Am I the only one having these problems??

[ricoustic101]

Let me start by saying that overall, I am very happy with my new Variax Standard purchased direct from Line 6.  The guitar came set up very well and plays like a dream.  After I relearned how to assign a guitar model to each patch on my X3 Live pedal (the function is disabled in Gearbox) I was able to set up for a "basic" show such as I do.

 

However, when trying to go a bit deeper into the options of my Variax Standard, I am running into problems.

 

On some songs I play I use some different alt tunings, none that are on the alt tuning knob.  I use both an acoustic and a "semi" with a 2-fret-capo and I also use a "semi" in double-drop-D.  With my old V600 it was so easy to go into Variax Workbench, create these models, save them to one of the custom patches, then save that to the pedal.

 

Now, with my Variax Standard, when trying to use the alt-tuning knob, I'm getting both the alternate tuning and the original tone.  I was told this was because the mags were bleeding through and that function must be turned on and I would have to turn it off in Workbench HD.  HOWEVER, Workbench HD doesn't seem to want to work on Windows 8.  I fire it up and the 60 guitar patches load...I can usually change models and pickups, but if I go to save a model (and sometimes just randomly) I get an error message that Workbench HD is shutting down.  It shuts down and locks the Variax up.  I have to unplug/replug the cable for it to work again.

 

I really hope there is some sort of software bug that is known about and is being fixed because I would really really be upset if I had to send a brand new $800 guitar back for repair after just receiving it.

So basically, is Workbench HD having issues??  Is Line 6 aware of them?  Are they working on a fix?

 

 

[cruisinon2]

Now, with my Variax Standard, when trying to use the alt-tuning knob, I'm getting both the alternate tuning and the original tone. I was told this was because the mags were bleeding through and that function must be turned on and I would have to turn it off in Workbench HD.

I doubt that you've got the mags blended with the models anyway. Yes, it is an option, but one that you would have had to set up that way deliberately. It's unlikely that it just happened by itself, though I suppose anything is possible.

 

The so called "ghost notes" that you're describing have been complained about for years with the JTV's. Nobody ever wants to believe it, but sometimes it's nothing more than hearing the actual pitch acoustically, along with the alt tuning coming from your amp, especially at lower volumes. It's happened to me, and I was incredulous too at first, but that's what was going on. Try recording something straight to a DAW (NOT mic-ing the amp) with an alt tuning, and listen to the playback. If you don't hear both tones that way, then you're hearing the guitar itself as you play, with the alt tuning on top...it creates a dissonant mess, (especially at close intervals like 1/2 step down) and is more common than you'd think.

[Charlie_Watt]

You can also try playing with headphones on.  The louder you play the less you hear the strings themselves.  Yes it is possible to blend the mags with the modeling but you have to go into WB to set that up.

[ricoustic101]

I use this guitar to play live. I run Variax into X3 Live direct to board out my pa system.  These ghost notes are coming thru the pa system!!!!!

[cruisinon2]

I use this guitar to play live. I run

Variax into X3 Live direct to board out my pa system. These ghost notes are coming thru the pa system!!!!!

Fair enough, but I still think that the mags blending is a longshot, unless you had been set one or more models up that way. Try and get Workbench up and running and check it out, but I don't see that happening on its own. If that ain't it, something weirder is going on...these guitars are full of "weird".

[silverhead]

The Alt Tuning knob on the Variax Standard has a setting named Model that is used when you want to use an alternate tuning that is stored within the Variax Model as opposed to an alt tuning that is stored in one of the Alt Tuning slots on the guitar. It also has a setting named Standard which is used when you want to use the tuning to which the Variax strings themselves are tuned (including any capo), whether or not this is actually standard tuning. The remaining Alt Tuning slots store the relative offsets, per string, based on the physical tuning of the guitar.

 

Can you describe any change in behaviour as you rotate the Alt Tuning knob from Model, to Standard, to one of the Alt Tuning positions?

 

As mentioned it would be best to get Workbench HD running properly. Perhaps the Win10 version will work on Win8? Without being able to inspect any mag blend that may be occurring within the model itself it's difficult to diagnose what may be happening here.

[Charlie_Watt]

Try it with the 1/4 inch guitar cable instead of the VDI (if you are using that now).  The Variax does send both over the VDI and it's up to the Pod to use one, the other, or both.

[ricoustic101]

Well, I've sort of fixed the problem, although I have NO IDEA why it works.......so, as I've said, I use a Pod X3 Live on stage DI to the mixer.  I use the VDI cable because many of my X3 patches use different guitar models and I want to be able to call them up with a push of the footswitch (esp. where I go between an acoustic model and a "hot" ES-335 during the same song)  Anyway, if I use Gearbox and assign the input to "Guitar+Variax" and put a dummy plug in the 1/4-inch guitar jack (not connected to the pedal) the bleed-thru appears to go away.

Why this works, I do not know.........