Variax JTV-59.... to buy?..... or not to buy?

[psarkissian]

No particular reason, I just like used instruments, a certain character about them, like an 

old Strad or Guarneri violin.

 

And like I said previous, spend time with it, play it. Even my store bought guitars were floor

models or exchanges. They felt right after playing them.

 

Like I said earlier about guitars, paraphrasing the Bard,.... "If the play is the thing, then play the thing".

 

"Or did you repair them before you bought them and haven't had any trouble since?"--- Thought I mentioned that here,

or maybe on another similar post. Yeah, these four came across my bench, mostly for cosmetics, or a couple minor things.

[Guitarkyller]

 

 

"Or did you repair them before you bought them and haven't had any trouble since?"--- Thought I mentioned that here,

or maybe on another similar post. Yeah, these four came across my bench, mostly for cosmetics, or a couple minor things.

 

I wasn't aware of you saying anything prior, that's what prompted the question.

 

It sounds kinda sick for me to say this....but....I'm sorta glad that you had to fix yours first too.....Why not used? Seems a lot of them will need fixed anyway and one can get a warranted return cheap, if not free, 'cause you work there. This isn't any industry secret, it happens all the time. Easy for you to fix as a Factory Tech, and they better be good now, because you, and L6 have a reputation to keep. We're all adults here and we should be able to talk out in the open.

 

I was beginning to think that my gear was being shipped in from another planet, and that everyone else was getting all the perfect stuff from Earth.

 

Thanks for being honest and taking the time to answer a tough question....your a good egg there, Mister P.

 

You know me too....think back to San Diego and the days of Iron Butterfly, Walsh & The James Gang, Chris Issaak.

Jog your memories ?

 

                                                            Written with Respect,

                                                                         Me

[psarkissian]

It occurred to me who you are since the mid of these postings. A certain familiarity about it.

Thanks for being honest back.

[Akkan74]

The JTV-59 is my main guitar. I will definitely buy a second one as backup. It is very versatile and the setup and quality is better than expected in this price range. The only thing i could criticize is the fretboard quality and the lack of options for neck,  fretboard and color.

First the guitar arrived the fretboard looked more like a piece of plastic than high quality wood. After a lot of oil treatment it's ok and remember it's not a 3000$ guitar. The other thing is a problem for most big companys like Line6. They don't improve the gear they have. After a while they release a new product. Same like the JTV's. No improvement for color, neck etc. They released the standard now together with Yamaha.

The gamebreaker for me would be if Line6 would have a workmanship e.g. with Warmoth. You could choose the body type and wood, the top wood, the neck dimensions you prefer and so on. Warmoth could make all routings and wirings under license. It would be a little bit expensier.

The Dream Variax at the moment for me would be a Tele (maybe curved top) with quilted maple top in yellow and a maple neck and fretboard with matched headstock. The scale length should be the same as for PRS. Better a second one in red with a nice PRS vintage tremolo and locking tuner. ;)

[Guitarkyller]

. The only thing i could criticize is the fretboard quality and the lack of options for neck,  fretboard and color.

First the guitar arrived the fretboard looked more like a piece of plastic than high quality wood. After a lot of oil treatment it's ok and remember it's not a 3000$ guitar. 

 

I agree. The fretboard wood quality is poor.  Mine looked like it was sawed out of a 4x4 off of a pallet. It was very open grained and coarse and also took alot of treatment.

 It may not be a $3000 guitar now, but I'll remind you that the original MSRP was $2499. So I would have hoped for better wood somehow ?

[amsdenj]

After using good neck oil a couple of times, and polishing the frets, my new JVT-69S is a pretty playable instrument. I have to keep the action pretty high as the models don't like fret buzz. But I don't actually mind the action a bit on the high side. I like the guitar to have a little fight in it.

[cruisinon2]

It may not be a $3000 guitar now, but I'll remind you that the original MSRP was $2499. So I would have hoped for better wood somehow ?

I don't think much can be inferred from a product's MSRP. Its an essentially meaningless number...it's primary purpose is to appear next to the actual selling price in ads, to give the impression that one is getting a "deal". There are those occasional items that are actually sold at the MSRP for extended periods of time, but for the most part it's just a marketing ploy.

 

As much as I like my JTV, it's simply not worth $2499. I'd never have pulled the trigger at that price, and I don't ever recall the Korean versions selling for that much. They were $1400 initially if memory serves, and even that's a stretch, imho. I held out until they were letting them go for $1K.

[Guitarkyller]

I don't think much can be inferred from a product's MSRP. Its an essentially meaningless number...it's primary purpose is to appear next to the actual selling price in ads, to give the impression that one is getting a "deal". There are those occasional items that are actually sold at the MSRP for extended periods of time, but for the most part it's just a marketing ploy.

 

As much as I like my JTV, it's simply not worth $2499. I'd never have pulled the trigger at that price, and I don't ever recall the Korean versions selling for that much. They were $1400 initially if memory serves, and even that's a stretch, imho. I held out until they were letting them go for $1K.

 

You are correct.

 

I bought mine early in the game when offered at $1499.00.

So the ploy obviously worked. I would have never given $2499.00 either.

At any price, I still think the fretboard wood quality was less than good.

It's open grain seems to dry out faster and need more attention than others I have.

I also replaced the badly filed nut with a fresh one.

The rest of the guitar looks much, much better. Mines actually kinda nice looking otherwise.

[cruisinon2]

At any price, I still think the fretboard wood quality was less than good.

It's open grain seems to dry out faster and need more attention than others I have.

I also replaced the badly filed nut with a fresh one.

The rest of the guitar looks much, much better. Mines actually kinda nice looking otherwise.

No argument there. The neck on my 69 was the first thing to go...

[Akkan74]

I would change the neck immediately, but the JTV 59 has a set in neck. Not easy to change. I would like to have a little bit thinner maple neck with maple fretboard and the neck shall not be painted. I thought about it a lot of times if it's worth or not.

What are the options for the US models? Only painting or do you have the possibility to change the wood or the fixed bridge with a vintage vibrato?