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Another newbie question so I know what to expect when I get Workbench for my Variax 500.

I know that you can visually create a custom guitar using Workbench, which leads me to believe that when selecting a model/pickup selector combination to edit, it shows some form of preset guitar. Is this preset always a default blank canvas, or is it based on what is currently in that position either from the guitar itself, or the factory default? The reason I am asking is that my 500 has a couple of models that are different than the stated defaults and I am wondering how to get the settings back to the factory defaults without having to flash the guitar. I have been reading though the forums and have seen a few threads about failures when updating. I don't want this to happen to me obviously, so I was thinking I may be able to just tweak the few I need to. One of the ones that needs changing is the Sitar as it is not on my guitar, it sounds like it is another copy of the Danelectro. So if I launch Workbench and select the correct position, will the Workbench UI show the settings for the Sitar, the duplicate Danelectro, or a default blank patch? If it is not the Sitar, then my secondary question is to ask if anyone can post screengrabs of the settings for the Sitar so I can manually set it without flashing the guitar?
Does that make sense at all? I feel like I am rambling and not clear.

 

TIA

 

Colin

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On 4/17/2018 at 4:56 PM, thecameralens said:

Is this preset always a default blank canvas, or is it based on what is currently in that position either from the guitar itself, or the factory default?

 

The settings will mirror what is stored in the guitar at that moment. If somebody changed the patch, you will only see their changes. Any changes you make in Workbench are auditioned in real time, but need to be sent to the Variax to be retained. 

 

On 4/17/2018 at 4:56 PM, thecameralens said:

The reason I am asking is that my 500 has a couple of models that are different than the stated defaults and I am wondering how to get the settings back to the factory defaults without having to flash the guitar.

 

Take a search on these forums for a "Factory Default" patch. I know I found one for my 300 when I got it used... I just loaded the patch in Workbench and uploaded it all to the guitar. It's a nice clean slate.  If the 500 uses the same patches, I could share my "default" patch... but I would hate to give you something that is incompatible. Maybe someone else will know for certain if I can share my 300 patches with a 500.

 

On 4/17/2018 at 4:56 PM, thecameralens said:

I have been reading though the forums and have seen a few threads about failures when updating. I don't want this to happen to me obviously, so I was thinking I may be able to just tweak the few I need to.

 

Workbench warns you... many times. When the guitar is updating (eg: when you are sending patches, or updating the firmware) DO NOT change anything on the guitar! When I am updating I don't move! My biggest concern is that the VDI loses it's connection during mid update... that has the potential of being disastrous. 

 

That said - I have NEVER had a problem with any updates... and I've been using/tweaking the 300 regularly (several times per year) since I got it in 2012.

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Thanks Codamedia... My USB interface arrived earlier than I expected, so I could try things out. It is working great. I was a little concerned when it arrived, as I was expecting the old version with separate cables, but what I received was the smaller version with the attached USB cable. After some initial confusion with doing things backwards (I originally thought I needed to select the top body selection then send to the Variax after selecting the location from the scratchpad) I figured it out. So far so good, the patches that were too loud were easily fixed and I found out that the Sitar was a simple matter of selecting the Electric Sitar body. For reference I found this useful link that shows all of the settings, so I didn't need to reflash the guitar.

 

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=20422.0

 

As a side note. I decided on the USB interface because I do all of my playing using my computer and DAW, so a large footpedal solution wasn't needed.

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