JTV-89 different models

[fej180]

Hi I am new here and looking to get a Variax JTV-89. As I've been browsing I've come across different models such as JTV-89F, or JTV-89US or even a a JTV-69S. I know the 69 is different than the 89, but what is the difference between an "F", "US", "S" and just a regular JTV-89 with no extra letters?

 

Thanks!

[cruisinon2]

1 hour ago, fej180 said:

Hi I am new here and looking to get a Variax JTV-89. As I've been browsing I've come across different models such as JTV-89F, or JTV-89US or even a a JTV-69S. I know the 69 is different than the 89, but what is the difference between an "F", "US", "S" and just a regular JTV-89 with no extra letters?

 

Thanks!

 

The US version is nearly $4K, made to order, and is manufactured (or at least assembled) here in the states, whereas the rest are made in Korea. Modeling is all the same. Pricetag is absurd, imho...ymmv

[fej180]

22 minutes ago, cruisinon2 said:

 

The US version is nearly $4K, made to order, and is manufactured (or at least assembled) in here the states, whereas the rest are made in Korea. Modeling is all the same. Pricetag is absurd, imho...ymmv

 

Thanks. How would the build quality of a JVT-89 (non-US) stand up to a Variax Standard?

[cruisinon2]

30 minutes ago, fej180 said:

 

Thanks. How would the build quality of a JVT-89 (non-US) stand up to a Variax Standard?

 

Never seen a Standard in person, so I couldn't really say.... but it's essentially a Yamaha Pacifica with Variax guts. If you put pics of the two side by side, they're nearly indistinguishable, save for the extra knobs on the Standard. You do the math...

[Kilrahi]

29 minutes ago, fej180 said:

 

Thanks. How would the build quality of a JVT-89 (non-US) stand up to a Variax Standard?

 

As mentioned above, it's based on the body of a Yamaha Pacifica, which generally gets pretty positive reviews. You should think of the JTV line as the more premium version - there's more frills and you pay for it.  So how would they compare?  I'd expect the JTV-89 to look nicer and feel more premium - but the guitar's modeling will be identical. Personally, I bought a Korean JTV-59 and it's my favorite guitar. I almost went for the standard to save money, but I'm a sucker for the Les Paul design, and I wanted that little jump in visual panache.

 

Guitar players are a pretty finicky bunch. One will adore a build for a guitar - another will hate it. You should basically imagine you're buying a $450 guitar with $400 modeling guts.  Some people can never see themselves loving a $450 guitar. One of my fave guitars of all time is a $450 Epi Les Paul, and I'd have no problem buying a Yamaha Pacifica.

 

Most of the time if I talk to someone on a budget that is borderline for the Variax I suggest the standard, and so far everyone who has taken me up on it has been very happy. In fact, even I've been tempted from time to time to buy the Standard for the smaller/lighter profile and the whammy bar as an option since I don't have any guitars with a whammy. However, I keep stopping myself because:

 

1. I need to stop throwing money after my hobby - at least for a while.

2. It will largely sound identical to my existing JTV.

3. I keep hoping Line 6 will release an updated Variax soon. I don't know that they can improve the modeling all that much, BUT they could make some great feature tweaks to the line.

 

I just know the day I buy a Standard is the day the Gods above will decide it's time to release the next Variax line.

[psarkissian]

89 is a fixed bridge, made in Korea. 

 

89F has a Graphtech Floyd Rose Tremolo bridge, also made in Korea. 

 

89US is made in the US by one of James Tyler's people at a shop here in Southern California.

There's an "F" version for that too (check out photos of Robert Sarzo with his burnt orange one 89F-US). 

 

[fej180]

7 minutes ago, psarkissian said:

89 is a fixed bridge, made in Korea. 

 

89F has a Graphtech Floyd Rose Tremolo bridge, also made in Korea. 

 

89US is made in the US by one of James Tyler's people at a shop here in Southern California.

There's an "F" version for that too (check out photos of Robert Sarzo with his burnt orange one 89F-US). 

 

 

Thank you, and thanks to Kilrahi too. That was good information. 

 

I am currently borrowing a standard that a friend of mine changed out the neck and it has some buzz and sustain issues and I’m hoping that’s just due to it not being setup properly. 

 

Tomorrow I will be getting a package delivered of a new “Scratch and Dent” Variax Standard and I want to see how that compares to the one I’ve been borrowing. 

 

There is also a JTV-89 for sale nearby that I want to compare to the Standard I’m getting, so I just want to gather info now to help me know what to expect. It seems like the JTV-89 will most likely be a better built guitar and I’ll probably end up going that route. 

[odersfelt]

Have been playing with a new 89F since Christmas and used it for first rehearsal yesterday. Goes into an H&K Grandmeister head and cab. No issues so far and I like it very much, especially the neck. Band members thought it was a better sound than my previous guitar which goes to show a $4K PRS doesn't necessarily make the sound you want for a live band - we play fairly standard rock and pop covers. I bought it for gigging not recording and so far the ability to switch tunings and use different sounds including acoustics has made a big difference to several of the songs and saved messing about mid-gig with capos and re-tuning. I added a Tremolo-No and set it to dive only to prevent strings going out of tune if 1 should break during a gig - took about 30 mins to do. 

 

Generally I find posts on forums are from the hopefully relatively few people who are having problems rather than the many who are more than happy - which can give a negative impression of any product. So far I find it is a great guitar, actually better than I expected, even just on the mag pups which sound almost identical to the Lester models. Will probably post a more extensive review after a few more weeks and a couple of gigs.