Older Variax compatibility

[jcmathews 1]

What is the first (oldest) Variax that's fully compatible with Helix LT? I'm interested in pickup up a Variax, but trying to avoid the sticker shock associated with a new one? I've seen 300s, 500s and 600s for sale at a good price, but I know there are significant limitations with those. I'm particularly interested in changing guitar models and tuning on the fly using my Helix. I just haven't seen anything that says precisely which model Variax is the earliest with full compatibility. 

 

Thanks all!

[silverhead 8,912]

The oldest HX compatible Variax is the JTV series.

[raww 1]

Not the Variax Standard?!

[HonestOpinion 1,095]

4 hours ago, raww said:

Not the Variax Standard?!

 

With the Variax Standard there is a least partial if not full compatibility with the Helix. The Standard is listed many times in the Helix manual as compatible with no special exceptions or caveats. I don't own one any more although I have a JTV so I can't attest to this personally. I'm sure some other Standard owners here could give you more details.

[plumber 4]

You can power the standard from the helix floor but that's about it - you cannot change tunings/guitar models per preset

 

Essentially just a modelling guitar and a modelling FX with no interaction

[cruisinon2 2,675]

1 hour ago, plumber said:

You can power the standard from the helix floor but that's about it - you cannot change tunings/guitar models per preset

 

Essentially just a modelling guitar and a modelling FX with no interaction

 

Seems odd that they would skip over a more recent Variax model. My JTV works just fine with Helix...I can switch models, tunings, bounce back and forth between models and mag pickups. What firmware are you running?

[silverhead 8,912]

8 hours ago, raww said:

Not the Variax Standard?!

 

The Variax Standard is a more recent model than the JTV and is, in fact, fully compatible with Helix.  As Honest Opnion noted above this is clearly stated in the Helix manual. 

[cruisinon2 2,675]

1 hour ago, silverhead said:

 

The Variax Standard is a more recent model than the JTV and is, in fact, fully compatible with Helix.  As Honest Opnion noted above this is clearly stated in the Helix manual. 

 

That makes more sense...

[plumber 4]

Apologies,

 

I took the 300s, 500s and 600s that the OP asked about as the standard range - I understand there's a 'new' standard range now.

 

 

 

 

[silverhead 8,912]

1 hour ago, plumber said:

Apologies,

 

I took the 300s, 500s and 600s that the OP asked about as the standard range - I understand there's a 'new' standard range now.

 

 

 

 

 

The Variax Standard is a model of Variax guitars introduced post-JTV. It's not a range; it's a specific model.

[codamedia 922]

I find it easier to break the Variax models into "generations"...

 

The 1st Generation includes the 500, 300, 600, 700, bass and acoustic. 

The 2nd Generation includes the JTV, Standard and Shuriken. 

 

Anything in the 2nd generation is fully compatible with the Helix.

The 1st generation works with "limitations and quirks". Once you understand those it's still quite functional. 

[jerseyboy 45]

It's also commonly confused on the Variax message board.  People post questions for 1st Gen in the Variax Standard forum all the time.  

 

I'm with brother codamedia - 1st Gen, 2nd Gen, hopefully more gens...