACKing sound coming from your JTV that you did not notice before it is due to increased sensitivity in the modeling to nuances in playing style combined with a poorly made bridge with piezos that flop around in their slots. I am working in a fix/shim solution for my bridge saddles, will report any success I have at remedying the situation. You may never notice this problem, it is only bothersome for me when aggressively Travis Picking.

 

6. The 2.0 HD firmware sounds much better IMO.

 

#5 Klack:  I heard it initially and changed to 11's, adjusted the neck, raised the bridge and tweaked the (Zoom A2) EQ.  That worked (that is, if it's the same klack you speak of).  A possible option to tighten up tolerances may be to coat floppy piezos or slots with superglue or nail polish.  Just my  2 pence.

[Inerzia]

I don't think you're being fair saying the Variax USB adapter sucks. It's your experience. I understand how p¡ssed of you may be, though.
Actually, for me it was the other way round with 1.9, the PODs didn't perform the update correctly, while the USB adapter did.
 

1. DO NOT use the Workbench USB widget to do the 2.0 update. Use a POD instead or risk bricking your JTV. The USB widget SUCKS.

[rchibnik]

My update experience was an uneventful success. The night the upgrade was announced I upgraded the JTV89 with the HD500 and Monkey. The update ran smoothly, with no issues. Have not meddled with Workbench - will probably wait until the HD interface update. I've got so little time to play with rigs, I'd rather just jam.

 

Really digging the Lester sounds. I use  them a lot - never had an LP due to the neck feel and weight, but used it a lot with the 1.9 and treadplate, and now the 2.0 models are really pleasing.

 

Overall, I'm really happy with my whole dream rig - I get a lot of playing pleasure from it and find it to be very comfortable and fun to play. A little heavy but maybe it will strengthen my back. The only thing I dislike is the reverse headstock, but that's just a preference thing.

 

The only other guitar I play regularly is my VoyageAir TelAir and that's cause of portability.

 

Johnnyayy - I never thought to tune down a full step but could see that being a really convenient aproach given the tuning flexibility of the JTV - a nice idea to get more bendability with heavier strings. Wonder if the L6 guys thought anyone would do that.

[johnnyayyy]

I don't think you're being fair saying the Variax USB adapter sucks. It's your experience. I understand how p¡ssed of you may be, though.

Actually, for me it was the other way round with 1.9, the PODs didn't perform the update correctly, while the USB adapter did.

 

 

Yeah, you are right - IN MY EXPERIENCE and IN MY OPINION the USB widget sucks.

 

Well, maybe it's not the widget... maybe the firmware sucks... or the update process sucks... or Monkey sucks... but something in there that makes us have to repeat the firware install endlessly, only to brick some peoples' guitars. SOMETHING REALLY REALLY SUCKS and my best guess based on my experience and the experience of others I am reading here it made sense to blame the widget. I am sorry widget, it's not you that sucks, it's us. Well those of us who had to do multiple reinstalls and lost our data due to the midi port timing out or whatever. If only we were doing something differently everybody's guitar would have updated perfectly, right?

 

I am not at all pissed off, sorry if I came across that way. As I said, I think the 2.0 update is an improvement. I am glad I had the HD500 to use for my many MANY reinstalls, if not I think I may have had to send the guitar back to Line 6 for repair like others here will be doing. To be 100% fair, my HD500 timed out the first time I updated my JTV the day I received it, I did the update a second time that day and it worked fine and it worked perfectly the other dozen times i did the incremental rollbacks and updates trying to get my JTV to work properly ( the problem was never a bad install, just some flaws in the firmware in general and some that had gone unnoticed previously in the guitar itself) and I am judging the USB widget based on it failing the only 2 or 3 times I tried using it... who knows, maybe I could go try it again and it would magically start working properly - it works fine for Workbench, maybe it was just a fluke that it failed every time I tried to use it.

 

So, not pissed, not really frustrated, just of the opinion that if the system is failing for so many there is probably something wrong with the system that needs fixing. i wwas never pissed when doing my updates or troubleshooting tho I did get a slight panicky feeling every time a firmware install failed.

 

I am glad you were able to use the USB widget to good effect and save your guitar from a bricking. I am only mildly annoyed that I had to find the widget in my garage, charge my battery, install my battery, and hook up a bunch of new cables (okay, 2 new cables) just to access Workbench on my guitar, but still not angry and never was during the entire process or while writing about it. I do not need to be angry to be of the opinion something sucks, sorry if this was not clear.

 

Let me revise my statement... IN MY OPINION the USB widget is clunky in many ways and IMO vastly inferior to using a POD for updates and IMO should be avoided if at all possible.

 

Reasons:

 

1.You have to charge a battery to use it. In all the years I have been playing Variaxes, last night was the first time I have ever needed to wait for a battery to charge or install nay batteries at all. Clunky and inferior. IMO.

 

2. Two cables are needed to make the widget work, as opposed to one when using the pod. Clunky and inferior. IMO.

 

3 The cable for the widget is made of stiff plastic that wants to stay in the folded shape it was shipped in, thus making it difficult to move the guitar around while it is updating. Clunky and inferior. IMO.

 

4. Based on my experience and the experiences I have read in these forums the widget has a much higher midi error code fail rate than a Pod. Unuseable. IMO.

 

IN MY OPINION users should avoid using the USB widget until the firmware update bugs are worked out (I doubt this is ever going to happen) and use a POD only when updating their JTVs.

 

I thought it was understood everything written in these forums was the only the opinion of the person doing the writing, will try to include more IMOs in the future.

[johnnyayyy]

Eh, this thread was to talk about my personal ordeal, this is the first time I have ever realized this but even if 1000 people say they had no problems with their update it doesn't make my ordeal any less grueling or make my piezos stop KLACKing or make my 12 strings track or give me back the day I spent reflashing or unbrick Chuck's guitar or or or...

 

I wish we could have a separate thread for everyone saying they didn't have any problems, but really I am happy for you and your easy firmware update. The funniest part of my story (to me) is that the update went perfectly for me the first time I did it, I just didn't realize it at the time because my 12 strings instantly stopped tracking and I started hearing the KLACK noise I had never noticed before. With all the reports of people hating the sound of their guitar with 2.0 I assumed my firmware was corrupt and reinstalled it all those times without needing to. My Strats sounded awesome the first time I did the update, my Rickenbackers and Les Pauls sounded great too, everything sounded great except the 12 string tracking and the clacking.

 

I started this thread to help people avoid the mistakes I made (reinstalling the firmware so many times unnecessarily trying to get rid of problems that were part of the new firmware and the guitar itself and attempting to use the USB dongle when I had a perfectly good HD500 sitting right there were my 2 biggest mistakes IMO).

 

As for tuning down to D, my band has always tuned down to D and when started using a Variax I just kept doing that out of habit tho I suppose I could have tuned it any old way I wanted and corrected it with Variax pitch change.

 

The string tension is not really much less as I usually use heavier strings to compensate for intonation.

My update experience was an uneventful success. The night the upgrade was announced I upgraded the JTV89 with the HD500 and Monkey. The update ran smoothly, with no issues. Have not meddled with Workbench - will probably wait until the HD interface update. I've got so little time to play with rigs, I'd rather just jam.

 

Really digging the Lester sounds. I use them a lot - never had an LP due to the neck feel and weight, but used it a lot with the 1.9 and treadplate, and now the 2.0 models are really pleasing.

 

Overall, I'm really happy with my whole dream rig - I get a lot of playing pleasure from it and find it to be very comfortable and fun to play. A little heavy but maybe it will strengthen my back. The only thing I dislike is the reverse headstock, but that's just a preference thing.

 

The only other guitar I play regularly is my VoyageAir TelAir and that's cause of portability.

 

Johnnyayy - I never thought to tune down a full step but could see that being a really convenient aproach given the tuning flexibility of the JTV - a nice idea to get more bendability with heavier strings. Wonder if the L6 guys thought anyone would do that.

[johnnyayyy]

OK, Not everyone who has a JTV has a Pod or anything other than the USB Interface box to use to download the updates to their guitar. I play straight through a pair of Ibenez TS808's and a Delta lab MD-1 Overdrive, Crybaby Wah and a 100 watt Valvestrat Marshall. I hardly ever switch in my DOD-FX9.Makes my 59 yodel like a Swiss coyote!!!

So my point is, if the USB Box isn't to be trusted to get firmware updates, where does that leave us???? I feel like some kind of lesser citizen. I'm Not some "UBER" user but I for one will have to think long and hard before I hook up to that again. One "BRICKED" guitar is all I need to have my own opinion......I play lead for a blues dance band and we sound good enough to be booked solid most of the time and I need to rely on this stuff to WORK without having to buy a total line 6 set-up.

With RESPECT to all you Brothers and Sisters out there!

Play On...Chuckewheat

 

Yeah, I had a stressful time updating my guitar but I really feel bad for you, not sure what I would have done if  my guitar had completely died.

 

According to the Line 6 Workbench HD FAQ the USB dongle is, well, here's the quote:

 

"The Variax Digital Interface that came with your Tyler Variax is the best interface to use with Workbench

HD. You’ll need a fully charged battery and a 1/4 inch guitar cable plugged in to power up your Variax.

Any other Line 6 device with a VDI input will also work."

 

Now that says it is best for using Workbench and I can't argue with that, at the moment it is the ONLY way I can access workbench.

 

But for updating the guitar's Firmware which I believe requires large amounts of high speed data transfer over a looooong period (as opposed to the short bursts required for most Workbench use) I find the POD to be way superior.

 

Which sucks because as you point out, not everyone has a POD with VDI or access to one.

 

I say it is best to find a friend with a POD or buy one and return it after your update instead of trying the update on the dongle, your dead guitar and others I have read about in the past and my failed attempts to use the dongle led me to this opinion.

 

I remember similar problems updating Vetta amps and only one connection (Midisport Uno) being approved by L6, and  at one point L6 posted an official message saying something to the effect of "attempting to update your Vetta firmware may brick your amp and we can't fix it, do any reflashing at your own risk"

 

After reading that I never did a firmware reflash on my Vetta again and have been nervous about it every time I reflash my Variaxes/JTV.

 

Somewhere in the PSarkissian posted firmware update .PDFfrom this week  it says "slip up here and you will have to send you JTV back to us for repair"...