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Alt tuning


bentele
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Hello ....  The alt tunings in my new Variax Standard sound very artificial and really not usable.  It sounds the same either VDI or 1/4 connection ....  via speakers or headphones.  The mag pups are not blended in WB/HD.  I have attached audio files in standard/1/2 down and 1 down.  All were reordered on TModel position 5 into a vetta II.

 

Thanks

Ben  

HalfDown.mp3

OneDown.mp3

standard.mp3

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Well there's something very wrong. I would try re-flashing the variax to restore to factory settings first. Then try directly into another amp, no VDI. It does sound like there's leakage from either the magnetic pickups, or some sort of cross-talk or feedback loop between the DSPs used to model the guitars and do the pitch shifting. This could be a cable that needs to be reseated in the guitar, a short somewhere, a cold solder joint or caused by some contanimation on the circuit board.

 

You may have to send to Line6 for repair if re-flashing doesn't fix it.

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Ok so it's Monday ..... and I am reminding you ..... LOL  One thing I did notice is the tone control when using the magnetic pickups doesn't seem to work correctly.  The first 1/2 to 2/3 of the range don't have really have much effect on tone (only with mag pup not models) .  This may be normal but please check it.

 

Thanks

Ben

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Dual tone: a result of,... 1) hearing the notes coming from the strings in standard tuning,

and also hearing the Alt Tune strings through an amp, at the same time. 2) a set-up adjustment issue.

 

Warbling: results from set-up, in particular, the magnetic pick-ups not being adjusted correctly.

When Modeling is engaged, this can be amplified and made more obvious.

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The mags are off, but the mag field from the magnets are still there,

and pull on the strings if the pick-ups aren't adjusted correctly. They

may be off, but the field is still there.

 

It's in the mp3's and CD. Yeah, it's fixable. Intonation was off on three

strings, so I adjusted that. And that can add to things as well.

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I don't think I am hearing the natural tune + the alt simply because I hear the same thing even through headphones. Aren't the mag pups turned off when modeling is engaged?

 

99.97% of the time, it's not about the mag pickups creeping into the signal (though this is an option that can be turned on in Workbench, so make sure it's off). It's a WHOLE LOT easier than you think to hear the guitar acoustically, even with headphones on (especially if your cans are open-back). When using an alt tuning, this will sound atrocious. You'll think both tones are coming through the headphones, but most likely not. Thought my JTV was busted initially too...almost 4 years hence, I still get fooled occasionally if I'm not turned up loud enough to drown out the guitar itself. Most of my playing at home is through headphones. Easily solved by turning up a bit...crank it!

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Hi ..... yeah one of the first things I did was make sure the mags were not blended in.  The Line6 guy worked on it says the mag pup were adjusted wrong (I assume too close to the strings) which makes sense.  When I recorded those sound clips I had the mic about 6 inches from the vetta speaker and I was about 15 feet away so I doubt it picked up the fundamental frequency of the string.  But anything is possible ....  People get mad at me when I crank it up (live in a small apt) .... LOL  But hey if that's what it takes I'm in .... :)

 

I'll post back when I get it back (should be Tuesday)

 

Thanks for the reply

 

Ben 

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Well UPS has pushed back delivery again .....  Now tomorrow ....  my guess is they never put it on the truck today.  The destination scan was at 8:31am but never showed out foe delivery.   Later it destination scan time changed to 1:31pm.....   bummer

 

Oh Well

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Ok …. So I got the guitar back and although it was a little better it really still sounded the same.   So first thing I did was pull out the Variax 500 and create a model tuned 1 step down.  Low and behold it sounded exactly the same as my new standard.   So next I pulled the old Guitar Port.  Connected the 500 to it and recorded directly into the PC.  Wouldn’t you know the play back was perfect … sounds just like you think it should.   Next was the Standards turn.  Recorded it with the tuning knob set 1 step down directly into the PC.  It also sounded just like it should.  

 

Bottom line …. I guess you are hearing the standard tuned strings along with what comes out of the speakers.  Hard to believe … but it is …..

 

My apologies to everyone I doubted …..

 

Thanks All

Ben   :D

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I am absolutely sure it did need some adjustments.   It plays better then it did before you worked on it.  Many thanks.  I live in an apartment so I always play at low volume levels (louder you don't hear it as much). 

 

Thanks much

Ben  

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  • 11 months later...
  • 3 months later...
On 6/2/2017 at 6:13 PM, psarkissian said:

No problem, it did need an adjustment or two just the same.

 

Hi, i just got my Variax Standard and i have, listening to mp3 attached, the very same problem.

May i ask you what kind of adjustment are needed ? Or is something an end user should not do ?

 

Fyi, almost same as OP, i did a factory reset, installed new firmware, doublechecked on WorkBench magnetic blendig was of, running into a spider V with the G10Relay (so no VDI cable).

I've tryied to lower as much as possible, to pickguard level, the middle pickup and using models/alt tuning just in that position, but nothing changed

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Set-up adjustments if I recall. Couple of other tweaks.

 

Don't go adjusting things on your own. Adjusting the pick-up height incorrectly can result in warbling

when in model mode, and sounds worse when using Alt Tune. The set-up needs to be spot on for your

geographic location and climate. Local climate, temperature and humidity can affect the set-up.

 

Also be aware of something called "dual tone effect". It's when you  hear the string in standard tuning,

and the signal from the amp in Alt Tune,... at the same time. Result is a clash of pitches. When you turn

the amp up or use headphones, you hear less of the string and more of the amp signal.

 

 

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Thx man, i feel so dumb now, amazing how your ear can trick you. I was sure i was earing a "distorted + effect" second sound but testing recording into a DAW confirmed your "dual tone effect" sydrome.

 

Since you warned about adjusting things on my own, i would like to ask you more .

 

Other than for testing, i lowered at pickguard level my middle pickup, and lowerd the action a little bit.

Can this " result in warbling when in model mode, and sounds worse when using Alt Tune."  ?

I can understand if magnets are too close to strings, but if magnets are more than far and i avoid blending, should't be ok ?

 

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Too close or too far,.... it's all on how mag field is and how the string cuts the field.

It's all about finding that happy spot. warbling occurs with normal mag guitars as well,

but with the modeling engaged, the warbling can be amplified and stand out. The pick-ups

are off, but the magnetic field isn't.

 

Guitar set-up is all about balance of tensions and parameters, and subtle adjustments are

are the difference between spot-on and almost. And as the old saying goes, "almost only counts

with horseshoes, hand grenades and hang gliders".

 

It's like a set-up for a normal guitar, but with a few adding twists to be aware of because of having

both piezos and magnetics. Extra stuff to be aware of. 

 

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11 hours ago, psarkissian said:

It's like a set-up for a normal guitar, but with a few adding twists to be aware of because of having

both piezos and magnetics. Extra stuff to be aware of. 

 

 

 

Ok, indeed i lowered a bit the action (not at extreme shredder level, just a little bit lower) and lowerer the middle pickup to mach my other guitars.

All my guitars have (and i'm used to) lower action, plus the middle pickup "disturb" my picking (i lowerd as well on my strat and the others have HH config).

 

Don't wanna ask to pubblish line6 secret about Variax, but can you tell us factory specs (or point us to where they are available)  about minimum and maximum distance magnets and string action a Variax should have to work as intended ?

Thanks in advance

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