clay-man Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 List some people you know who use or have used a Variax in their career that are notable or are a musician people would know. Dustin Kensrue of Thrice used a Variax for about 2007-2012 until Thrice went on hiatus. He sold his Warmoth Variax transplant to someone on ebay. He used it for the drastic tuning differences in the Thrice catalog as well as having different guitars on their records. Here's a picture of him using it: Ed O'Brien of Radiohead has been listed to have used a Variax 700 though I can't find too much info on that. Ironically enough, if you look in your Variax manual, he is stated in the description of the Rickenbacker 360: "Though overshadowed by the success of the 12 string, the 6 string versions of Rickenbacker's stylish models continue to be popular with players looking for something a bit out of the ordinary, like Ed O'Brien of Radiohead." Do any of you know any big musicians that utilized the Variax? Can by any Variax; first gen, JTV, acoustic, bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 The Edge has two custom Variax acoustics - this one and a silver sparkle one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay-man Posted September 18, 2013 Author Share Posted September 18, 2013 On 9/18/2013 at 11:38 AM, phil_m said: The Edge has two custom Variax acoustics - this one and a silver sparkle one. That is pretty badass. Are the designs modified by him or did he commission Line 6 to do them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acrx Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 James Taylor at Obama's inauguration. Guess he did not want to freeze one of the Olsons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacockUSA Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 I've read that Sarah McLachlan is amoung those artist as well. She's apparently recorded in studio as well as played and recorded live venues with backing & studio musicians, who've played Variax 700's etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Kevin Cadogan of Third Eye Blind, Trevor Rabin of Yes (et al), Shawn Phillips, Ted Leonard of Spock's Beard, David Freiberg of Starship, Robert Sarzo of Queensryche, Carlos Rios (Chick Corea and Stevie Nicks), Oz Noy, Stevic McKay of Twelve Foot Ninja, and others,... I know they are all Variax users, because I've had the pleasure of servicing their guitars. There are some photos on the web of James Taylor with a 900 Acoustic. My lab mate got to service that one,... and probably that electric in the photo here, since he does most the early Variax guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAX700 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Steve Howe of Yes uses Variaxes: a 600 (played during the 2017 induction to the RnR Hall of Fame); he also has a 700 acoustic and a JTV59. Plus he uses a DT50 and swears by his Line 6 rig. (Check out Youtube)... Adrian Belew is a Variax user as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eenymason Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 On 7/20/2017 at 9:39 PM, VAX700 said: Steve Howe of Yes uses Variaxes: a 600 (played during the 2017 induction to the RnR Hall of Fame); he also has a 700 acoustic and a JTV59. Plus he uses a DT50 and swears by his Line 6 rig. (Check out Youtube)... Adrian Belew is a Variax user as well. Adrian Belew has Variax electronics transplanted into his Parker Fly signature model, but I don't believe he uses the modelling much.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Steve Howe has two DT50-212 amps, and a Blue 700 Electric. Adrian Belew,... transplants are a tricky and touchy thing to pull of. I done a few of them,... Carlos Rios (left handed player) and Stevic McKay (JTV-89) are among them. Transplants do sound different, as the body will have an affect on the tone color. You may or may not discern a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAX700 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 On 7/21/2017 at 10:38 AM, eenymason said: Adrian Belew has Variax electronics transplanted into his Parker Fly signature model, but I don't believe he uses the modelling much.... True... the Fly signature model is his thing, though I did see him play a few licks on a JTV69 in a Youtube video. Also, according to equipbord, he used a Vetta ll in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAX700 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 On 7/21/2017 at 4:06 PM, psarkissian said: Steve Howe has two DT50-212 amps, and a Blue 700 Electric. Adrian Belew,... transplants are a tricky and touchy thing to pull of. I done a few of them,... Carlos Rios (left handed player) and Stevic McKay (JTV-89) are among them. Transplants do sound different, as the body will have an affect on the tone color. You may or may not discern a difference. Check out Steve Howe "Rig Rundown" on Youtube... He shows all his Variaxes, plus his DT50 and his HD500 (though by now he probably has a Helix). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAX700 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 John McFee of the Doobie Brothers is another long-time Variax user. Though he's in the Line 6 Artists showcase, I think it's also worth mentioning here. And... Jared Scharff, guitarist for the SNL band, uses a JTV59. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrellM5 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Richie Castellano, lead guitarist for Blue Oyster Cult. The entire band Garbage (I believe they bought 18 of them, some for studio, some for their European rig and some for their U.S. rig) Pete Thorn. Isaiah Sharkey, guitarist for John Mayer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADBrown Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 On 7/25/2017 at 4:23 AM, DarrellM5 said: Isaiah Sharkey, guitarist for John Mayer. Are you sure he used Variax? I believe he was/is using Helix, but I've never seen him with a Variax. Same with Jared Scharff, lots of Fenders, offsets, and more recently Supro's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrellM5 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 On 7/25/2017 at 3:15 PM, ADBrown said: Are you sure he used Variax? I believe he was/is using Helix, but I've never seen him with a Variax. Same with Jared Scharff, lots of Fenders, offsets, and more recently Supro's. You're probably right. I think I got confused. Same thing with Garbage and Pete Thorn. Definitely yes on Helix but I can't seem to find any Variax confirmation. Castellano is using his Variax for some of the Blue Oyster Cult live songs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrellM5 Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Okay, here's another. K.K. Downing lists a Variax acoustic 300 and an acoustic 700 as gear he uses in the studio according to his website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Old thread, I know, but I was just at the U2 Joshua Tree 30th Anniversary show over the weekend, and noticed The Edge is still using his custom Variax Acoustic. He's using it on "Mothers of the Disappeared" for this tour. Not the show I was at, but you can see it here: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrillow Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 While he's not well-known to the general music-listening public, longtime sideman/studio player Billy Sullivan has appeared with many recognizable 'oldies' artists, such as Gary Lewis, Eric Carmen, Mark Lindsey, Mitch Ryder, Dickey Betts, Peter Frampton, Mark Farner, Ian Hunter, Eric Carmen, Sam Moore, Lou Christie, Lesley Gore, Billy J Kramer,Peter Noone, Tommy Roe, Bryan Hyland and others. I've seen him play a couple of times on the old Jerry Lewis MD Telethons, sporting an original red Variax -- the one that became known as the '500' after the line expanded to the 300 & 600. It's been many years since he last checked in on ION website to talk about his Variax, and I don't know how long he may have employed one in his work. YouTube undoubtedly has clips of him performing with these various bands, and I'd bet that you can find him with a Variax strapped-on in at least a few of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felipemartin Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 James Heatfield of Metallica used Variax Acoustics and Wayne Hussey from The Mission UK uses a Variax (500, I believe) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Of recent, Jam' tech replaced the electronics with something else, and still likes the feel of his 700 Acoustic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 The U2 video The Edge is playing a 700 Acoustic with a custom paint job, that one is called "Vertigo Red" there is a second one called "Sparkle". They each have a twin that were here at Line 6. Just before the CoVid outbreak and lock-down, U2 had a tour in the works and the twins were brought to me to prep for the tour and ship to their tech. Nice guitars. Everyone here and there was very happy. Too bad about the outbreak and lock-down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey_Joe Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Steve Hackett's Genesis Revisited band has a number of revolving bass players. Two of them I have seen on YT videos use Variaxes for 12 string parts. Jonas Reingold uses a JTV59. Lee Pomeroy uses a right handed 600 (left handed). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Would have to be a left handed 500, as we never made a left handed 600. They do look similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey_Joe Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 no... it's a right handed 600 and he is left handed; playing a right handed guitar in the left handed position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.